Peter's Post: Exploring Eastern Europe

17 May 2015 - 02:00 By Peter Malherbe
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Peter Malherbe
Peter Malherbe
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Our travel expert answers queries on routes and destinations around the world.

PLACES OF INTEREST IN THE FAR EAST

We are planning to take a 15-day trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, spending time in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Which is the best route from Johannesburg to Hanoi? What are your recommendations on places of interest? - Madan Dayal

Your first stop, Hanoi, is a beautiful city with some spectacular pagodas and fascinating museums. It is dominated by Hoan Kiem Lake, which serves as a transport hub for the surrounding area. The Hanoi Old Quarter is the cultural and historical heart of the city and is home to some of the best dining, shopping and entertainment. Book a cruise in Halong Bay, something you will never forget.

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From Hanoi you should consider taking the train to Ho Chi Minh City. Trains are comfortable, especially the "soft sleeper" cabins. The full journey takes 34 hours, but you could stop off half-way in the coastal town of Danang and visit the picturesque cultural village of Hoi An.

Ho Chi Min City is a buzzing, busy city with some great markets and eating places, but is also where you can find out about Vietnam's war-torn past. Visit the Ho Chi Minh City Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels, an immense network of connecting underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong.

When you get to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, your first stops are likely to be the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. Leave time to explore the National Museum of Arts, which houses a priceless collection of artifacts and historical items. From there you could travel to Siem Reap, home to the amazing Angkor Wat. Don't underestimate the time you need to explore these fascinating temples. The Angkor Archaeological Park stretches over 400 square kilometres, so you will need at least three days to see all the sights.

There is no direct flight from Johannesburg to Hanoi, but there are a number of carriers with one stop. The most convenient would be to travel via Singapore on Singapore Airlines, which has the shortest flying time. If you are looking for a cheap fare, it would be worth looking at Qatar and Etihad which fly from their respective hubs to Hanoi. A longer route would be via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific or SAA.

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EXPLORING EASTERN EUROPE

My husband and I travel to Berlin on September 24 to run the Berlin marathon on the 27th. We would like to extend our trip to incorporate Warsaw and Prague and possibly join a train or coach trip between the cities. We could visit anywhere in that part of Europe. Please make some suggestions. - Kerry Cooke

The number of cities you visit depends on how much time you have available. If you really want to explore Eastern Europe, Globus have a wonderful 14-day tour leaving from and returning to Berlin. It visits Poznan, Warsaw, Czestochowa, Auschwitz, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna and Prague. However, I suspect you may be looking for something less extensive.

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Unfortunately, most of the short tours that take in Prague and Warsaw go via Berlin, which would probably not suit you. In that case, it would be best for you to make your own arrangements between Berlin and Prague and Warsaw and Berlin and then take a tour or package between those two cities. Europeandestinations.com have a deal that gives you two nights in Prague, two nights in Krakow and two nights in Warsaw. In each of the cities there is plenty to do and many organised excursions you can join.

You can fly or travel by train to Prague and from Warsaw. Air Berlin has direct flights from Berlin to Prague (airberlin.com), but you can find cheaper fares on airlines that have one stop. These include germanwings, Norwegian Air and Air Serbia. On the Warsaw-Berlin route, Air Berlin is once again the best airline with direct flights. Airlines with one stop include Czech Airlines and the Polish carrier, LOT.

For details of train schedules and fares, visit raileurope.co.za and thetrainline.com.

CHILLING IN THE DOHA AIRPORT

My wife and I will be flying to London Heathrow on Qatar Airways in July. On the return trip we have a seven-hour stopover at Doha. What do you recommend we do? Is there a hotel at the airport or a hospitality lounge where we could relax? - Riaan Els

Qatar Airways provides free hotel accommodation if the stopover is longer than eight hours for passengers who book in advance. In your case, if you want to rest in a hotel, you will have to bear the cost yourself. It is not really feasible to go into Doha, so your best bet would be to book a room at The Airport Hotel (Tel: +97-44-010-8100). It is located within the transit zone, so you don't need to pass through immigration. The rooms are very comfortable and you can take a swim or have a massage in the hotel spa. The overnight rate for a double room is 850 Qatari Riyal (R2 820). Check discount websites like agoda.com or booking.com and you may be able to get it cheaper. The alternative is to pay to make use of the Oryx Lounge. For 140 QAR (R464) you get comfortable seating and complimentary food and drink. You can also take a shower.

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