Planning a trip to Asia? Must read tips.

AIR

• Air Passes sometimes offer a good deal.
• Cathay Pacific Air Pass: http://www.cathayusa.com/offers/AllAsiaPass/pricing.asp (Subscribe to their online news letter for an additional $200 discount)
• For a one-stop-shop for air passes visit: http://www.airtimetable.com/airpass_asia.htm. Read each offer and see if it pertains to your needs. There's a 50% discount on Air China within China if you fly on an Air China internationally.

• Frequent Flier Miles
• Book early and be flexible by choosing alternative cities.
• TIP: Get more bang out of your miles by using the free stop over option allowing you to fly to more cities for the same number of miles. For instance, I used United miles to fly from SFO-Shanghai (spent a few days there), then Shanghai-Singapore (where I spent another few days), then from Singapore-SFO. I got the extra flight from Shanghai to Singapore using the stop over option.
• You also get more bang for the buck by using miles to upgrade to business class with the purchase of a full priced economy ticket.
  
• Check airline websites for airline specific promotions:
• AirAsia: http://www.airasia.com/. Although I've never flew AirAsia, my friend flies it often and is very satisfied with their prices and service.
• Bangkok Airways: http://www.bangkokair.com/. Boutique discount airline based out of Thailand. As a safety nut, I usually fly Bangkok Airways in S.E. Asia because of their safe flying record and use of newer planes.
• Malaysian Airlines: http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/main_US.aspx. Terrific service, great safety record, and frequent on-line deals. Check out their Discover Asia pass.
• Silk Airlines: http://www.silkair.net/. Singapore Airline's discount carrier with an extensive network. Some good deals.
• Singapore Airlines: http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/index.jsp. With service even other airlines talk about, I've seen excellent deals on their website.
• Thai Airways: http://www.thaiair.com/. Flying Thai is an experience in itself. The flights attendants change their uniforms several times in-flight and upon arrival--quite a fashion show. I'm waiting for Skytrax to rate Thai 5 stars.
• Tiger Airways: http://www.tigerairways.com/home/index.php. Never flew Tiger but it's apparently cheap and safe.

• My only other suggestion for flights is to stay away from Garuda Indonesia and RyanAir at all costs. Both are Indonesian airlines with dismal safety records.
  

HOTELS

• Bid for hotel rooms on http://www.priceline.com/. Select 5 star hotels & check the "recent winning bids" page on their website to improve your chances of bidding success. I've won some ridiculously low bids at amazing hotels. For example, I won a $55/night bid at the 5 star Intercontinetal Hotel in Bangkok.
  
• Stay in the Boddhi Tree/Del Gusto while in Phnom Penh, Cambodia: http://www.boddhitree.com/guesthouses.html. I lived in the Del Gusto, a restored 1935 French colonial mansion in Phnom Penh, for almost 3 months. The Boddhi Tree is directly across the Toul Sleng S-21 interrogation center used by Pol Pot during the Khmer Rouge. A room cost only $5/night back in 2004, but now it's nearly $12-50/night. While I was a guest, Wynonna Judd stopped by the restaurant during her world AIDS tour--not that I'm a fan or anything . . . I'm not! Both properties are owned by a Spaniard who offers his employees additional skills and language training.