Hi David,

Couldn't resist reacting on this : I don't know from where your list of
fares is calculated (the States, I guess) but from Europe, the standard
fares for Manila is about 666 US $ (and that's not cheap, because in
1999, you could get tickets for about 460 US $). Maybe it's worth
searching a little more to get the best bargain?

Greetings,

Jan Haspeslagh
Belgium

David Kirsh wrote:
>
> OK, there was a thread like this a while back, but maybe it's worth
> exploring a bit more: a good place for shelling and snorkeling in the
> Indo-Pacific on a tight budget.
>
> I was almost asleep when I saw the commercial for Qantas' deal: 2 weeks in
> Australia (from LA) for $1499 including Sydney, Melbourne and the Great
> Barrier Reef. I got AWAKE real fast. Well, that's about 3 days in Sydney, 3
> days in Melbourne and 3 days in Cairns. The transport from Cairns to the
> reef and any other expenses is extra. True, the $300 extra from NYC leg is
> pretty good too. But I'm not too excited about Sydney and Melbourne, just
> gimme the tropical reef part. But maybe shelling's very good in southeast
> Australia even without big reef.
>
> With admittedly incomplete research on fares, I turned up some other
> possibilities. The following fares might indicate something about the
> possibility of saving so that I can spend a little on an extra leg (of the
> journey) or on various chatchkas, comfortable lodging and good meals once I
> get there.
>
> Here's what I did last November: flew to Trivandrum in southern India for
> $1155 and then on to Colombo, Sri Lanka for $110. The latter was terrific
> but now the fare to Colombo is about $1800. Since I'm probably going to be
> paying for two fares, my options are narrower.
>
> I remember someone recommending Saipan and Tinian as excellent shelling and
> fairly inexpensive. Roundtrip fare is $1444. Hmm, maybe....
>
> Manila $999.
>
> Seoul $900.
>
> Taipei $848
>
> Hong Kong $980
>
> Shanghai $770
>
> Jakarta $1182
>
> Singapore $1050
>
> Bangkok $1025
> Thailand always sounded intriguing to me but Bangkok itself is nightmarish
> from what I've heard. And there's probably no easy way around it.
>
> Here's a question: I haven't seen anyone discuss shelling conditions in
> Korea, is the coastline all like the Inchon landing: rocky and wave-dashed?
> I'll bet it's a terrific place culturally, historically and for good food.
>
> How about Taiwan? Anyone with experience on the shorelines?
>
> Has anyone been shelling in China recently? Accommodations not yet suitable
> for soft Westerners?