Lonely Planet´s The Big Trip 4th Edition

The big trip

TRAVEL SMARTS PART ONE CONTENTS

PAPERWORK Passports Visas Tickets Insurance

23 23 26 28 31

MONEY AND COSTS Budgeting Expenses Money practicalities

32 32 33 36

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HEALTH AND SAFETY 39 Before You Go 40 Staying Healthy on the Road 42 Staying Safe on the Road 49 GET PACKING Choosing Your Bag Packing

55 55 57

TAKE OFF 62 Before Departure Day 63 Airport 64 In-Flight 66 TOUCHDOWN 68 Airport 68 First Night’s Sleep 70

STAY IN TOUCH 71 International Phone Calls 72 Wi-Fi 74 Internet Cafes 74 Trip-Sharing Apps 75 Blogging For Bucks 75 Post 76 BEING A GOOD TRAVELLER 76 Respecting Local Cultures 76 Green Tourism 79 COMING HOME 80 Reverse Culture Shock 80 Incoming 80 What’s Next 80

© YakobchukOlena / Getty Images

GET PLANNING 20 Timing 20 Choosing Your Destinations 20 Researching Your Destinations 21

The big trip

• Who pays? Check whether you have to pay for healthcare and claim the money back, or whether the company will pay the providers direct. If the former, you’ll need to keep all documentation. If you have a medical problem, some policies will ask you to call a centre back home where an immediate assessment of your condition will be made. Before you go try out your travel insurance company’s 24hour emergency hotline to make sure that it’s working and easy to work your way through.

You’ll find reliable insurance options on p338 for British travellers, p342 for North American travellers and p345 for those from Australasia.

MONEY AND COSTS No-one likes penny-pinching, but if you have a finite budget there is only one certainty: the less you spend per day, the more days you can spend on the road. Some travellers go overboard with fixed budgets and draconian ‘no splurge’ rules, but we think a budget should be a flexible guide. Would you really want to miss out on seeing whales thumping the ocean next to your boat just to save a few dollars? Or say ‘no thanks’ to a safari through Kenya, or hang out in a hostel rather than the hippest London club just because your budget didn’t include it?

Good budgets allow for new possibilities and give you the chance to enjoy the odd bit

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The big trip

of serendipity. Plus you could discover a few savings along the way or take a job to pay it off later (see p115). While you don’t want to be throwing money away, being miserly and haggling over every last dong (yes, that’s what Vietnamese money is called) in a Hanoi market won’t make you many friends among locals

BUDGETING

The best way to start budgeting is to try and gauge what your expenses will be while you’re away and then see how long the money you have will last. Up-to-date guidebooks to your destinations will give you a pretty good idea of prices, but checking the internet, especially local blogs, can also help as prices can rise quickly.

While you’re reading a guidebook, look for activities you might want to do or a course that could make your trip more worthwhile (see p148). A tour could be the best way to get out of a major city if you don’t have your own transport. Think about comfort levels. Do you want to blow some extra money on a plush Fijian resort after a couple of weeks of tough island-hopping in the Pacific? It’s difficult to plan for everything, so build a bit of ‘fat’ into the budget so you can stay in a nice hotel when you need to, or allow cash to get a taxi when you’re in a hurry.

Sometimes you’ll have no choice but to spend more to get things done quickly – the Russian visa, for example, can almost double in price depending on how quickly you need it. Allow a little bit of money for emergencies such as missing a plane or needing to take a taxi, and if you don’t have any emergencies you can blow it all on your way home (or put it away for your next foreign foray!).

No matter how thoroughly you plan it, no budget will capture everything or every

eventuality, so overestimating is always a good idea – if the guidebook says a meal in Indonesia will cost 15,000Rp (£0.78/US$1.04/ A$1.41), you might want to round it up in your currency (£1/US$1.25/A$1.50). This means you’ll factor in a bit of a fudge factor for price changes and currency fluctuations, which can happen when your own currency falls on financial markets.

