South East Asia Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

The region of South East Asia encompasses the following countries:

• Vietnam
• Indonesia

• Singapore

• Cambodia

• Malaysia

• Thailand

• Philippines

• Myanmar

• Timor-Leste

• Laos

• Brunei

Whether you need a visa to travel to South East Asia depends on what country you're a national of and which country you travel to.

Generally, passport holders from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom don't need visas to travel around South East Asia, but visa requirements will vary from country to country.

For example, citizens from the previously mentioned countries will need a visa to travel to Vietnam, however, they won't require a visa for Thailand. 

If you're unsure of the visa requirements of the country you're travelling to, it's best to check on government-run websites or at your nearest embassy or consulate. 

The internet access in South East Asia can vary from country to country and between different regions in that country.

Most hotel chains or other accommodation options in major cities will have wi-fi, so it'll be easy to connect to the internet.

Buying an international SIM card with a local provider is recommended if you'd rather have no restrictions (and no exorbitant data roaming fees). This still doesn't mean you're guaranteed to have access to the internet though as the signal is often limited or unreliable in rural areas in countries such as Laos, Timor-Leste and Myanmar. 

The toilet facilities in South East Asia differ depending on which country you're in and what region of that country you're in.

Most major cities have westernized toilet facilities in places such as restaurants and hotels, but the further from urban areas you are, the more likely you'll find squat toilets, so set your expectations accordingly.

Toilet paper is also a rare find unless you're in major cities or popular tourist areas, so it's best to always pack your own in preparation. 

There aren't many countries in South East Asia where the tap water is recommended for drinking, especially in Laos and Cambodia.

To avoid getting sick, buy bottled water or use filtered water to brush your teeth.

You should also be mindful when showering, ask for drinks with no ice in them and peel all fruit before you eat them.

While Malaysia is considered to have the safest drinking water, it still has a different mineral content than your stomach might be used to so it's best to stick to filtered or bottled water where possible. 

The best time to travel to South East Asia is between November and February when the weather is relatively dry, humidity levels are low and temperatures are warm but not uncomfortable.

However, this is considered to be 'peak season' so expect large crowds at popular tourist destinations and increased accommodation prices in major cities.

If you want to avoid all of that, try travelling during the shoulder seasons of March to May and September to November.

If you can, avoid travelling from June to August as this is South East Asia's rainy, cyclone season. 

While it might not be as prevalent as it is in the US, tipping is still part of the culture in most South East Asian countries.

How much you tip and in what scenarios tipping is expected will differ depending on the country you travel in.

For example, tipping isn't expected or required in Malaysia and Singapore (and can even be considered rude), but countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are starting to accept tipping culture. 

The currency you need when travelling in South East Asia depends on which countries you'll be visiting, with each country having its own currency.

Here is a list of countries with their currencies:

• Vietnam - Vietnamese Dong (VND)
• Indonesia - Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
• Singapore - Singapore Dollar (SGD) 
• Cambodia - Cambodian Riel (KHR)
• Malaysia - Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) 
• Thailand - Thai Baht (THB)
• Philippines - Philippine Peso (PHP)
• Myanmar - Myanmar Kyat (MMK)
• Timor-Leste - United States Dollars (USD)
• Laos - Lao Kip (LAK)  
• Brunei - Brunei Dollar (BND)

It's worth bringing cash with you if you're travelling around South East Asia, as paying with cash is still very prevalent in most countries.

Countries like Vietnam and Thailand are big on markets and hawker hall type cafeterias, so having cash is usually the easiest way to buy things and makes bargaining for items more accessible.  

Most of the countries in South East Asia have a thriving LGBTQIA+ scene, especially Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Discretion is still advised for travellers of the LGBTQIA+ community when it comes to public displays of affection, particularly if you're travelling away from the larger cities to more rural areas where acceptance of same-sex relationships may not be as common. 

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex or ILGA before you travel.

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations. 

We are always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.