Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Ozo Hotel - Kandy, Sri Lanka
Situated close to the centre of Kandy near the major lake of the city (although an uphill walk to get there, easier with a tuk tuk or mini bus) Kandy Ozo hotel offers great views of the city. Free wifi (ask for user id and password), two free bottles of water. Mini Bar on request. Takes almost all power adapters and even has a USB power port. Good dinning option at the Hotel. Breakfast included and for no extra cost also includes monkeys trying to take left over food for those sitting outside

Grand Hotel - Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
Nuwara Eliya is also know as 'Little England' for good reason and the hotel has an English feel including a billiards room, fireplaces and Victorian settings. No wifi or mini bar options. A lot of onsite restaurants but also very close to city centre (10 minute walk) plus there is an English Pub in the same street as the hotel worth checking out. Two free bottles of water included. Breakfast included, biggest spread and options so far. Power outlets are Sri Lankan only except for shaver outlet.

Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort - Udawalawe, Sri Lanka.
A remote resort so dinning is at resort but luckily good range of buffet or 'a la carte' for dinner, buffet only for breakfast (which is included). Good swimming pool. Amazing sized rooms with scented flower petals. Wifi included but extremely slow and basically useless. Range of organised activities available from reception. Two free water bottles included. US, Western Europe and Sri Lankan power outlets in room.

Ozo Hotel - Colombo, Sri Lanka
Hotel situated on the coast. ATM nearby as well as a supermarket and Pizza Hut (didn't use ever of them). Fast free wifi. Stunning views from my room. Pool on roof top of this high rise hotel. Great a la carte dinner menu. Reasonable included buffet range. Two free water bottles included (seems to be standard in Sri Lanka but you need them in the heat and humidity).

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka


Grand Hotel - Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon (Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka)

The last hotel of my Southeast Asia trip the Hikkaduwa Tranz is a luxury resort about 20 minutes out from Galle.



Spacious rooms, situated right on the beach with three pools and a beach volleyball court. Free wifi (password needed), two free bottles of water. Stocked mini bar. Huge breakfast buffet (included). Turn down service offered around 6 pm each night.

Onsite three restaurants (expensive) and spa treatment.

Hotel is situated near local shops and large array of good restaurants both on the shore and opposite the road.

Last day I left at 6 am so they provided a breakfast pack.

Perfect place to finish.

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo International Airport)

The Colombo airport has some weird security arrangements. You have to pass through security to enter the airport which included bag scans and once inside the airport you have to pass though another security area, with the same scanning technology and procedure at both points and the same ticket and passport checks.

I checked in at Business Gate 3 hours 10 minutes before flight as soon as checkin gate opened.

After passing immigration I had a few hours so I visited the Sri Lankan Airlines Serendiva Lounge which I found underwhelming given this is Sri Lankan Airlines home port. Self serve food selection was fine, two PCs with a printer, slow but free internet. No shower and toilets are outside the lounge. Make sure you get the lounge invite at checkin. The lounge can be hard to find, follow the signs to the Emirates Lounge and once on 2nd level and in front of Emirates lounge keep walking another 30 metres.




There is a higher access lounge (Sevendip Business Lounge) which I expect would have been much better given the look of the entry.


The airport has multi shops on level, two currency exchanges and several restaurants and a Burger King. All use USA currency once airside.

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Flight: UL308 Colombo (Sri Lanka) to Singapore
Airline: Sri Lankan Airlines
Plane: Airbus A320-200
Seat: 7C
Gate: 12
Depart: 12.15 / Arrive 18.55 (duration 4 hours10 minutes)

The departure gate was around 10 minute walk from the lounge. Before entering the departure gate they check your passport and scan your ticket. Priority boarding was elderly needing assistance, families with young children and Oneworld Sapphire and Emeralds. I had to explain QANTAS Gold is a Sapphire and was quickly waved on.


Flight left on time despite as being fully loaded 15 minutes early, as I have a tight connection I was hoping for early departure. I also used my Oneworld status to get a forward aisle seat.


The two young women sitting next to me in 7A and 7B requested blankets as they found the plane cold. I guess compared to Sri Lankan heat and humidity it was but temperature was just standard.

I had the chicken and some orange juice for the lunchtime meal. The entertainment system was first generation touch screen old but fit for purpose. A reasonable selection of movies and TV shows I selected 'Braveheart' which I probably last watched 10 years ago - damn I'm getting old!



The flight arrived in Singapore airspace early and zig zagged around for 15 minutes. With minimum possible connection I just wanted it to land.

Once on the land I spotted the QANTAS bird so I knew exactly which way to go once off the plane. We exited around 5 minutes late but as one of the first economy pax I was confident I'd make my connection not so sure for my bag!

