Looking for a brief guide to traveling in Southeast Asia?

A brief guide to popular destinations in Southeast Asia

◆Thailand

Time difference: one hour behind Beijing time.

Currency: Thai Baht, 100 RMB is equivalent to approximately 420 Baht.

Language: Mainly Thai and Chaozhou, English is generally used in hotels.

Power supply: voltage 220 volts. Like Hong Kong, the sockets have two flat pins. It is not easy to find a three-pin to two-pin plug here. You need to prepare a conversion plug yourself.

Etiquette: 1) When visiting the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, you must dress solemnly. You are not allowed to wear slippers (including slipper-style fashion sandals), short skirts and shorts above the knee, and sleeveless tops. When entering a temple, you must take off your shoes and give way to monks when you see them. Women are not allowed to touch monks. Men should ask men to do the donation for them. 2) Do not touch children’s heads. 3) Gambling is prohibited, and you cannot play cards or mahjong even in hotel rooms.

Souvenirs: jewelry, Thai silk, northern Thai textiles and household items, crocodile leather products, fish sauce, etc.

Visa: The domestic visa fee is 200 yuan, and the visa on arrival fee is 1,000 baht.

◆Malaysia

Time difference: None.

Currency: Malaysian Ringgit, RMB 100 is approximately 38 Malaysian Ringgit. Renminbi cannot be used in Sabah, but there are many exchange offices that provide services for exchanging Renminbi

for Malaysian Ringgit.

Language: The official language is Malay, the lingua franca is English, and Chinese is also widely used.

Power supply: Voltage 220 or 230 volts, British standard, two-hole round or three-hole flat socket.

Etiquette: 1) When visiting Genting Casino, men must wear collared shirts. Persons under the age of 18 are not allowed to enter the casino. 2) Islam is practiced here and the left hand is considered unclean. Do not use your left hand to pick up things and do not point at people with your index finger.

Souvenirs: tin products, gold jewelry, butterfly specimens, kites, orchid perfume, batik, cardamom paste, Nyonya food, etc.

Visa: Domestic visa fee is 80 yuan. Chinese tourists entering Malaysia through the Johor Bahru Port and Kuala Lumpur Airport can apply for visa on arrival.

◆Vietnam

Time difference: one hour behind Beijing time.

Currency: Vietnamese dong, US dollars are also commonly used, 1 US dollar is equivalent to approximately 14,000 Vietnamese dong.

Language: The official language is Vietnamese, English is widely spoken, and Cantonese can be spoken in Chinatown.

Power supply: voltage 220 volts, using a three-pin square plug.

Etiquette: Vietnam is a socialist country. Pornography, gambling, and drugs are all illegal. It is strictly prohibited to bring all kinds of reactionary materials, obscene books and periodicals, video tapes, disks, etc. into the country; it is strictly prohibited to illegally take antiques out of the country. After purchasing handicrafts, you should ask the seller to write a sales invoice or a certificate proving that the items can be exported.

Souvenirs: dried jackfruit, dried plantains, coconut milk, peanuts, mung bean cake, coffee, perfume, etc.

Visa: The domestic visa fee is 430 yuan, and visa on arrival is available. The visa fee in Thailand is 2,050 Thai Thai.

◆Cambodia

Time difference: one hour behind Beijing time.

Currency: "Riels", only banknotes but no coins. The U.S. dollar is universal, and 1 U.S. dollar is equivalent to about 3,900 Riels.

Language: The official language is Khmer, French, English, and Japanese are widely spoken, and Chaozhou dialect is available in Phnom Penh.

Power supply: The voltage is 220 volts, but sometimes the voltage is unstable, so pay special attention when using it. Two-hole or three-hole round sockets, domestic electrical plugs can usually be used directly.

Etiquette: When visiting the Sihanoukville Grand Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, ladies should not wear shoulder-and-backless tops or skirts shorter than the knees; the reception hall, nave and main hall of the Grand Palace are Photography is prohibited at the Silver Pavilion Temple next to the Royal Palace. It is best to wear flat, comfortable shoes on the day you visit Angkor to prevent your feet from being bruised when climbing up and down.

Souvenirs: silverware, textiles, wood carvings, stone carvings, "Krama" (cotton or silk), etc.

Visa: Domestic visa fee is 300 yuan, and visa on arrival is available for US$20.

◆Singapore

Time difference: None.

Currency: Singapore dollars, RMB 100 is equivalent to about 20 Singapore dollars. RMB can be used in some places.

Language: The national language is Malay, and English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil are the official languages.

Power supply: Voltage 220-240 volts, British socket, divided into two items (round hole) and three items (round hole, flat hole). Almost all hotels are equipped with voltage converters.

Etiquette: 1) Spitting and littering on the streets will result in heavy fines. 2) Each person is only allowed to bring one pack of cigarettes when entering the country, and no chewing gum is allowed. 3) Smoking is not allowed in air-conditioned places and public places. Remember to flush when going to the bathroom. Eating on the bus is prohibited, otherwise you will be fined.

Souvenirs: various merlion ornaments, orchid decorations, tin products, wind-chasing medicinal oil, perfume, skin care products, etc.

Visa: Domestic visa fee is 100 yuan.

Bali’s trinkets are quite cheap

◆Indonesia

Time difference: East of Bali is the same as Beijing time, while west of Bali is one hour behind.

Currency: Rupee, 1 U.S. dollar can be exchanged for 8,900 rupees, and 1 yuan can be exchanged for 1,000 rupees. Relatively speaking, it is more cost-effective to bring U.S. dollars. You can use U.S. dollars directly in Bali, and you can use Singapore dollars directly in Bintan.

Language: The official language is Indonesian, but different local dialects are used in different places. English is generally spoken, and Mandarin is available at shopping points.

Power supply: voltage 220 volts, two-hole round socket, adapter is required to use.

Etiquette: 1) When visiting museums, temples, presidential palaces, and attending ordinary banquets, it is not rude to wear long pants and shirts for men and long skirts for women. 2) The sun in Indonesia is strong during the day, so a sun hat or parasol is a must. 3) Never step on the sacrificial offerings lined up in the street. 4) Don’t touch other people’s heads casually, as this will offend Hindus.

Souvenirs: silver products, badi cloth, wood carvings, scene models, etc.

Visa: Since there are no direct flights, it is recommended to get a visa on arrival, which costs 10 US dollars.