5  Safety Tips for Visiting South Asia

What Every Traveler Needs to Know to Stay Safe

South Asia is one of the most popular destinations among the backpackers and budget travelers. After all, there are so many diverse cultures, geographical regions from dense forests to snow-capped mountains.

The food and transportation are cheap enough that you can enjoy the trip to your heart’s content without worrying about your wallet.

That said, if it’ your first visit to India, East Timor or maybe China, then be sure to keep the following 5 important things in mind.

1. Visa Arrangements

When it comes to tips on visiting South Asia, the most important things that come to mind are money, documentation, and safety. Different countries have different visa requirements.

For instance, if you are visiting Thailand, you can get a 30-day stamp for a hassle-free stay.

Similarly, if you are going to China, then you need to make sure that you have a valid passport that’s 6 months beyond stay and a tourist visa (single entry visa costs around $140).

However, you can enter Hong Kong with an Irish or British passport without any additional documents.

2. Money Management

No country in Asia accepts Dollars, Pounds, or Euros. So, you must arrange the best way to make transactions when you are there.

The easiest way to arrange the money is to get an appropriate amount of your local currency converted into the currency of the country you are traveling to.

However, if you are traveling to multiple countries, then it can be a major hassle to calculate the right amount of different currencies and then get your money converted into the same.

You may also end up spending a lot of money as currency conversion fees. A simple and convenient way to make all the transactions when you are overseas is to get a travel credit card.

Using a credit card internationally is highly efficient and if you get the right one, then you can also enjoy perks like foreign transaction fees waiver, global concierge service, free travel insurance, etc.

3. Scams

Of all the tips on visiting South Asia, these may be the most important. While you don’t have to work hard to prepare a list of the best Asian vacations as there are countless beautiful places to visit, this adventure and fun come with the risk of scams and frauds.

Asian countries, especially the ones located in the south-east are notorious for con-artists that are always on the prowl looking for naïve tourists that they can rip off.

The following are some of the most common scams that you need to be wary of:

a) Closed Hotel

This a common travel scam in which your cab driver, when still en route to your hotel, confidently says that your choice of hotel will be closed by the time you will reach. He then suggests a so-called “much better” hotel.

However, the reality is that he will take you to a hotel with which he already has an arrangement as per which he is given an attractive commission by the hotel owner for every tourist he brings.

The simplest way to prevent yourself from this scam is to call your hotel in advance to confirm the timings. You should also reserve your room beforehand.

b) Counterfeit Goods

Countries like India and China are known for their flea markets where you can find stalls selling all kinds of premium goods such as iPhones, DSLR cameras, gaming consoles, etc. at huge bargains.

However, it’s best to avoid such places as more often than not, these products are counterfeit/defective. For instance, China’s Shenzhen is a megacity known for its replicas, a place where fakery is an art form.

Although millions of people come here to buy copy products at ridiculously low rates, you need to have good bargaining skills to prevent yourself from getting ripped off.

Even if you are able to get a good deal, the products are usually not of a quality that you would be happy within the long term.

c) Fake Peelers

This isn’t a common scam but you may encounter it nonetheless. In this, a person approaches a tourist and offers to sell drugs. Even if you refuse the offer, one or two guys wearing police uniforms may approach you flashing fake police badges in their hands.

On the pretext of questioning you regarding the suspicious activity (the so-called drug dealer who is also in on the scam) ask to hand over your passport and/or wallet. However, they aren’t real cops and may run away with your stuff.

If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, it’s best to ask the cops to show some identification or lie that your passport and wallet are in your hotel room and ask them to come with you to get them.

In most cases, they won’t take the risk and let you go.

4. Cultures and Local Etiquettes

You might be already familiar with the etiquette for traveling by jet plane. However, do you know the etiquette of the country you are traveling to?

Compare to western culture, South Asian countries have vastly different cultures and social norms.

So, you may want to keep the following things in mind:

• When visiting a religious institution be sure to dress modestly. Avoid wearing clothes that are too-revealing such as mini-skirts or deep-neck blouses, etc. If you are going to a Hindu temple then you must not wear any leather garment or accessory.
• In many South Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. avoid using your left hand for eating, pointing, hand-shaking, etc. It’s considered disrespectful to use it over your right hand.
• It’s a common practice to leave one’s footwear at the entrance of the house in many South Asian countries. So, if you are paying a visit to someone, then be sure to step inside their house only when you are barefoot. Although you may not require it in every location.

5. Population

This one you may already know, but it still warrants a mention- a large number of Southeast Asian cities are densely populated. For instance, Beijing in China, Mumbai in India, and Tokyo in Japan make it to the top 10 most populated cities in the world.

Thus, if you get anxious or uncomfortable in crowded places, then you should plan your trip in a way that you only visit the sparsely populated regions.

If you are not bothered by crowds, there are plenty of fun and geeky things to do in Tokyo that are great for travel stories.

Conclusion

Nothing beats the beauty and diversity of South Asia. Whether you are traveling solo or with family, you can always expect to have a memorable experience here.

Just make sure you plan appropriately so that your trip isn’t ruined by unexpected problems. Be mindful of these tips on visiting South Asia and happy traveling!