Mark your map to Southeast Asia - Travel Tips

flickr/Courtney Dirks (courtneyrian.com)

Be it on a shoestring budget, a family holiday or a luxury outing, Southeast Asia is the place for you as it offers destinations catering to any type on your platter. Any new place you head to brings out a lot of questions about the place and sometimes we forget to address the most basic needs which might lead to us being caught unawares. We, at Flitterbot, are here to help you with those generic travel tips, plan your schedule and make it a memorable trip for you.

Some travel tips for your SE Asia exploits are:

Cheap air travel: More often that not, air tickets eat into our trip budget expenses. Hence, look out for the airline deals which help in economizing your trip. There are also quite a few budget airlines which run in this region like Air Asia, Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways, to name a few.

Research your visas and currency: As a tourist, it is very important to find out about the type of visa required to enter a country - whether it is single entry or multiple entry and the number of days allowed for foreigners to reside in the country for a single stay via any mode of transport. Photocopies of your documents and passport size photos are essential travel items. The local currency is preferably carried but for backup, its always good to have some US dollars which is generally accepted in most of the countries.

Accommodation and time of travel: The variety of places to stay is wide in the region. Places generally have variance in accommodation from backpacker motels to the luxurious resorts. During the off season, travel deals which are value for money can be bought. In the peak season, advance booking would be required to stay in a place of your choice but otherwise, finding a place to stay is also possible once you land.

Clothes and footwear: SE Asia is pretty open minded about what you wear. The only instance where certain dress code is requested to be followed is when tourists visit religious attraction sights like temples, churches or mosques. Hence pack a shawl and track pants in your traveling bag as handy items which can be used anytime. Flip-flops also happen to be very useful in this side of the world as the region is not a stranger to rain.

Food hygiene: Bottled water is inexpensive and available everywhere. Eating from food stalls or hawker markets need not be entirely avoided. They offer some of the best culturally satisfying tasting experiences of the local region. Be careful of the spice levels as it is different from other parts of the world, hence ensure to mention it clearly while placing your order.

Travel vaccinations and other medical concerns: Once your itinerary is determined, you can always find out if any malaria vaccination is required, especially if you are traveling with kids. This is suggested more as a precautionary measure only if your are trekking to remote places. Sunscreen and mosquito repellents are definitely useful. Even if you forget to carry them, they are available at cheap rates in all the places.

Support sustainable tourism: Traveling in foreign lands is a privilege. While visiting rural areas or small cities, please make an endeavor to support local handicrafts by buying them as souvenirs. The places in SE Asia are culturally very rich and have a lot of unique things to offer in the form of their art and crafts.

Friendliness: It is always helpful to learn some basic words of greeting of the local language of your place of visit which could act as the communication starter. This helps in earning sweet bargains while shopping and also in reflecting an open mind toward other cultures. If you want to find your way, most SE Asians are tolerant and helpful people and may even communicate through gestures to guide you. While using local transport or eating at small joints, be smiling as that will really take you a long way and also help in gaining quality service.

At the end of it, we would like to say, put on your travelling boots and flitter around Southeast Asia with us...

Langkawi is not only about honeymoon but also a lot of other things...

An archipelago of 99 magical islets in the Andaman sea, Langkawi is an idyllic hideaway filled with nature's wonders. Over the years, this natural paradise has established its presence as one of the foremost honeymoon destinations in South-East Asia. Though enjoying the beautiful sunset and admiring nature to the fullest in a resort along with your loved one is indeed special, there are also other interesting things that form a part of this place with breathtaking landscapes.

If you are an agro-tourism lover or like nature's green color surrounding you, then watching paddy cultivation is an interesting offshoot to emerge from that line of thought.The Laman Padi (Rice Museum) showcases the history and development of the nation's rice industry. You can try your hand in paddy cultivation and also eat in an in-house cafe which serves local delicacies using rice as the main ingredient.Souvenir shopping is possible for art and craft lovers at Langkawi Craft Complex. It is famous tourist complex that has exhibits on traditional Malaysian handicrafts. The various ethnic groups of Malaysia are represented in unique forms through artifacts. You can also try different craft techniques like batik painting or wood carving in the craft interactive area in the complex.

