<![CDATA[DIY or Group Tours?]]>I think age range of the people going could also play into the factors of whether you would opt for DIY or Group! I’m personally more in favour of DIY though - it’s a bit more cost effective and you get to customize, but there’s definitely a time and place for group. I second the Airbnb experiences, they’re a great resource!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/91326/diy-or-group-toursRSS for NodeWed, 06 May 2026 11:34:54 GMTThu, 21 Jun 2018 06:12:44 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Thu, 07 Jun 2018 08:54:54 GMT]]>

starlight1968sg:
Tours are to relax and enjoy and not to complete a mission.

100% agree. No need to visit x number of places for me to feel fulfilled

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851569https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1851569Thu, 07 Jun 2018 08:54:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 08:26:38 GMT]]>

starlight1968sg:
Tours are to relax and enjoy and not to complete a mission.

I agree fully. We can spend most of our days in the resort relaxing....like my trips to Bandung and Danang.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850369https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850369Wed, 30 May 2018 08:26:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 08:24:01 GMT]]>

Zeit:
We'd been there done that in our youth - slept at rail stations, airports, shared student dorms with drug addicts who walked around in their undies vaping, shared common bathrooms, etc.
Wow, i wasnt so adventurous when i was younger....

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850368https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850368Wed, 30 May 2018 08:24:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 05:24:29 GMT]]>

Zeit:
We'd tried some private car hires too, plus guide. But I felt claustrophobic. Maybe I am too 'kor tak'. I dislike having to constantly smile, nod at the rear mirror and look enthused throughout the 2-hr journey at a stranger in the confines of a 7-seater. I also get irritated easily by my inlaws non-stop talking, kids (cousins) singing and giggling.


There's also the risk of 1 driver falling sick during the tour, and co-driver has to singly handle the long distance drive in winter. It happened to us last Dec. My spouse had a fever so the responsibility fell on me. Thankfully, we only self-drove on a few days and ditched the vehicle after we reached the capital.
😄 We are kor tak with strangers but so far, ok with family. When it is with family the more the merrier. So we end up having to charter a minibus, sometimes even a coach, as at the very minimum there will be 8 of us excluding hired driver/guide. 1 MPV will not be enough for us since we need to consider luggage as well. The job of having to communicate with the driver/guide usually falls on BIL, he is our travel planner on most trips.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850326https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850326Wed, 30 May 2018 05:24:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 05:19:07 GMT]]>Apartment hotels are great cos of the availability of washing machine, not so much the kitchenette. I seldom cook when I’m staying in an apartment hotel, cos there’re a lot of good F&Bs not to be missed in the city. Maybe a necessity to cook when staying on remote animal farms, safaris and ski resorts. Don’t know what’s the joy of cooking when on vacation. But it’s fun to cook at overseas’ relatives houses, do bbq, Christmas Eve turkey, etc.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850323https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850323Wed, 30 May 2018 05:19:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 05:05:18 GMT]]>We’d tried some private car hires too, plus guide. But I felt claustrophobic. Maybe I am too ‘kor tak’. I dislike having to constantly smile, nod at the rear mirror and look enthused throughout the 2-hr journey at a stranger in the confines of a 7-seater. I also get irritated easily by my inlaws non-stop talking, kids (cousins) singing and giggling.


There’s also the risk of 1 driver falling sick during the tour, and co-driver has to singly handle the long distance drive in winter. It happened to us last Dec. My spouse had a fever so the responsibility fell on me. Thankfully, we only self-drove on a few days and ditched the vehicle after we reached the capital.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850313https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850313Wed, 30 May 2018 05:05:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 03:49:45 GMT]]>Yes, funz and MP, we re-visit places/countries we like too.

Of course, we also explore new places/countries.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850298https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850298Wed, 30 May 2018 03:49:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 03:46:20 GMT]]>

Funz:
True, so these days we are also doing a lot of repeat destinations and going to places that we have visited and liked so that we can explore more of that area rather than the touch and go that we did when we 1st visited.


I think the mentality is different when young, without kids, with kids, with old folks and now with much older folks. 😓

When young the mentality is such that you spend that much on airfare, you want to cover as much grounds as possible when there, food and accommodation is not a priority. These days, accommodation is top, food ranks rather high as well. Comfort is of utmost importance.
same here.
my fav is apartment hotel - (can cook ,wash a bit Plus include house keeping) I am there to relax
n shake leg, dun like to clean up n tidy beds, pick hairs... . If we need to cook we usually buy food (cooked bbq chicken, fish fillet ,sushi, cooked shrimps) fr supermarket and just cook instant noodles or boiled eggs.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850297https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850297Wed, 30 May 2018 03:46:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 03:40:19 GMT]]>True, so these days we are also doing a lot of repeat destinations and going to places that we have visited and liked so that we can explore more of that area rather than the touch and go that we did when we 1st visited.