Verdict: An efficient service with friendly staff (however seat mates had to remind them several times about blanket requests), and a good meal and entertainment selection.

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Flight: QF036 Singapore to Melbourne
Airline: QANTAS
Plane: Airbus A330-300
Seat: 25B
Gate: Forgot -
Depart: 19.55
Arrive: 05.10 (10 minutes early)
Duration 7 hours 25 minutes

Having spotted the QANTAS plane from my Sri Lankan Airlines flight I walked straight from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1. Strangely terminal 1 screens listed flights from terminals 2 and 3 but not terminal 1. No problems since I knew where I had to go but I helped a couple of Aussies who looked lost.

Arriving at the gate and passing a security check they announced priority boarding and I was straight onto QF36 so a quick one hour transit is perfect for Singapore Airport.



The economy seating is 2 x 4 x 2 seats across. I choose an aisle as it means I can get up whenever I want to stretch which I did several times. The flight was around 90% full.


Take off was on time. Dinner was served around 20 minutes into the flight. I choose the chicken salad with the herb bead. Around 4 am (Melbourne time) or 6 hours into the flight a small breakfast item was served (a Danish). Most people skipped breakfast as they were sleeping.

I didn't sleep as still being on Sri Lankan time my internal clock thought it was only 12.40 am most passengers however were quickly snoozing. I did have a curious 18 month year old keeping my company as he walked the aisles (quietly) with his mum following.

The entertainment system was excellent as expected. Landing was smooth and ahead of schedule. Exiting the plane was very quick.

The ePassport service made clearing immigration easy despite the fact the speakers keep apologising for the Customs strike (so really not very successful strike).

My bag made the transfer from the Sri Lankan flight and was one of the first off, I'm thinking not because of the priority tags but instead due to being one of the last loaded.

Passing security the cold Melbourne weather hit me hard (I had added multiple layers just before picking up my bag - little effect). It had been 35 days since I was dropped off at 5 am at the Melbourne Airport and at 5.50 am I was leaving the same airport.

Another amazing adventure was over. Time to plan the next trip.

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

It was quite an experience over 35 days, 12 flights, 5 countries and 3 time zones.

My next trip is likely to be to Africa to experience gorillas, elephants and amazing waterfalls late 2017. I'm hoping to score a first class Melbourne to Dubai award seat on an A380 which will be my first ever 1st class international flight.

If interested I have written my thoughts on the best experiences I had in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka;
https://nathanburgessinsights.com/2016/08/21/the-southeast-asia-adventure/

Hint Australia failing to get to half way mark of the Galle Test Match didn't make the highlights!!

 

[kermatu]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Thanks for the TR!

 

[craven morehead]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Excellent TR many thanks

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

In preparing for my 2017 trip to Africa I realised I never really finalised my 2016 trip report here or on my travel blog (always in denial on returning).

During this trip I visited Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka with 8 days flying across 11 flights and 7 airlines, all economy travel but exit room seats on my first two QANTAS flights. Lounge access in Melbourne, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh City, Colombo and Singapore (its a good bonus having QANTAS Gold / Oneworld Sapphire status).

706 km Melbourne (MEL) to Sydney (SYD) – 1 hour 25 minutes (QANTAS Seat 13C)
7,502 km Sydney (SYD) to Bangkok (BKK) – 9 hours 30 minutes (QANTAS Seat 36D)

594 km Bangkok (BKK) to Chiang Mai (CNX) – 1 hour 15 minutes (Thai Smile Seat 53C)

359 km Chiang Mai (CNX) to Luang Prabang (LPQ) – 1 hour (Laos Airlines Seat 16A)

407 km Luang Prabang (LPQ) to Hanoi (HAN) – 1 hour (Laos Airlines Seat 1B)

1,155 km Hanoi (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) – 2 hours 5 minutes (Vietnam Airlines Seat 28A)

213 km Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) to Phnom Penh (PNH) – 50 minutes (QATAR Seat 19A)

333 km Siem Reap (REP) to Bangkok (BKK) – 1 hour (Bangkok Airlines Seat 7B)

2,393 km Bangkok (BKK) to Colombo (CMB) – 3 hours 20 minutes (Sri Lankan Airlines Seat 32K)

2,751 km Colombo (CMB) to Singapore (SIN) – 4 hours (Sri Lankan Airlines Seat 7C)
6,025 km Singapore (SIN) to Melbourne (MEL) – 7 hours 25 min

 

[coyote25]

Re: Trip Report: South East Asia - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka

Flight map

 

[RooFlyer]

Just revisiting this TR as I'm planning a trip to Sri Lanka next year. Really appreciated the hotel reviews