Best traveling spots

[wwhong]

hey guys, just wondering do u guys mind to share the "best" place that you went before? maybe can serve as a guide for people who would like to travel around but not sure of where to go like me.

[littlebigone]

NYC..without a doubt. So big. so dirty. so much fun

[__earth]

1 - Yosemite.
2 - NYC.
3 - the midwest. the landscape is marvelous, especially in wisconsin.

i don't really like LA. there's nothing there except Hollywood and the such.

[chenchow]

I have been to many places, from NYC, Boston, Washington, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Miami, Buffalo, LA, SF,San Diego, Las Vegas...

I think the best place would be Las Vegas...

Why? It is a mini world.

When I was there in August, I took the time, like 15 hours or so, walking in and out of various hotels, to see its architecture. It is simply marvelous. You will not believe what it is. Basically each hotel will showcase a region, culture or theme.

For instance, I am very attracted by Venetian Hotel. Visiting the area inside the hotel, seems to be bringing me to Venice. There is a man-made river flowing inside the hotel, just like Mines Shopping Center, with someone rowing a sampan in it. But what amazes me is the architecture. The shoplots on both sides of the river are made Venice-style. The "sky" which is the ceiling is made light blue, that made people to believe like it is really the sky!

Check out http://www.venetian.com/ and then choose Explore The Venetian and then Grand Canal Shoppe. What you actually see is what I saw in the hotel...

There are many more that is worth visiting, like Aladdin, with its desert storm. So, at every hour, the "sky" inside the Aladdin building will turn dark gradually and it would suddenly have man-made lightning and rain starts to pour down... It is all indoor and man-made.

Others worth mention would be Luxor(Pyramid), Mandalay Bay, Excalibur, Paris(Eiffle tower), New York Hotel(With Empire State Building, Times Square, Soho,...), Monte Carlo, Bellagio(shown in Ocean 11), Caesars Palace...

It is certainly worth it. If you choose to go, go during weekday. Gambling is not the attraction. I spend 3 days there, and i hardly spend even half an hour touching the slot machine... It is a very good learning exposure. Food is generally very very cheap. Accommodation is very cheap (around $40-50 for a 3-star hotel during weekdays). Summer can be very hot(august is like 40-42 Celcius)...

[masterof_none]

LA ! :o

[CrAzyCow]

New York!! Big city with lots of attitudes.

[__earth]

let's do a poll!!!!

[chenchow]

We'll have the poll after Raya, but I think instead of saying this city is good, this city is best, it would be more useful if we share about the attractions in the city, why you think it is good.

Share some experience you have over there and also what are the nice places over there.

Hope that this will not be just places of attractions in US. Hope those who are studying elsewhere will chip in. It will do everyone of us a world of good, to expand our horizon, to be not "katak di bawah tempurung".

[iQing]

Talking about cities I recommend you guys to read books by Yu Qiu Yu

I believe there are various language translations for his work..

he tells stories of cities in great manner...
and his books are very intelectual..

Xing Je Wu Jiang is his book on his journey in Europe

Qian Nian Yi Tan is his book on his journey in middle East...
and so on....

[__earth]

im going to St. Louis this for thanksgiving.
Does anybody has anything to say about what to do, where to go etc.?

[iQing]

Sometimes when we study overseas, traveling is expensive..

Does anyone here knows how to get sponsor for our traveling?
is there such thing as free traveling in overseas?

thanx

[chenchow]

The greater your network is, the better the opportunity to stay "free"... Another thing would be Malaysian Student Department officers' home is a good place to stay while you visit a place.

Some of us (littlebigone, eeyore, silverblue,...) stayed in Dr. Zahratul's house before. She is the Director of MSD in Washington DC. We not only get free accommodation, we get to visit Embassy and most importantly eat various Malaysian delicacy, like nasi lemak and other Malaysian food... :D

[iQing]

Ooo... Nice suggestion ChenChow

but how do u guys know about MSD officer? How do u get to know him... how can we contact MSD officer so that we can stay with him..?

just curious.. hope I can do the same in Germany..

thanx

[silverblue]

I can't say that I have a best spot yet because I haven't been able to travel much... however, last summer, I went to Chicago and I really enjoyed my time there...

here's a little sharing...

