" The greatest pleasure in LIFE is doing what others say you cannot do "
" Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness "
" LIFE goes on. Whether you choose to move on and take a chance in the unknown. Or stay behind, locked in the past thinking of what could have been. The past is past ! "
" My 14 days (9-22/2/2017) overland train trip from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Thailand & Laos with 3 of my travel buddies from Klang - another amazing trip to major river cities & towns in South East Asia "
Travel itinerary: Kuala Lumpur > Padang Besar (Malaysia) > Hatyai (Thailand) > Bangkok > Ayutthaya > Nong Khai > Vientiane (Laos) > Vang Vieng > Luang Prabang > Nong Khai (Thailand) > Bangkok > Padang Besar (Malaysia) > Kuala Lumpur Sentral (total mileage 5050km)
" Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness "
" LIFE goes on. Whether you choose to move on and take a chance in the unknown. Or stay behind, locked in the past thinking of what could have been. The past is past ! "
" My 14 days (9-22/2/2017) overland train trip from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Thailand & Laos with 3 of my travel buddies from Klang - another amazing trip to major river cities & towns in South East Asia "
Travel itinerary: Kuala Lumpur > Padang Besar (Malaysia) > Hatyai (Thailand) > Bangkok > Ayutthaya > Nong Khai > Vientiane (Laos) > Vang Vieng > Luang Prabang > Nong Khai (Thailand) > Bangkok > Padang Besar (Malaysia) > Kuala Lumpur Sentral (total mileage 5050km)
Total expenses incurred (14 days): 10,340bht + US$20.30 + Rm176.50 = Rm1,594 (US$358)
1) Food (14 days) : Rm13 + 2,851bht
2) Hostels (9 nights): Rm66.50 + US$20.30 + 1,770bht
Chic Hostel, Bangkok (3 nights) - 500bht x 3=1,500bht
Stockhome, Ayutthaya (1 night) - 270bht
Vientiane Star Hostel, Vientiane (2 nights) - Rm28 + Rm38.50 = Rm66.50
Pan Place Guest House, Vang Vieng (1 night) - US$4.50
Kounsavan Guest House, Luang Prabang (2 nights) - US$7.90 x 2 = US$15.80
3) Train Tickets (Thailand & Malaysia) : Rm97 + 3,280bht
KL Sentral > Padang Besar - Rm42
Padang Besar > KL Sentral - Rm55
Padang Besar > Hatyai - 70bht
Hatyai > Bangkok - 855bht
Bangkok > Ayutthaya - 15bht
Ayutthaya > Nong Khai - 722bht
Nong Khai > Bangkok - 748bht
Bangkok > Padang Besar - 870bht
4) Mini Vans (Laos): 305,000kip=1,292bht
Vientiane > Vang Vieng, Laos - 60,000kip
Vang Vieng > Luang Prabang - 80,000kip
Luang Prabang > Vientiane - 165,000kip
5) Tuk Tuk (Thailand & Laos): 437bht + 25,000kip=106bht (cost sharing per pax for 4 people)
2 hr day tour, Vientiane (4 tourist sites) - 100bht
2 hr day tour, Ayutthaya Historical Park - 100bht
Nong Khai > Vientiane Star Hotel - 75bht
Vientiane Star Hotel > Nong Khai - 25,000kip
North Bus station > Vientiane Star Hotel - 100bht
Nong Khai train station > Thai Immigration - 20bht
Thai Immigration > Nong Khai train station - 20bht
Bangkok downtown - 22bht
MRT / Sky train (Thailand): 226bht
Boat / ferry: 38bht
Bus (border crossing Thai/Laos): 8,000kip=40bht
Departure Tax: 11,000kip=47bht
Wat Traimit Wittayaram, Bangkok - 40bht
Ayutthaya Historical Park - 50bht
That Luang Museum, Vientiane - 10,000kip
That Phu Si, Luang Prabang - 20,000kip
Luang Prabang Museum - 30,000kip
Exchange Rates: US$1=Rm4.45; US$1=34.28bht 100bht = Rm12.85; 1bht=236kip (Laos currency);
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| Have you got something to crow about on this trip ? |
Travel Highlights:
1) KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4) Bangkok, Thailand
5) Ayutthaya (UNESCO), Thailand
6) Vientiane, Laos
The KL Team for this Thailand & Laos trip (aged 65-72). The team members are Tee, K M Cheng (Team Leader), Chim & Wong leaving behind a page of our travelling life in the amazing land of Thailand & Laos ! These oldies behaved like "The Young Ones" humming their "Summer Holidays" in the Land of Smiles ! All of us were in high spirits before boarding the KTM train from KL Sentral bounds for Padang Besar !
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| KL Sentral Train Station, Malaysia |
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| Ayutthaya Train Station, Thailand |
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| Hua Lamphong Train Station, Bangkok |
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| On board the Hatyai > Bangkok train |
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| Free buffet breakfast at Chic / Centra Hotel, Bangkok |
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| World Peace Gong at Patuxay Park, Vientiane |
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| Nong Khai train station, Thailand |
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| Free breakfast at Vientiane Star Hostel |
River cities & its rivers our group visited in this Thailand & Laos trip:
1) Bangkok city & Mae Nam Chao Phraya, Thailand
2) Ayutthaya town & Mae Nam Chao Phraya, Thailand
3) Vientiane town & Mekong River, Laos
4)Vang Vieng town & Nam Song River, Laos
5) Luang Prabang town & Mekong River / Nam Khan River, Laos
My Golden Years - Never mind if you do not have all the 6 pillars in your Golden Years. But if you possess strong mental, physical & spiritual strength, this will help you considerably in achieving your dreams in travelling ! Find ways to strengthen the weaker pillar and learn new skills to add value to your retirement LIFE !
In my Golden Years since 2006, I had "tuk tuk" (meaning by trains) all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok & then up north to Chiangmai & Vientiane / Luang Prabang of Laos (4 visits thus far). If you have not done so, buy now a backpack & a pair of air walk shoes, then start your first "tuk tuk" ride to our closest neighboring country ie Thailand - the Land of Smiles and if you are ambitious, why not continue your ride to Laos, the jewel of Mekong. Best still from Luang Prabang to Hanoi or go down south to say Good Morning, Saigon in Vietnam - if you had already "tuk tuk" to all these three countries, I salute you ! You are now a qualified "tuk tuk" king traveler !
Start your adventure now ! Have fun in "tuk tuking in Thailand & Laos"
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