Vietnam vs. Thailand vs. ... DestinationX

nicco33 · #1 11-06-2008, 06:04 PM

Found out last week that my 2 weeks of holidays run from the 19th of December until the 4th of January. Have had a few ideas in mind for how to spend that time (including a trip to visit a Nepalese friend of Dale's, and a trip to Lake Baikal - the world's largest body of fresh water - via the TransSiberianRR) but am now leaning towards heading somewhere sunny + warm where I could spend half my time climbing, and the other half touring.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Has anyone climbed in Cambodia? Anyone interested in tagging along?

I'm all ears. I mean eyes.

- Nick

snackmasterb · #2 11-06-2008, 06:34 PM

Hey Nick, my TEFL class in northern Thailand ends on Dec. 23. I might be traveling back around southern Thailand to climb or might be interested in checking out Cambodia for climbing and touring. You'd also be welcome to come up to Chiang Mai's Crazy Horse Buttress for some great limestone single and multipitch sport routes that I could join you for ; )

I posted a note about weekday climbing next week while I'm visiting Seoul if you're free any of those days. Looks like I might be meeting up with Dan on Monday. It would be great to connect!

Let me know on both points..

Cheers! Danny

Chickenlegs · #3 11-10-2008, 03:13 PM

Thailand's climbing areas are REALLY busy that time of the year. Also, accomodation prices go up... but it is nicer weather than the summer. I'm not sure what the exact temps are in Vientam at that time, but definitely much cooler than Thailand (at least on Catba and in Ha Long bay). For more info on Vietnam, check out www.slopony.com. The rock in Vietnam isn't slippery as glass like the Thai rock is by now.

nicco33 · #4 11-10-2008, 04:51 PM

Sorry Danny - I live outside of Jinju (just east of Jirisan), so no mid-week climbing in Seoul for me.

That said, sorry for the late reply - I've been trying to sort out the details of a contract extension proposal and was hoping to have it sorted out by the end of last week. It's still a work in progress, but should be shorted out shortly. Long story short: if I won't be re-signing, I'll likely opt to head to Cambodia seeing as Angkor Wat's been on my list of places to visit for years now, and there's no telling when I'd be back on this side of the Pacific. If, on the other hand, I do re-sign, then I'll likely head to Vietnam this time 'round, and visit Angkor next summer or winter.

I'll get back to you when I know more.

Cheers,

Nick

nicco33 · #5 11-10-2008, 04:59 PM

And thanks for the Thai review Chickenlegs. I tracked down the slo-pony link a couple of weeks ago, and from what I've read so far, I'm sure it'll come in handy if Vietnam's where I wind up going.

heatherj22 · #6 11-10-2008, 06:44 PM

Hey Nick, I'm definitely heading to Vietnam for Christmas, so if you need a travel/climbing buddy, I'll be there with a few folks from Canada until Jan 3/4.

nicco33 · #7 11-13-2008, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heatherj22

Hey Nick, I'm definitely heading to Vietnam for Christmas, so if you need a travel/climbing buddy, I'll be there with a few folks from Canada until Jan 3/4.

Are you heading to the Halong Bay area? If so, I'll be happy to tag along if I opt for Vietnam.

That said, I'm still waiting to hear back from my employer re: my extension, so will have to get back to you when word comes down from above.

skinsk · #8 11-13-2008, 02:32 PM

Thailand is certainly more crowded at this time, and it's developing fast, but the climbing is classic (with new routes still coming in) and partners everywhere (esp Euopeans), and swimming/snorkeling for rest days. It has a very laid-back feel, which is beginning to border on party all the time. There is developemtn nearby-- bouldering beaches and routes rying to reclaim the coziness of yesteryear. Up North there's more options with Crazy Horse-- no beaches or cragside accomodations, but good rock. Thailand has great food. You can fly to Krabi, take a bus or train (I like the old Thai overnight train-- book in advance in the high season-- and Bangkok is worth a look-- at least the Grand Palace, Wat Po (home of the Thai massage), and a canal cruise. The political situation is a little dodgy at the moment.

Vietnam has a different vibe-- not so much a community of climbers as a business that takes you to the rock-- not so bad if you're there a short time, but you pay to climb, rent gear, etc, every time. Many routes you need to go by boat, and you're basically going to book through slopony. The hotel options on Catba are nice, but there's one good restaurant and greasy backpacker food. (Hanoi on the other hand has excellent food-- and a lot to see, but the hassle/crime factor makes Bangkok seem like a piece of cake) Last year winter was cold-- not good for swimming. Vietnam was still under a curfew last year-- at 11 everything closes down and you are locked in your hotel-- even on Catba! Catba is a bus to a bus to a boat to a bus-- transport in Vietnam is slow!

shanja · #9 11-13-2008, 03:38 PM

Kyung Ah and I are probably heading to Vietnam and the region in Feb for a month or so. WE climbed at Railay in the Summer (July-Aug) before and found it really good - not humid (less than Korea by far!), and despite being told it would rain a lot we had two days of rain in three weeks at most. Was not crowded and the accom was cheap. Lots to see in Bangkok and other places, even doing some of the touro things is quite worthwhile - Khao san Road, Chinatown, boat taxis and floating markets, elephant rides and hill treks. You don't really lose 'cool independent ultra out-there traveller' points just because you do some things general tourists do.

The climbing, north at Crazy Horse etc or south at Railay/ Tonsai is fantastic either way. Lion/ Sang-in said he has even climbed in Cambodia.

Chickenlegs · #10 11-13-2008, 03:58 PM

Just to put some more information out there...

I actually liked the vibe in Vietnam better than Railay. We made a couple really good friends and didn't have to put up with the large groups of gumbies, wanna-be hippies and trustafarians spewing beta and names and nuturing their dreads. You do have to pay to climb but if you are staying on the island, Butterfly Valley (the crag you have to pay for) is really cheap (a/b $5 for a week long pass). The money doesn't go to SloPony, it goes to the Vietnamese gov't as 'rent'. Our deep water soloing trips were a/b the same price in Ha Long and Lan Ha as they are in Railay, plus you can talk with the guys at SloPony and tailor the trip to your group's strengths/weaknesses.

Also, we found several delicious places to eat (the best Vietnamese is Phuong Long and the lunch that Ya and Trihn will fix you when you climb at Butterfly Valley)... we only accidentally ate greasy food twice and we were there for a month.

We had no curfew this summer and no crime. The trip to Hanoi is a/b 4 hours.

Also, during the winter, Vietnam will be cheaper than Thailand.