Holiday in Asia, probably your flights are booked, guide books bought, and even the packing has started, you are almost ready for that well deserved few weeks, or even months holiday in Asia.

Staying at a one of those gorgeous Bali villas, or a beach side hut in Koh Samui, or even diving in Cebu?

What is probably outstanding is your Travel Money Strategy. No, I don’t mean how much money you expect to spend in Singapore versus Bangkok, but how are you going to have access to the right amount of money, in the right currency, at the right time and place. Of course, without having to carry it all on your person!

Here are some insider tips to money matters for those who will travel in Asia, beyond the metropolises like Singapore and Hong Kong.

Travelers Cheques

Whilst these are the regular staple for travels to Europe, in Asia, they are somewhat less convenient. As a rule of thumb, they are not as widely accepted in Asia (outside of larger cities), as they would be elsewhere in the world.

If you are taking any travelers cheques with you, plan to change these at bigger cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

Of course, the rate you will get for changing travelers cheques will be less than hard cash.

Also, once you are off the beaten track, expect people to look at you as if your are offering them Monopoly Money, when you put your travelers cheques forward.

ATMs/Cash Machines

These are increasingly available across Asia, and now a days have penetrated well beyond the big cities, into second/third tier cities, as well as most of the main Asian holiday resort destinations, such as the Bali Island, Phuket, and Langkawi.

Whilst in bigger cities, you will spot ATMs with ease, at many other destinations you will have to actually go looking for them. In Bali, for example, many cash machines are located at Circle K outlets (convenience store chain), or petrol/gas stations. In other more remote places, you will need to try your luck at the local mini-market and even the chemists!

However, ATMs are by far one of the most convenient ways of accessing cash easily in Asia, without having to carry huge amounts in person.

However, again, similar to travelers cheques, you will have to pay for the convenience/service in an incremental way. Banks and credit card companies will make money from you in two ways.

Firstly, because you are withdrawing at a foreign currency, there are exchange rates involved. For ATM withdrawals you will almost certainly end up getting a poorer exchange rate than if you were changing cash.

The second area of payment, is in the form of foreign currency withdrawal charge that will be imposed on your transaction. Given that this charge is often a flat fee, you are better off making fewer withdrawals of bigger amounts of money, than many withdrawals, each of which resulting in a separate charge.

Money Belts

There is no two ways about it, keeping your cash and valuables in a money belt is a safer way than carrying a big wallet, or a handbag which may be snatched with ease.

However, keep in mind that, unless you are traveling to Beijing or Seoul in the winter, your Asian travels will inevitably take you to hot tropical destinations.

As those who have had to carry money belts in the tropics will attest, they can very quickly become very uncomfortable (and wet!). Also, when at more humid environments, a money belt easily becomes very visible when perspiration sticks your clothing onto your body, or you remove your top for a swim. All of a sudden, what once was a discrete security measure becomes a bill-board advertising that you are carrying valuables on you, in the process pinpointing the location too!

So, as they say, horses-for-courses. You will need to decide on the best method of carrying your valuables depending on the environment. Or even better, if you feel like you are in a high risk situation, it is probably best to leave most of your valuables under the protection of a reputable hotel safety box.

Money Exchange

As a general rule of thumb, you will get a better exchange rate for your money at your Asian destination, than back home, regardless of where you change your money. Of course with the exception of larger international hotels, where the exchange rates on offer match the nightly room rates! So, it is well worth doing your homework before your leave home, and check the prevailing exchange rates for your currency, at some of the bigger banks’ internet sites for your destination(s).

Once you are in Asia, the best and safest way of changing money is to visit one of the local banks. It is worth noting that, in Asia banking office hours will vary substantially from country to country. For example, in Bali, most banks will open at around 9 am, where as in Singapore, some bank branches will not open their doors till 11 am. If your need is time sensitive, it will pay to plan ahead the day before. The good news is, most banks in Asia will accept many different currencies, and often offer fair rates, and provide official receipts. (Of course, some currencies such as the US Dollar, the Euro, and the Japanese Yen, are more readily accepted by more banks than currencies from some other countries.)

If however, you wanted to squeeze a little more from your money, or you have no other choice, you may be tempted to use an Exchange Services/Kiosks, found throughout Asia. Typically, these should offer slightly better rates than banks.

If you are going to use this option, here are a few tips and tricks.

You will probably get a fair rate, and be treated fairly in cities like Singapore, where local laws and enforcement will help protect you.

However, in some other cities/resorts you do need to take care, and be on the guard.

