Preparing to Travel
Preparing for your trip
A well planned and prepared trip can make all the difference, here are some points to consider when planning and preparing your holiday.
Health
Some parts of Asia are still developing and malaria may be present in some of the areas you visit. You should seek medical advice before travelling on any inoculations and anti-malaria drugs that you will need during your trip. You should also keep a prescription for any drugs that you will be carrying for your trip and ensure you have enough dosage for your trip as it may prove difficult to obtain repeat prescriptions whilst abroad. Further information on travelling abroad can be obtained from the foreign and commonwealth office website www.fco.gov.uk.
Visas
Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your return from your destination. Visas may also be required to be arranged before you arrive, so please make sure to arrange this with your local embassy in advance, please contact us if you need any help or advice in obtaining your Visas.
Insurance
All clients must ensure they have adequate travel insurance cover before their tour. A suitable insurance policy should provide cover for medical expenses or loss of holiday monies through cancellation or curtailment of the holiday. For this reason you should make sure you are insured from the moment you book your holiday so that your deposit is also covered.
Packing
Although you may be taking anti-malarial drugs, the safest preventative against mosquito spread diseases is to avoid being bitten. Easy ways to avoid bites are to use insect repellent and to wear long sleeve tops and trousers at night. All this being said the most common health problem whilst on holiday is sun-burn from mild to severe and can be avoided by packing a good sun block and a suitable sunhat and sunglasses.
Money
Asia is continually developing and ATMs are now commonplace across the region. It is recommended that you take travelers cheques and a small amount of $US dollars especially in Cambodia, Laos,Vietnam and Myanmar. Taking travelers cheques will avoid unnecessary bank charges when withdrawing from an ATM and will also get a better rate than cash when exchanging money at the bank or currency exchangers, which are in most major towns and resorts. The US dollar is also widely accepted in most South east Asian countries and can be used for payment at shops, restaurants and hotels.
Climate
Southeast Asia is a tropical climate the climate hovers at around 30°C throughout the year.The relatively cool dry season from October to March is the best time to visit. April and May can be quite hot, while the weather cools during the rainy season from May to October however, this can vary depending on your location. Please don't be put of by the “wet” season though as often some of the best holiday prices can be found around this time and it is often very sunny with the rain pouring in short heavy bursts mainly in the afternoon, adding to the mystic of this part of the world. This also helps give the hills and rice terraces of the countryside a beautiful lush green look, which is a highlight in itself.
Electricity
The electric voltage throughout the region is 220 volts. Most British electrical appliances work well throughout Asia but you will find a universal adaptor is essential.
