South East Asia
This was my first foray into Asia and it could not have gone any smoother. 13 Flights, 5 countries, 7 Hotels, 30 days of travel.
The starting point:
The planning for this started back in July 2019. It all started off with having a lot of vacation time that I had to use this year. Now where to go???...I Googled “Best Places to visit in December” Thailand came up at the top of the list. Thailand had been on my Bucket list for some time. I just never had the time off to take the long trip across the world. This was my opportunity. I had heard great things about Thailand like how friendly the people were, the great food and the amazing temples. So it was a pretty easy sell for me.
SCUBA, SCUBA and more SCUBA:
Now what to do while in Thailand...simple SCUBA Diving. I Googled some more and found out the Phuket was the place to be if I wanted to do some SCUBA Diving.
What else...some friends of mine had just visited the Philippines for some SCUBA Diving and had returned with some stunning pics. I reached out to my friend Sergio Coni. He pointed me in the direction of Atlantis Dive Resorts & Liveaboards (www.atlantishotel.com). I reached out to Atlantis via email. Feel free to contact Roni (roni.benaharon@atlantishotel.com) for further details. She sent me a bevy of details as they have 3 different operations (Puerto Galera, Dumaguete and the Atlantis Live aboard Azores). I was initially interested in the Puerto Galera option as it was relatively close to Manila but made a change to the Dumaguete resort. Atlantis has the ability to do Manila Airport pickups and also book flights and additional airport pickups as needed.
The Flight Plan:
I reach out to my trusted friend Bob Scarfone (Travel Agent extraordinaire bob.scarfone@visiontravel.ca). I got him to hook me up with the flights from Cayman-Toronto-Seoul South Korea-Thailand. My plan was to spend a few days in Bangkok then down to Phuket for the diving then to Manila...with a return trip of Manila-Seoul South Korea-Toronto-Cayman. Bob made sure it all worked. I can get to South East Asia and get back home. Now flights are sorted...right??? Almost!
The side trip:
As I start looking at the map I see Cambodia. It’s been on my Bucket list – especially Angkor Wat. I start to Google some more. Seim Reap is only a 1hr flight from Bangkok. It’s doable. I will just have to cut my Bangkok visit short. I look a flight options and I book Bangkok Air (A Boutique airline...whatever that means). Then Google some hotels and decide on Saem Siemreap Hotel (www.saemsiemreaphotel.com ). It was $100US per night.
Then to book an Angkor Wat tour. I looked up a tour on TripAdvisor and booked it. Then the hotel emailed me back asking if I want them to arrange a tour. I ask them for details and they come back with something better than the TripAdvisor tour...a Sunrise tour of Angkor Wat plus Angkor Thom and some more. I’m in. So I cancelled the TripAdvisor tour and went with the options from the hotel. Was amazing...other than the crowds :P But I did get driven around and I saw some crazy temples and buildings that were in the jungle hidden away.
The official vacation
Toronto/Dundas/Southern Ontario Canada:
I fly out from Grand Cayman and land in YYZ, rent a car and go hang with my parents for a few days. We go visit a relative in Mississauga Sunday morning and then back to Hamilton for a pre-Christmas dinner with all my cousins. Monday we just bum around during the day and in the evening get to see my other cousin from Switzerland as she flew in for the Holidays. Next morning back off to YYZ, drop the rental off then check into Korean Air.
Seoul South Korea:
Korean Air was great. Nice plane, good seats and lots of leg room and this was economy seating. They had a state of the art entertainment system in the back of the seats, excellent food service. Highly recommend Korean Air.
Landed in Incheon International Airport (ICN). This is a wonderful place with trees and giant Cats. Its airy and big. Everything an airport should be. Sadly, it was just a transfer point to Thailand. Will need to pay Korea a proper visit some time.
My connecting flight was also Korean Air but this was an AIRBUS A380-800 J... double decker monstrosity. This is possibly the best plane I have ever been on. I was seated just over the titanic wing. It was so big I couldn’t see anything other than the wing out of the window. Comfortable seats (again economy seating), same entertainment system as in the previous flight, excellent food. The one thing I did notice was how quiet the plane was. I never even noticed the taxi process to the runway and could not hear any engines during flight.
