Smiling Albino

Travel Tips

So you're traveling with Smiling Albino — what a great decision!

You're no doubt getting excited for your big adventure and wanting to know as much as possible about the areas you'll be experiencing. People, customs, and what to pack can all be found here. Also recommendations on what you read or watch to prepare, do you need a visa before arrival, is malaria a concern, what will the weather be like and most importantly, how do you order a beer in Khmer — Cambodia's official language?

Click on the country links for detailed travel tips for countries we travel in. There's lots of nifty stuff here — dig in!

Travel Advice

• Thailand Advice
• Nepal Advice
• Cambodia Advice
• Vietnam Advice
• Health & Safety
• What To Pack

Did You Know?

• It's rude to step over someone's legs in Nepal.
• You should always walk clockwise around a Buddhist stupa or chedi.
• Nepal ranges from 71m-8,848m in elevation.
• You can see rhinoceros during the Nepal Grand Slam.
• Lumbini, Nepal is the birthplace of the Buddha.
• The effects of altitude can be felt at 3,000m and above.
• Nepal changed from a kingdom to a republic on May 28, 2008.
• Nepal is bordered by China and India.
• Mountains cover 80% of Nepal.
• 10 of the world's 14 highest mountains are found in Nepal.
• Gurkhas, the famous soldiers, come from a mountainous region in Nepal.
• 84 million people live in Vietnam.
• 15 million tons of bombs were dropped on Vietnam during the war.
• Bill Clinton was the first American president to visit Hanoi.
• Vietnam's 'Bia Hoi' is perhaps the world's cheapest draft beer at about $0.25US/glass.
• Dog and snake-blood wine are delicacies in Vietnam.
• There are about 500 traditional dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.
• Vietnam became a member of the World Trade Organization in 2006.
• Vietnam is home to 10 'ethnic minority' or hilltribe groups.
• It's a great idea to take lots of business cards to Vietnam - people love receiving them.
• The Vietnamese lunar calendar began on 2,637BC.
• The Mekong River travels 1,865km through Laos.
• Laos' original name, 'Lan Xang Hom Khao', means 'land of a million elephants'.
• Laos has SE Asia's smallest population at about 6.5 million.
• Laos is the most bombed nation on earth.
• Laos has 42 unpaved airports.
• There are only about 30,000 land-line phones in Laos.
• Laos, a landlocked country's lowest point is the Mekong River at 70m.
• Laos' current borders were defined in 1907 with the signing of the Franco - Siamese Treaty.
• Laos gained independence from France on July 19, 1949.
• Laos is slightly larger in physical size than Great Britian.
• Cambodia's Angkor Wat is the world's largest temple complex.
• Cambodia's first democratic elections were held in 1993.
• Cambodia is the most heavily-mined nation on earth.
• Cambodia's highest FIFA football standing was 156th in 1998.
• Palm sugar wine is Cambodians' local brew of choice.
• Spiders are a favorite snack all over Cambodia.
• You can get a cold can of beer for $1US in Cambodia.
• Southeast Asia's first national park was established in Cambodia in 1925.
• Vann Molyvann is Cambodia's most celebrated architect.
• It's polite to use your right-hand when giving something in Cambodia.
• Tibet has an average elevation of 4,572m.
• Yak is a common meat eaten in Tibet.
• Mt. Everest lies in Tibet and Nepal.
• The north side of Mt. Everest (Tibetan side) is harder to climb than the south side (Nepalese side).
• More Tibetans live outside than inside the country.
• Yak butter tea is a favorite drink in Tibet.
• Tibetans stick out their tongue to show respect.
• A Tibetan nomad drinks roughly 40 cups of yak butter tea per day.
• HM the Dalai Lama of Tibet is the 13th reincarnation.
• China occupies Tibet, calling it the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
• The movie and book of 'The King and I' is illegal in Thailand.
• Thailand has had 18 coups d'etat since 1932.
• There are more than 4,000 7-Elevens in Thailand.
• Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice.
• Thailand's calendar is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, starting at birth of the Buddha.
• Thailand changed from an absolute to constitutional monarchy in 1932.
• King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the world's longest reigning monarch, ascending the Thai throne in 1946.
• Arabica coffee is grown in the hills of northern Thailand and is quite tasty.
• Many beaches in Thailand are now better since the tsunami.
• The United Nation's Asian headquarters are in Bangkok.