Popagandhi

Asia News Desk is a fairly new blog covering Southeast Asian budget airlines, and it looks promising. According to one story, Thailand’s Nok Air is in talks with Deccan and Kingfisher (2 Indian budget airlines) to fly to India. When that happens, I’ll be a happy travelfish. (In addition to Jetstar already flying to Kolkata, and Bangalore soon, from Singapore.)

I’m always interested in using Bangkok as my base to travel outward, and so far the prospects look promising. AirAsia in Thailand begins flying Bangkok-Hanoi tomorrow, which opens up many possibilities for travel in the region. While it’s possible to fly Tiger from Singapore, it’s not quite as interesting as going through, and coming back to, Bangkok, is it?

And now you tell me instead of taking the bone-tingling Bangkok-Koh Kong-Phnom Penh route (bus, van, taxi) route, AirAsia will fly to Phnom Penh from Kuala Lumpur?

Aieeeeee. This means more money out of the pocket, for sure. There’s no better time to start travelling.

The possibilities abound, and the budget airlines only make it cheaper and easier than before.

I counted the places I went to on separate trips in April-August � five of these � and got “gatal” (itchy).

Southern Thai islands:
Singapore - Hat Yai (AirAsia, Tiger Air, possible by rail/bus too), land transfer to eastboard islands (Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui), or western islands (Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi)

(_Whatever you choose you’d be better off than the Singapore- JB- KL- Hat Yai- Surat Thani- Koh Phangan land-only route I chose a few months ago_)

China (Xiamen):
Singapore - Bangkok (all major airlines + budget airlines)
Bangkok - Xiamen (AirAsia)

Cambodia:
Singapore - Bangkok
Bangkok - Phnom Penh (AirAsia; the other airlines are way too expensive on this route)
Phnom Penh - Siem Reap (bus, US$4-5; boat, US$25)
Siem Reap - Bangkok (bus, pickup, or van)

Laos:
Singapore - Bangkok
Bangkok - Vientiane (train to Nong Khai)
Onward to Luang Prabang, etc. OR

Bangkok - Pakse (via Chong Mek)
Pakse - Don Khong, Savannakhet, Attapeu, etc.

Myanmar:
Singapore - Bangkok (air)
Bangkok - Chiang Rai (air / train)
Mae Sai (Chiang Rai) - Tachilek

Vietnam:
Singapore - Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh (Tiger)
Singapore - KL - Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh (all road/rail, except KL - Phnom Penh)

I don’t know why people complain about not having anything to do during the holidays. More detailed travel information in later posts.