Vietnam has abundant food supplies and an elaborate culinary tradition. Cooking is seen as an art and some Vietnamese dishes have achieved international fame, including such traditional dishes as noodle soup (pho), pork sausage (gio lua), spring rolls (nem ran), and fish balls (cha ca). In addition to Vietnamese food, the larger hotels also serve a wide variety of continental and Chinese cuisine.

There are no compulsory vaccinations but it is advisable to take precautions against malaria; we recommend seeking the advice of your doctor. Prescription drugs are not widely available and visitors should bring any required medication with them carrying them in their hand luggage. If carrying a lot of medicines, it is advisable to have a doctor's letter stating that medicines are required for per

No vaccinations are presently required unless you are travelling from or through contaminated areas. It is recommended that you be immunised against polio, typhoid, tetanus and hepatitis A and B.

Khmer cuisine is closely related to those in neighbouring Thailand and Laos although it is not as spicy. Curries, stir-fried vegetables, rice, noodles and soups are staples of the Khmer diet. Fresh river fish and shellfish are both abundant and delicious. Western food is provided only in the major cities although other Asian dishes are widely available. Cambodia is well known in the region for its

The official language of Lao PDR is Lao and is spoken throughout the country. In spite of the colonial past, French is still spoken by the elder generations, while English is in common use among business sectors and young generations. That said, English and French still are not widely spoken except in the capital and in major tourist sites such as Luang Prabang, Pakse and Vang Vieng.

Try to avoid travelling during Tet (Lunar New Year) as this is a family-oriented holiday where businesses and shops close for almost a week. Hanoi Staying in Hanoi's Old Town is recommended, but hotels are narrow and usually only have one window (either the front or back of the room). Front windows have a view, but can be noisy whereas the back windows often are within the hotel but quieter. Many

Limited internet access is available at some hotels and cafes as well as small internet shops however connections are unreliable and slow. Myanmar has its own cell phone network and cell phones from other countries do not have access yet. The Myanmar SIM cards are different from the 'normal' SIM cards which are used all over the world. Standard size SIM cards can be purchased at Yangon Internation

Internet cafes and wireless internet services are incredibly common across the country. All serviced provider networks in Thailand, such as AIS, DTAC and True Move H, usually provide free WiFi spots in major tourist destinations, such as malls, shopping centres, walking streets, etc.