- Stiener
- (9)
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Really good hostel, comfy beds, free internet, incredibly friendly staff, walking distance from most attractions, free breakfast and it's one of the cheaper hostels in town. I would definitely go back there. Can be difficult to find, up a staircase in the alley next to the billiard hall, follow the pictures of goats.
www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/GoatHostel-Budapest-21850
If you are looking for a night out head to Waterfront, a nice bar - believe it or not, on the water front - and Bed, at the end of the same row of bars, KK's only nightclub!
Wander down to the harbour and get a ticket for a boat over to Mandakan (the busier one) or Mamutik, both absolutely beautiful islands and only 15mins away.
You will need to hop on the back of a motorbike to get there because it can be hard to find, but it is totally worth it. There are many different types of snakes in glass cages all round the seating area and snakes inside the glass-topped tables! The food isn't bad either. The only thing we didn't like was the crocodile on a chain.
Soviet Street, Victory Monument, Shianoukville, Cambodia
If you get on a bus from Bangkok or get in a 'bargain' moto, of course you are being scammed, just roll with it. If you think about how rich we are in comparison and how much you are actually being scammed by, it's never that much. After all who is going to need that money more? Besides, it can work to everyone's advantage. My friend and I were on a bus from Bangkok that took us (after 18 hours) to a guesthouse just outside Siem Reap centre called the D&D Angkor Villa. It was run by a friendly family who took us round the wats, into town whenever we wanted, fed us, had pleasant rooms and it turned out to be half the price we were expecting to pay. It was worth the uncomfortable bus journey which most people have to do anyway. This one is not that much of a 'scam' anyway, the buses drop at the guesthouses who give up their staff as drivers or guides on the journey. It's a fair exchange, don't get angry with them.
A couple called Ann and Ken will come and pick you up from your guesthouse in the morning and take you to their house where they will teach you various batik techniques. While Ann is overseeing your creations, Ken makes a wonderful Thai lunch. You don't need a big group to go, in fact it is much better with just a couple of close friends. It can be as simple as you like because you pick the designs yourself, either your own or a stencil so no matter how unartistic you think you are, you can make some amazing things. In the morning you do a practice on a square piece of cloth and in the afternoon you can choose a top or a cushion cover amongst other things to try out a more complicated design and techniques.
It is a bargain and a lovely way to spend a day. Ann and Ken are lovely people and speak good English.
www.chiangmaibatikschool.com
chiangmaibatikschool@yahoo.com
053-398636 or 09-2623726
A sheesha bar on the river-front. Run by a friendly bloke and not too expensive, a good way to relax after an exhausting day shopping or seeing the sights of Singapore.
A beautiful temple like many in Kathmandu but this one is inhabited by hundreds of monkeys that will jump at you and bite you if you catch their eye or annoy them as you try to climb the many steps on the way to the top. It is great fun and the views from the top of the city are breathtaking. Ask a rickshaw driver to take you there.
Swayambhunath temple, Kathmandu, Nepal
If you can't afford the Hyatt, stay in Borneo Backpackers, the best hostel in town, and there are lots. The staff are really friendly and will organise trips to Sepilok, white-water rafting, the hot springs and visits to Runguss tribes all of which are totally worth it.
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first submitted a tip on 9 December 2006
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