Wheelchair accessible shore excursions - Southeast Asia

[Mr Gazaman]

Looking for any advice on wheelchair accessible shore excursions in Bangkok (Laemchabang), Vietnam - Ho chi Minh City, Danang and Hanoi (Halong Bay). Any advice - guidance would be gratefully received and appreciated, as I have been trying to get something organised since mid November 2018. With this there has been many stumbling blocks, everytime I think I am onto something along comes some type of obstacle of some kind. I should mention I totally dependant on my wheelchair for mobility and day to day activities as I am a quadriplegic (Tetraplegic) who loves a challenge but even I have a breaking point. I and my able body partner love travelling and new adventures.

 

Here's hoping there is someone who has overcome the issues I have come across and has some advice that may be helpful!     

[ozscotart]

We were recently on an Asian itinerary from Japan to Singapore, I ended up in the wheelchair from Taiwan onwards but can walk with sticks. We stopped in the port for Bangkok, we have been before, and did not go into Bangkok, it was 2 hours each way from the port. I would have a look at the excursion to the Ancient City, this is an attraction that has models of Thai houses and so on, I  thought the length of the excursion would be too much for me and we did a shuttle to Pattaya instead, which wasn’t exciting. 

The last time we were in Bangkok we took taxis, very reasonable, and i went to the Jim Thomson house, this is partly accessible, and on the boats. We did also go on the sky train, the station near us was accessible, but many footpaths are not good, they don’t have lowered curbs, people park on the footpath etc.  I wasn’t in the wheelchair then, though very limited mobility, and can’t be certain that these places are fully accessible. In so far as I recall, disabled toilet facilities are few. 

In Vietnam, we did ships excursions that avoided Saigon, the one we did was fairly dull, but was partly accessible including the refreshment stop. The one we did in Nha Trang to the Cham temple was less accessible than I thought it would be, roads and footpaths are quite difficult. 

I think a taxi might be the thing in Thailand, it is a developed country though definitely has a lower awareness of disability, Bangkok is a fascinating city and if your ship does an overnight you could stay in a hotel, and get around by taxi.