Openmind Projects Travel, Visa and Health Information for volunteers and travelers to Asia
Find answers to many of the questions volunteers have before traveling. About visa, traveling, flights, health, what to bring, where and more!
For maps go to http://maps.google.com/.
Check the volunteer ID card , http://www.volunteeridcard.com/, which provides discounts and other benefits for volunteers.
Below you find information about
1. Visa to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal
2. Prepare before you travel
3. What to bring or buy in country
3. How to get to Thailand
4. What to do in Bangkok
5. How to go to our Training Center and Northeast Thailand
6. How to go to South and East Thailand
7. How to go to Cambodia
8. How to go to Nepal
10. Travel in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia
11. Where you stay
12. Travel to placements
13. Health
14. Dress Code for volunteers
15. If you want help with flights, reservations, pick up service and more
Visa to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal
[Note: visa requirements are subject to change at any time. The following information is accurate at the time we put this sheet together but you should check the relevant links to ensure there have been no changes since then.]
Thailand
Most nationalities do not require any visa for stays of up to 30 days. After the first 30 days, many volunteers cross the border to Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia or Burma to get another 15 days permission to stay in Thailand if the go back by land or 30 days if the fly back. Tourist visas permit stays of up to 60 days obtainable from Thai embassies and consulates. For full details, contact your nearest Thai embassy or consulate. Overstaying a couple of days is not a problem but there is a 500 Baht fine per day overstayed. Openmind Projects can help you with a special invitation letter for your visa application if you stay for a longer period.
Link http://thailandvisa.com.
Laos
You need a visa to enter Laos. International travelers usually apply for a tourist visa, which permits stays of up to one month and can be applied for at Lao embassies and consulates. [Note: Laos has only 24 embassies worldwide, all in major countries. There is none in the UK; the nearest one is in Paris.] Most volunteers obtain a “visa on arrival” at the border crossing in Nong Khai. You can also get one at the Vientiane or Luang Prabang airports. The visa costs USD 30 or 1500 Baht. The placement in Laos can help volunteers to prolong their visa.
Cambodia
Visas are available on arrival for almost all nationalities. A tourist visa, which costs USD 20, is valid for 30 days, and can be extended only once for USD 30). There is a tourist E-Visa that you apply for online from the Cambodian Immigration Department(http://www.immigration.gov.kh/). It costs USD 25 and takes 3 days to process. It’s good for 30 days and can be extended for 30 days (USD 25). Applied for extensions at the Department of Immigration opposite the Phnom Penh Airport. Processing usually takes 2 business days.
Nepal
You need a visa to enter Nepal. Participants who choose to get their tourist visa at the airport in Kathmandu will find forms in the middle of a large room that you enter upon arrival. You will fill out that form and proceed to an often long, somewhat slow line. The cost is USD 30. When you pay, it must be in cash. Carry small denominations of USD 5, 10, 20.
Fill in the visa form; give it and two passport size picture, passport and USD 30 for one month to the official. You can pay for five months and obtain up to a five months tourist visa at the Kathmandu airport and most border crossings. The visa costs USD 30 per month. For full details, contact your nearest Nepal embassy or Department of Immigration(http://www.immi.gov.np/). International volunteers normally travel with a tourist visa. The placement in Nepal can help you to prolong your visa.
Prepare before Travel to Asia
Read our online Pre Departure Handbook that you get once you confirmed to come.
We can help you find cheap air travel to Asia once you have decided to go.
Vaccinations and medicines
Ask your doctor and travel agent for advice but do also check the Internet. Many governments provide useful information there. See our ‘Links’ page too. Some of our volunteers have paid more for their vaccinations and medicines than for their ticket to Thailand! Most medicines can be bought in Thailand at lower prices than in Europe or North America. Doctor’s fees are also lower, so you might save money by only taking the medicines that need to be taken in advance, in your home country.
See also appendix below under Health.
Make a copy of your important documents
• Passport
• Visa
• Tickets
• Insurance
• Credit/Bankcard
• Leave a set with your family at home and bring one with you
Insurance
You must have a travel insurance that covers accidents and medical treatment. Ask your insurance company or travel agency. We can help you too.
If you pay for your ticket with a credit card it normally includes travel insurance. Ask your travel agency or credit card company. Bring your insurance policy/certificate and leave a copy at home!
What to bring or buy in country
1. Please bring your own towel and bed sheets (and maybe a sleeping bag during the cool season: Nov.–Feb.).
2. Appropriate clothes for your volunteer work. Shirt, blouse with collar, long trousers, skirt below the knees and shoes, not flip flops for office and school work.
