Recommend an interesting stop between New Delhi and Tokyo

Kiran wrote:
As part of his round the world business + pleasure journey, a family
member has a gap of about 4 days between his obligations in New Delhi
and Tokyo and would like to stop in some city in between.

Please suggest what the most interesting (most fun for least money?)

Nepal is at peace for the first time in a decade and is a wonderful
country to visit and inexpensive. Kathmandu and nearby Bhaktapur are
splendid with a lot to see and do.

Definitely on your route.

Some ideas at www.nepal-adventures.com. I can suggest details of what
to see if you wish to reply by e-mail (or anyone else).

Larry in Berkeley, California.

Larry in Berkeley wrote:

: Kiran wrote:
: As part of his round the world business + pleasure journey, a family
: member has a gap of about 4 days between his obligations in New Delhi
: and Tokyo and would like to stop in some city in between.
:
: Please suggest what the most interesting (most fun for least money?)
:
: Nepal is at peace for the first time in a decade and is a wonderful
: country to visit and inexpensive. Kathmandu and nearby Bhaktapur are
: splendid with a lot to see and do.
:
: Definitely on your route.

I should have clarified it in this very first post: this journey has to
be on "One World" airlines. Between India and Japan that means Cathay
Pacific and some of the desirable desinations will be impractical for
this reason.

Kiran wrote:
For the sake of new readers due to expanded group list, let me
summarize the backround of this question: Between his obligations in
India and Japan, my cousin has some time which he wishes to use to see
a few SE Asian cities. The available time keeps changing, but
basically he is thinking about 2-3 days each in a few cities. His
ticket allows as many stops as he wants. He must use Cathay Pacific, so
HK is in. From all we have heard, Bangkok is in too. He has already
been to Singapore, so that is out.

A few questions:

He has become very interested in Angkor. Is it possible to visit it as
a side trip form Bangkok, or must he fly into Cambodia (probably
another time)?

Definitely. He can easily book a trip from Bangkok. With his short
time he should fly directly to Siem Reap. Hire a driver to take him
around there.


Is Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City the better choice in Vietnam, if he is
able to include it?

Thanks.

You got it. It's easy to get to Siemreap (Angkor) from Bangkok as a
side trip.


Kiran wrote:
For the sake of new readers due to expanded group list, let me
summarize the backround of this question: Between his obligations in
India and Japan, my cousin has some time which he wishes to use to see
a few SE Asian cities. The available time keeps changing, but
basically he is thinking about 2-3 days each in a few cities. His
ticket allows as many stops as he wants. He must use Cathay Pacific, so
HK is in. From all we have heard, Bangkok is in too. He has already
been to Singapore, so that is out.

A few questions:

He has become very interested in Angkor. Is it possible to visit it as
a side trip form Bangkok, or must he fly into Cambodia (probably
another time)?

Is Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City the better choice in Vietnam, if he is
able to include it?

Thanks.

I don't think he can get Angkor on Cathay Pacific. Angkor isn't that close
from BKK.


"Chim" wrote in message
ps.com...
You got it. It's easy to get to Siemreap (Angkor) from Bangkok as a
side trip.


Kiran wrote:
For the sake of new readers due to expanded group list, let me
summarize the backround of this question: Between his obligations in
India and Japan, my cousin has some time which he wishes to use to see
a few SE Asian cities. The available time keeps changing, but
basically he is thinking about 2-3 days each in a few cities. His
ticket allows as many stops as he wants. He must use Cathay Pacific, so
HK is in. From all we have heard, Bangkok is in too. He has already
been to Singapore, so that is out.

A few questions:

He has become very interested in Angkor. Is it possible to visit it as
a side trip form Bangkok, or must he fly into Cambodia (probably
another time)?

Is Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City the better choice in Vietnam, if he is
able to include it?

Thanks.

Kiran wrote:
For the sake of new readers due to expanded group list, let me
summarize the backround of this question: Between his obligations in
India and Japan, my cousin has some time which he wishes to use to see
a few SE Asian cities. The available time keeps changing, but
basically he is thinking about 2-3 days each in a few cities. His
ticket allows as many stops as he wants. He must use Cathay Pacific, so
HK is in. From all we have heard, Bangkok is in too. He has already
been to Singapore, so that is out.

A few questions:

He has become very interested in Angkor. Is it possible to visit it as
a side trip form Bangkok, or must he fly into Cambodia (probably
another time)?

It's an easy side trip from Bangkok. A flight from Bangkok takes about
75 minutes. In 2001 it cost $260 round trip, but the costs may have
come down since more airlines fly the route now.

Is Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City the better choice in Vietnam, if he is
able to include it?

Hanoi. Or consider Luang Prabang in Laos.

I would definitely recommend Jakarta!

It is Beautiful, relatively cheap, lot's of oppty to meet wonderful locals,
but also non-Indonesian (many Asian, European, Middle Eastern, African
nationalities that visit Indonesia all the time. Plus some Americans too
believe it or not! In addition, if he/you like the food, then double the
reason to visit Indonesia!