I think the mentality is different when young, without kids, with kids, with old folks and now with much older folks. 😓

When young the mentality is such that you spend that much on airfare, you want to cover as much grounds as possible when there, food and accommodation is not a priority. These days, accommodation is top, food ranks rather high as well. Comfort is of utmost importance.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850295https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850295Wed, 30 May 2018 03:40:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 03:32:55 GMT]]>Tours are to relax and enjoy and not to complete a mission.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850290https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850290Wed, 30 May 2018 03:32:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 30 May 2018 03:18:10 GMT]]>We still prefer planning our own itinerary. We will still do self drive trips but each trip is getting more leisurely with more time spent at each accommodation thus covering lesser areas in each trip instead of the mad schedule that we use to do which is almost like 1 at most 2 nights in each stop and driving 3 hours each stretch before stopping for a break or switch drivers. Now, we stop almost every hour for short breaks and switch drivers.


We also started exploring hiring local drivers to cover our own itinerary. Very ex but that may be the way to go in the near future.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850282https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850282Wed, 30 May 2018 03:18:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Mon, 28 May 2018 15:26:58 GMT]]>

Headache2010:
Zeit:

Old already. So nowadays, we do combi: book own air tickets (redeem miles), book own 5-star accommodation (earn hotel membership points), then buy 2 or 3 day tours to cover selected regions or self-drive on certain days only.


Aiyo..... if got miles and hotel points, young will also do the same lah.

No leh. Young & adventurous seldom buy day tours, as they're 'chiongsters' who want to chiong the world. Young may not care about leg room, flight safety and mattress too. Young prefer to self-drive all the way...

We'd been there done that in our youth - slept at rail stations, airports, shared student dorms with drug addicts who walked around in their undies vaping, shared common bathrooms, etc.

Old and lazy pp like us are too tired to self-drive for entire 2-wk trip. A few days of sitting back on tour coach is ideal for us. :rotflmao:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850087https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850087Mon, 28 May 2018 15:26:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Mon, 28 May 2018 13:23:15 GMT]]>

starlight1968sg:
What I dislike about Group or Guided Tours is the waiting of the fellow mates, the rushing here and there from one place to another etc.

Indeed. Better to go for small group ones or have family n friends organise one tour package or your own.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850057https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850057Mon, 28 May 2018 13:23:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Mon, 28 May 2018 13:21:57 GMT]]>

Zeit:
Old already. So nowadays, we do combi: book own air tickets (redeem miles), book own 5-star accommodation (earn hotel membership points), then buy 2 or 3 day tours to cover selected regions or self-drive on certain days only.

Aiyo..... if got miles and hotel points, young will also do the same lah.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850056https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850056Mon, 28 May 2018 13:21:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Mon, 28 May 2018 09:10:12 GMT]]>What I dislike about Group or Guided Tours is the waiting of the fellow mates, the rushing here and there from one place to another etc.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850002https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1850002Mon, 28 May 2018 09:10:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Mon, 28 May 2018 08:49:08 GMT]]>Old already. So nowadays, we do combi: book own air tickets (redeem miles), book own 5-star accommodation (earn hotel membership points), then buy 2 or 3 day tours to cover selected regions or self-drive on certain days only.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849996https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849996Mon, 28 May 2018 08:49:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 23 May 2018 09:40:21 GMT]]>

RoastChickenDance:
DIY air tickets, accommodation and food then join local day tours. Eg airbnb experiences tours some are quite good.

I think now it's even easier with grab (uber), albeit for shorter distance.

For those who don't drive, going to countries like USA might still opt for tour packages.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849263https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849263Wed, 23 May 2018 09:40:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 23 May 2018 08:33:22 GMT]]>

RoastChickenDance:
DIY air tickets, accommodation and food then join local day tours. Eg airbnb experiences tours some are quite good.

Agreed.
With internet, DIY for hols is possible

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849248https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849248Wed, 23 May 2018 08:33:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to DIY or Group Tours? on Wed, 23 May 2018 07:43:40 GMT]]>DIY air tickets, accommodation and food then join local day tours. Eg airbnb experiences tours some are quite good.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849245https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1849245Wed, 23 May 2018 07:43:40 GMT