Basics - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 31

Lao Airlines Vientiane T 021 212 057, W laoairlines.com.
Frequent flights from Vientiane and Luang Prabang to Bangkok, Chiang
Mai, Hanoi and Siem Reap, as well as flights to Phnom Penh and
Singapore, and within Laos.
MASwings Sabah and Sarawak T 1300 883 000, W maswings
.com.my. The best-value fares to the biggest variety of destinations
within Malaysian Borneo.
Nokair Bangkok T 02 627 2000, W nokair.com. Frequent daily
flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket.
Silk Air Singapore T 6223 8888, W silkair.com. Daily flights from
Singapore to Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Phnom Penh, Phuket,
Siem Reap and Yangon, and less frequent flights to Chiang Mai, Lombok
and Balikpapan.
Thai Airways Bangkok T 02 545 3690, W thaiairways.com. Frequent
daily flights from Bangkok to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kuala
Lumpur, Macau, Manila, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Singapore and Vientiane.
Tiger Airways Singapore T 65 680 84437, W tigerairways.com.
Daily flights from Singapore to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur,
Macau, Penang and Phuket, and less frequent flights to Hanoi, Jakarta
and Kuching.
Vietnam Airlines Hanoi T 04 3832 0320, W vietnamairlines.com.
Regular daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap and
Vientiane, plus daily flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Luang
Prabang, Phnom Penh and Singapore.

For a basic double room with shared bathroom
in a guesthouse that's in a capital city or tourist
centre, rates start at about US$3 in Cambodia,
Indonesia and Laos, US$6 in Thailand, US$8 in
Malaysia and Vietnam, US$10 in Myanmar, US$15 in
the Philippines, and a rather high US$25 in Brunei,
Hong Kong and Singapore.
In smaller towns and beach resorts, rates can be
significantly lower, and prices everywhere are usually
negotiable during low season. Single rooms tend to
cost about two-thirds the price of a double, but many
guesthouses also offer dorm beds, which can cost as
little as US$3 a night. More specific accommodation
costs are given in the Basics section of each chapter.
Many places now provide useful facilities , such as
restaurants, travellers' notice boards, internet, safes
for valuables, left-luggage, laundry and tour-operator
desks. At most guesthouses, check-out time is noon;
during high season it's worth arriving as early as
possible to ensure you get a room, unless you've
got one booked already. Although many hostels and
guesthouses still don't accept telephone bookings
(language is also a barrier), an increasing number
now allow you to book your accommodation online.
If you venture to towns that are completely off
the tourist circuit, you'll find that the cheapest
accommodation is usually the bland and
some times seedy cheap urban hotels located near
bus and train stations. These places are designed for
local businesspeople rather than tourists and may
double as brothels; they tend to be rather soulless,
but are usually inexpensive and clean enough.
For around US$15-40 almost anywhere in
Southeast Asia except Singapore and Hong Kong,
you can get yourself a comfortable room in a smart
guesthouse or small mid-range hotel . These are
often very good value, offering pleasantly furnished
rooms, with private hot-water bathroom, and quite
possibly a/c, a fridge and a TV as well. Some of these
also have a swimming pool.

Accommodation
You'll rarely have a problem finding
inexpensive accommodation in South-
east Asia, particularly if you stick to the
main tourist areas. The mainstays of
the travellers' scene are guesthouses
(also known as bungalows, homestays
or backpackers'), which can be anything
from a bamboo hut to a three-storey
concrete block.

Guesthouses and hotels

A standard guesthouse room will be a simple
place with one or two beds, hard mattresses, thin
walls and a fan - some, but not all, have a window
(usually screened against mosquitoes), and the
cheapest ones share a bathroom. Always ask to see
several rooms before opting for one, as standards
can vary widely within the same establishment.

Hostels
Hostels are common in major destinations
throughout the region, and many are more stylish
and secure than their guesthouse counterparts.

Village accommodation
In the more remote and rural parts of Southeast Asia,
you may get the chance to stay in village accommo-
dation , be it the headman's house, a family home,
or a traditional longhouse. Accommodation in these
places usually consists of a mattress on the floor in

ACCOMMODATION PRICES
All accommodation prices in this guide
represent the cost of the cheapest
double room available in high season.