During summer, there's this annual event called the FluTag Fest at the Chicago harbor. The Flugtag is an event where teams "launch" human piloted objects, sometimes ones that do more than drop like a rock, off of a 30ft high platform, into a large body of water. More points are awarded for style than distance so most people design flamboyant items to throw over the side rather that attempt to actually fly, like titanic ships, the Buckingham Fountain, huge butterflies, Futuristic cars, Giant Crocodiles and a whole lot more! It was really an interesting and colorful fest. Where else will you get to see men dancing in pink underwear?! lol

for more info, http://www.redbullflugtagchicago.com

I also visited Uni of Chicago and Northwestern (which is so beautiful! They actually have a private beach right next to their Uni and it was simply such a romantic spot!!)

Oh!! Chicago city is such a heaven of food! I had the famous Deep Dish pizza at Numero Uno! Da best pizza I've ever ate - the crust is just amazing!! Also, if you ever go there, don't forget the Margie's Candies or that high class dessert tower (urh! I forgot the name!!).. but u'll never regret it cos u get huge servings for a very reasonable price... with all that excellent ambience and grandeur.. oh..not to forget the original Garrett's caramel popcorn! The lines for these pops are never shorter than 30 mins!! Oh.. u can just never get tired of food in Chicago!!

Another highlight of my visit was the Gay & Lesbian Festival (trust me, u'll be engaged!!), the outdoor film fest (where we watch oldies in a huge field right in the middle of the city!!), the Bahai Temple (the one and only one in US), the Mendota Corn Festival (yeah, they give out thousands of free corn...and we got to see the Corn Queen (not porn, sorry!) too!! and everything else that has to do with corn..even the toilet tissue paper was made out of corn! LoL!), biking along the chicago harbor with the wind brushing against my face!!, and last but not least, don't forget to get up close to the Chicago Tribune building because on its walls, are real stones parts of famous structures in the world like the Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal, Berlin Wall etc...

Ok ok I think this is getting a little too boring... haha... but just wanna say that I had a great time there.... not a bad place to visit during ur summer break! :P

[silverblue]

Oh, if you wanna travel for cheap or free anywhere in the world, do go to Google and check out YMCAs around town first! They offer reasonable accom. with really low prices!

according to my aunt, when you go backpacking in Europe, YMCAs are esp good places to go to take shower or sth like that..

[Thirdshifter]

definately Mexico! or brazil. In USA, it's a tie between NYC and alaska. Although hawaii is fun.. not forgeting disney world FL.

[wwhong]

definately Mexico! or brazil. In USA, it's a tie between NYC and alaska. Although hawaii is fun.. not forgeting disney world FL.

it would be nice if you can tell us the fun of alaska as i m sure not many people will imagine it as ""best" yeah disney world FL is fun!! been there in the summer. highly recommend. u won't regret going there!

[iQing]

I heard Miami beach and Cancun beach (mexico) are two of the best beaches in the world..

I heard some beaches allow complete nudity... hmmm,..... hehehe

[littlebigone]

definately Mexico! or brazil. In USA, it's a tie between NYC and alaska. Although hawaii is fun.. not forgeting disney world FL.

here is my friend's personal webbie on his visit to Alaska.
It's a nice flash clip.

http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/my66/Alaska.htm

[Schye]

Planning on a trip next year or year 2005 ro Europe,
any suggestions?
or maybe we can organise a trip through Recom here?

[royston]

I have travelled to LA, Japan, London, Brisbane, Philippine, Singapore. The best place I would recommend is Japan... So peaceful and so... GOOD!!!

Don't go to Philippine... you will regret if you still alive... muahaha!!

~ roy ~

[chenchow]

I don't agree with silverblue that YMCA is very low price, unless you are traveling alone. For instance in US, a general one day accommodation for YMCA or Youth Hosteling is about USD20-30 per person per night.

If you could go Orbitz or Expedia and bid for a 3-star or 4-star room, it would only cost you somewhere around USD70-100. So, if you are traveling in a gropu of 3-4 people, those hotels are much worthwhile, since you will be getting an air-con room with pretty nice facilities.

Miami beach? I believe that it is kind of overrated. I went there before, and I don't think it is better than any of the beaches abck in Malaysia. The only difference would be from 1st to 14th street beaches in Miami South Beach is nude beach and those from 14th street go up top are normal beach. In fact, some of the beach are pretty rocky, especially those in the 40+th street that i was at.

[Guest]

well... i think if you are a member of YMCA, you'll get a much much cheaper price for the hostels... perhaps that's what her aunt meant by that... :wink: i am not sure what it takes to be a member... but you can check it out!