Thailand
Landed late in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK), passed through Thai customs and Immigration without any issues. Picked up my checked bag and then got some Thai Bhat from the ATM. Then got myself a Thai SIM card right there in the baggage collection area. Thai AIS ISP was rock solid and internet data on my phone worked like a charm everywhere. It was $1500Bhat ~$50USD for 15 days and 75GB of data. Got outside and headed for the taxi area. I got a private car for $1200Bhat (a little pricy as the taxis are cheaper). But live and learn. Was driven to my Hotel.
I stayed at the Sukhumvit Suites Hotel Bangkok (http://www.sukhumvitsuitesbangkok.com/) right in the heart of Bangkok. I had booked a TripAdvisor Day trip the next morning with a hotel pickup...so I cleaned myself up and went to bed.
Next morning had some breakfast in the restaurant downstairs (Called Indulge) as the hotel had a discount voucher for breakfast.
Temple Trekking:
Then was picked up and driven to Wat Traimit (The Golden Buddha). A small temple complex with several buildings that housed a pure gold Buddha; with a fascinating story that the Buddha was encased in concrete to hide its treasure and was accidentally discovered to be gold when they tried to move it. Now it is in a wonderful home to lots of tourists.
Then off to Wat Po. Location of the big Leaning Buddha. So big you can’t really take a proper picture of it as its laying down and its very long sitting inside a temple with lots of columns. Worth the visit as this is a sprawling complex with lots to see.
The final stop was Wat Benchamabophit. A smaller complex with a few buildings. Very well maintained and lots of Buddha's to see.
We finished the complete tour about 2pm then back to the hotel for the rest of the day. I took the opportunity to walk around the street in the vicinity of my Hotel. I had no issues with anyone or anything. I did find a nice food restaurant/stall/street food vendor (Don’t really know what to call it). Anyway it was frequented by locals – so hopefully that was a good sign. It was on the side of the road with a glassed in food area and some servers. I just pointed to a few things and they put it on a plate for me and then paid (like $200Bhat ~$6US) and went and sat in the back where there were a number of tables and people eating. I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken, rice, vegetables and some noodles. All doused with some spicy sauce. Burned my sinuses but was very yummy.
Went back to the hotel and cleaned myself up and went to bed. Yet again another early morning as I was off to Siem Reap Cambodia. At 6am I was off to Suvarnabhumi International Airport and on Bangkok Airways for my flight to Cambodia. It took about 1hr. Had a window seat and watched the forest/jungle below.
Cambodia
Landed at Siem Reap Angkor International (REP) terminal I, and disembarked on the tarmac with a nice walk to the terminal. Easy process to get to get through customs and immigration. I just had to hand my passport and $40US over to a Cambodian Immigrations officer and he took it to get stamped and came back to me on the other side of the immigration stalls. I gave him a few $$ for his efforts. Then I walked to baggage collections and got my checked bag...then walked out of the airport.
I had been in communication with the hotel (Saem Siemreap Hotel www.saemsiemreaphotel.com ) and had arranged a pickup/drop-off to/from the hotel. Well to my amazement was greeted by a Cambodian woman holding up a sign with my name and the Hotel. Flawless.
Drove to the hotel which was about 15 minutes away. The hotel is not in Siem Reap Central Business District (CBD) but about 5 minutes by TukTuk outside. I checked in and got to my room. It was huge with a huge bed. Very nice...overlooking the courtyard with the pool.
Then proceeded to explore the CBD that afternoon. Got a TukTuk into town and walked around Pub Street and beyond. I found a nice Cambodian restaurant – The Red Angkor Restaurant. Where they had Fried Snake with pepper sauce on the menu (Highly inedible). Big portions but very cheap. Food was very yummy other than the snake J. Then back to the hotel as it was another early rise as its Angkor Wat temple trekking in the morning.