If your cousin is anything like you, judging from your earlier post, I'd
tell him to keep his mouth quiet in Jakarta, lest they find out that he is a
Hindu that bashes Muslims or Islam for no apparent reason except for a
hating streak. In fact, if he has tendencies similar to yours, he should
skip Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bali and just head over the other non-Muslim
choices on your list. Why bother with all that hassle, true?



"Kiran" wrote in message
...
As part of his round the world business + pleasure journey, a family
member has a gap of about 4 days between his obligations in New Delhi
and Tokyo and would like to stop in some city in between.

Please suggest what the most interesting (most fun for least money?)
stopover would be: HK, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Jakarta, and
others. FWIW he must use one of the "One World" airlines (group that
includes AA), so some of these may be more possible than others. So
please make 2-3 suggestions and rank them!

Thanks.

Kiran wrote:
wrote:

: I don't know if I would bother doing any of those cities for just 2-3
: days. When you consider the hassle involved in the flights and
: airports and going to and from airport and hotel, how much is he really
: going to be able to experience in that time? He should add the extra
: time to either India or Tokyo.

You are an experienced traveler. He is a young person excited about
seeing 1-2 new places he has never seen, even if it is for a short
time. It is not rational, just wanderlust. I have been on both sides.

Then he could do the Korea trip; it'd be whirlwind, but doable, with a
day to enjoy Kyongju in Korea. He might also look into flying into
Beijing.

John W.

In article JC Venturo wrote:

: I would definitely recommend Jakarta!
: It is Beautiful, relatively cheap, lot's of oppty to meet wonderful locals,
: but also non-Indonesian (many Asian, European, Middle Eastern, African
: nationalities that visit Indonesia all the time. Plus some Americans too
: believe it or not! In addition, if he/you like the food, then double the
: reason to visit Indonesia!

Thanks.

: If your cousin is anything like you, judging from your earlier post,
: I'd tell him to keep his mouth quiet in Jakarta, lest they find out
: that he is a Hindu that bashes Muslims or Islam for no apparent
: reason except for a hating streak.

He is just a professional type. But then so were Daniel Pearl and Nick
Berg for that matter, weren't they? Or did they have Islam-bashing
streaks as far as you know?

He is not talkative like me, but he *is* a US citizen and, to tell the
truth, I would be concerned about that.

: In fact, if he has tendencies similar to yours, he should skip Jakarta,
: Kuala Lumpur, Bali...

Wait a NY second! Bali is Hindu. :-)

But we can discuss politics and religion in another thread.

Kiran,

I see you very well like mixing religion into discussions on rec.travel, say
with a healthy dollop of some not-so-subtle anti-Muslim rhetoric into your
threads! Or did I read almost all your threads wrong?

Interesting, Hindus are jumping on the bandwagon for racial profiling of
Muslims.....I wouldn't consider that a smart move. Because the one thing
racial profiling so obviously leaves out is the actual religion of the
person. The most popular looking religious face can easily be identified as
a Hindu from India, going by looks only! That's why many of your countrymen
are being stopped at airports too. If you were white, then you could jump on
the racial profiling bandwagon (they being almost free from such
profiling) --- but you are not, so don't argue their point of view without
thinking the consequences through.

And I also find it interesting that you included specifically Pakistanis for
singling out for Profiling? Am curious, is this just a case of another
Indian guy grinding the 'ol anti-Paki axe or you pointing to Pakistani
natives bombing planes? This may inadvertently ruin your "objectivity."

When someone has an agenda, alert people will always see through it Kiran,
no matter how subtle you try and keep it!

Just my unsolicited advice


ps: Bali is mostly Hindu -- but a part of Muslim Indonesia. It's not safe as
one would think, just remember the unfortunate bombings earlier, hence my
earlier suggestion of avoiding just in case.



"Kiran" wrote in message
...
In article JC Venturo wrote:

: I would definitely recommend Jakarta!
: It is Beautiful, relatively cheap, lot's of oppty to meet wonderful
locals,
: but also non-Indonesian (many Asian, European, Middle Eastern, African
: nationalities that visit Indonesia all the time. Plus some Americans too
: believe it or not! In addition, if he/you like the food, then double the
: reason to visit Indonesia!

Thanks.

: If your cousin is anything like you, judging from your earlier post,
: I'd tell him to keep his mouth quiet in Jakarta, lest they find out
: that he is a Hindu that bashes Muslims or Islam for no apparent
: reason except for a hating streak.

He is just a professional type. But then so were Daniel Pearl and Nick
Berg for that matter, weren't they? Or did they have Islam-bashing
streaks as far as you know?

He is not talkative like me, but he *is* a US citizen and, to tell the
truth, I would be concerned about that.

: In fact, if he has tendencies similar to yours, he should skip Jakarta,
: Kuala Lumpur, Bali...

Wait a NY second! Bali is Hindu. :-)

But we can discuss politics and religion in another thread.