[chenchow]

The situation that I depict is mostly the situation in US, but I think in Europe, hosteling is the cheapest mean. Mind anyone in Europe wish to share?

Florida! Went there last summer for 2 weeks. It was excellent... Actually wherever u go, the ppl whom u go with makes the difference. But South Beach in Florida was wonderful. If u are planning for a vacation, consider florida.

[wwhong]

hi royston,

which part of japan did u go to? and what's the attraction there?

[royston]

The place I went to Japan is not a very popular area, it is called Kansai. But I love the environment... quiet and peaceful.

This is the URL:

http://www.discover-japan.info/gettingthere_maps_kansai.htm

~ roy ~

[Schye]

I am in Kanto Area...
Come here!!!

By the way, if you want to see the real Japan , i mean not the cities but the culture and tradition, go to Kansai.
Kyoto and Nara is one of the best travellers spot.

[wwhong]

just wondering did anyone go to las vegas before? if yes, then do u mind sharing the interesting stuffs to do and which hotel to stay in vegas?

[chenchow]

wwhong, check the 4th post of this thread. I introduced vegas.

I would say that staying at whichever hotel, does not really matter, but the location should be good, i.e. at The Strip, where all the main hotels are located.

I stayed at Imperial Palace, it is having one of the best location. Opposite to Caesar's Palace, very near (within 100 meter ) from Venetian, Bellagio, Paris, New York, Aladdin, Mirage, Flamingo. The hotel is not a luxurious hotel, a normal 3-star hotel, at a price of about $40+ per night.

You should go on weekdays. Weekends and holiday period at Vegas is expensive.

[__earth]

hullo.

I'm doing a road trip from ann arbor, michigan to san francisco and back for this up coming winter hols. We have one more seat available if anybody is interested.
So, is anybody interested?

[Thirdshifter]

hullo.

I'm doing a road trip from ann arbor, michigan to san francisco and back for this up coming winter hols. We have one more seat available if anybody is interested.
So, is anybody interested?

Thats fun! Me, My dad and my bro did a road trip from sacramento to New york. We took Route 5 and then Route 8 and followed it all the way to Florida and went up from there on 75. Took us 6 days.

[bubblesgirl]

I definitely recommend JAPAN,not because i am staying here,but because of its culture,various food and also hot springs..nice! :lol: Especially Hokkaido..which is also one of the famous travel spots in Japan..If anyone who are interested to travel in Japan,don`t forget to drop Schye or me an email,ok?then maybe we can guide you all :wink: it`s free of charge oh..haha =)..

[wesleyanne]

Hola amigos :) Greetings from Spain!

Well, Ive been to San Francisco, San Jose, NYC, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and of course, Georgia. Other than the US, I've been to Korea and am currently in Spain! I recommend all of the above cos each has its charms, depending on what you personally like. Virginia and NC are not as busy as SF or NYC but its just beautiful there. I lived in VA for a while when I was 13 and I loved it! Its really peaceful, serene and absolutely gorgeous during fall. Good for a short visit but not too long!

Also, a lot might disagree but I really loved Seoul, Korea. Its a wonderful place to shop, even though its kinda pricey but it has its share of attractions as well! Accomodation is pretty expensive though :) I might be heading back to Seoul, hopefully if everything works out, for a coupla years, so if anyone decides to visit, I'd be glad to show y'all around. Anyway, if you like big cities, like New York, which I absolutely adore, Seoul is sorta like that, only dirtier, but its fun if you know people there. I would recommend going in spring, during the 'cherry blossom' season where everything is just sooo beautiful!

Spain is wonderful as well. So far I've only been to Madrid, and Cerceda, a city north of Madrid and it is gorgeous! The buildings do look a little old and rundown but it has its charms. I'm hoping to make a trip to London, since its not that expensive to fly. Just a note for those who intend to buy plane tickets in Europe, Ryanair has pretty good offers!

Lastly if anyone decides to drop by in GA, I'd be glad to put them up!

[Ishveir]

hullo.

I'm doing a road trip from ann arbor, michigan to san francisco and back for this up coming winter hols. We have one more seat available if anybody is interested.
So, is anybody interested?
firstly who are the rest who are going with you man?
do you still have the space left?
and whose car is it and what are your plans eg, with whom are you guys gonna crash and stuff like that?
i am willing to come.

