More Asian Travel Tips

We continue our brief introduction to Asia. This is just an intro, we will get more in depth later. As always, leave questions if you got any!

Thailand -

Thailand is a great country to visit. Fun and friendly. For the most part that is. Of course, there may always be problems.

Thais are very religious (generally Buddhist) and are very loyal to their king. You will often see pictures of him around cities, in restaurants. etc. Never criticize or make fun of the king. Besides being rude, it can get you in real trouble. Be polite at all times and you should have no problems.

Also, it's not polite to touch people on the head, and don't point at things (or people) with your foot.

Malaysia -

As Malaysia is warm, it's best to bring light, cool clothing. There are many food stands selling the local food, teas, pancakes...try them! They are good, and you will not regret it. Go local! :)

Malaysia has many religions, and there are many Christian churches, Muslim Mosques, and Buddhist and Hindu temples. Explore Malaysia with an open mind.

Asian Travel Tips

Asia occupies a quarter of the earth's land mass, and a large number of time zones. It is home to something like 3 billion people. Having a travel guide to to all of Asia would be extremely difficult, if not downright impossible. And Asia, like anywhere else, has its danger zones, and warnings, but in general Asia is fun, fascinating and full of adventure!

Here are some basic travel tips for parts of Asia. We'll be covering the rest in later Asian travel blog posts.

Vietnam

Most travelers start out in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both cities are modernized. As of this writing, all tourists except Thai and Philippine nationals need a tourist visa before entering the country. So be careful! Always double-check any visa requirements - you don't want to get stuck at an airport or shipped back home!

There is some malaria in Vietnam, so prepare for that. Bring some anti-mosquito lotions if you can.


Indonesia

Indonesia has some interesting rules. Narcotics and deadly weapons are banned. Apparently so are radio cassette players in Bali! Too bad they don't ban all those touts. Too many touts can ruin a place. Bali also bans anything with Chinese characters. I'm going to have to look into why as right now I am not sure. If you know please let me know.

More travel tips soon...probably tomorrow...