Practical tips for South East Asia travel

donfers

I may be going there for a few months in August and I'd like to hear from those who have already been there with regard to the following:

Language: How do you communicate with the locals/in bars and restaurants and hostels/police and doctors etc., is their standard of English generally good? Did you pick up some local lingo? Was language a large barrier?


Food: A lot of people recommend eating at hawker stalls/outdoor market type places. How do you decide what food to select? Do you even know what it is? How do you determine price in light of language barrier? How do you know they aren't ripping you off with price as you are seen by some as Mr. rich Western guy? What is the etiquette for ordering food at these places- do you just point at something and they put it on a paper plate and you eat away while standing at the stall??

Drink: where are the best places to get drink? Do they sell it in supermarkets, if so at what prices? I hear some cities charge crazy prices for booze if going to pubs/nightclubs - is that correct? What are the hours for drinking like? What is the buzz like? Do people get sloshed? What's the story with the nightclubs - are they genuine places for having a laugh or do you have the seedier element? Are the nightclubs filled with locals or tourists or both? what time do they close at?

Getting about: How do I know that taxi drivers won't rip me off? is it rude of me to ask them to turn on the meter? Will they understand me if i say this? What is the general standard of buses? Can you sleep on a bus comfortable or better off with train?

Shopping: What's it like? I hear it's all about negotiating the price or haggling, I don't really like doing this - any tips on how to do it?

Accommodation: is it best to stay in hotels or hostels of guesthouses? Should one stay in the Lonely Planet recommended places (or will they be packed out and have raised their prices) or just play it by ear? Is it worth negotiating the price of a room, how do I know i'm not being ripped off, are the standard prices written somewhere?? How do I go about finding a decent place?

Miscellaneous: What excursions/trips are really essential? I am big fan of hiking/climbing moreso than water-based stuff.

Crime is virtually non-existent - is that correct?

Injections are not really necessary - is that correct?

What things are absolute musts in terms of carrying about with you? Like mosquito repellent for example

What's the best way to carry/have access to money and in what currency??

Any other tips/advice/guidelines


cheers, I really appreciate this practical advcie rather than reading reams and reams of generic advice that isn't really relevant or detailed enough for me

dearg lady

wow, that's a lot of questions, I think you're thinking too much about this!!

language isn't really a barrier at all, many people in SE Asia speak English.

As regards getting ripped off, well ya don't really know, Lonely Planet is good for giving a ballpark to start off with, then you'll get to know what things cost. Don't get ripped off, but don't go crazy arguin over a few pence either, it's just not worth it!

Haggling becomes like second nature over there, I can't seem to do it anywhere else, but can't help myself there.

Taxi drivers will have a meter which you can ask to be switched on, this isn't rude, if taking a tuk tuk or such, you shoudl agree a price before getting in.

With regard to accomodation, play it by ear,ask to see a room and decide if you like it, try a few places if you're not sure.

Liek anywhere, there's crime, just have your wits about you and don't be stupid and you shoudl be fine. Pickpocketings do happen, be alert.

Differnet people have opinions on vaccinations, I personally got them as I felt better that way, but it's a personal choice, and depends where you're going, your doc would be able to recommend what is good for you.

make sure you have mosquito repellent and suncream, you can buy all that over there anyway, for cheaper too!

I found it convenient to have soem dollars(around 100, for visas mainly) and the rest I just took out of ATM's in local currency as needed.

Bacchus

donfers wrote: »

Language: How do you communicate with the locals/in bars and restaurants and hostels/police and doctors etc., is their standard of English generally good? Did you pick up some local lingo? Was language a large barrier?

English. Most people have good English. Learning to say hello, thank you and a few other small phrases is always appreciated though.

Food: {whole lot of questions}

Relax. The food is awesome and you'll figure it out. Just enjoy it... and if you don't. Hey! It only cost a euro or 2 anyway, get something else

Drink: {A lot more questions}

REALLY. RELAX! Every city and country is different but it's all cheap. You'll quickly see that buying beer in the "plastic stool" street bars is the cheapest and best. Actual bars are slightly more expensive, clubs more expensive but still cheap.

Getting about: How do I know that taxi drivers won't rip me off? is it rude of me to ask them to turn on the meter? Will they understand me if i say this? What is the general standard of buses? Can you sleep on a bus comfortable or better off with train?