3. Bank/Credit card that you can use in ATMs/Bancomats. Bring two, in case one does not work.
4. Your travel insurance policy/certificate. Important.
5. Your laptop, if you have one. Can be useful to prepare work and lessons.
6. Your mobile/cell phone. You can buy a local SIM card on arrival. [Note: many American cell phones, e.g., Verizon, do not use SIM cards; check with your company for international charges or consider buying a used one in Thailand for around USD 30.]
7. Brochures about your country, family (students and local people are very curious!), games or learning CD-ROM’s and kits.
8. A Thai, Lao, Khmer, Nepali/English Dictionary.
How to get to Thailand
We can help you find cheap air travel to Thailand once you have decided to go. A large number of airlines fly to Bangkok or Phuket. Many airlines offer discounts. You can contact several travel agencies and surf the Internet! Here are some links:
www.info-seek.co.uk/thailand, www.statravel.com/, www.costjet.com, www.smartfares.com, www.getmore4less.co.uk/thailand, www.MonsterMarketplace.com, www.intrepidtravel.com
What to do in Bangkok
If you want to make a stopover in Bangkok before going to your placement you can try the
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guesthouse in the Khaosan area (8, Soi Chanasongkarm, Pra Arthit Rd.) Tell the taxi driver to go there by way of Pra Arthit Road. Tel 02 629 4378, Fax 02 629 0046. Room rates from 180 (simple singles with fan), 200. 250, 350 to 700 Baht (suite with balcony and bathroom). Or try Suk 11: http://www.suk11.com/about_us.html in the Sukhumvit area (check website) but there are many other guesthouses too! (Many guesthouses don’t accept email bookings though.)
If you don’t know what to do when in Bangkok, take an express boat up and down the Chao Phraya River and stop by markets, temples and restaurants along the river! Nice and cheap and you can easily spend half a day or more like that, better than traffic jams! There are boat stops close to Khaosan road. Avoid private boat trips: they are expensive! SE Asian food is conquering the world! People enjoy eating and cooking, an important social part of culture. Eating locally is very cheap. You can have lunch/dinner in a local place or on the street for 0.5 – 2 USD/Euros. Tell them not spicy (mai pet), or else you will spend more money on drinks!
How to get to Nong Khai, Northeast Thailand
By Train
Take the train to Nong Khai from Bangkok, night or daytime. The train to Nong Khai is the Northeastern line and you need to go to the very last station, Nong Khai. It takes about 10 hours. Buy a ticket at the train station a day in advance if you want A/C, seat or bed. It costs about 700 Baht one-way.
Trains for Nong Khai leave from Hua Lampong train station in central Bangkok. Two trains depart Bangkok every evening at around seven o'clock and another at 8:20 in the morning. A link to Thai trains: http://www.traveller2000.com/train/, where tickets can also be booked in advance online.
By Bus
Take a day or night A/C bus from the Mochit Bus Station or from the Khaosan Rd. Make a reservation at any travel agency or at your guesthouse. They can normally pick you up at your guesthouse. Prices vary between 350 - 600 Baht, one way, about 8 hours. There are several bus companies driving daily from Bangkok to Nong Khai. Many buses leave in the evening and arrive in Nong Khai early in the morning.
By Air
You can fly to Udon Thani from Bangkok, a one-hour flight. Then take a bus or limousine from the airport to Nong Khai, 45 minutes, 200 Baht. There are several daily flights from Bangkok to Udon Thani. You can fly Thai Air, Air Asia or Nok Air. You can book a flight online.
How to get to Krabi, South Thailand
By Bus
Buy a ticket at the bus station in advance in Bangkok at the Southern Bus station (SaiTai bus station) or from Khaosan Rd. Make a reservation at any travel agency or at your guesthouse. They can normally pick you up at your guesthouse. Many buses leave Bangkok in the evening: prices vary between 500-815 baht (VIP A/C bus, quite comfortable). You should take a bus going from Bangkok to Krabi town.
By Air
You can fly to Phuket or Krabi from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport, about 90 minutes. Many flights per day with several airlines; Phuket Air, Thai Air, Air Asia, Nok Air. Several offer discount fares, 1300 – 2700 Baht one way.
How to get to East Thailand
Bus from Bangkok
Take a bus from Bangkok’s Eastern Terminal to Trat (Ekamai): buses depart almost every hour throughout the day. The journey takes 5 and 1/2 hours. The fare is around 230 Baht. Minibuses to Trat town or directly to the ferry points also leave frequently from Khao San Road in Bangkok. They are usually faster but more expensive.
