Travel Guide Vietnam Cambodia Laos Myanmar

Vietnamese, Vietnam's official language, is a tonal language. With each syllable, there are normally six different tones that can be used, which changes the meaning. This often makes it difficult for foreigners to pick up the language. 

After many years of warfare, peace finally came to Laos in 1975 along with the other Indochinese neighbors: Vietnam and Cambodia. The Lao government took total control of the country in 1975 when the economy was in a bankrupt state. Between 1975 – 1979, the Lao government implemented accelerated socialization policy which nationalized all important economic sectors and collectivized agriculture. The country took a change for the worse: crumbling public infrastructure, lack of food and consumer goods, higher rate in infant mortality and shorter life expectancy. The worsening conditions pushed the Lao government to stop accelerating the socialization policy and turned to consolidating existing state-owned businesses while stopping the expansion of socialization and collectivization. Also in 1979, the Lao government implemented a new policy changes which allow a free-floating currency and free commodity pricing which helped to bring the economy gradually to a more stable state.

According to the 2006 estimate, Laos has a population of  6,368,481 people with an annual growth rate of 2.39%. Life expectancy of the total population is 55.5 years and infant mortality is high at 83 deaths per 1000 live births. On average, a woman has 4.68 children. Laos is a multi-ethnic society of which over 60% follows Buddhism. The literacy rate is high at 66.4%.

Used to be known in the past as Lan Xang (Land of a Million Elephants), Laos is a landlocked and the most mysterious of the former French occupied land.

Below are some helpful guides to Lao culture, traditions and culture traits which may be of use especially to the independent travelers.

The currency in Laos is the Kip (LAK) which comes in 5,000, 2,000, 1,000, 500, 100 and 50 Kip denominations. In most travel destinations, with the exception of the remote or mountainous areas, Thai Bahts and US Dollars are also accepted widely. For items of higher prices such as room rates at luxury hotels, food at first class restaurants, deluxe tour packages...the prices are normally quoted in US Dollars.

Vietnam National Parks include a collection of national parks, nature reserves in Vietnam, of which many have been inscribed to the lists of World Heritage Sites, Ramsar Sites and Global Bio Sphere Reserves by the UNESCO.

Below you can find brief information regarding passport and visa for Cambodia and how to apply an entry visa for the country.

A guide to passport and visa for Laos: All visitors and travellers to Laos must possess a passport with validity of at least 6 months after entry and an appropriate visa, except for those who come from a country which has bi-lateral agreements with Laos on visa exemption.

The first census on Cambodia's people and population was carried out in 1998 finding that the Cambodia's population was 11.4 million and annual growth rate was 2.8%. The capital city of Phnom Penh was home to 1.2 million people and other populous areas included Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, Battambang, Takeo, Kompong Cham and Kompong Thom.

This article contains travel guide and tourism information as to post and telecommunications in Cambodia, to to send posts from Cambodia overseas, how is internet access in Cambodia.

Below you can find a travel guide to post and communications in Laos, internet access in Laos, making a phone call in Laos, sending a post card in Laos.

Postage in Vietnam is fairly inexpensive and reliable. There are tens of companies servicing postal service within Vietnam and between Vietnam and other countries such as VNPT, EMS, Saigon Post, DHL, FedEx...to name a few.

Thearavada Buddhism is practiced by 95 percent of the population and is recognized in the constitution as the state religion. Besides, Christianity is small, but is growing in urban areas like Phnom Penh. Muslim is practised among the Cham people. Taoism and Confusianism are practiced among the Chinese people.  In the mountains, animism is dominant among the hill tribes.

Theravada Buddhism is followed by 60% of Lao population and it's the most popular religion in the country. King Fa Ngum, the first king of Lan Xang Kingdom, declared Theravada Buddhism the state religion in the 13th century. Others following kings were active patrons of Buddhism building more wats, teaching the religion in schools...

Traditionally and ultimately the Vietnamese practice ancestor worshipping. This still plays the most important part of the Vietnamese spiritual life. This tradition actually helps make the spiritual life and religious life in Vietnam very characteristic and colorful. Besides the Vietnamese also practice the worshiping of the Mother of the Land.

There are many shops in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap selling a wide range of shopping items ranging from traditional Khmer handicrafts to high quality arts and exquisite antiques. The Central Market, Tuol Tom Pong Market and the Old Market are among the best places for shopping. It's expected to haggle when shopping in Cambodia, but the Khmers are very reasonable when pricing, so don't haggle too hard.

Shopping in Laos is getting better and better along with the increase in the  number of travelers visiting the country year over year. The traditional products get better and better to meet the requirements of the discerning traveller-shoppers.

Below is a brief guide to Cambodia state and law, the Cambodian government

Vietnam political system started in 1945 after Ho Chi Minh declared independence from the French and the Japanese. The interim government quickly formed right after the declaration of indepence to take charge of the administrative work.