Need to Know
For more information, see Survival Guide
Currency
Language
Mobile Phones
When to Go
High Season (Jun–Aug & Dec–Feb)
ADry, cool winter months.
AChilly in the mountains.
ATravel is difficult during Tet in Vietnam.
ASummer rains across most of the region.
Shoulder Season (Mar & Nov)
AHot, dry season begins in March.
ANovember sees lower prices, before the rush.
Low Season (Apr–May, Sep–Oct)
ATravel difficult during April’s new year festivals in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
AWet season (Sep–Oct); flooding, typhoons, transport cancellations.
ADry season begins in Indonesia (Apr–May).
Useful Websites
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/southeast-asia) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.
Travelfish (www.travelfish.org) Popular travel site specialising in Southeast Asia.
Agoda (www.agoda.com) Regional hotel booking website.
Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com) In-depth analysis of current events in Southeast Asia.
Important Numbers
Each country in the region has its own emergency numbers. There is normally a single nationwide number for the police; ambulance services are often provided by individual hospitals and fire services may just have a local number.
Exchange Rates
Exchange rates fluctuate around the region, and political crises can send rates plummeting. The US dollar is the most useful foreign currency to carry; it’s easy to exchange, and in many areas, shops and hotels will accept US bills in place of the local currency, though change may be given in local notes.
Time
GMT/UTC plus 6½ hours Myanmar
GMT/UTC plus seven hours Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, parts of Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, and west and central Kalimantan)
GMT/UTC plus eight hours Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, parts of Indonesia (Bali, Nusa Tenggara, south and east Kalimantan and Sulawesi)
GMT/UTC plus nine hours Timor-Leste, parts of Indonesia (Irian Jaya and Maluku)
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than US$50
ACheap guesthouse: US$10–20
ANight-market meal: US$1–5
ALocal transport: US$1–5
ABottled beer: US$1–5
Midrange: US$50–100
AMidrange hotel room: US$20–75
ARestaurant meal: US$6–10
AMotorcycle hire: US$6–10
Top End: More than US$100
ABoutique hotel or beach resort: US$100+
ADive trip: US$50–100
AHiring a car and driver: US$25–50
Opening Hours
Opening hours vary from country to country; the following is an overview.
Banks & Government Offices Open Monday to Friday, from around 9am to about 5pm (most close for an hour for lunch).
Restaurants Open early morning to late at night; only expensive restaurants have separate lunch and dinner opening times.
Bar & Nightclubs Closing times depend on local licensing laws, but tend to be earlier than in Western countries.
Shops These often double as the proprietor’s home, so they open early and stay open late into the night, seven days a week.
Arriving in Southeast Asia
Changi International Airport (Singapore) Rail (45 minutes), bus (one hour) and taxis (one hour) go to the centre.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Take the KLIA Ekspres rail (30 minutes) to the centre.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Jakarta, Indonesia) Taxis and buses (one hour) run to the centre.
Suvarnabhumi International Airport (Bangkok, Thailand) Taxis (one hour), bus (one hour) and rail (30 minutes) run to the centre.
Getting Around
Transport around Southeast Asia is frequent and inexpensive but not always fast. Private operators supplement government-run airlines, rail services and bus networks, often offering more comfort for a higher fare.
Air Budget airlines and national carriers offer flights all over the region, with competition keeping fares low.
Bus Buses go everywhere, at almost any time of day or night; fares depend on the level of comfort, but are rarely expensive.
Boat Ferries of all shapes and sizes connect islands and towns along the region’s major rivers and seaboards.
Car & Motorcycle Useful for local exploring, but road conditions deter many from self-driving for longer trips.
Train Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia have small but functional rail networks.
For much more on getting around see Transport