You’ve booked flights to Southeast Asia? Awesome! This is kind of probably one of the best thought of your life. You’re going to have a tremendous time, however as a way to be a savvy traveller, you have to keep away from the most typical errors that so many first-time guests to Asia appear to make…
Mistake #1: Buying every thing earlier than you get there
There is totally no have to go on an enormous pre-travel buying spree, shopping for up bottles of shampoo, books, paracetamol, and cute light-weight tops. You can get loads of garments, books and all the standard manufacturers of toiletries and pharmacy medication in Asia! Why pack a packet of Strepsils simply in case you get a sore throat when you possibly can choose them up from a pharmacy whenever you’re there? (The exception after all is any common remedy prescribed by your physician.)
Top suggestions: Support the locals by shopping for low cost as chips t-shirts, sarongs and shorts on the markets, and make new pals by swapping books with different travellers.
Mistake #2: Not researching journey insurance coverage suppliers
First of all, don’t be silly sufficient to suppose you’re younger and also you’ll by no means want journey insurance coverage. Second, don’t simply purchase the most affordable journey insurance coverage yow will discover. Do your analysis and at all times learn the advantageous print to make sure it affords ‘backpacker friendly’ protection. By that, we imply to make sure that your insurance coverage doesn’t instantly grow to be void the second you’re taking a sip of beer! Also test if it covers you for all of the international locations you could be visiting, in addition to for journey sports activities like scuba diving or for hiring a motorcycle or jet ski.
World Nomads insurance coverage is an effective backpacker choice and covers the widest vary of actions and adventures sports activities.
Mistake #3: Eating/ingesting one thing dodgy
If you’re watching your meals be cooked sizzling and recent in entrance of you, likelihood is it’s going to be advantageous – and rattling tasty! If you’re actually nervous, one of the best recommendation is to keep away from rooster, however usually, freshly cooked meals is okay.
Raw meals akin to salad leaves is usually a downside as they’re usually washed in native water which may trigger grief to travellers’ tummies, so it’s finest to not order salad until you’re in a flowery restaurant or resort! On an evening out, it’s at all times higher to drink beer and canned or bottled drinks, as low cost fluorescent colored cocktails could also be blended with native spirits or mixers with unknown components or include dodgy ice produced from native water.
Top suggestions: Stick to freshly cooked meals and keep away from something that may very well be washed or made with native water.
Mistake #4: Hiring a motorcycle (for those who’ve by no means ridden one earlier than)
If you wouldn’t really feel assured driving a motorcycle on the highway at house, don’t rent one in Asia! You don’t know the highway guidelines within the international locations you’re visiting and there’s a superb likelihood the opposite folks hooning across the nook don’t both! Motorbike accidents are the most typical motive why vacationers discover themselves in hospitals (see Mistake #2 about insurance coverage once more).
Crashing might not even be the worst of your worries – getting burnt on the leg by the exhaust pipe is so widespread it’s been dubbed the ‘Thai Tattoo’. Stay secure and rent a bicycle as an alternative!
Mistake #5: Paying an excessive amount of for a taxi
Try to seek out the official taxi rank at airports and don’t settle for a journey from a pretender. If somebody approaches you at an airport providing you a journey, likelihood is they don’t seem to be even a registered taxi driver. If you’re catching a taxi within the metropolis, insist on utilizing the meter or comply with a worth earlier than you journey if there is no such thing as a meter. That method you received’t get a shock whenever you arrive at your vacation spot.
Mistake #6: Not paying sufficient for a tuk-tuk
This is a basic mistake that many first time guests to Bangkok make – in actual fact, it’s nearly a ceremony of passage. If a tuk-tuk driver is providing to take you anyplace in Bangkok for 20 Baht (lower than $1) – they’re going to take you to each tailor and jewelry store within the metropolis, asking you to ‘please just have a look!’ earlier than they take you anyplace you really need to go.
Three hours later you’ll be begging to get out of the tuk-tuk. Riding in a tuk-tuk is a good journey expertise – simply let the motive force know upfront that you simply don’t need to go to any retailers and also you’re blissful to pay extra for the journey.
Top tip: Get an thought of how a lot your taxi or tuk-tuk journey ought to price – if a suggestion sounds too good to be true, it most likely is!
Mistake #7: Unknowingly supporting unethical wildlife tourism
While stroking a child tiger or driving an elephant might sound like a tremendous up-close wildlife encounter on the floor, take a second to actually think about the scenario. Why is that this endangered, wild animal docile sufficient to be patted or ridden by vacationers? Who is cashing in on this encounter? How did this lovely wild animal even get right here?
If individuals are earning money off travellers from these kinds of experiences, animals will proceed to be exploited and abused for human leisure. Remember that you simply vote along with your vacationer {dollars}. Support animal rescue sanctuaries and animal welfare organisations as an alternative.
Mistake #8: Buying souvenirs from kids
There’s no mistaking how cute the youngsters are and the way innocent it might sound to purchase a few bracelets for a greenback or two, however the reality is these lovely native kids ought to be at school. However, so long as they’re worthwhile to their dad and mom, they’re more likely to proceed to be despatched out to work as an alternative of getting an schooling. Support the native folks by shopping for handicrafts from native markets as an alternative.
Top tip: How you spend your cash has a huge impact on supporting and shaping native enterprises, so spend properly!
Mistake #9: Getting soaked with the ‘bum gun’
Don’t know what that is? Well, you’re about to seek out out! Next to many bogs in Southeast Asia, you’ll discover a hose with a twig nozzle on the top, aka the ‘bum gun’, and also you received’t at all times discover rest room paper supplied. This nozzle could also be your solely hope for cleansing up after your self, so embrace it. The large mistake just isn’t testing the water stress by spraying it into the bathroom first. It may give you fairly a shock and a superb soaking! Test it in the bathroom first, modify the stress accordingly, spray, then dry with rest room paper or wriggle dry. You’ll get the hold of it very quickly. Good luck!
Mistake #10: Putting Thailand first and Laos final on listing of nations to go to
Yes, Thailand is an exquisite nation. It’s enjoyable, it’s loopy, it’s bought nice seashores, and the social gathering by no means appears to cease! But it’s a lot tougher to seek out these off the overwhelmed observe locations that actually make you’re feeling like an intrepid explorer, the place you get an actual perception into the native tradition, to not point out taking completely different photographs than everybody else who went earlier than you!
An more and more widespread grievance is how touristy Thailand has grow to be, and but Thailand’s northern neighbour Laos is commonly neglected. Those which were recognized that Laos is without doubt one of the most enchanting international locations in Southeast Asia. Laos boasts beautiful surroundings, pleasant and relaxed locals, a powerful dedication to its traditions and heritage and is really a hidden gem. If you desire a much less touristy expertise, make sure you match Laos into your itinerary.
Nervous about your journey?
All that information made you a bit nervous about your first time in Southeast Asia? We’ve bought even extra journey suggestions for you. Read, be taught and get your self ready on your journey to South-East Asia.