Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
UK AND IRELAND
Fit for Travel W fitfortravel.nhs.uk. Up-to-date travel health
information from the NHS.
Hospital for Tropical Diseases Travel Clinic T 0845 155 5000
or T 020 3456 7890, W thehtd.org/Travelclinic.aspx.
MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad)
W masta-travel-health.com or T 020 7731 8080 for the
nearest clinic.
Tropical Medical Bureau Ireland T 1850 487 674, W tmb.ie.
Visiting temples, mosques
and shrines
Besides dressing conservatively, always take your
shoes off when entering temples, pagodas and
mosques. Monks are forbidden from having close
contact with women, which means that as a
female, you mustn't sit or stand next to a monk,
even on a bus, nor brush against his robes, or hand
objects directly to him. When giving something to a
monk, the object should be placed on a nearby
table or passed via a layman. All Buddha images
are sacred, and should never be clambered over.
When sitting on the floor of a monastery building
that has a Buddha image, never point your feet in
the direction of the image.
When visiting a mosque , women must cover
their shoulders and possibly their heads as well
(bring a scarf or shawl).
Many religions prohibit women from engaging
in certain activities - or even entering a place
of worship - during menstruation. If attending a
religious festival , find out beforehand whether a
dress code applies.
US AND CANADA
Canadian Society for International Health T 613 241-5785,
W csih.org. Extensive list of travel health centres.
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) T 1 800
232 4636, W cdc.gov/travel. O cial US government travel health site.
International Society for Travel Medicine T 1 404 373 8282,
W istm.org. Has a full list of travel health clinics.
Culture and
etiquette
Although the peoples of Southeast Asia
come from a huge variety of ethnic
backgrounds and practise a spread of
religions, they share many social
practices and taboos, many unfamiliar to
Westerners. You will get a much friendlier
reception if you do your best to be
sensitive to local mores, particularly
regarding dress. Country-specific social
and religious customs are dealt with in
the relevant chapters.
Social practices and taboos
In Buddhist, Islamic and Hindu cultures, various
parts of the body are accorded a particular status.
The head is considered the most sacred part of the
body and the feet the most unclean. This means
that it's very rude to touch another person's head -
even to affectionately ru e a child's hair - or to
point your feet either at a human being or at a
sacred image. Be careful not to step over any part of
people who are sitting or lying on the floor (or the
deck of a boat), as this is also considered rude. If you
do accidentally kick or brush someone with your
feet, apologize immediately and smile as you do so.
Public displays of sexual affection like kissing or
cuddling are frowned upon across the region,
though friends (rather than lovers) of the same sex
often hold hands or hug in public.
Most Asians dislike confrontational behaviour ,
such as arguing or shouting, and will rarely outwardly
display irritation of any kind.
Dress
Appearance is very important in Southeast Asian
society, and dressing neatly is akin to showing
respect. Clothing - or the lack of it - is generally
what bothers Southeast Asians most about tourist
behaviour. You need to dress modestly whenever
you are outside a tourist resort, and in particular
when entering homes and religious buildings, and
when dealing with people in authority, especially
when applying for visa extensions. For women,
that means below-knee-length skirts or trousers,
a bra and sleeved tops; for men, long trousers.
“Immodest” clothing includes thong bikinis,
shorts, vests, and anything that leaves you with
bare shoulders. Most Southeast Asian people find
topless and nude bathing extremely unpalatable.
If you wash your own clothes, hang out your
underwear discreetly.
Religion
Religion pervades every aspect of life
in most Southeast Asian communities,
dictating social practices to a much
greater extent than in the West. All of the
 
 
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