By the way it’s another early start. I got picked up at 4:40am as we needed to get the ticket for park entrance at 5am. And then to battle the crowds to get your ticket and then race off to the main Angkor Wat temple with a thousand other people to be at the perfect spot to see the sun rise over the main temple complex. Was cool anyway. Then back to the hotel for a 9am breakfast and then back in the taxi for 10am to go visit Angkor Thom (Baphuon Temple, Phimeanakas Temple, Preah Palilay Temple, Tep Pranam Temple, and Thommanon Temple). Tour ended about 3pm then I went back to the hotel and cleaned up. Then went back to Siem Reap CBD for some more food and walking around. Then back to the hotel as I leave in the morning back to Thailand...to Phuket!
Thailand
Off to the airport in the morning and back to Thailand. Siem Reap Angkor International (REP) again to Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) with a connector to Phuket International (HKT)terminal D. Arrived no issues, picked up my checked luggage and made my way outside.
The hotel in Patong sent a driver to come pick me up. It was about 1.5hrs from the airport to the TIRAS Patong Beach Hotel (www.tirasphuket.com) due to traffic.
The hotel was located right at the beach...down an alley crowded with T-Shirt vendors. So getting to and from the hotel was always fun, navigating the vendors and saying a solid NO to their prompts to buy their stuff. The upside is it was close to the beach and Bangla Road and food J
SCUBA Diving:
Again did some Google searches and came up with All4Diving.com (www.scubadiving-phuket.com) in Patong Phuket. I actually visited their offices the first night I arrived in Patong as its just down Bangla road past the first street. They actually have 2 offices right across the street for each other. The one to the north is the retail store and the office to the South has a pool and its their training facility. It was a fairly decent organization, professional and organized. They had promised to pick me up at my hotel every morning at 7am for 7 days straight - and they did. It was about an hour drive (with additional diver pickups along the way) to Chalong, Mueang Phuket.
We got dropped off at the pier port. They have a special system where you get loaded onto a pink bus that drives you to the end of the pier and then you hop off and walk to the dive yacht, MV Mermaid. It was a delight every day to get on the Yacht and drive down south in the Andaman Sea to the following locations:
Day 1 (Monday Dec 23rd):
Phi Phi Island Monday Dec 23rd 2019\1-Turtle Rock
Phi Phi Island Monday Dec 23rd 2019\2-Koh Bida Nok
Phi Phi Island Monday Dec 23rd 2019\3-Shark Point
Day 2 (Tuesday Dec 24th):
Day 3 (Wednesday Dec 25th)
Wed Dec 25th 2019\Koh Bida Nai
Wed Dec 25th 2019\Koh Bida Nok
Day 4 (Thursday Dec 26th)
Thursday Dec 26th 2019\Koh Racha Noi - Banana Bay
Thursday Dec 26th 2019\Koh Racha Noi - Legend Bay
Thursday Dec 26th 2019\Koh Racha Yai - Harruby Wreck
Day 5 (Friday Dec 27th)
Friday Dec 27th 2019\Koh Bida - Turtle Rock
Friday Dec 27th 2019\Koh Bida Nok
Friday Dec 27th 2019\Shark Point
Day 6 (Saturday Dec 28th)
Saturday Dec 28th 2019\Koh Racha Noi - Marine Bay North
Saturday Dec 28th 2019\Koh Racha Noi - Marine Bay South
Saturday Dec 28th 2019\Koh Racha Yai - Harruby Wreck
Day 7 (Sunday Dec 29th)
Sunday Dec 29th 2019\Koh Doc Mai
Sunday Dec 29th 2019\King Cruiser Wreck
Sunday Dec 29th 2019\Shark Point
Some more Temple Trekking:
I got up in the morning on the second to last day in Phuket and headed to my local McDonalds for some breakfast (Egg McMuffin and OJ), and as I was leaving there was a TukTuk driver outside with a banner on his taxi. Showing me the Big Buddha and the Chalong Temple. I negotiated a price $1500Bhat and away we went.
Last day in Phuket:
This was a relaxed day where I got up as per usual and got by breakfast at my local McDonalds. Then across the street to Patong Beach. Where I jumped in the water - attempted to snorkel but the water was not clear. I opted to just do some swimming and then hung out there for a few hours. Later I dried myself off and went for a walk on the next street over (Thanon Ratuthit Songroipi Rd) behind Patong Beach road and went to the mall (Jungceylon Shopping Center). I walked around and looked - didn't buy anything.
