INTRODUCTION

What on earth is all this?
South-East Asia introduction map 9 – Map key 10, 11

Using this book
The maps 13 – My choices 14

Maps Interpreting a schematic map 12, Interpreting a town map 15

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP

Preparing for the trip
What you need to pack 17 – Money 18 – Getting information 19

When to go where 21

Route planning
Visas and visa strategy 25 – Borders 25 – Road travel 28 – Rail travel 28 – Main overland routes 28 – Boat travel 30 – Links to Australia and island South-East Asia 30 – Flights 30

Maps
When to go where 23 – Mainland South-East Asia 26 – Crossing the region times 27 – Main overland routes 29 – Crossing island South-East Asia 31 – Flights worth considering 32

So where’s nice?
Beaches 33 – Scuba diving 33 – Highlights 34-5 – Hill tribes 34 – Sex and drugs and rock’n’roll 37 – Crafts and souvenirs 37

PART 2: THAILAND

Introduction
Highlights 38 – When to go 41

Practical information
Visas and formalities 42 – Money 42 – Transport 42 – Accommodation 45 – Food and drink 45 – Staying in touch 47 – Shopping 47 – Activities 47 – Further information 49

Maps
Country map/locator 38 – Transport times 43 – Bangkok: key transport connections 52 – Kao San Road area 53 – North of Bangkok 54 – Ayutthaya 55 – Central Thailand 56 – The North 57 – The Far North and Chiang Mai 58 – The Burma Road 59 – Heading East: Bangkok to Trat 60 – Phimai, Nang Rong, Khorat 61 – South Isaan 62 – Ubon Ratchathani and Warin Chamrab, Kantharalak/Prasat Preah Vihear 63 – Nong Khai, Sakhon Nakhon 64 – That Phanom, Chiang Khan, Nakhon Phanom 64 – North Isaan (Mekong hangouts) 65 – North Isaan (Udon Thani, Khon Kaen) 66 – South Thailand: Beaches and Islands 67 – Limestone landscapes: best beaches 68 – Rail times (Bangkok to Sungei Kolok) 69 – The South 70 – Thai/Malaysia border options 71

PART 3: LAOS

Introduction
Highlights 74 – When to go 75

Practical information
Visas and formalities 75 – Money 76 – Transport 77 – Accommodation 79 – Food and drink 79 – The drug scene 80 – Staying in touch 80 – Further information 82

Maps
Country map 73 – Flights to Lao regional airports 78 – Vientiane and the Friendship Bridge 83 – Vientiane to Louang Prabang 84 – Louang Prabang and Vang Vieng 85 – North Laos 86 – Muang Sing, Luang Namtha, Udom Xai, Nang Kio, Muang Kwa, Muang Ngoi 87 – South Central Laos 88 – Thakhek, Savannakhet, Around Savannakhet, Lak Xao 89 – South Laos 90

PART 4: CAMBODIA

Introduction
Highlights 94 – When to go 94 – Planning tactics 94 – Safety 95

Practical information
Visas and formalities 97 – Money 97 – Transport 98 – Accommodation 100 – Food and drink 100 – Sex and drugs 101 – Staying in touch 101 – Activities 101 – Further information 101

Maps
Country map 93 – Map locator 103 – Phnom Penh 104 – East Cambodia 105 – Central Cambodia 106 – Bangkok to Angkor 107 – Battambang, Siem Reap, Angkor 108 – Koh Kong: border connections and boat services 109 – Takeo, Kampot, Bokor, Ta Prohm, Phnom Chisor, Kep 110 – South Cambodia and Sihanoukville 111

PART 5: VIETNAM

Introduction
Highlights 114 – Travel tactics 114 – When to go 115

Practical information
Visas and formalities 117 – Money 117 – Transport 117 – Accommodation 121 – Food and drink 121 – Staying in touch 121 – Activities 121 – Further information 122

Maps
Country map 113 – travel times, cafι buses and tours, international connections 119 – Hanoi 124 – Halong Bay 125 – North Vietnam (mountain roads) 126 – North Vietnam (mountains and minorities) 127 – North Central Vietnam 128 – South Central Vietnam 129 – Saigon to Nha Trang 130 – Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) 131 – Mekong Delta transportation 132 – Mekong Delta 133

