Usefull informations
| Visa | A visa is compulsory and costs approximately 60 € (or 70 € by correspondence, airmail included) for a validity of 1 month. Be careful, your passport must, in principle, be valid 1 month after the expiry date of your visa. |
| Usefull adresses | Vietnamese Embassy: 62-66, rue Boileau, 75016 Paris. Mr Exelmans or Chardon-Lagache. Phone: 01-44-14-64-00 switchboard and tourist visas). Phone (information on answering machine): 01-44-14-64-20. Internet: www.vietnamembassy-france.org / fr. E-mail: vnparis@wanadoo.fr |
| Currency | 1 € is worth approximately 25 000 Dg ( dôngs ). For a boutique hotel or guest house count approximately 30€ for a double room |
| Health | Malaria does not affect big cities and tourist places, but ask your doctor because the situation can evolve. Drink only bottled water with the top taken off in front of you and avoid raw vegetables. Bring a mosquito repellent recommended by your chemist |
| Safety | No problem of safety except for some pickpockets in big cities or the tourist spots |
| When to go? | Try to avoid the monsoon period of August, September and possibly overflowing into October. Otherwise, you can visit Vietnam from November to July. The most pleasant months in the North are November to March, in the centre, February to May and, in the South, December to April. June and July are very hot. |
| Other links | www.vietnam.com |
| Visa | A visa is compulsory. A single entrance visa allows you to stay in the country for 30 days and is valid for 3 months from its date of issue. It costs approximately 20€. |
| Usefull adresses | Cambodian Embassy and Consulate :Tel. 01-45-03-47-20. E-mail: ambcambodgeparis@mangoosta.fr. |
| Currency | The Cambodian currency is the riel but many payments are made in dollars. The riel / dollar exchange rate is given as a guide but is very changeable: about 4 400 riels for 1 $. Cambodia is still an inexpensive destination, allow 20€ for a very comfortable double room and 5€ for a good meal |
| Health | Malaria does not affect big cities and tourist places, but ask your doctor because the situation can evolve. Drink only bottled water with the top taken off in front of you and avoid raw vegetables. Bring a mosquito repellent recommended by your chemist. |
| Safety | From the safety point of view, Cambodia is equivalent to big cities elsewhere in Asia. As in any other country it is necessary to be aware of pickpockets in markets and buses and in districts away from the centre. |
| When to go? | Cambodia has two seasons: the winter period from November to March and the summer monsoon. The winter is rather dry and the summer is very warm (up to 35 °C) with violent but short rains at the end of the day.. November to March is the best period to visit. |
| Other links | www.cambodge.com |
| Visa | No visa is needed for stays of less than 90 days. But your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter Thailand. |
| Usefull adresses | Royal Consulate of Thailand: 04-78-37-16-58. E-mail: thailande.consulatlyon@wanadoo.fr. You can obtain a visa by correspondence if you plan to stay for more than 30 days |
| Currency | The monetary unit is the ringgit ( Rm), 1 Rm is worth approximately 0.20 € , i.e. 1 € = 5 Rm. The budget depends very much on the season and your destinations: in the North accommodation varies between 10 and 20€, costs more in Bangkok and the most in the South. Prices are quite reasonable if you are happy with a standard bungalow |
| Health | Malaria is little present and does not affect the classic circuits of the North, Bangkok or the South but ask your doctor for information. Drink only bottled water with the top taken off in front of you and avoid raw vegetables. Bring a mosquito repellent recommended by your chemist |
| Safety | No problem for private individuals except in certain provinces of the South outside the tourist routes. Avoid certain beaches of the South where mass tourism has spoilt the country and/or sexual tourism of all kinds has developed |
| When to go? | The rainy season extends from June to October but the weather remains sunny with heavy showers at the end of the day.
Rains are more marked in the North, which means there are few tourists and very attractive prices. In the South, the seasons are less marked but the best period is from November to March. It is better to avoid March to May because it is too warm, and September to October because it is the typhoon season. |
| Other links | www.tourismethaifr.com |
| Visa | No visa is required but your passport must be valid for 6 months after the date of entrance to Malaysia |
| Usefull adresses | Embassy of Malaysia Phone: 01-53-76-39-48. E-mail: malparis@kln.gov.my. |
| Currency | The currency is the ringgit ( Rm) and the exchange rate is about 1 Rm = 0.20 € and 1 € = 5 Rm. The west coast (Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi) is not cheap because very popular with tourists, the east north coast and its paradisiac islands is very affordable. Allow 20€ for a comfortable bungalow at the edge of the beach and 5€ for a meal with fish |
| Health | Malaria is practically inexistent in Malaysia. It is limited to some places in the hinterland and certain zones of Borneo. Drink only bottled water with the top taken off in front of you and avoid raw vegetables. Bring a mosquito repellent recommended by your chemist |
| Safety | No safety problems except in the border zone with Thailand. Enquire about routes to be avoided on the Island of Borneo |
| When to go? | In the north-east, the monsoon lasts from November to February. In the south-west it dominates from August to November. It is advisable to adapt your route to the weather but, from west to east, Malaysia can be visited at almost any time |
| Other links | www.malaisie.org |
| Visa | A visa is not necessary for a stay of less than 3 months but your passport must be valid for 6 months after the end of your stay |
| Usefull adresses | Embassy of Singapore: phone: 01-56-79-68-00. E-mail: sg.general@orange-business.fr |
| Currency | The currency is the Singapore dollar S, 1 S = 0.50 € and 1 € = 2.10 S. |
| Health | No particular health problems |
| Safety | One of the safest places on the planet |
| When to go? | See conditions for Malaysia |
| Other links | www.gov.sg |
| Visa | A tourist visa is compulsory: before your departure, it costs 40 € from the Indonesian Embassy and is valid for 60 days. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months after the date of return to France. It is also possible to get a visa on arrival at most airports in Indonesia ($10 US for 7 days, or $25 US for 30 days).
It is better to take US dollars because the Euro / $ US exchange rate is not favourable |
| Usefull adresses | Embassy of Indonesia: phone: 01-45-03-07-60. Internet: www.amb-indonesie.fr |
| Currency | The currency is the Indonesian rupee (Rps). 1 € is worth approximately 15 000 Rps. |
| Health | Bali is not affected by malaria, but check with your doctor because the situation can evolve.
Drink only bottled water with the top taken off in front of you and avoid raw vegetables. Bring a mosquito repellent recommended by your chemist |
| Safety | Bali is a very safe island except for some pickpockets, as everywhere in places very popular with tourists |
| When to go? | Two seasons for Bali: - Dry season: from May to December. - Rainy season: from January to April |
| Other links | www.infoindonesie.com/bali.htm |
| Visa | A tourist visa is necessary for China and your passport must be valid 6 months after the date of return.
The form is available on the web site of the embassy. The cost of the visa is 35 € per person. |
| Usefull adresses | Embassy of China: phone: 01-49-52-19-50. Mr E-mail: chinaemb_fr@mfa.gov.cn. |
| Currency | The Chinese currency is the renminbi or the yuan. A yuan ( ¥ ) or renminbi (RMB) is worth approximately 0.10 €. |
| Health | No particular vaccinations recommended for Peking |
| Safety | Peking is a very safe city where there is no problem of safety |
| When to go? | The winter is cold in Peking and the summer very warm. The best periods are from April to June and September to October |
| Other links | www.thebeijingguide.com |