They will try. Agree a price before getting in (use Lonely Planet/Rough Guide as an estimate for how much it should cost). If they have a meter get them to use it, they probably won't want to though so just agree a fare. They speak English, they will understand you. Buses range in quality depending on how much you're willing to spend. TBH, I took public buses all the time. They're fine and a nice way to see the country and it's people.

Shopping: What's it like? I hear it's all about negotiating the price or haggling, I don't really like doing this - any tips on how to do it?

At markets, you haggle. It's fun. Just act not really that interested and watch the price halve. Don't be a prick though. I've met tourists who haggle over 10c. Ridiculous. 10c to us is nothing yet people will haggle for it.

Accommodation: is it best to stay in hotels or hostels of guesthouses? Should one stay in the Lonely Planet recommended places (or will they be packed out and have raised their prices) or just play it by ear? Is it worth negotiating the price of a room, how do I know i'm not being ripped off, are the standard prices written somewhere?? How do I go about finding a decent place?

Depends what country you're in. Vietnam, Cambodia, Loas, I just arrived in the town and picked places out of LP until I found one I liked. Thailand and Malaysia, I booked via hostelworld (great site btw). Not much point negotiating the price of a room. I've never tried though.

Stop being so worried you're going to get ripped off. Dinner will cost you $1. Accommodation will cost you around $6. The only people who will try to rip you off is (some, not all) tour companies. All you need is a bit of cop on and you'll be fine.

Miscellaneous: What excursions/trips are really essential? I am big fan of hiking/climbing moreso than water-based stuff.

?? Don't know what to tell you here. I don't know what countries you are going to and there are dozens of things that fit that description in each. Read Lonely Planet.

Crime is virtually non-existent - is that correct?

Depends on the country. I felt very safe and secure in all of SE Asia except maybe Thailand, but it's still fine. Just use your common sense i.e. don't walk down that dark alley at 3am.

Injections are not really necessary - is that correct?

Talk to your doctor. IMO, there are worth it.

What things are absolute musts in terms of carrying about with you? Like mosquito repellent for example

Basic first aid kit stuff. Bandages, panadol, diarrhoea tablets...
Rain jacket/poncho.
Meh, not much else I'd call and "must".

What's the best way to carry/have access to money and in what currency??

ATMs are everywhere bar the very remote places. I'd usually carry money in the currency of the country I'm in. Makes things easier when it comes to paying for stuff No harm having a few $10 bills though.

Any other tips/advice/guidelines

Stop worrying and enjoy yourself. Besides, some of the best stuff you'll always look back on and remember after your trip are the things that didn't go right. Like the time you were dropped on the side of the road 5km from your destination and walked it out of stubbornness instead of paying the "already waiting for you" tuk tuk driver to get a lift. Fun!

v.e.r.b.a.l

Language: Don't worry about Language. You'll find most people speak at least a little English. It won't be much hassle. A few places in Vietnam will be harder, but still there won't be any probs there.

Food: ALWAYS eat at the markets. In Singapore they have Hawker markets where you get great food for a fraction of the price in any restaurant. In Thailand, the standard of food everywhere is amazing, the only difference is the price. Go to the street markets for the cheapest food and best atmosphere. Vietnam have great street food too, but not on the scale of Thailand. Just be wary of the word "chuot" which means dog meat.

In general, most markets have a place to sit down outside. Some even have shows with dancers, but they're more aimed at tourists. You'll find friendly people who (if none of the signs are in western script) will ask you what you want and prepare it for you.

In terms of price, you'll find that you're paying more than locals, yeah, but it's to be expected really. Everywhere in Asia has a "tourist price". Just ask the price beforehand to avoid any big bills!

Drink: Depending on what kind of a night you want, I'd suggest the best craic being at the street markets for drinking. Cheapest option too. Failing that in Thailand, you can go to one of the thousands of 7 elevens they have for bottles of beer or just to one of the tourist bars. In thailand you can pretty much drink all night, in Laos everything closes at 11pm, but you can go to the bowling alley that'll serve drink all night. great craic mixing with the locals and other tourists bowling yourself drunk!! I must be showing my age, cos I don't think we went to a single nightclub the whole time we were in asia!! they're not overly common. a few in the more touristy parts of thailand alright.

