Climate:
Tropical and humid, with monsoon, rainy season June-October, Average temperatures, summer 28-33 c, winter 15-24 c. Best time to visit, November-February.

Visas:
Required by all visitors, obtainable from Myanmar embassies abrod, easiest in Bangkok, but allow a full week. Tourist visa good for 28 day stay. If travelling on a package tour, booked through Bangkok agents, they will usually arrange visas on behalf of clients.

Customs, health and currency regulations:
Duty free allowance is 200 cigarettes and one quart of wine or spirit. Innoculation certificate for cholera or yellow fever required, if arriving from an infected area. Anti-malaria precautions recommended if travelling upcountry, or during the rainy season.

Allforeign currency, travellers cheques and jewellery, cameras etc. must be recorded on customs form on arrival and may be checked on departure. No Myanmar currency may be imported or exported.

Money and credit cards:
Local currency is the Kyat (pronounced Chat). International credit cards accepted only in main hotels. Foreign visitors must exchange US$ on arrival for Foreign Exchange Certificates (FECs), which can be used as legal tender in Myanmar. As the exchange rate for these is US$1= K/100, instead of the 'official' rate of US$1 = 6Kyat, the advantage is considerable. Most hotels and some restaurants require paymant in FECs or US$.

At the airport:
Package tours will include airport transfers, otherwise transfer to hotel by taxi, with fare bargained for in advance. Airport departuure tax US$6.

Travel aroud the country:
Usually by domestic air services. Other forms, such as train, public bus or river boat are neither comfortable nor reliable.

Travel within cities:
Usually by taxi Small cycle rickshaw in some areas. Fare bargained in advance.

Tipping:
Widespread practice, in addition to hotel and restaurant service charges. Porters K/5-10 per bag. Taxis not tipped.

Time difference:
GMT plus 6 1/2 hours.

Business hours:
Offices usually open Monday-Friday 9.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m., shops similar. Banks open 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. weekdays only. Most museums close Mondays.

Electricity:
Technically 220V, but voltage can fluctuate wildly and cuts are common. The Better, newer hotels have their own generators.

Souvenirs:
Gemstones, lacquerware, silver, stone and wood carvings, 'kalagas' embroidered tapestries. Export of antiques and Buddha images forbidden.

     VIETNAM

Basic facts:
Land area: 330,000 sq. km.
Population: 70 million
Religions: Buddhism (55%). Christianity, Confucianism
Languages: Vietnamese, French, English
Capital city: Hanoi

Climate:
Tropical, with hot, humid lowlands and cooler mountainous rain forest. Winter, October-March, when the weather is relatively cooler in south and Mekhong Delta, is best time to visit. Rainy season April - October.

Visas:
Required by all visitors. If travelling with a tour group, the handling ahent will arrange, otherwise tourist visas, valid for stay of 15 days, are most easily available from Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok. Also available through overseas Vietnamese diplomatic missions. Visa fee US$20, two photos needed.

Customs, health and currency regulations:
Duty free allowance is 200 cigarettes and one bottle of wine or spirit. Innoculation certification only required for vellow fever if coming from an infected area. Certain precautions are advised, however, including for malaria. Consult your doctor, or travel clinic before departure. Foreign currency in excess of US$ 3,000 must be declared on arrival.

Local currency must not be imported or exported. Visitors may also be required to record valuables, such as jewellery, cameras etc to customs on arrival, with subsequent checking on departure.

Money and credit cards:
Local currency is the Dong, but US$ are widely accepted. Travellers should take small denomination US$ bills for local shopping and souvenirs. Change money in banks, if necessary, as hotels give poor rates. Travellers cheques should be in US$. Cradit cards not widely accepted, except in top hotels.

At the airport:
Patience may be needed, with bureaucracy rife on arrival at airports. Customs can be strict and unpredictable. Package tours will include airport-hotel transfers, otherwise use taxis, with fare bargained for in advance. Airport departure tax for international flights, US$8.

Travel around the country:
Long distance travel is usually by domestic air service. Although these have improved greatly over recent years, belays are still common and service sometimes poor. Some flights may still use antique Russianbuilt aircraft. Travel by road and train is also possible, but public services are difficult to arrange and travel conditions uncomfortable.

Travel within cities:
Usually by taxi or cycle rickshaws known as cyclos. Bargain for fare in advance. Fares are cheaper in Hanoi and provincial towns than in Saigon.

Tipping:
Not always expected, but always appreciated whenever a service charge is not included in bill.

Time difference:
GMT+7 hours.

Business hours:
Office and shop hours usually 7 or 8 a.m. till 4 or 5 p.m., with lunch time closure for two hours sometime 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Most offices closed Sundays, some also Saturdays. Many museums closed Mondays.

Electricity:
Both 110V and 220V are found in Vietnam, but irregularities in supply are likely everywhere.

Souvenir shopping:
Among the most popular items are lacquerware, silver, antiques especially ceramics, mother - of - pearl inlay work, embroideries and table linen, paintings and a variety of handicrafts.