EXPENSES

Working out your expenses will give you a good idea of how much you’ll spend. Start with the big-ticket items which are often closest to what you’ll actually spend when you’re away (as they won’t change much and you can get a clear quote when you book).

PAYPAL If you’re addicted to online shopping, you’ll know about PayPal (www.paypal.com). This web-based financial tool lets people transfer money into and out of your bank or credit card accounts without giving them the account details, plus you can buy and sell almost anything online. It’s a good alternative to wired money if you have easy access to the internet.

BEFORE YOU GO

Plane Tickets Your plane ticket will be the biggest pre-trip expense, and prices vary widely depending on where (and when) you are travelling. Start your comparison shopping online as much as a year before your planned date and you’ll soon have a good idea on what you’ll need to spend to get your trip truly underway. For approximate prices on round-the-world (RTW) tickets, check

the Transport chapter (see p89). Don’t forget the budget carriers (see p92) which offer deals year-round, as well as some charter airlines that don’t turn up on some search engines.

It’s now rare for airport taxes not to be included in advertised prices of flights, but in some countries you might have to pay this at the airport in the local currency. This is often mentioned in the guidebook, or if it’s unclear you could call the airline to verify how and where the taxes are paid.

Visas Don’t forget visas when working out your expenses. Sometimes they’re free, but if you need a few they add up to a hefty total.

Travelling in East Africa for example, visas for Tanzania (US$50), Kenya (US$50), Uganda (US$50) and Rwanda (US$30) add up quickly.

By doing some research however, this price can be reduced slightly by buying an East Africa Tourist Visa (US$100), which covers the latter three countries. If you’re travelling across many borders, try to work out how long you’ll stay in each country so you can get the best-value visa, and choose routes that enable you to avoid the more costly multiple-entry visas (see p116).

Travel Insurance Skimp on your travel insurance and it will come back to bite your bruised arse. A cheap policy can be a waste of money if it won’t pay out, and it may not cover you for everything you’ll want to do or all the places you want to go (see p109).

Immunisations Go to your local travel clinic or surgery at least eight weeks before you depart to discuss which vaccinations are necessary, and also if

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The big trip

The big trip

SOUTHEAST ASIA

ITINERARIES Most trips start from Bangkok, because the metropolis is central and usually has cheap inbound flights, but you can customise these trips to your own plans. Spend a few more days on the beach, go wild in the club scene or take a few extra days for a riverboat cruise – the choice is yours.

BEACH BUMMING Ringing rickshaw bells, chanting monks, cheap T-shirts and streetside coconut curries – Southeast Asia’s urban realm can be a jumble of convenience and inefficiency, spirituality, consumerism and unforgettable cuisine.

Megacities such as Thailand’s Bangkok and Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur exist alongside the postcolonial capitals of Vientiane (Laos), Hanoi (Vietnam) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia).

Yet most visitors to Southeast Asia come for the wow-worthy beaches and a shot of exotic culture. There is certainly no shortage of either. Wildlife and history also have their pull, with jungle safaris and thousands of ancient temples such as Angkor Wat (Cambodia) or Borobudur (Indonesia).

While there are loads of other travellers, you don’t have to travel far to find ‘undiscovered’ Southeast Asia. The beaten path isn’t very wide. Within the confines of even the most touristy towns are streets where only the locals go.

Wherever you decide to travel, you will join an illustrious list of Southeast Asian pilgrims, ranging from Indian merchants to Chinese mandarins, and European colonisers to modern globetrotters.

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Get to Bangkok. Enjoy the temples, cuisine, floating market and river taxis, then head south to do some beach bumming in the Gulf of Thailand. From the mainland town of Surat Thani you can choose between boats to resorty Ko Samui, hammock-friendly Ko Pha-Ngan or dive-paradise Ko Tao. After you’ve had your fill, step over to the Andaman beaches in upscale Phuket, where there’s the rock-climbing haven Krabi and navel-gazing retreat Ko Lanta. If you’re after a secluded spot, try Ko Tarutao National Marine Park.