Getting about: Just accept it. Taxi drivers are going to rip you off. Just be firm when you hop in a túk túk and negotiate a price first. NEVER just wait til the end of the journey!! Try to talk them down too. They're always overcharging you. The túk túks in Bangkok are the worst for it!! If they make any crazy demands, just stay firm and say no. ALWAYS make sure the taxi turns the meter on. Sometimes they'll refuse, just get out of the taxi and get another who will turn it on. It's weird, sometimes a taxi would quote us a price and when we say "no, we want the meter", it costs a fraction of the price. you'd think they'd drive you around in circles to at least save face for trying to rip you off!?? if the driver can't understand you, just point at the meter.

most drivers in bangkok won't speak very good english and can't manage western script very well, so Lonely Planet is handy to have - all the streets and names of places are written in Thai script beside the english name. just hand that to the driver and you'll be grand.

Buses in Thailand are great. A VIP bus is expensive but a very comfortable way to travel. In Laos it's hard to travel around cos of ****ty roads and even ****tier little minivans, but you make lots of friends on these trips! there's always an experience or two, but i recommend drammamine if you're prone to sickness!! In Vietnam the train is very comfortable. the soft sleeper is great. you have your own room of four beds and it's very clean.

Shopping: Haggling will become a way of life for you. It's a well-respected custom in Asia and is expected. But at street stalls and in túk túks, not in restaurants or anywhere like that with set prices. General rule of thumb is that you're being charged 3 times more than you should be. Start off WAY lower than you expect to pay and work your way up to an agreeable price. Throw in a bit of humour and you'll do fine. You don't want to piss people off or anything!! If you're not getting anywhere, just start to walk away. Suddenly the price will drop drastically and they'll even come running after you down the street with a calculator shouting "how much you wanna pay??" don't get too cheeky though - pay what you think is a right amount - don't insult the person by bargaining too low

Accommodation: We spent a lot of time walking around guesthouses checkign them out. LP's recommendations are generally **** cos they give up on bothering to maintain the standard once they're in the guide. you could find a really nice cheap place around the corner for half the price. tripadvisor reviews help, but they tend to have a lot of whiners. sometimes you can negotiate the price of a room, but only if you're staying there a few nights. then you can ask for a discount. there are rarely standard prices written anywhere, but sometimes at reception. ask people you meet who have been there before where they stayed and if it was nice. that's your best bet for finding nice places

Miscellaneous: Spend 3 days going around Angkor Wat. Most amazing ruins in the world. Plus you get to feel like indiana jones / lara croft! if you like climbing, krabbi will be the place for you. lots of rock-climbing and caving. great trekking in khao sok national park in south thailand too. if you want to see hill tribes in the northern parts, i'd recommend laos from what i heard. didn't do it myself though. skip the plastic tourism of chiang mai and rai and do it in laos. we did a great 2 day trek in sapa in north vietnam and loved every minute of it. you really have to pick a good company though. we managed to get a bit of the usual beaten track with a company that i can't remember the name of!! (sorry!) halong bay in vietnam is amazing. i'm probably forgetting loads. make sure you get to luang prabang in laos - such a gorgeous place. we planned a couple of nights there, ended up staying for 6 nights. and i still didn't want to leave!!

Crime: it's true that you won't see any crime. but still be on your guard. watch out for drive-by bag snatchings in Ho Chi Minh, but Asia is a really safe place.

Injections: not too sure about injections, but i'd say you'd need a few. i was in south america first, so not sure what was needed for there or asia. check out tmb.ie for full info. You'll need malaria tablets. There's a lot of discrepencies over where you need them and where you don't. We were told one thing, everyone else we met were told something different. I got Doxycycline instead of Malarone (the most popular) cos it's about half the price, but you can't have it if you are prone to sunburn.


In terms of money and stuff, i'd say wear a money belt under your shorts with your credit card (VISA) and ATM card. Just take money out in the local currency as you need it. In Laos, maybe take out a lump sum, cos ATMs are harder to come by. Also carry a wallet with a small bit of cash in your pocket, that way if you were pickpocketed or mugged you only lose a bit. Worked for me!! (don't worry - both the pickpocketing and mugging were in South America)

Mossie repellent DEET, suncream, zip-lock bags, general sense of merriment - don't pack too much.

i'm just back from a year's travel and if you need any more info, let me know and i'd be glad to help! boards were a great source of info for me before i went!!

donfers

Jaysis, I come across as a right tightwod in the original post don't i???:pac:

The point is I hate arguing about money and usually just meekly accept whatever is thrown my way...so what I'm hoping is that I won't be just treated as a cashcow as I am not going to moan and gripe about prices as I find it undignified. As long as I am given the same treatment as other tourists and charged whatever the going rate for tourists is then I can't and won't complain...it's just that I hate the idea of being thought of as a wlakover or easy target (for finance).