In many countries, most of these exchange kiosks are no more authorised than the handwritten (or nowadays printed) authorization sign they carry!

Some are blatantly unscrupulous, and will successfully short change even the most worldly-wise of travelers.

If you decide to use an exchange kiosk, here are some best practice tips:

Never change money on your own – don’t be alarmed, in most places there is usually no risk involved to the individual, but you are better off with 2-3 pairs of eyes than just your own

Change small amounts at a time – reduces your exposure and their greed!

Agree on the rate, and the amount you are going to change before taking out your money – unless of course you want to see your real $100 bill change into a recently printed fake in front of your very eyes!

Count the money given to you, and then when you are finished – hand it over to your partner to count again. (You should never count at the same time together, as you need that 2nd pair of eyes to observe the transaction

If at any point you are in doubt – just smile and walk-away

In a Nut Shell

1 – Make a Travel Money Strategy before you leave home

2 – Ensure that you have sufficient funds/credit on your cards

3 – Do take some travelers cheques with you, just in case

4 – Take some cash with you, even if a small amount

5 – Decide where and how you want to use you money belt

6 – Do use reputable hotel safes

7 – When exchanging money, try to stick to official banks

8 – If changing money elsewhere, try to make sure there is more than just you overseeing the transaction

9 – Make sure you never loose sight of your money at exchange kiosks

10 – If you feel uncomfortable during a transaction, just smile and walk away

As they say, prevention is better than the cure. If you decide to use these tips, please also observe your environment, and apply common sense. Just don’t forget, in many of the Asian destinations you will be traveling to, what you pay for a hamburger or a Skinny-Late is probably almost equal to someone’s local wage. Always carry the minimum amount of money with you, and apply caution when at remote parts of the developing world.

Having said all this. Asia has been my second home for more than 20 years now, and I have taken many holidays in Asia. May be I have been lucky, but in these 20 years I have had the most wonderful time of my life, and never really been cheated changing money. Well, almost never, there was that time when I was a backpacker when…

Enjoy your Asian holiday.

Many happy returns…

Watch the video related to asia holiday travel

MORE at www.thailandmagic.com and http Kanchanaburi, Thong Pha Phum to Sangkhla Buri and 3 Pagoda Pass Myanmar, along the huge lakes from blocking the River Kwai about 180 km southeast of it’s source and the resulting water built up is the Khao Laem Reservoir. Very beautiful and untouched environment, its worth to go on a exploration trip by hiking, trekking, rafting, boat ride, just name it. Travel agents in Sangkhla Buri, Thong Pha Phum or Kanchanaburi are happy to be your tour operator….

Help answer the question about asia holiday travel

About Author

If you are planning to holiday in Asia with your young family, here are some tips and recommendations to make your Asian holiday that much more enjoyable.

Be it relaxing in heavenly Bali villas, or hiking in Kuta Kinabalu, or enjoying Disney World in Tokyo, Asia offers a huge variety of holiday destinations for those with younger children.

However, as rewarding as it is, traveling with the younger ones in Asia is not always an easy sail.

Here are some insights gained traveling across Asia with children in tow, over the past 10 years.

Getting There and Back

It is more than likely that you will be taking a commercial flight to Asia.

Here is the first word of caution. As far as traveling with the young ones is concerned, not all airlines are created equal. No, I don’t mean the level of service you can expect, as this seems to be of quite a high level whichever Asian based major airline you choose. In our experience, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, and Emirates all offer great service when you are traveling with kids.

However, the big difference comes in how much different carriers choose to charge for the younger ones. Some carriers, for example, charge 10 percent of an adult fare, for infants, traveling on your lap, without a seat. At first, this may sound like a fair deal. However, if you consider the fact that this 10 percent is calculated as a percentage of a -Full Published Adult Fare- price, you may find that you are paying as much for your infant’s air fare, as you are for your own discounted fare! The good news is, not all airlines use this pricing policy, and if you shop around, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars even before you leave home!

Also, do keep in mind, that many airlines will offer special -Child Meals-. Some, such as Singapore Airlines, do also offer different menus for different age groups.

Similarly, for toddlers and older kids, it is worth checking what is on offer in terms of flight entertainment. Some airlines will have dedicated children’s cartoon channels, with a large selection of entertainment options, whilst others may not. If you are traveling long-haul, this alone could make a huge difference to how well your Asian holiday kicks off.

Transportation on the Ground

The quality and safety of ground transportation varies immensely from one Asian Country to the other. However, as a general rule of thumb, do not expect taxis to provide child safety seats, and in many parts of Asia, even rental cars may not have the child safety seat option.

