Its December again which means its Vacation Time !! This trip I am leaving for India 10 days before Karen and will spend some alone time with my family before Karen will join me. During the second week of January, we will be going on a 9 day trip to South East Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand) with my parents. I have been to both Bangkok and Phuket before (Bangkok trip report and Phuket trip report) but it would be the first time for Karen and my parents.
There will be a lot of trip reports, airline reviews and hotel reviews following this trip.
- Airline Review: EVA Air Business Class – Los Angeles to Taipei
- Airline Review: EVA Air Business Class – Taipei to Hong Kong
- Airline Review: Thai Airways Business Class – Hong Kong to Bangkok
- Airline Review: EVA Air Business Class – Los Angeles to Taipei (Karen’s Report)
- Airline Review: EVA Air Business Class – Taipei to Bangkok (Karen’s Report)
- Airline Review: Thai Airways Business Class – Bangkok to Kolkata
- Trip Report: Kuala Lumpur
- Hotel Review: Le Meridien, Kuala Lumpur
- Hotel Review: Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur
- Trip Report: Bali
- Hotel Review: Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort
- Hotel Review: Courtyard Bali, Nusa Dua
- Trip Report: Bangkok
- Hotel Review: Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside, Bangkok
- Trip Report: Phuket
- Hotel Review: Doubletree Resort by Hilton Phuket – Surin Beach
- Hotel Review: Le Meridien Resort, Phuket
- Airline Review: Thai Airways Business Class – Bangkok to Taipei
- Trip Report: 12 Hours in Taipei
- Airline Review: EVA Air Business Class – Taipei to Los Angeles
Cost (Total for 4 travelers):
Airfare:
- $1150 for intra-Asia trips on Air Asia (Kolkata-Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur – Bali, Bali – Bangkok, Bangkok – Phuket and Phuket – Kuala Lumpur for 4 travelers and Kuala Lumpur – Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur – Kolkata for 2 travelers)
- $82 in airport taxes for United Award tickets for 2 Round Trip business class tickets Los Angeles – Kolkata | Bangkok – Los Angeles
Hotel:
- $192 for 1 night (2 rooms) at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
- $110 for cash portion of Cash + Points reservation for 1 night (2 rooms) at Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort
- $150 for cash portion of Cash + Points reservation for 1 night (2 rooms) at Le Meridien Phuket Resort
Transportation:
- $41 for 2 Round-trip Skybus Service trips from KLIA2 to KL Sentral
- $8 for train fare in Kuala Lumpur
- $14 for Limo service from Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua to Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali
- $90 for 2 days of driver + vehicle in Bali
- $21 for cab from Phuket International Airport to Doubletree Resort, Surin Beach
- $40 for limo service from Le Meridien Phuket Resort to Phuket International Airport
Miscellaneous:
- $140 for Visa on Arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali
- $60 for Airport Departure Tax at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali
- $9 and $4.5 respectively for entrance fees for Tanah Lot Temple and Taman Ayun temple, Bali
Miles/Points/Certificates Redeemed:
- 280,000 United Mileage Plus miles for 2 Business class tickets from Los Angeles – Kolkata | Bangkok – Los Angeles. The outbound segment was booked before United chart devaluation but the inbound segments are post devaluation.
- 7,000 SPG points for 1 night (2 rooms) for the points portion of Cash + Points reservation at Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort
- 10,000 SPG points 1 night (2 rooms) for the points portion of Cash + Points reservation at Le Meridien Phuket Resort
- 1 Category 5 Certificate and 20,000 Marriott Rewards points for 1 night (2 rooms) at Courtyard Bali, Nusa Dua
- 22,000 Wyndham Rewards points for 2 nights (2 rooms) at Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside
- 40,000 Hilton HHonors points for 1 night (2 rooms) at DoubleTree Suites, Surin Beach, Phuket
- 60,000 IHG points for 1 night (2 rooms) at Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur