Asia for Visitors

Tips & Advice for Southeast Asia Visitors

Here is an index of some of the general information you might need to know for your travels in Southeast Asia. For information specific to each country, see our "Practical Info" pages for each country.

Getting There & Getting Around

Airlines
See this list of the major regional carriers, both full service and low cost.
Passport and Pens
When traveling to and around Southeast Asia, keep your passport and a pen handy, as this article explains.

Packing

Don't know what to pack, or even what to pack it in? Then read our packing tips, which includes reviews of the suitcases we've used.

Money

Each country in the region has its own currency. Most of these are convert able, although in some cases, such as Myanmar, there is a wide gap between the official rate and unofficial rates. If you'd like to know what a specific currency is currently worth, try the Currency Converter below.

As in most of the world, you do not want to change money at hotels, since their rates will be significantly lower than you will get from a bank exchange. Travelers Checks can be changed at exchanges, but are not generally accepted elsewhere. In some countries, you will get a better exchange rate for cash than for travelers checks. Keep in mind that cashing travelers checks attracts additional fees than cash does not. Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are plentiful throughout most countries, except Myanmar, and most accept cards of the major international networks (Plus, Cirrus, etc.)

Major credit cards - Visa, Mastercard and American Express - are accepted at most hotels and restaurants, except Myanmar. Department stores and other large shops will also generally accept all cards. However, smaller merchants may not accept any cards, or add on the credit card processing fee (typically 3% for Visa and Mastercard, 5% for American Express) to the price of items purchased.

Electrical Power & Plugs

Electrical power throughout Southeast Asia is 220 volts at 50 cycles. However, plug types vary from country to country. Bring a multiple-type adapter with you if visiting several countries with electrical items. See our Practical Info pages for each country for specific plug types.

In this section

Getting Around Southeast Asia

Most people get around Southeast Asia by air. Air links between the major cities are frequent, and generally available from several carriers. As in other parts of the world, you often have teh choice between full service and budget carriers. Full Service Airlines Each country has its own full service flag carrier, but some of them do not have the best repuations. The airlines below are among the best of the regional full service carriers.

Packing Tips

Packing for your first trip to Southeast Asia can be a little challenging. For the most part, you can use common sense and forethought. The most important thing to remember is that, no matter where you go in Southeast Asia, or when, you'll be in the tropics, where it will probably be a lot hotter and more humid that what you're used to. So, with that in mind: Pack "light" - cotton or silk fabrics in casual, breathable designs.

Pen & Passport

When traveling to and around Southeast Asia, you should keep your passport and a pen handy at all times. The passport part may seem obvious, but it's surprising how many people bury their passport in the deepest recesses of their bags as soon as they check in, and then have to drag it out several more times as they make their way through the airport, sometimes at the cost of many delays to their fellow travelers.

Southeast Asia Border Crossings

While many people choose to fly between Southeast Asia's major destinations, there are some cases where using land crossings can save you a lot of money, and even be easier. This section is designed to give you some insight on what you need to know to use these crossings. Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand to Pakse, Laos

Southeast Asian Holidays

Chinese New Year at Bangkok's Chinatown Gate Southeast Asia's wide diversity of cultures means there are many holidays celebrated, which differ widely from country to country. While mostly Buddhist Thailand doesn't observe any Christian holidays, mostly Muslim Indonesia observes Christian and Islamic holidays. One point the western visitor needsto keep in mind is that many Buddhist and Muslim holidays are scheduled according to the lunar calendar, or by some other means that results in the holiday changing dates from year to year.