The good news is, across most of Asia, metered taxis are plentiful, and relatively well maintained, with working seat belts. When you are in Singapore, you can expect (or even demand); fully functioning seat belts both at the front and back passenger seats. In other parts of the region, you may find that seat belts have been removed, on purpose, because ‘they get in the way’.

So, if you are adamant that you would like child safety seats whilst holidaying in Asia, you may consider bringing your own, or picking one up, when you land at your destination.

Probably with the exception of Japan, Korea and Taiwan, facilities on local train services are of a variable quality, and unless you are going for gold, and staying on the Palace on Wheels in India, or a special First Class trip between Beijing and Shanghai, you may want to plan well, and take all your essentials on board with you.

Food Matters

Whilst most westerners find Asian food (especially South Asian, or South East Asian food), quite spicy, this is not necessarily an issue when traveling with the younger ones. Most hotels and restaurants will prepare food for the little ones separately, without the spices. Also, if in doubt, plain noodles, or plain rice with some vegetables on the side is always readily available as a good stop gap ration. Depending on how off the beaten track you decide to travel, you are more than likely to find, old favourites such as fish-fingers, chicken nuggets, and hamburgers in most parts of Asia.

One word of caution on the food front is the liberal use of MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) in Asian cooking. This food additive is also used in the west (mostly packaged crisps/chips), and in principle is no more harmful than many of the E numbers we may consume daily. However, in many Asian countries MSG is used very liberally, especially in soups and food with sauces. In China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, to name a few countries, you can expect that your soups and sauces will contain MSG by default. Many parents who live and travel in Asia complain that excessive MSG causes dehydration, lethargy, and mood swings with some younger children (and many adults are also found to be sensitive to excessive MSG). If concerned, request for your food to be prepared without any MSG, or choose MSG-free restaurants, increasingly available across the region.

Bare Necessities

In general, availability and the condition of public toilets in Asia leave much to be desired. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Singapore and Japan for example, typically provide some of the cleanest public conveniences to be found anywhere in the world. Also, in each country, there are certain locations, such as hotels and airports where hygiene standards are going to be at international levels. However, it is good practice to always carry your own tissues, and wet wipes with you when traveling in Asia. Also, to address this problem, in many Asian cities, you can also find special antiseptic wet-wipes, which are very handy when dealing with some of the lesser public conveniences.

It is also worth noting that, restaurants/coffee-shops do not always provide their own toilets for guest use, and more than likely share facilities with other establishments. This is true for even larger malls, and good quality restaurants in hygiene conscious Singapore. So, the old trick of, grabbing an unwanted cup of coffee or a drink at a restaurant, just to be able to use the facilities is not always a solution in Asia.

Similarly, availability of baby changing rooms varies immensely across the region. In Singapore, and Hong Kong for example, changing facilities are readily available in most shopping malls, one almost on each floor. However, when you are off the beaten track, even some good quality hotels may not provide child changing facilities.

Breast Feeding in Public

As a general rule of thumb, if you decided to breast feed in public, regardless of how discrete you are being, expect to be stared at. The good news is, across most of the region, this is no more sinister than surprise and interest on the part of the locals. If in doubt, you may want to retreat to a quiet corner, back of a restaurant, or baby changing facilities.

My Child is a Model!

If your children are under four or five years old, and/or blonde or with naturally curly hair, expect to be approached in parts of Asia by total strangers wanting to take photos of your child!

Again, there is nothing sinister about this request. They just want to capture the -cute factor- and share this amazing image with their friends and families.

You will typically be approached by Japanese, Korean, and Chinese ladies, who will want to pose with your child, and take each other’s photos. However, there seems to be no age or gender limit to this interest, over the years, our little ones have been photographed by business people in suits, restaurant chefs, and the odd octogenarian in small villages.

Asia’s Love for Children

One thing is for sure. Wherever you go to in Asia with your young family, you will find the locals ever helpful and highly interactive with your little ones. Asian’s love children, they love their own children, and also the children of foreign tourists.

My advice is, make the most of this, and allow your children to interact with the local population, be it your villa team at your rental Bali villa, or a chef in a Chinese restaurant, or the old lady selling flower garlands outside a temple in Thailand!

Most important of all, don’t feel like you have to wait till the kids are older before you can visit Asia. Have a go; both you and the children will love this colourful part of the world.

Enjoy your Asian holiday.

