Choosing a regional route depends more than anything on planning visas and being aware which borders are open (the map on p26 gives an overview). Climate is also a major factor (p23). The timings map on p27 gives a rough guide as to how long major route segments may take and all these factors are summarized in the Main Routes map on p29. An overview of boat and land hops across the islands of South-East Asia options is on p31. This book focuses on overland travel, but in some cases flights make sense. Those offering specially notable time savings and/or relatively good value are summarized on p32. Some key tips are:
VISAS AND VISA STRATEGIES
More details are given in the country chapters and with reasonable accuracy on the website www.worldtravelguide.net/ (click the country you want details on) but here’s an overview:
No visas are required for Malaysia, Thailand or Singapore. While any of these make good arrival points, Thailand is the handiest regional travel hub with its central position, bargain prices and cheap onward flights ex Bangkok.
The Philippines and Indonesia are also visa free for almost everyone.
Vietnamese visas generally take as long as a week to process and are not available in Yunnan but if you apply in Battambang or Sihanoukville (Cambodia) you can get them on the spot (or at least the same day). So going to Cambodia before Vietnam makes sense.
Cambodian visas are available if arriving by air or at the main land borders with Thailand but not at those with Vietnam, so heading east requires less planning.
Lao tourist visas are available arriving by air at Vientiane or Louang Prabang and on the Friendship Bridge (coming from Nong Khai, Thailand) but not at other borders.
Note that Israelis are generally excluded from Indonesia and Malaysia, Portuguese citizens need a visa for Indonesia. Several nationalities require visas for Brunei.
BORDERS [See map, p26]
Most borders close in the evening (Singapore–Malaysia is an exception), and some as early as 4pm.
The Laos–Cambodia border has now opened but is awkward and the regulations for crossing remain fluid. Allow plenty of time if attempting this.
There are only two Laos–Vietnam border crossings. However, a handy new flight links Dien Bien Phu in north Vietnam with Louang Prabang (LP) in Laos for only $58, three times a week. Lao visas are available on arrival in LP.
Burma also has many internal travel restrictions and its land borders are usually closed (except for one-day jaunts where you leave your passport in Thailand). Thus you’ll probably have to fly in and out. If you’re coming from/going to India, the cheapest way to do this is as a stopover with Bangladesh Biman Airlines (Calcutta–Dacca–Yangon–Bangkok). Tickets cost more to/from Dacca! There are also flights to Burma from Kunming (Yunnan) and Chiang Mai (Thailand).
ROAD TRAVEL
Road transport is particularly easy in Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, China and Singapore. In Indonesia and the Philippines roads are OK too, but frequent ferry trips can slow you down. Vietnam has some pretty poor roads but in Burma and Laos most are atrocious.
At the time of writing, Cambodia’s roads are the worst of all but with a major reconstruction project already underway that should change very rapidly.
RAIL TRAVEL
Train travel is comfortable if not especially fast in Malaysia and China, handy if slightly less plush in Thailand and Vietnam but downright awful in most of Burma where delays can be interminable. Cambodia’s two lines are pitifully slow but riding those trains is no longer a form of Russian roulette as it was in the Khmer Rouge insurgency days. In Burma and Vietnam trains are artificially expensive thanks to hefty foreigner surcharges.
While trains to Singapore from Malaysia are a reasonable deal, coming from Singapore fares are considerably higher for no extra service: cross the border before buying the ticket. A couple of useful through trains cross the Malaysia–Thailand border without big mark-ups. Although a weekly through train runs between China and Vietnam it’s cheaper (and very easy) to go to the border, cross on foot, then pick up another train.
MAIN OVERLAND ROUTES [See map opposite]
1 China–Burma at Muse Generally the border is closed but if you have a chance at any Burmese border (see pp162–3) it’s at this one. You’ll probably have to pay up to $100 guide-fee for the privilege.
2 Vietnam–Yunnan–Laos This is easier anti-clockwise as Lao visas are available in Yunnan but Vietnamese ones aren’t. Going from Hanoi to Louang Prabang this way could be done in four to five days but allow at least three weeks to see Sapa, some of Yunnan and the Nam Ou river en route.
3 Louang Prabang (Laos)–north Thailand You can generally make it to Chiang Mai in a day and a half if you’re prepared to endure/risk the Mekong speedboats (see p27 and pp77–8). It’s much nicer to take slower boats at least some of the way.
