We use a variety of transportation to operate your itinerary at the best pace and to give you an authentic travel experience so you are not always ‘removed’ from the locals. Travel through Southeast Asia requires patience as schedule changes are common and the road conditions are poor in some rural areas.
Domestic Flights
The flight schedules of domestic airlines in this region change frequently, hence all domestic flights that appear in your itinerary are subject to change. Please ensure that all valuables and any medications you may need for the rest of the day are taken on board with you. The luggage limit is generally limited to 20kg per passenger with 5kg hand baggage, and all seats are economy class. Airlines currently do not allow liquids (alcohol, spirits, wine, water, perfume etc) or sharp objects to be carried on-board the aircraft and these will be confiscated. Wendy Wu Tours issues all internal domestic flight tickets in Southeast Asia and they will be handled by your National Escort/Local Guide and given to each passenger just prior to their flight.
Coaches
Our coaches are comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles, although they may be less spacious than the coaches you are used to. Please note – in many parts of the world, seatbelts are not compulsory by law and local people largely choose not to wear them. Wendy Wu Tours cannot guarantee that vehicles will be fitted with operable seatbelts. Where available we recommend seat belts should be worn at all times while travelling. Please note: Mini buses may be used for smaller groups (under 10 passengers).
Overnight Trains
All overnight train travel will be in first class ‘soft sleeper’ trains, which are the best available in Southeast Asia. Each compartment is shared by four people and is air-conditioned, with lockable doors and four beds which are fixed in place. There is room for passengers to sit on the lower berths. A pillow, clean sheets and a quilt are provided. In Thailand, second class sleeper carriages are used, where the whole car is shared. There are privacy curtains for each berth.
Your National Escort/Local Guides will try to organise the whole group to be sleeping in the same carriage but in busy periods of travel, this may not be possible. Each group will receive tickets with sequential berth numbers; these may be sharing with people from another tour group/company, or with some of the locals. We regret that it is not possible to arrange private train cabins.
There is usually a western style toilet at one end and a squat toilet at the other end of the carriage. Hot drinking water is available from a boiler which is located at the end of the carriage.
Packing for the train: We recommend you bring a small overnight bag to carry whatever you need until the following morning, as you will not have access to your main luggage which will be stored on a separate carriage of the train. Consider including a face towel, all toiletries, medication you require until midday next day, a tracksuit or similar outfit to sleep in and toilet
paper, as the train supply tends to run out. There is no dining car, so please carry snacks with you.
Please note: The train system abides by the same regulations as the airlines with regards to liquids. They do not allow cigarette lighters, bottles of liquid, alcohol, spirits/wine, juice, water, perfume etc (regardless if they have been opened), or sharp objects to be carried onto the trains. Items of this nature will be confiscated if you attempt to carry them on board.
Keeping valuables safe on the train: Carry all valuables with you at all times. A passenger should remain in the compartment at all times to watch all belongings. Your main luggage must have a lock on it.
Boats
Your tour could include taking a ride in a wooden boat on the Mekong, in modern speedboats between Phnom Penh and Chau Doc or a cruise on Halong Bay. To access the boat, you may need to cross between moving pontoons or other boats that have been moored together (particularly at Halong Bay and Nha Trang), climb steps and disembark onto makeshift docks – sometimes without assistance or handrails; or onto muddy riverbanks.
Bicycles, motorbikes and jeeps
If at any time you choose to ride on a bicycle, motorbike, jeep or tuk-tuk, you must bear responsibility for yourself. We strongly advise against using them as health and safety standards will not be the same as at home and it is very unlikely that your travel insurance will cover this form of activity. Please also be aware that safety helmets are generally not available for hire.
Road conditions and traffic
Although road conditions in Southeast Asia are improving, there are rough, unsealed roads across vast areas of rural and mountainous regions which can result in road surfaces being affected by heavy or monsoonal rains.
The number of vehicles in Southeast Asia is rapidly increasing. Please keep in mind that major events or holidays and new construction projects create traffic that can interfere with your tour and meal times. Your National Escort/Local Guides will do their utmost to avoid possible delays, changes or in rare cases, cancellations to sections of your itinerary.