PART 6: YUNNAN (South-west china)

Introduction
Highlights 136 – When to go 138

Practical information
Visas and formalities 139 – Money 139 – Transport 139 – Accommodation 141 – Traveller meeting places 141 – Food and drink 142 – Shopping 142 – Staying in touch 142 – Further information 142

Maps
Country map 135 – Looking at Chinese characters 144 – Chinese words and phrases 146 – Kunming 148 – Stone forests: Shilin, Nansa, Jianshui, Yuanyang, Kaiyuan 149 – To Hekou: rice terraces and borderlands 150 – Routes to Hekou and Vietnam: Gejiu, Hekou 151 – Xishuangbanna: Jing Hong, Mengla, Mohan 152 – Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge 153 – Dali, Xiaguan 154 North Yunnan 155

PART 7: BURMA (MYANMAR)

Introduction
Boycott Burma? 158 – Highlights 159 – When to go 159

Practical information
Visas and formalities 164 – Money 165 – Transport 166 – Accommodation 169 – Food 169 – Drink 170 – Staying in touch 170 – Shopping 170 – Activities 171 – Further information 171

Maps
Country map (accessible areas) 157 – Borders, states and divisions 162/3 – Travel times 167 – Map locator 175 – Yangon 176 – Taungoo, Kalaw 177 – Inle Lake, Nyaung Shwe, Pindaya, Aungban 178 – Inle, Kalaw and roads to Mandalay, Taunggyi 179 – Mandalay 180 – Central Mandalay, To the far north, Maymyo, Amarapura, Ava 181 – Monywa, Mingun, Pakhangyi, Sagaing, Pakokku, Mt Popa 182 – Mandalay to Bagan 183 – Bagan, Magwe 184 – Bagan to Pyay to Yangon 185 – Pyay, Pathein, Chaungtha Beach 186 – Gulf of Martaban area: Bago 187

PART 8: SINGAPORE

Introduction 188

Practical information
Money 190 – Transport 190 – Accommodation 190 – Staying in touch 191 – Shopping 191 – Further information and maps 192

Maps
Singapore: Key MRT stations and bus links 189 – Central area 191

PART 9: MALAYSIA

Introduction
Highlights 192 – When to go 192 – Festivals 194

Practical information
Visas and formalities 194 – Money 196 – Transport 196
Accommodation 198 – Food and drink 198 – Staying in touch 199 – Activities 199 – Further information 200

Maps
Peninsular Malaysia map 195 – Travel times 197 – Southern Peninsular: Malacca, Mersing, Kota Tinggi, Johor Bahru 201 – Kuala Lumpur: Centre and travellers’ area 202 – Transport: Kuala Lumpur and around 203 – Georgetown, Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Taiping, Marang, Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar 204 – Peninsular West Coast 205 – Jungle train timetable 206 – Peninsular East Coast 207 – Eastern Malaysia, Brunei 208

PART 10: ISLAND SOUTH-EAST ASIA

BRUNEI DARUSSLAM 209
Visas and formalities 210 – Money 210 – Accommodation 210 – Further information 210

INDONESIA
Introduction
Highlights 212 – When to go 217 – Festivals 218

Practical information
Visas and formalities 218 – Money 218 – Transport 219 – Accommodation 220 – Food and drink 221 – Staying in touch 221 – Activities 221 – Further information 222

Maps
Country map 213

EAST TIMOR
Practical information 223

PHILIPPINES
Introduction
Highlights 225 – When to go 226

Practical information
Visas and formalities 228 – Money 228 – Transport 228 – Accommodation 230 – Food and drink 230 – Staying in touch 230 – Activities 230 – Further information 230

Maps
Country map 224 – Manila 229

INDEX 234

MAP KEY 239–40

Book List | South-East Asia - The Graphic Guide | Buy This Book | Table of Contents
| Introduction | Preparing for the trip | Route planning | Cambodia |