Note that contrary to common rumour, there is no Lao consulate in Chiang Khong (Thai border town) though some guesthouses can get a Lao visa for you simply by sending a delivery boy to Khon Kaen!
4 Thailand–Vientiane (Laos)– Vietnam Eastbound you can get a Lao visa on arrival, but not westbound. However, eastbound, the direct Hanoi–Vientiane buses miss the nicest scenery while westbound the best views are during daylight sections.
Theoretically it would be possible to get from Bangkok to Hanoi in two very long days and nights. However, that’s easier to manage westbound. The other way you might have to wait a day or so to find a seat for the Hanoi bus and may prefer to break the trip in Lak Xao anyway (see p119).
5 Thailand–Savannakhet (Laos)–Vietnam A direct bus from Savannakhet to Hue (see p119) goes six days a week and takes all day. Doing hops will take substantially longer and may not save any money. Boats across the Mekong at Savannakhet are easy enough to find but unhurried and stop early.
6 Laos–Cambodia This route requires sufficient water for the ferries to run to Stung Treng. You may need to charter transport on the Lao side of the border. And there’s likely to be tips to pay at the frontier points. At the time of research all this could add up to some $60 to go from Phnom Penh to Pakxe. However, by the time you read this, the route will have become more ‘worn’ and probably transport will regularize and prices drop. See p27 and p90.
7 Thailand–Cambodia–Vietnam A few years ago Thailand–Cambodia overland routes were suicidal. Now you can drive quite comfortably from Bangkok to Angkor and other roads are being improved. See p107 and p109 for my snapshot of the present state of play but expect further changes. By either route, heading east makes sense because you can get Cambodian visas on the Thai border and cheap, instant Vietnamese visas in Battambang or Sihanoukville en route. If you are heading the other way getting visas is much more time-consuming.
8 Thailand–Malaysia Very easy. Direct buses run all the way from Bangkok to Singapore in less than two days.
BOAT TRAVEL
Within mainland South-East Asia, river boats offer anything from meditative dawdles to white-knuckle speed-boat rides. Such services are diminishing as roads improve but in Cambodia, Burma and Laos the rivers still form veritable aquatic highways. Vietnam also has a wide variety of water-born options, both in the Mekong Delta and in the island-studded coasts in the north.
Links to Australia and island South-East Asia
In the island nations of Indonesia and Philippines, a veritable flotilla link all the main islands. However, boat links between nations are relatively few and far between and there is no passenger ferry between Australia and Indonesia. Sadly cargo boats will not take backpackers and the cheapest flight is between Kupang (West Timor) and Darwin on Merpati Airlines. There are flights to newly-independent East Timor but onward travel into Indonesia is easier from Kupang.
If you want to get out of the Philippines without flying there are only two (legal) options:
1 To Sulawesi (Indonesia) EPA Shipping (tel 083-380 3591) in General Santos has a boat to Bitung, currently leaving at 9am on Fridays (check carefully!) and returning to General Santos at 3pm on Wednesdays. This is predominantly a cargo service so bring a thick sleeping mat and a good book for the 36-hour journey.
2 To Sabah (East Malaysia) The Aleson Lines (www.alesonshipping.com/) ship Mary Joy II now leaves Zamboanga on Monday (having started in Cebu) and Wednesday. It returns from Sandakan on Tuesday and Thursday (continuing to Pulauan/Dipolog on Friday, then to Dumaguete and back to Cebu). Beware – this timetable changes frequently. It actually starts from Dagumete on Monday, calls in at Zamboanga on Tuesday, then returns from Sandakan (where the agent is Timmarine) on Thursday. Another much less pleasant boat, run by Sampaguita Lines, leaves Zamboanga on Thursday and returns on Saturday. Prices start at M$88.
An overview of the main options for crossing the south-east Asian islands towards Australia are depicted on the map opposite. Brief details on the countries in between are covered from p209 onwards.
FLIGHTS
Budget travellers generally shun internal flights, on the reasonable assumption that flying you’ll miss the scenery yet pay more for the privilege. However, there are a few regional flights which do make a lot of sense given closed or awkward borders and a few where the flight is not significantly more expensive than travelling by road. The most attractive such propositions are depicted on p32.
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