Health
Malaria
is prevalent in many of the countries of South East Asia.
You should seek medical advice concerning malaria tablets,
although the safest preventative is not to get bitten. Use
an insect repellent against mosquitoes, especially in upcountry
and forested areas. A hat and high-factor sun block cream
is advisable as protection against the hot tropical sun when
sightseeing. Various inoculations are recommended by doctors
before travelling to the region. You should seek medical advice
in good time before you travel.
Behaviour
People
from this region will generally not confront a visitor who
offends them in some way, but they will still be offended!
It will be up to you to make sure that you behave correctly
and not wait for someone to tell you. Visitors are required
to dress decently within the precincts of religious buildings.
Ladies should not wear shorts or bra-less T-shirts in such
places. Shoes and socks/stockings must always be removed at
pagodas and monasteries. Shoulders and knees should be covered.
You should
never touch people - even children - on the head and never
point at anything with your feet. These are considered unclean
by Buddhists. If you sit in a temple then you should tuck
your feet underneath you and never point them at the main
Buddha image. Woman should never touch a monk or pass something
to him directly. Visitors are advised to ignore touts who
may approach them to exchange foreign currency, or to sell
gems. Such offers, although apparently attractive, are breaking
strict laws and usually involve you being ripped off. All
the countries in the region have strict policies on drug trafficking
and you should never carry anything through an airport for
anyone, no matter how plausible the reason.
Hotels
In spite
of the building boom that is creating new hotels up to international
standards for the first time in key tourist centres, accommodation
in Indochina still varies widely in quality and during the
high season, availability can be limited. Mekong Travel clients
will generally receive hotel reservation priority, but Mekong
Travel cannot guarantee specific hotel requests and reserves
the right to substitute accommodation of the best available
alternative standard when a first-choice hotel is not available.
Clients are advised that accommodation, especially outside
the main locations, may not always be up to international
standards.
Sightseeing Tour
Policy
Major
sightseeing highlights of Indochina include a huge variety
of religious and historic monuments; a rich cultural and artistic
heritage; museums and beautiful scenery. Such key elements
are naturally included in sightseeing tour itineraries, but
Mekong Travel also seeks out the less obvious attractions
- interesting local markets, festivals, wherever these coincide
with travel plans, traditional handicrafts and industries,
plus the opportunity to meet local people in their own environments.
Also included are opportunities to try regional cuisine and
to see typical or traditional forms of entertainment.
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