In the evening I went out to get some food then back to my room for a bit then out to watch the 2020 New Years festivities and fireworks along the beach. Sooo many people were there enjoying themselves. Then back to my room for a few hours as my taxi was there to pick me up for 4am to get to the Phuket airport as I was off to the third place on my vacation.
Early morning again. Get to Phuket International and then fly to Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) on Thai Airways. I stay the night...back to Sukhumvit Suites Hotel Bangkok. I take an afternoon to explore the mall across the street and then dinner then back to the hotel as its another flight - so off to bed.
A 2pm flight from Suvarnabhumi to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Philippines
Manila:
Landing after 6pm in Manila. Off to the Hotel and then some sleep. The next morning walk around and go to the mall. Stay the night at the Makati City Garden Grand Hotel. This was a very nice hotel in a nice neighborhood close to the airport - highly recommend it (https://www.citygardengrandhotel.com). In the morning check out some Jollibee's, Had the spaghetti and chicken - was decent. Another early night to bed then wake up early and get into a cab (They the use Grab application here in the Philippines)
Then Terminal 2 (For Domestic flights) to get on a Philippine Airlines direct to Dumaguete. Was about an hour and twenty minutes. Smooth no issues.
Dumaguete:
Landed in Sibulan Airport at Dumaguete. Picked up my checked luggage - no issues. Made my way outside and was greeted by an employee from Atlantis Resort. We took a quick tour of Dumaguete CBD and then headed to the resort.
Atlantis Resort Dumaguete:
The resort is located a few minutes south of town on the Negros South Rd. And does not look impressive from the road as its just a small little sign. Would miss it if I was traveling alone and didn't know what to look for. We turn into a small little road that has houses on the side. I trusted the driver to get me there safely. The resort is carved out of the bush and leads to the waterfront. It is comprised of several buildings for habitation, a Spa building with pool, Dive Center, Waterfront Restaurant, Camera Room, Reception and Shop. All was very clean and organized with very friendly employees and residents.
Cebu/Oslob:
On Monday Jan 6th 2020 I had the luck to go visit the Whale Sharks of Oslob on the Island of Cebu. It started off with getting up early again (seems to be a common theme for my trip). Then into the Atlantis van with a drive up to Sibulan Ferry Terminal. We boarded the ferry and it took about an hour to get across to Cebu Island. We landed at Liloan Port on the southern point of Cebu. Then a quick drive up the Natalio Bacalso Avenue to Oslob.
Oslob looks to be the Whale Shark watching capital of the Philippines. It is a small village with multiple resorts clustered around each other catering to tourists. We stopped into Brumini Resort where we parked the van and got on a big outrigger bangka boat. A few minutes ride to the north and we were in the Whale Shark arena. Its a roped off area where all the tourists and I mean ALL - show up to view the Whale Sharks. The boat was tied up to the north of the area. We jumped in and snorkeled to the roped off area. I could see the beasts as we swam in. So many people in this area. Sadly the Whale Sharks are conditioned to stay in this area because the locals feed them krill. It was still an awe inspiring moment for me to see these creatures in the water...4 of them swam right in front of me :)
Manila:
Back to Manila for 2 days. Apparently I arrived January 8th in the evening. January 9th is the Feast of the Black Nazarene (High holiday for Catholics in the Philippines). Like a Million people descend on Manila and walk around praying and dragging crosses. I stayed in my hotel most of the day. By the way internet goes down for the day for security purposes. The next day I went to the Ocean Park. Then I flew back out from Manila to Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) - with a short stop over in the airport then back on another Korean Air to Toronto (YYZ).
Trip Back Home:
Lets see...Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport or (NAIA )to Incheon International Airport (ICN). Spend a few hours there then off to Toronto (YYZ). I land at 9am and rent a car - then proceed to drive back to Hamilton to spend some time with my parents. I arrive at my parents house - they feed me and I fall asleep on their couch. Then they feed me some more and then I make my way to the spare bedroom...again another early morning with my last early flight of my vacation. I then have a nap and get up early as I need to catch my flight from Toronto (YYZ) to Grand Cayman. I fly in without any issues and then my 2019-2020 Thailand/Cambodia/Philippine vacation has come to an end :)