Anyway cheers for all the feedback so far folks, some great info there although if anyone has more specific detail on the food/drink situation I'd appreciate it.

I also do of course accept the point that it's hard to give specific feedback on certain topics when the region is so vast.....so just to let you know I'll be flying into kuala lumpur then heading north to the cameron highlands then through south thailand on to bangkok then north to Chiang Mai (probably won't get into Burma) so I'll go into Laos them from Vientaine to Hanoi then probably fly from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city then into Cambodia and onto Angkor and then back to KL probably via an island break in Thailand (all in all maybe 2 months)

donfers

v.e.r.b.a.l wrote: »

Language: Don't worry about Language. You'll find most people speak at least a little English. It won't be much hassle. A few places in Vietnam will be harder, but still there won't be any probs there.

..........................................................

cheers for that, I may be on to you about south america too if I can stretch the budget a bit, rough plan is to spend 2-3 months in SE Asia going in August or Septemeber, return home for Christmas, then if I have enough cash left over, hit South America for 6 weeks- 2months, mid January to March....I'm 32 so this is my last chance for serious long vacation/backpacking before family/mortgage/kids weight me down. I'm quite happy to go on my own although I'll have to update a blog with latests pics/news/anecdotes to keep my girlfriend informed of what's going on, she'll be doing her degree

Bacchus

donfers wrote: »

The point is I hate arguing about money and usually just meekly accept whatever is thrown my way...so what I'm hoping is that I won't be just treated as a cashcow as I am not going to moan and gripe about prices as I find it undignified.

You're going to need to work on that a bit or else you will be taken for a cashcow. It's easy to get to grips with but if you don't at least try, you're doomed to overpay for a lot of stuff.

Anyway cheers for all the feedback so far folks, some great info there although if anyone has more specific detail on the food/drink situation I'd appreciate it.

I say it a again. Relax. V.E.R.B.A.L. gave a perfect description there about the food. What more do you want? You are not the only Westerner to ever set foot is SE Asia. You will find the food at whatever budget/taste you are looking for. Lonely Planet is generally an excellent guide for where the good markets and restaurants are.

I also do of course accept the point that it's hard to give specific feedback on certain topics when the region is so vast.....so just to let you know I'll be flying into kuala lumpur then heading north to the cameron highlands then through south thailand on to bangkok then north to Chiang Mai (probably won't get into Burma) so I'll go into Laos them from Vientaine to Hanoi then probably fly from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city then into Cambodia and onto Angkor and then back to KL probably via an island break in Thailand (all in all maybe 2 months)

I'm in KL at the moment. Food is amazing. Head to Little India or Chinatown for some quality hawker markets. Be adventurous. I could happily live off of Roti/Nan with Dahl for every meal

Few recommendations off the top of my head from your itinerary.

Lampang (near Chaing Mai) has an excellent Elephant reserve. Really really recommend that.

Pai (north of Chaing Mai) is excellent for trekking.

How are you getting into Loas. It's not an easy/short trip unless you fly. Luang Prabang in the north is a great town and has loads of outdoor stuff like kayaking, trekking, cycling etc. I found Vientiane boring.

Hanoi I think is a love it or hate it place. Personally, I'm not a fan. It's just a gateway city to Halong Bay and the unmissable Sapa. If you like trekking, go to Sapa. Do it.

Saigon is another great city. You can get to the Mekong Delta from there if you're interested. Dalat, up in the mountains to the north is a great little town too.

I love Cambodia. Phnom Penh and Battambang (and rest of Cambodia of course) have a fascinating and sad history. Siam Reap has the Angkor temples. The east is an amazing rural region with Ratinakiri a highlight. Ban Lung is another great spot for trekking.

Hope some of that helps. 2 months might be a tight squeeze though to get the most out of each country. Would you consider dropping a country off the list? If you only intend on going to Vientiane in Laos, I'd recommend skipping Laos altogether and a route through Hanoi - Saigon - Cambodia - back to Thailand.