Author Topic: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand  (Read 1371 times)

Offline YankyDoodle

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Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« on: July 05, 2020, 01:31:35 PM »
Nabbed free Qatar flight for healthcare workers and deciding between Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. It will be just myself and the misses for 1 week. We would prefer to choose just 1 country (maybe 2-3 cities). Prioritizing natural beauty/outdoors, unique features, best bang for the buck, kosher food/restaurants are nice but not a deal breaker. Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated!!
@moish and anyone else who had been there or researched previously.

Thanks!

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2020, 06:01:54 PM »
Cambodia is the cheapest, Vietnam has the best nature, Thailand has the best beaches and Kosher.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline tmendy226

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2020, 07:18:41 PM »
In addition to the above. Thailand is most touristy and fun/party style. Vietnam is much more authentic very nice people and very cool architecture blend of French and Asian.

Thailand is a monarchy and the king is a very central figure. It is also very religious with tons of temples and statues (big problem because it is real עבודה זרה unlike churches etc that we have in Europe). Vietnam is communist (to a certain extent) and I don’t remember ever seeing people making קרבנות.

I spoke to a black guy in Vietnam (head of Kenya airways) who said he was touched by different people while walking on the street who thought that he had paint on himself 🤦‍♂️ I also had my beard touched a couple times while walking in the market from farmers who had never seen someone with real facial hair... (you have to understand the culture to realize that they are not rude rather have a different way to interact with people/things and might have never met people who aren’t SE Asians)

This would be very unlikely to happen in Thailand (at least not somewhere where you would be going).

Chabad and kosher in Thailand is much bigger, so is general tourist infrastructure, hotels, resort etc. But Vietnam has also plenty. There’s large Chabad houses in four cities in Thailand with restaurants etc. There are 3 Chabad houses in Vietnam but they’re smaller

The truth is that after all this, what will really matter is which country will be open by that time and I don’t think that you will actually know until very close to your trip...

Offline moish

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2020, 04:30:56 PM »
For a first trip, I'd recommend Thailand.

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2020, 05:40:50 PM »
I would stick to one country. Depends on the time of the year also: different monsoons seasons.
One week is not a lot of time ...

Offline justaregularguy

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2020, 06:15:33 PM »
I’d say Vietnam bc if you go into a bar there and get into a fight, then you can say you fought in Vietnam  ;)
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Offline YankyDoodle

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2020, 08:40:37 PM »
Thanks guys, really helpful! I don’t care for the beaches and kosher food isn’t very high on my list of priorities. I’m leaning towards Vietnam, the caves and hiking look unreal. Any suggestions for to-dos? Can you reasonably do a tour oneself in Vietnam or should one go with a group (looks like Oxalis is the big one there)?

Offline YankyDoodle

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2020, 08:13:51 AM »
I would stick to one country. Depends on the time of the year also: different monsoons seasons.
One week is not a lot of time ...

Looks like these 3 for the most part all have the wet season ending in October and we are looking at early-mid November so should be good.

Offline YankyDoodle

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2020, 08:15:15 AM »
For a first trip, I'd recommend Thailand.

But it’s likely a first and last trip to the region and I don’t particularly care for the food and beaches. Still Thailand? I’m leaning Vietnam.

Offline tmendy226

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2020, 08:37:24 AM »
But it’s likely a first and last trip to the region and I don’t particularly care for the food and beaches. Still Thailand? I’m leaning Vietnam.

I am with you on Vietnam! :)

You have to decide which city/region you want to go to. You’ll probably have to fly in to saigon or Hanoi. Than you can go somewhere else. Hanoi is my favorite but if you go to Saigon you can visit the tunnels from the Viet Kong (very cool day trip) and at the same time you can also shoot with some big guns if that interests you (M60, ak47 etc). Hanoi is gateway for sapa and Ha Long Bay

Offline moish

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Re: Cambodia vs Vietnam vs Thailand
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2020, 05:14:43 AM »
But it’s likely a first and last trip to the region and I don’t particularly care for the food and beaches. Still Thailand? I’m leaning Vietnam.
The reason I recommended Thailand was because it seemed this is your first trip, and Thailand is just easier and more convenient especially for the kosher traveler. But if you are prepared to be more adventurous and kosher accessibility and infrastructure isn't high on the list, definitely go for it.