When you’re done with Thailand, traverse the border into Malaysia at Satun and beeline for family-friendly Pulau Langkawi or continue by boat to Georgetown, a spicy port city. Bus from Butterworth to Kota Bharu, the gateway to the jungle islands of Pulau Perhentian. Chase the coastline south to Mersing and pop into beach villages such as those on Pulau Tioman before taking a sand-shaking shower and hitting the town in Singapore. Next fly to Bali. Kuta is the sun-worshipping temple of the backpacker trail, while Nusa Lembongan is perfect for surfers. Those with more sybaritic desires can settle into Seminyak. Next are the quiet sands of Lombok, then ferry to Gili Islands for snorkelling among the brilliant reefs or catch the curl with surfing Sumbawa. Head back to Jakarta before you get sunstroke and fly out.

SOUTHEAST ASIA’S GREATEST HITS

Fly from Bangkok over to Siem Reap for a spin of Angkor’s top temples. Take the bus or riverboat south to Phnom Penh, the colonial capital that still has a faded charm. Then journey east to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam at its most dizzying, where high-octane commerce and culture mix with pulsating energy. Navigate your way north to the leafy boulevards and lakes of Hanoi before skipping the tracks over to Luang Prabang, Laos’ temple epicentre.

Fast-forward to Chiang Mai in Thailand, a cool pocket in the tropics, where you can hit pause for a while before heading back to Bangkok.

From here you can choose the Myanmar playlist: the ruins of Bagan, the floating gardens and island monasteries of Inle Lake, and mysterious Mandalay; or fly straight to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).

Malaysia is at your fingertips, so decide if you’d like to take a bus to the hill station of Tanah Rata in the Cameron Highlands or head further on to the historic port of Melaka then on to Jerantut, where long-tail boats dip into the rainforests of Taman Negara. Rewind to Kuala Lumpur and fly on to Borneo through Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s capital, or skip to up-tempo Singapore which pulses to Indian, Malay and Chinese beats. Tune into Javanese heritage in Yogyakarta and go slack-jawed at Borobudur, the giant stupa that tops travellers’ must-see charts. Next it’s Gunung Bromo, an active volcano, before jetting to Denpasar to chill out in Bali or soak up the sun in Kuta. Mix it up with Balinese culture in Ubud. Head back to Denpasar then fly to the stunning landscape of Flores before touring Komodo, the stomping ground of the namesake mini-Godzilla.

Reverse to Denpasar, then get into the rhythms of Sulawesi’s capital Makassar before getting down to Dili in Timor-Leste and on to

Australia or Papua New Guinea. Alternatively, swing back to Singapore and take off to your next destination.

CULTURE VULTURE’S CHALLENGE

Begin in Singapore with a scramble through Little India, Chinatown, Malay-based Kampung Glam and the colonial area of Clarke Quay. This should whet your appetite for a deeper look into Asia’s different cultures. Wing your way over to Angkor Wat (via Siem Reap) to admire the ancient temples, then head up to Vietnam’s Hoi An, a living museum of a trading town turned colony.

Contrast this with a trip to Vientiane (Laos) to see traditional wood houses with colonial mansions and modern concrete monstrosities.

Head up to Chiang Mai, famed for its moated old city that held off Burmese invaders more than 700 years ago. From here choose a responsible, socially conscious operator to visit remote Hill Tribe communities. Now head to Bangkok and hop on a cheap flight over to Yogyakarta, the base for heading onto Borobudur, a Buddhist monument in the middle of the world’s largest Islamic population. By now, you’ve earned a break so unwind in Bali before heading on via Jakarta or Dili.

MEKONG RIVER EXPEDITION

The Mekong River is known as the Father of Waters and it works hard throughout this region as a highway, marketplace and habitat.

