Tips For New Travellers in South East Asia

If you are a newbie traveller like I was and feeling lost about travelling South East Asia, I’ve got you covered in this blog! I will go through some basic tips so it’s not all so overwhelming.

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What Is South East Asia All About?

South East Asia is a region located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It’s known for its incredible cultural and geographical diversity. South East Asia is made up of the countries Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, and East Timor.

South East Asia has an amazing array of landscapes, from the lush jungles of Borneo and the mountainous terrain of Northern Vietnam to the pristine beaches of Thailand and the sprawling rice terraces in Bali.

You could never be bored of the beauty and adventures you will find. Each country contributes to the breathtaking tapestry of natural wonders that make South East Asia a paradise for adventure and nature lovers.

Whether your trip is long or short and only to one of the countries or many, let’s get you started on some tips so you can be on your way!

Finances and South East Aisa

Money And Travel Cards In South East Asia

The first time I travelled I just used my bank’s travel card with 9 currencies available. Point blank it was a rip-off with fees and more fees. I don’t do that anymore.

I opt to use more popular travel cards like Wise, Revolut and Monzo. They allow dozens of currencies and even give a few ATM withdrawals for free. All the fees are transparent before you transfer your money and it’s quick and easy. I could never go back now.

Always use MORE than 1 option. Take your normal cards with you also and don’t carry all your cards in one spot. The cards don’t cost anything to get or set up so why wouldn’t you?

You need multiple options for safety and misadventure. Cards get swallowed in ATMS, lost, skimmed and stolen. Bad wifi can cause problems sometimes with transaction failures and multiple attempts can get your card blocked.

Tell your bank about your travel plans to avoid being flagged as suspicious activity.

Use a currency converter app until you have a handle on the currency exchange in your mind. This is a must for me because I like to jump countries a lot. Make sure they add the tax onto prices so you can see what something really costs.

Always carry cash! South East Asia is big on cash only. Carry enough to at least get you out of trouble or get you sorted for a day or two. Use your cards for the bigger stuff like accommodation and tours. Purchases for food, some transport and souvenirs are usually made in cash.

Pre-Trip Planning for South East Asia

Research your destination for your Southeast Asia trip, calculate the costs and then allow for extra. You always want enough for a plane ticket home too even if you’ve bought one. Random things can always happen!

As far as the trip to South East Asia, surprising things can add up fast.

Here are a few things in the beginning I didn’t account for in my budgeting that don’t always spring to mind;

• Uber/ Taxi from place to place (Grab/GoJek/Bolt in Asia) jumping around locations or having your accommodation miles away from the action spots
• Airport food. They make you dump your own then charge you 3x the price with subpar quality.
• Tourist activities have skyrocketed and sometimes it’s better not to prebook, and sometimes it is. Tourists will pay! … and pay they do! Prices have inflated everywhere since COVID-19 and South East Asia is no exception. Activities can really take a big chunk of your budget.
• Luggage storage
• Multiple VISAs add up and sometimes a few days layover can be more expensive by the time you add a visa, transport and accommodation.
• Tax is added after a meal which is something to consider

A few areas I found you can SAVE money in South East Asia are;

• Getting your SIM card at a 7/11 or outside of the airport
• Using transport apps instead of taxis/ tuk-tuks or hotel-ordered drivers
• Sometimes shared transport is available like a shuttle bus or public transport, especially from the airport
• Not eating at restaurants every meal
• Use a no-fee bank to withdraw cash instead of ATMs (you need your passport for this)
• Take food and drink with you to tourist hotspots. The food and drink are always WAY more expensive at these places.
• Don’t always opt for the extra fee for breakfast when booking accommodation. These breakfasts aren’t always crash hot and you can just buy something up the road at a cheaper price a lot of the time.
• Just use a transport app to go to a location yourself instead of using an expensive tour
• Book morning flight tickets if cheaper or the same price because landing in the evening and night is a waste of a day and accommodation fees.

What To Pack For South East Asia

So what do you take with you to South East Asia? The best thing to start with is to pack lightweight and versatile clothing. Tropical environments can be hot, and sticky and sometimes have monsoonal rain depending on the season.

Be aware culturally many places in South East Asia are Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu. Wearing appropriate dress, especially to temples and religious sites is expected.

Take care when coming from the beach not to wear your swimming attire into the main streets, shops or ride transport still dressed for swimming. Many locals won’t say anything but it’s not looked upon favourably and is in poor taste.

