Travel

[Fred]

Hi all,

Looking for a new holiday destination. I hear the Cook Islands are pretty good. Anyone been.

Those of you here a while back may remember I was planning Tahiti - we did that in May and "WOW" if you get a chance head off there. My tip - Intercontinental Thalaso Resort and Spa Bora Bora at least for a few nights but is pricey - but worth it. We also did Morea which was quite nice also - intercontinental as well. Two thumbs up.

So next trip was thinking Cook Islands but wondered if any feedback. Have looked at Trip Adviser but can never really trust that site as lots of fake reviews and people cry if over tiny things.

anyway - what are people's favorite destinations for holiday?

[SportCapital]

Not a great deal to do there Fred. Nice enough though.
The greatest thing from the cook islands is getting your motor bike licence there to hire a scooter.
The test consisting of a lap of the median strip out front of the cop shop
Then transferring it to a full Victorian licence without a single test when I got back.
Apparently this works because they're in the Commonwealth.

[notaleaguefan]

i haven't been but been& not sure how it would apply but id imagine similar as SE Asia,

if you do get the bike licence, you'll need an international driver licence, thats obtained online $30 for 12 months completed online provided you have an Australian bike licence, the other main thing is that the standard travel insurance with wont cover any accident or injury when on a bike so it needs to be noted when having the policy drawn up it usually doubles the overall cost.

a few years ago took 6 months & went through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and loas by bike and its an adventure in it self as you get to see so much outside of the major tourist spots and countrysides

[Terry]

Whilst you're there you could take in a few games in the Cook Islands Raro Cars Rugby League competition Freddo. The Arorangi Bears V Tupaga Maraenenga Panthers is always a beauty.

Hope this helps pal.

[Fred]

i haven't been but been& not sure how it would apply but id imagine similar as SE Asia,

if you do get the bike licence, you'll need an international driver licence, thats obtained online $30 for 12 months completed online provided you have an Australian bike licence, the other main thing is that the standard travel insurance with wont cover any accident or injury when on a bike so it needs to be noted when having the policy drawn up it usually doubles the overall cost.

a few years ago took 6 months & went through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and loas by bike and its an adventure in it self as you get to see so much outside of the major tourist spots and countrysides

We were in vietnsm in April and found out they don’t accept international license so if you are riding there then no insurance because it’s an illegal activity

[notaleaguefan]

i haven't been but been& not sure how it would apply but id imagine similar as SE Asia,

if you do get the bike licence, you'll need an international driver licence, thats obtained online $30 for 12 months completed online provided you have an Australian bike licence, the other main thing is that the standard travel insurance with wont cover any accident or injury when on a bike so it needs to be noted when having the policy drawn up it usually doubles the overall cost.

a few years ago took 6 months & went through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and loas by bike and its an adventure in it self as you get to see so much outside of the major tourist spots and countrysides

We were in vietnsm in April and found out they don’t accept international license so if you are riding there then no insurance because it’s an illegal activity

We definitely spoke to different people and different hire agencies and insurance companies then!

I didn’t have an issue at all hiring a bike legally with full insurance! Prehaps it’s a passport thing as i used my European one when entering Vietnam as it was easier

[Fred]

Nope. Vietnam do not acknowledge international licenses. So if you are riding you are not covered under a clause that you cannot be engaged in illegal activities. I can tell you this for a fact. Many people do but if they come undone and crash they are not covered. Also police are cracking down a bit at the moment seeing it as a nice way to earn some extra cash.

Check out the fb site Vietnam Wonders ... many people ask about this and this is the answer you get ... your insurance agent may say yes, we cover motorbike riding but they don’t know the ins and outs of every country ... so being illegal you get done when making a claim. That’s when they get you

[Fred]

Oh and you’ll be able to hire... they don’t care as long as they get their money and their bike back.

[notaleaguefan]

Nope. Vietnam do not acknowledge international licenses. So if you are riding you are not covered under a clause that you cannot be engaged in illegal activities. I can tell you this for a fact. Many people do but if they come undone and crash they are not covered. Also police are cracking down a bit at the moment seeing it as a nice way to earn some extra cash.

Check out the fb site Vietnam Wonders ... many people ask about this and this is the answer you get ... your insurance agent may say yes, we cover motorbike riding but they don’t know the ins and outs of every country ... so being illegal you get done when making a claim. That’s when they get you

https://www.itourvn.com/blog/can-touris ... in-vietnam
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/tr ... motorcycle
https://www.tigitmotorbikes.com/interna ... s-license/
https://vietnam-motorbiketour.com/trave ... in-vietnam

people come undone because they dont do the basic research and many people dont have an international drivers license travel insurance or think the basic insurance covers an accident think bali bogan type

Vietnam is still more of the more stricter countries to get in to of the SE Asia region but its not that restrictive once in

[Fred]

I’m getting info but I’m confident (as some of the links say) there the idl is only available to those living in Vietnam for permanent residents.

What legal procedures must you do to get that?
According to the Vietnamese law (the Ministry of Transport’s Circular No. 29/2015/TT-BGTVT dated July 6, 2015), Vietnamese and foreigners with permanent residence cards granted by Vietnamese authorities, who have been granted driver’s licenses which are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and remain valid, may apply for IDL

Anyway will be good to sort out

[Fred]

Here you go. Australia is not a signatory to the Vienna convention on these things re licenses etc

https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetai ... &clang=_en

[Fred]

This from a regular rider in Vietnam (who rides without a licence)


Read an article about getting a licence in HCMC recently. Then when you really read it, it takes about 3 weeks and you are more our less on call all that time. So if you're happy to sit around Saigon for 21 days, yes it is possible.

[Fred]

And this :

You cant convert on a tourist Visa..
And Aus and many other countries are **** those under the wrong convention

[Fred]

Well could be back to Tahiti ... just different islands. Air fares about the same. Misses was thinking Papeete for a few days and I’d want to go back to Thalasso bora bora and another island.

I still like Cook Islands as 1 it is different country I haven’t been to but Tahiti I was awesome.

The link here shows where we stayed. The couple having dinner on the beach is what we did and the rooms amazing. But pricey naturally. The chapel is where we would get married.. also in video.
I’ll find one of cool islands place which is also nice but not in same class

[Fred]

Here’s the place in Cook Islands ... think the misses is going to get her way lol