Basic Tips On Asian Traveling
Asia is becoming more and more the place to travel for a lot of Westerners. It’s easy to see why. The Asian region is so diverse and exotic when it comes to its people and its culture. A lot of Western tourists though a bit intimidated by traveling to Asia than traveling to Europe, the US or South America. The language is a big factor.
But now that the Asian region is opening up and becoming partially Westernized, traveling to Asia can now be easily enjoyed. Here are some tips on how you can have some adventure and new experiences when you travel to Asia.
Keep in mind that Asia is the biggest continent. It is not homogenous and not all countries you can cover by simply taking a train. Asia is comprised of several countries with hundreds of different cultures you can explore. A lot of islands can be found in the Asian region as well.
The best thing to do first is to find out which are best interests you. You may want to explore: • East Asia which includes China, Mongolia, North and South Korea, and Japan. • Southeast Asia is composed of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines. • South Asia region includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan; • Southwest Asia includes Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Cyprus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait; This region is also called the Middle East. • Russia and the states of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan Uzbekistan.
Learn about travel restrictions and the visa requirements of a country before you embark on your Asian travel. Some of the countries above are not safe for travel. North Korea most probably won’t give you a visa while other countries like Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand are easier to get in to.
Budget. Find out how much you can spend on your travel. Some places in Asia are quite expensive like Japan or Singapore. While the Philippines, Thailand and others are cheap. Factor in the length of your stay in a country, include your airfare, local travel, accomodation, food, sight-seeing and souvenir and additional funds.
Book early. Your flight as well as your hotel reservations. Tourism in the area is well and alive and it helps to shop around and book early to get the best prices. A good way to save on your travel expenses particularly on airfares and hotels is to scout around and purchase these online. The internet can provide you great savings options particularly cheap airfares for your Asian travel. If you are planning to stay in hotels, keep in mind that walk-in rates is a lot more expensive (at times rates are more than 20% higher plus the additional charges) than booking it via a travel agent or booking it online. Compare Hotel Prices and Save!
Decide on how you will go about your Asian travel. Have an itinerary. Are you more comfortable going on a package tour or do you prefer to be independent? What places are included on your “must-visit” list? Package tour are pretty much fixed while if you go independently, you can be flexible when you get there. Book early. Your flight as well as your hotel reservations. Tourism in the area is well and alive and it helps to shop around and book early to get the best prices.
Make sure you have your travel documents. You can do it by your own or there are many passport and visa services who can process your documents for you for a fee.
Don’t bring out too much baggage. Try traveling light. Take clothes that are easy to wash and fast drying. If you forget something, don’t worry, you can get almost anything in Asia.
Some Westerners have the fear that walking around in Asian cities is dangerous but it is no more dangerous than in any other cities in the world. Just use your common sense. Don’t wander out too far especially at night, be aware of your surroundings, stay in well-lit areas. And don’t bring a chockfull of cash with you.. well that would really be asking for trouble. Make sure your passport and visas are in a safe place.
Have a blast! Be open minded though, since the cultures are so diverse you might be in for some shock. Mingle with the locals, try local food. In other words, while you are in Asia, live like an Asian! It’ll be an amazing experience, one you won’t forget.
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