By Air
Bangkok Airways (Tel. 0 2265 5678) flies from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport to Trat and runs daily services twice a day, departing from Bangkok at 08:30 and 16:10, and leaving Trat at 09:50 and 17:30 Their website is http://www.bangkokair.com. From Trat airport, limousine transfer to Koh Chang is available at 200-250 Baht per trip.
Trat to Koh Chang
From Trat you can continue by sawng thaeo/shared taxi to Laem Ngop or the ferry landings at Ao Thammachat and Koh Chang Centre Point, where services are operated daily. The distance from Trat to Laem Ngop is about 17 kilometres. An air-con bus runs from Ekamai bus station in Bangkok to Centre point ferry for Koh Chang, which takes about 4½ hours departing every day at 7.45 and 9.45. All bus fares are around 200/240 Baht.
Boats usually leave from Laem Ngop Koh Chang Ferry, Ao Thammachat and Centre Point to Ao Sapparot and Centre Point on Koh Chang every hour from 7.00 a.m.to 6 p.m. The ferry trip takes 30/45 minutes and the fare is around 50 Baht per person/pedestrian. Visitors can continue to Bang Bao by shared taxi for not more than 100/150 Baht per person. Taxi fares should be settled beforehand.
Laos
We can help you find cheap air travel to Laos once you have decided to go.
How to get to Vientiane and Phou Khao Khouai, Ban Na, Laos
Take a tuk tuk to the Friendship Bridge border in Nong Khai then a taxi to Vientiane in Laos
Or by bus from Nong Khai
Take a bus from Nong Khai bus station, near Openmind Projects, to Vientiane in Laos: buses depart regularly. The journey takes about one hour. Take a bus from Vientiane bus station at Thalat Sao, the Morning Market, to Ban Na, Road 13: buses depart regularly. The journey takes about one and a half hour. Stop at the road leading to Ban Na, about 3 km.
Openmind Projects staff often accompanies new volunteers going to Ban Na.
Cambodia
By Bus
From Nong Khai, Thailand. Take a bus to Khorat, Nakorn Ratchasima, (6 hrs), and then switch to a bus for Aranyaphratet (4 hrs). Take a tuk-tuk to the border and walk across to Cambodia. Once across, take a shared taxi to Battambang (2 hrs). The price could be anywhere from 6 dollars to 20, depending on how many people you want to share with. Bus from Bangkok. You can take a direct bus to the Aranyapratet-Poipet border and also get a shared taxi.
By Air
We can help you find cheap air travel to Cambodia once you have decided to go.
From Bangkok, Thailand. You can fly from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport to Phnom Penh, the cheapest airline usually being Air Asia. The flight is one hour. Then take a bus to Battambang (5 hrs.) costing USD 5-7. You can also fly to Siem Reap with Bangkok Air, but this is more expensive, and it still takes 2½ to 3 hours by shared taxi to Battambang.
From Vientiane, Laos (across the river from Nong Khai).You can also fly from Vientiane, Laos to Siem Reap which may be convenient after having participated in the Cross Cultural and Volunteer Training in Nong Khai. Cross the border and go to Vientiane, stay at a guesthouse overnight and catch the early morning flight to Pakse/Siem Reap. Once there, take a shared taxi to Battambang (3-4 hrs, bad road). The price could be anywhere from 10 dollars to 50, depending on how many people you share with. Openmind Projects staff may sometimes accompany you from the training in Nong Khai to Battambang.
Nepal
From India by bus or train
By Bus
Take a bus from Indian cities like Delhi, Banaras and other cities up to the India - Nepal border and then cross the Nepali border at Birganj, Bhairahawa or other crossings by local transport.
By Train
Or you can go from Indian cities to the India - Nepal border by train and then switch to local transport to cross the Nepal border. Once across, you can get a visa on arrival. Take a bus for Kathmandu 8 hrs. Please change your money in NC Rupees at the Nepal border.
From Overseas
By Air
We can help you find cheap air travel to Nepal once you have decided to go.
You can fly from Bangkok, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Doha, London, Singapore and many other international cities to Kathmandu directly. You can get a visa on arrival. From Kathmandu airport you can get a taxi to come to your stay, 30 minutes drive costing 10-15 dollars or NCRs 650 to 950.
Travel in Thailand, SE Asia
Several Thai airlines have flights linking most major towns with Bangkok. Some airlines have flights linking major towns in Cambodia and Laos with Thailand. A one-way flight from Bangkok to Udon Thani, close to Nong Khai, is 1000 - 2500 Baht, Euro 25 - 40, the same as to Phuket.
