The beauty of Southeast Asia is astonishing and diverse. There are beaches, mountains, and every other type of landscape you can imagine. The lush tropical forests are home to beautiful creatures. The people are generally friendly with tourists and enjoy their company. It is a very hustle and bustle location for travelling.
All of the factors mentioned above are the reasons that so many people flock to Southeast Asia every year. People come from all over the world to travel or even live. They come to visit one or many countries. Some travellers also backpack due to the low cost of living in most parts of Southeast Asia.
In this article, we will discuss the top travel tips to help keep you safe and enjoy your trip in such a magnificent location. Keep in mind; these are only a few of the travelling tips, so make sure you are always staying updated on the region.
Use a Car or Limo Service
Southeast Asia is generally relatively well developed in larger cities. You can mostly find the items that you need. In general, metered taxis are available for use. As a pro tip, we recommend looking into using a car or limo rental service.
The reason we suggest this service is because they are generally a bit nicer and in some cases end up being cheaper than taking a taxi everywhere you go. The other great benefit is that you are much safer and less likely to get scammed. We will discuss scams further down in this article.
Translator App
Although we highly recommend learning a few phrases in the local language, you should also have your translator app handy just in case. Locals enjoy when you at least try to speak their language. If it gets tough to understand, you can use a translator app on your phone. The local can even talk directly into the microphone.
Be aware that the translation apps are not always perfect, and some words are mistranslated. You can even download the dictionaries for each language to use offline when you may not have service of WiFi. We do recommend getting a local SIM card for use since they are relatively inexpensive.
Avoid Scams
One thing that many people hear about Southeast Asia is the scamming issue. We admit it does happen here, but with some advice and a keen eye, you should be perfectly fine.
One piece of advice we can give is to learn some of the numbers or have a cheat sheet in your pocket. It comes in handy when you are getting the prices of items. If you accidentally give them well over the actual amount they may keep the change. Also, try to shop at places where the price is written on each item. That way, there won’t be any confusion as to what you should pay.
Local Currency
Another critical tip is to learn a little bit about the local currency of each location. It is useful when trying to pay for items. You don’t want to end up fumbling all of your money around like the typical tourist.
If you learn about each note they use, then you will be better equipped to pay the correct price. We also recommend being well prepared with cash. Some larger cities accept debit cards, but most other places do not. It is a cash-based society.
Keep Your Items Secure
Always keep your belongings secure! We cannot stress this enough. When leaving your hotel, make sure to use the safe if there is one. When walking on the streets, make sure that you don’t wave your phone around too much, or it could get stolen.
If you bring a bag with you, make sure it is a crossbody bag or secure backpack to avoid any potential purse snatchings.
Conclusion
Southeast Asia is a fantastic place. It attracts a lot of people every year, and there are so many reasons why this is the case. If you want to remain safe and enjoy your trip, then take our advice from the tips above. These tips will get anyone through Southeast Asia, whether you are travelling to one country or many.
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