Unwrapped travel

Insurance — don’t leave home without it — it is as simple as that. While medical care is cheaper in Asia than the west, you will be expected to be able to pay for any treatment you require, and, for serious injuries, the costs can build up very quickly. In countries with undeveloped to non-existent health care, such as Laos and Cambodia, travelling without at least health coverage is insane.
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Thailand has close to the best food in SE Asia and is one of the most varied, sumptuous and flexible foods in the world. If you enjoy eating and spend a good stretch of time in Thailand sampling the cuisne, then chances are you’ll fine Lao and Khmer food somewhat of a let down — they’re still varied and at times vary tasty, but they just can’t compete with Thailand. Then on the east coast you have Vietnam — a country whose food, if not on par with Thailand’s certainly isn’t very far behind. With over 200 varieties of pho alone, you’ve really got your job cut out for a comprehansive tasting session.
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How easy is it to travel in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam? Of the four, Laos and Cambodia are probably the most challenging, but even then they are not that difficult, while Thailand, with an extremely well-developed tourist infrastructure is by far the easiest. In most tourist centres in Thailand you’ll find it pretty easy to find an English speaker, and the accommodation and transportation is virtually idiot-proof. In the case of Vietnam the train is affordable and reliable, and the “Open Ticket” buses, of which we’re certainly not a fan, nevertheless make Vietnam extremely easy to travel through — as long as you’re content only to go where the Open Tours go.
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Most drugs which are illegal in the West are also illegal in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Penalties can be extremely harsh and in some cases include the death penalty. Despite this, drugs are often available — particularly marijuana, but ecstasy, cocaine, speed and other amphetamines and heroin can be found in many popular tourist destinations.
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Given the very low price of budget accommodation in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, it hardly seems worthwhile to camp for the purposes of saving money. However if you’re planning on camping to experience the national parks and so on, Thailand is an excellent destination. Many of the National Parks have assigned camping grounds and well developed trail networks — in some cases you can rent a tent rather than having to bring your own. You’re also able to camp on the beach, and some bungalows may allow you to camp on their grounds — generally under the assumption you’ll eat at their restaurant.
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In Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam the various bus networks remains the prime people-mover throughout the countries. In all cases bus travel is extremely affordable and it can be quite comfortable, though it can also be extremely uncomfortable. To run through the countries;
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The airline industry in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam has changed immeasurably over the last few years. With the advent of low-cost-carriers (lcc) the costs of domestic and some regional flights have plummeted. While legacy carriers such as THAI International, Lao Airlines and Vietnam Airlines (Cambodia has no functional stare carrier) continue to fly the trunk routes, there has been less discounting than expected and they remain considerably more expensive than the LCCs.
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