[wwhong]

oh wow wesleyanne, u really been to many places.

do tell us more and if possible put some pictures on. :D

[topdog]

hullo.

I'm doing a road trip from ann arbor, michigan to san francisco and back for this up coming winter hols. We have one more seat available if anybody is interested.
So, is anybody interested?

I would go to LA again, and possibly SF....if I wasn't already broke.

No bling bling to go to the Rose Bowl! :cry:

[eeyore]

I've been to NYC, Florida, Pittsburgh, Philly, DC, Washington state, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, Toronto, and Victoria BC. Oh and Kagoshima, Japan on a student exchange program for two weeks.

Of all these places, I have two favorites. One is Philly. I think there is an amazingly beautiful blend of old and new in Philly. The other place is Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. I like the visitor attractions there, and its state government building is absolutely gorgeous. But then again, I went to both these places with a really great friend!

[huilinchin]

I have been to a couple of places such as Toronto, Niagara Falls, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Los Angeles, Denver, New York City, Boston, New Jersey, etc.
Mostly are places in the states and in Canada.

Among all, I love the Canadian rockies the most, especially the mountain areas about 2-3 hours from Calgary. There is a resort called Kananaskis Resort, the venue where they had the G7 submit (just after my visit). We passed by mountains where they had Winter Olympics. For the first time, I feel the scenery was truly breathtaking. I just cannot believe my eyes. I was told that it was the third best place to ski in the world, but I am not sure since I have not been to many.
I did cross-country skiing there and it was fantastic. Truly fascinating!

There is a beautiful snapshot of the mountains here:-
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~hlc/diaries/06_winter2002.htm

Lake Tahoe is not bad too, but too crowded at times. For Tahoe, it's better to camp than to live in hotels. :D

For city, I like Denver. Very peaceful and nice...
I am going to the mountainous area in Denver, Colorado tomorrow.
They may replace the Canadian Rockies...hehe :lol:

Actually, I have seen beautiful pictures of natural attractions in Switzerland (yeah, fan of LOTR) and hope to visit the places someday since I have a very good friend in Switzerland who had just visited me in Malacca over the summer all the way from Switzerland.
Hope to visit Japan too to open my eyes. :roll:

Anyone in Europe can tell me more about travelling cheaply in Europe?

Actually, Peru is not bad too. Anyone who have been there can share some experience?

I am getting greedy :D

-Hui Lin ^_^

[__earth]

when huilinchin mentioned the Rockies, it made me think that most of us lack one thing - the urge to explore wilderness. (alert - green extremist on sight)
yeah, most of us have been to hollywood and times sq. and st louis' arch and golden gate. to be frank, i do not exactly look forward to visit such landmark in those ultramodern megacities. though its true there are excitement in those settings but the unspoilt wilderness is exciting too. once in a blue moon, we need to get out of our ugly civilization and pay homage to mother nature.

how many of you have hiked in yosemite, grand canyon or yellowstone? or maybe taman negara back in malaysia? or sabah's rainforest?

[wwhong]

i m going to LA next week and planning to go san fran. anyone been to san fran before mind sharing what exciting thing to do there?

also is there any other places nice in california?

i m sure by now most of the people are done with finals, so should have time to spare and write a bit?

[soul_out]

Sorry for interrupting. Write a memorandum after visited a place will be good. Maybe we can post it in recom, and those who are interested can have a look. It will help them to plan their trip and get ready those essential stuff for that particular destination.

[kijal4]

since i return back to malaysia, i only go to natural areas for my real holiday (that means I don't really go to say KL, Penang, JB for a real vacation) - in fact my vacations revolved around Redang, Perhentian and even Sipadan! HEHE

and by mid 2004, the monsoon season ends and I'll start my next round of island vacation. I particularly fell in love with Sipadan, I plan to go again. and maybe climb mt Kinabalu oso.

but you guys were right, most dudes in the US tend to just visit cities and modern monuments. I've done both - I mean of course I've been to Hollywood and the Golden Gates, but I've also been to Mt Rainier, Yosemite, Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise and Arcadia.

[Chyi]

Actually it depends on one's travelling purpose, some people may would prefer historical sites, or nature or art museums. it is difficult to say where is the best tourist destination.
As Kijal suggested some islands in Malaysia, I am thinking to have a vacation in an island in penisular Malaysia when I go back to Malaysia tomorrow. Any good suggestion? I m from Penang and I've been to Pangkor and Tioman.