Visiting beautiful destinations in South East Asia might mean waterproofing your gear! Waterfalls, longtail boats and beaches are the stuff of dreams, but not for your belongings or devices. So purchase waterproofing equipment before you go! A little waterproof bag for your passport is good too! Water damage on your passport makes it invalid.

Cultural Differences in South East Asia

Toilets in South East Asia

Be aware that not always, but more off the beaten track there are some differences between Western and South East Asian toilets. Most toilets have a spray bidet on the side of the toilets. Some will have toilet paper and some will not. You spray yourself clean and if toilet paper is there dry yourself off.

There are also other modifications such as squat toilets, and toilets with a bucket and scoop next to it. The squat toilets work much the same as a normal toilet except that you squat. In the bucket scenario, you will scoop water from a bucket and then put it into the toilet after use. The gravity of the extra water acts as a flush.

I always carry extra personal paper for myself because you don’t know what you will encounter. Some places are paid to enter also in tourist-heavy areas so change is always a must.

South East Asia Social Culture

There are a couple of big blanket no-nos and a few easy things you should do in South East Asia to avoid any cultural faux pas.

Don’t’s

• Touch people’s heads. A lot of Buddhist people believe that the head is the most sacred part of the body and touching it interferes with this.
• On the same point, the feet are the dirtiest. So remove your shoes when entering religious sites and in indoor areas. I always keep sockets on me to keep my feet clean.
• Pointing your finger at people is considered extremely rude
• Pointing the soles of your feet at people is rude as it’s considered a dirty part of the body
• Don’t step directly over Hindu offerings or kick or destroy them. You may see these on the streets, in temples or outside of shops. Take care where you walk.

Do’s

• Hand people things with your right hand. The left hand is considered dirty and many people use this as their toilet hand.
• Dress modestly and appropriately in religious areas or in general. Follow the instructions given to you when entering any religious site.
• Be patient and friendly. Sometimes communication is hard when no one speaks each other’s language or very little. It’s amazing how far just being friendly and polite will get you.
• Expect in Asia a lot of shops open later in the morning but stay open later in the evening
• Understand that Mulsim countries such as Malaysia have strict rules about alcohol, drugs, dress codes, sexual materials and relations that may be vastly different from Western countries.

Food in South East Asia

The food in South East Asia is delicious and varies greatly from place to place. Half the fun of travelling to South East Asia is the food journey you go on.

Do take care with the level of spice in food which can vastly differ from our bland western diet and palate.

Be respectfully aware of different types of food sold too. Famously insects on sticks in markets and chickens’ feet at the 7/11 might be something common to see.

Use your common sense with street food if it is safe to consume and look for things like cleanliness and insects hanging around like flies and ants.

Embracing local flavours is such a great experience so don’t be scared to try new food and flavours.

Travel Insurance

Absolutely invest in travel insurance. It’s a no-brainer and really a must. Understand your insurance policy and take a printed copy with numbers and your policy number with you via email and print.

Be aware that extra activities like riding motorcycles and snow activities may not be covered by most basic insurances. Alcohol-related injuries may also not be covered. Travelling to places deemed unsafe by Smartraveller for Australians or other governments may also void you of insurance.

General Safety In South East Asia

I haven’t found Southeast Asia to be unsafe at all, but there are unsafe areas wherever you may be in the world and it’s always important to stay vigilant.

A couple of the basic things you can do are;

• Carry a copy of your passports and documents
• Carry contact details you may need in case of emergency such as embassy, insurance, medical advice etc.
• Tell people where you are going and send them your itinerary
• Keep in regular contact with people
• Investigate areas you are going into from people who have been there in recent times
• Don’t dress overly affluently
• Avoid being in places on your own or where very few tourists go until you can investigate its safe to do so
• Avoid getting so drunk you can’t keep yourself or your belongings safe
• Be aware of pickpockets in crowded areas
• Keep your valuables locked or on your person in a way that’s not available to pickpockets
• Avoid getting into arguments or altercations with locals where the laws are vastly different
• Respect the laws and culture at all times
• Understand that safety aspects to activities set up in other countries might not be to the safety standard you are used to. Use common sense before participating in adventurous/ dangerous activities.

Final Word

In the end, most of this is common sense mixed in with a bit of experience. South East Asia travel is one of the most beautiful and adventurous places to explore and I hope that these tips will help you be more informed when you go on your trip.

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