Swim upstream from Vietnam’s flat delta to Thailand’s hilly interior with a start in bustling Ho Chi Minh City. Catch a bus to My Tho, the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Charter a boat to rural Ben Tre and bus to the floating markets of Can Tho. Take a bus to Rach Gia, the jumpingoff point to tranquil Phu Quoc Island, a good detour if you need to chillax.

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SOUTHEAST ASIA

JAKARTA

Java Sea

INDIA

INDIA

BANGLADESH

INDONESIA

CHINA

BALI

MYANMAR (BURMA)

Bay of Bengal

BAGAN

Flores Sea GILI ISLANDS SUMBAWA

CHIANG MAI

VIETNAM

HANOI

LUANG PRABANG

CHIANG MAI

Gulf of Tonkin

LAOS

YANGON (RANGOON)

MYANMAR (BURMA)

HALONG BAY

THAT PHANOM SAVANNAKHET

THAILAND

KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK SI PHAN DON STUNG TRENG

ANGKOR WAT HOI AN

KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK

CAMBODIA KOMPONG CHAM

PHILIPPINE SEA

ANGKOR WAT

PHNOM PENH

Gulf of Thailand

PACIFIC OCEAN

MANILA

SIEM REAP CAMBODIA

Gulf of Thailand

NAKHON PHANOM

BANGKOK

THAILAND

BANGKOK

VIENTIANE

CHINA

VIENTIANE

ANDAMAN SEA

Gulf of Tonkin

LAOS NONG KHAI

SEE ENLARGEMENT

INLE LAKE

VIETNAM LUANG PRABANG

LOMBOK

INDIAN OCEAN

MANDALAY

PHILIPPINES

VIETNAM

HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON)

BACUIT ARCHIPELAGO SOUTH CHINA SEA

KO TAO KO PHA-NGAN KO SAMUI

SURAT THAN I

PHUKET

Sulu Sea

PALAu

KRATIE

PHNOM PENH CHAU DOC PHU QUOC ISLAND RACH GIA CAN THO

MY THO BEN TRE

KO LANTA

KRABI KO PHI PHI

KO TARUTAO NATIONAL MARINE PARK

SOUTH CHINA SEA PULAU PERHENTIAN

CAMERON HIGHLANDS

BRUNEI

GEORGETOWN

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

MALAYSIA

Celebes Sea

KUALA LUMPUR MELAKA SINGAPORE

MALAYSIA

LITTLE INDIA & CHINATOWN

KUALA LUMPUR PULAU TIOMAN

INDIAN OCEAN

Maluku Sea

BORNEO

SINGAPORE

Seram Sea

HIGHLIGHTS BEACH BUMMING SOUTHEAST ASIA’S GREATEST HITS

INDONESIA JAKARTA

CULTURE VULTURE’S CHALLENGE MEKONG RIVER EXPEDITION AIR BOAT

TRAIN

MAKASSAR (UJUNG PANDANG)

Java Sea

BOROBUDUR

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Banda Sea

Flores Sea

GUNUNG BROMO

BALI

YOGYAKARTA DENPASAR

SEE ENLARGEMENT

KOMODO

FLORES

DILI EAST TIMOR Timor Sea

Arafura Sea

AUSTRALIA

VIETNAM

HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON)

PULAU LANGKAWI

MALAYSIA JERANTU T

HALONG BAY

HANOI HUAY XAI

LITTLE INDIA & CHINATOWN

The big trip

© Matt Munro / Lonely Planet

© Simon Irwin / Lonely Planet

The big trip

© Matt Munro / Lonely Planet

A Vietnamese tricycle-taxi driver awaits his next fare

© Matt Munro / Lonely Planet

Keeping the stupa spotless at Wat Xieng Thong’s Red Chapel in Laos

Above: the forest-covered islets of Halong Bay, north Vietnam. Opposite: Mt Merapi viewed from the Buddhist temple of Borobudur in Java, Indonesia

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