Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Safe Travel
Commissions
It could be the taxi driver, it might be the bus driver or even the friendly tout who latches on to you at the
train station. Commissions are part and parcel of life in Asia, and the Mekong region is no exception. Thail-
and is getting better, while Cambodia and Vietnam are arguably getting worse. Laos doesn't have much of a
problem just yet. Many places in the region refuse to pay commissions to touts, and hence you might be told
a certain hotel or guesthouse is closed. Don't believe it unless you have seen it with your own eyes.
Drugs
The risks associated with recreational drug use and distribution have grown to the point where all visitors
should exercise extreme caution even in places with illicit reputations. A spell in a local prison can be truly
torturous. Even worse, you could become the next in a long line of tourists who have succumbed to a bad
batch of cocaine or
yaba
.
HAPPINESS IS A STATE OF MIND
'Don't worry, be happy' could be the motto for the Mekong region, but in some backpacker centres
the term 'happy' has taken on a completely different connotation. Seeing the word 'happy' in front of
'shake', 'pizza' or anything else does not, as one traveller was told, mean it comes with extra pine-
apple. The extra is usually marijuana, added in whatever quantity the shake-maker deems fit. For
many travellers 'happy' is a well- understood alias, but there are others who innocently down their
shake or pizza only to spend the next 24 hours floating in a world of their own.
Pollution & Noise
Pollution is a growing problem in the major cities of the region. Bangkok has long been famous as a place to
chew the air rather than inhale. However, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Phnom Penh also have problems
of their own. Laos remains blissfully pollution-free for the most part.
Remember the movie
Spinal Tap?
The soundtrack of the cities in this region is permanently cranked up to
11. Not just any noise, but a whole lot of noises that just never seem to stop. At night there is most often a
competing cacophony from motorbikes, discos, cafes, video arcades, karaoke lounges and restaurants. If
your hotel is near any or all of these, it may be difficult to sleep. Fortunately most noise subsides around
10pm or 11pm, as few places stay open much later than that. Unfortunately, however, locals are up and
about from around 5am onwards.
One last thing…don't forget the earplugs.
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