Travel and Transport: South East Asia

Whenever you are planning a long haul trip it can be difficult to know where to begin when organising transport in and around your chosen destinations. South East Asia has recently opened itself up to a huge global travel market and as such transport possibilities are evolving and improving all the time. There are, however, a few rules of thumb that might just help to make your life a little easier. The first big journey is what you want to book first. The biggest and best connected airports in South East Asia are to be found in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh (though the airport still uses the city's former name, Saigon), Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Depending on your onward trajectories and how long you wish to spend in your city of arrival, these cities will all offer you a range of possibilities for onward journeys. Furthermore, they all offer direct flight services from selection of airports across the UK, eliminating the need for tiresome and time-consuming connections. There are many great long haul flight deals to be found online. Once you are in South East Asia you usually have the choice between travelling by internal flights within the region or taking a bus. In Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and parts of Thailand, rail travel services are also available. Useful airlines to remember are Jet Star – Singapore's budget airline, connecting a range of South East Asian cities – and Air Asia – another cheap and cheerful choice, operating mostly out of Kuala Lumpur. Whilst smaller South East Asian airlines have not always enjoyed favourable reputations (or health and safety records) they are now almost all operating in accordance with global air travel standards. If you are in any doubt about the services you are reserving, check out online reviews and air traffic safety sites for the latest information. Overland travel is, of course, more time consuming, but it may allow or inspire you to make a few interesting stops along the way. It will give you a glimpse of many different kinds of South East Asian societies, away from the bustling, and comparatively affluent, cities. When travelling by bus, be sure to take plenty of water, insect repellent and, where possible, a well charged iPod. You will never get a straight answer when you ask how long your journey might take. Travel and Transport: South East Asia is a post from: Traveling China from Traveling China http://www.chinaya.org

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