No trip is considered complete without some form of ride - either a long drive or on a horseback or a cable car. Langkawi offers an unique ride on the water buffalo in the Buffalo park. This idea was triggered as a part of modernization of systematic livestock in the place. Visitors get a chance to milk the buffaloes and feed them. They can also see the processing of milk into yogurt and cheese. Good cheese can be bought from this place.

As the night descends, you can also go on a fishing tour of a different kind. Unlike the normal hook and pull method, the squid can be scooped from the waters using fishing nets and this method is called as squid scooping. The spot light on the boat is used to attract the fish in large numbers.This can be done in open or hidden waters as per your choice. This activity would be a thrill to travelers who like the live bait catching experience.

Langkawi is abuzz with activity through the night in the form of daily night markets which are held in different parts of the town as per a schedule. Street vendors peddling their wares, food stalls serving piping hot noodles, different toys being sold for children form a colorful sight in the night. Exotic fruits and vegetables of the region can be found in this market.



It is said that 'beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder' and we at Flitterbot have tried to provide a unique dimension to this spectacle called Langkawi. Look no further, if you wish to go here as we are just a click away...

The Big Three Shinto Matsuris of Tokyo...

While visiting a place, its always more fun if your travel happens to coincide with the festive season of your destination. 'Matsuri' in Japanese means festival. History states that there are three festivals which are considered to be the main festivals belonging to the Edo period. The Edo period was predominant in bringing about Japan's stability. This period brought about social order, policy formulation and popular enjoyment of art and culture. These festivals, in some form, characterize the beginning of that celebration.

Sanno Matsuri : This is the annual festival of the Hie-Jinja Shrine. This shrine contains the guardian deity of Tokyo and is said to protect the city. This is a two-day festival held on the Apr 14th and 15th every year. In today's age, during the festival, a parade begins from the shrine and passes through the main landmarks of the city. The Shinto Gods are carried in portable shrines. The parade consists of around 300-400 people dressed in ancient costumes. Symbolizing the wish of farmers for a good harvest, the first day of the festival begins when the floats (yatai) are taken from the storehouses and prepared for the procession.The gorgeous floats are lit with Japanese lanterns on either side and are carried on the shoulders of the float-bearers. There are 12 intricately designed floats reserved for this festival. Marionette shows are performed on these floats on the second day of the festival with people dancing to traditional music which is quite a sight to watch.

Kanda Matsuri : Kanda Matsuri is one of the largest festivals in Tokyo, taking place on the Saturday and Sunday closest to May 15th. Be sure to come on the right year though, because Kanda Matsuri only takes place on odd years. The festival was created during the Edo period, where the shogun allowed people to enter in to the quarters of the Edo castle. The festival consists of over 300 people parading through the different districts of Tokyo holding extravagant floats and shrines. In addition to the portable shrines with a phoenix decorated on the roof there are all kinds of floats, and Shinto priests mounted on horseback line up in rows, producing a spectacular sight. The Kanda Myojin Museum, which is open to the public on weekends and on national holidays, has a diorama of the Kanda Matsuri and also displays models of floats. If you wish to find out more about the festival, you should visit this museum.

Sanja Masturi: Dating back to 1312, it is considered one of the three biggest festivals in Tokyo and is conducted by the Asakusa Shrine. It is generally held in the third week of May and the Grand Parade held during this time is extremely fascinating to watch. A large crowd gathers at this time to witness the Shinto Gods of the shrine being carried around the town. There is quite a bit of song and dance along with a variety of food stalls where the local delicacies can be eaten. Some Geisha performances can also be observed during this festival.

Even if Tokyo is on the streets celebrating these festivals, it still looks as beautiful as always and provides an opportunity to get some candid street snaps. And for planning that Matsuri trip of yours, we at Flitterbot are just a click away...