Many happy returns…

Watch the video related to asia holiday travel

MORE at www.thailandmagic.com and http Kanchanaburi province is sugarcane, mountain forest and reservoir county, a excellent blend for non beach comber tourists. The most famous in the whole province is by far the – Bridge over the River Kwai which draws every year hundreds of busloads of tourist from all over the world into Kanchanaburi town. But the real “show” goes on in the rugged mountains from Kanchanaburi town towards the 3 pagoda pass at the border with Myanmar or Burma. It’s a …

Help answer the question about asia holiday travel

About Author

Malaysian Tourism Board promotes the country as Truly Asia. The fascinating fusions of tradition and modernity, Malaysian cities’ have unique multi-cultural heritage, cuisine, arts and architecture make them ideal cosmopolitan getaways. Malaysia’s mix background of Chinese, Malay, Indian and colonial heritages constantly amaze western travelers with the cultural richness and harmony, knitting a truly Asian spectrum of variety on sights and sounds.

Kuala Lumpur City Center

Travel to Kuala Lumpur city and you will be awestruck by the ultra-modern Petronas Twin Towers at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). The Petronas Twin Towers are 452 meters tall, contain 88 stories, & are the world’s tallest twin structures.

Situated on the previous site of the Royal Turf Club in the heart of the capital city, the Kuala Lumpur City Centre is truly a spectacular Architectural sight. Here, the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest twin structures, soars to a dizzying height of 452 metres. Cesar_Pelli was the Architect of this masterpiece. Inspired by the Five Pillars of Islam, this gleaming mega-structure was designed by the Argentinian-American architect in earlies 90s. Below the towers, lies a beautifully landscaped fountain park designed by prominent Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. KLCC is also home to the world-class Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Suria Shopping Centre and Petronas Philharmonic Hall.

Kuala Lumpur Railway station

Take a short taxi ride from KLCC and let yourself be charmed by the classic Moorish-style of the old Railway station. Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is located at Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It is a very beautiful building. It has a Moorish-style which was designed by architect A.B Hubbock. Built in 1910, the building is about 80 years old. I am sure it is built long before you and me were here. In 1986, the station went under extensive renovations, upgraded to have air-conditioned waiting hall, snack kiosks, tourism information booth and many more. In the past, it used be very quiet but since the city commuter service started, it is a very busy station now. All the Intercity train services do not stop here anymore because there is a new railway station opened called KL Sentral, less than 1KM away from the old railway station.

Shopping Extravaganza

Shop in some of world’s most luxurious malls at Kuala Lumpur shopping precincts like Bukit Bintang, Damansara Utama, Ampang, Mid valley, Subang Jaya, Sunway City, etc.

Every year, Malaysia has six weeks of great shopping promotions, bargains and discounts of up to 70% on a wide range of products and services at all major shopping precincts, malls and retail outlets nationwide. Check on www.tourism.gov.my for the yearly Malaysia Megasale calendar periods.

Be part of the festivities when you drop-in at your favorite malls and enjoy fantastic prizes as you take part in the fun contests and activities lined-up for you and your family. Get instant redemption and gifts when you charge with Master Card and be in the running to win your dream holiday at Malaysia’s premier resort destination, The Four Seasons, Langkawi.

Know that your shopping experience doesn’t stop at the malls. Do check out the countless bargains and offers from hotels, travel agents, entertainment outlets, spas and restaurants around town. With the whole of Malaysia celebrating this major sale event, you and your family can shop to your hearts’ content and have a great fun time chilling out too.

Malaysian Nightlife

Experience a bargain with a trader in a bustling night market. Whether you sample a succulent stick of satay at a roadside hawker stall or spicy chilli crab at a Chinese restaurant, you will revel in the many alluring attractions. The Night Market is a nice place to visit as the atmosphere at nightfall always makes for a different experience. Here, you will get a chance to dine al fresco under the stars and moon. There are food stalls set up near the main bus terminal. These stalls are open from 6pm onwards till about midnight, serving up some truly delicious dishes. This is your chance to enjoy good Malaysian food, the Malaysian way!

Watch the video related to premier holiday travel

environment of seclusion, comfort and intimacy with attentive yet unobtrusive service – our staff continually strive to exceed guests expectations. Whether its a romantic weekend for two, a business retreat or sales trip, or even a longer trip for the whole family, Chateau Marlborough will cater to your every need with a breakfast restaurant, full conference facilities, house bar and swimming pool. … Wellsford “Wellsford New Zealand” “Accommodation Wellsford” “Hotel Wellsford” “Hotels …

Help answer the question about premier holiday travel

About Author

Subert writes for travel sites Asia Travel , Royal Caribbean Cruiselines. Reprint this article by keeping the above links in place.