     CAMBODIA

Basic facts:

Land area: 181,000 sq. km.
Population: 9 million
Religions: Buddhism, with minorities Muslim and Christian.
Languages: Khmer, some French and increasingly, English.
Capital city: Phom Penh

Climate:
Tropical and humid. The rainy season is from June-November, with heaviest rain in September. Hottest time of year is March-May. Best time to visit is the 'cool' season, November-February. Average temperature range 20-36 c.

Visas:
Required by all visitors. Tourist visas can be obrained on arrival in Phnom Penh airport. Cost US$20, two photos needed, good for a stay of up to 14 days. If travelling on a package tour, your agent will probably arrange in advance. Visas are also easily obtained in Bangkok, but allow up to a week to process.

Customs, health and currency regulations:
Duty free allowance is 200 cigarettes and one bottle of wine or spirits. Innoculation certification not required, unless arriving from a yellow fever or cholera infected area. Certain medical precautions are advised, however, so check with your doctor of travel innoculation clinic before departure. Customs and immigration formalities are generally relaxed for tourists, with no limitaions on import or export of reasonable sums of foreign exchage. Export of antiquities forbidden.

Money and credit cards:
Local currency is the Riel, but US$ are accepted almost everywhere. Most hotels require payment in US$. For shopping and local purchases, travellers should take US$ in small denomination bills. Credit cards not widely accepted.

At the airport:
Group tour travellers will have airport-hotel transfers provided, otherwise transfers to city are by taxi, with fare bargained for in advance. Airport departure tax, US$10 for international flights.

Travel around the country:
Only possible by domestic air services, which have improved greatly over recent years, but which are still not always reliable. Be sure to reconfirm all flight reservations at each stage.

Travel within towns:
In Phnom Penh, major hotels have their own taxi services. Public taxi are rare, so most people use cyclos, cycle-rickshaws, which are cheap and a delightful way to explore the city. Bargain for fare in advance. In Siam Reap, some taxis or private hire cars are available and cycle hire is a good way to get around for the young and fit.

Tipping:
Hotels and major restaurants add service charge, othewise tip around 10 percent. Porters and other services tipped small change.

Time difference:
GMT + 7 hours.

Business hours:
Offices usually open Monday-Saturday, from 7 or 7.30 a.m. to 11 a.m., closing for lunch till 2.30 p.m., then open again until 5.30 p.m. Saturday usually mornings only. Shops and markets open until later, most closed Sundays.

Electricity:
Officially 220V, but voltage fluctuations and power cuts are common. This should not effect major hotels, which have backup generators.

Souvenirs:
Handicrafts and hand-woven silks and cottons; silver of excellent quality, wood carvings, copies of ancient Khmer themes in stone, bronze and paintings.

LAOS

Basic Facts:

Land area: 235,000 sq. km.
Population: 4.5 million
Religions: Buddhism (60%), Christianity, Animism.
Languages: Lao, Thai, some French and English, mostly in cities.
Capital city: Vientiane

Climate:
The annual monsoon cycle creates two main tropical seasons in Laos, wet and hot from May to October, dry from November to April. The forested northern provinces, including Luang Prabang, are generally rather cooler and drier than the south and Vientiane. Hottest months are March and April, when temperatures can rise to around 35 c. Mountain areas are much cooler at night.

Visas:
Required by all visitors. If travelling on a package tour, your agent should arrange in advance, otherwise this is most conveniently organised in Bangkok, but allow at least a working week to process. Tourist visa usually valid for 15-day stay, three photo needed, cost US$ 12. A transit visa, valid for up to 5 day stay, can be obtained in Bangkok.

Customs, health and currency regulations:
Duty free allowance: 1 bottle liquor and up to 200 cigarettes. Innoculation certification not required, except for yellow fever, if arriving from an infected area. Certain medical precautions are advised, check with your doctor before travelling. No limits on import or export of foreign currencies. Travillers should note that an export tax is levied on silver ornaments on departure from Laos. If bringing antiques or silver into the country they should be declared on arrival to make export simple.

Money and credit cards:
Local currency is the Kip (K), but US$ and Thai Baht are also commonly accepted. It is best to travel with cash as international credit cards are hardly used and travellers cheques can only be encashed at the national bank. When travelling with a tour, all meals are usually included, so shopping and bar bills are the only expenses to be covered.

At the airport:
Package tours will include airport transfers, otherwise taxis are available on arrival, with fare to be bargained for in advance. Hotels can arrange for a car to hire with driver for excursions. Airport departure tax US$5.

Travel around the country:
Long distance travel is only possible by domestic air services, which are inexpensive, but not always reliable. Some boat services are being developed along the Mekhong River for tourists, but regular ferries are not operated to set schedules.

Travel within towns:
Taxis are few and motorised or cycle rickshaws are the usual means of transport, but town centres are compact, so can mostly be explored on foot.

Tipping:
Not customary in Laos, even in tourist htels.

Time difference:
GMT+7 hrs.

Business hours:
Offices usually operate 8 a.m. - 12 a.m., 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Shops are open everyday, but also likely to close for lunch.

Electricity:
Technically 220V, but voltage can fluctuate and supply is subject to black - outs.

Major souvenirs:
Silk and cotton fabrics, often hand woven; tribal embroideries; silverwares including tribal jewellery; antique ceramics; carvings in wood and stone.