Inexpensive ground transportation is comprehensive Thailand, less so in Cambodia, Laos, and Nepal.
There are convenient connections to all over Thailand, to Laos, Cambodia and Nepal. Bangkok to Nong Khai one way, bus or train, A/C, costs about 10 Euros.
Do not expect buses or trains in SE Asia to be punctual!
Thai Taxi Fares from Bangkok/Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to, in Baht: Nong Khai 7000, Krabi 10 000, Phuket 9500, Hua Hin 2600, Pattaya 1500, Chiang Mai 7300
Travel to placements
Transportation to placements varies according to location.
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For Northeast Thailand/Isan teachers often pick up volunteers from the OMP center in Nong Khai. For placements in Nong Khai town a staff member usually goes along with the volunteer to the placement.
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For South Thailand our South Thailand manager meets volunteers in Krabi and usually takes them to their placement.
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For Laos, a Lao staff member normally goes along to the placement
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For Mae Sot volunteers are met by a local representative in Mae Sot who takes them to the placement.
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For Cambodia a local placement host meets the volunteers at an agreed place in Battambang or Siem Reap and takes them to the placement. Sometimes our Cambodian staff member in Nong Khai goes along.
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For placements in Nepal, our Nepalese representative meets volunteers at the airport in Kathmandu and introduces or helps them arrange travel to the placement
Daily travel to a placement
The local host, placement representative arranges with the volunteer the method of daily transportation from their local accommodation to the placement. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to get to the placement daily on their own unless otherwise agreed. Sometimes teachers agree to pick up volunteers daily to take them to the placement
Health Information
Food and waterborne diseases are the number one cause of illness of travelers. Diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites that can contaminate food or water. Make sure your food and drinking water are safe. Malaria occurs only in certain regions. Dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis are diseases carried by insects that also occur in this region. Protecting yourself against insect bites will help to prevent these diseases and general irritation too. There is no risk for yellow fever in Southeast Asia.
Here are some good links about health and vaccinations:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/travel/
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/
http://www.vh.org/
See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. The following vaccines are often recommended by doctors and governments in Europe and America:
· Hepatitis A
· Hepatitis B
· Japanese encephalitis if you plan to visit rural areas for 4 weeks or more
· Rabies, if you will be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation
· Typhoid vaccination, according to some doctors
· If you will visit an area where there is risk for malaria (such as the Phu Khao Khouai Mountains in Laos) take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel as directed
· If necessary, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles, and a one-time dose of polio for adults
· Please note that most medicines can be bought in Thailand at lower prices than in Europe or America and doctor’s fees are lower!
To stay healthy
· Wash hands often.
· Use a mosquito repellent.
· Sleep with a fan (to blow mosquitoes away) or with a bed net.
· Drink bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water and fountain drinks.
· Eat only cooked meat.
· Don’t handle animals (especially monkeys, dogs, and cats) to avoid bites, lice, fleas, and serious diseases.
What you might need and can buy in Thailand
· Long-sleeved shirts, long pants
· Insect repellent
· Bed net
· Over-the-counter ant diarrheal medicine
· Sun block, sunglasses, hat.
Dress Code for Volunteers
Asian dress codes are formal, not casual. It is important for volunteers to dress properly, not as tourists, for work at schools and other office work. Avoid backpacker dressing! Appearance is very important in Asian societies.
Asians are very modest about nudity and revealing clothes. For many the image of Western women— usually from Western media—is one of promiscuity. Female volunteers need to consider this to avoid problems, especially night time when going out.In the villages especially, women should wear tops that cover their shoulders and avoid too-short shorts or dresses. See-through fabrics will also raise eyebrows. Dressing appropriately is an important sign of respect; dressing inappropriately will be offensive. Dress codes in schools and offices are strict: blouses, shirts with collars, long trousers, proper shoes (no flip flops), and skirts below the knee.Eco volunteers going trekking need appropriate clothes and shoes for those purposes. Please ask us since eco projects vary from the sea to the mountains.
Hygiene
Asian people shower regularly, often several times a day. It is important to be clean and avoid body smell! Appearance is very important in Asian societies.
Help with flights, pick up at airport, transfers, other services
Send the following information to our travel agent This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Name, email, and telephone number of traveler/s
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Where you will travel from
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Travel to where
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Preferred date/s of departure
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Preferred date/s of return
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How you want to pay
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If you want travel insurance
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If you want a Bangkok (other city) Airport hotel reservation due to late arrival or early departure.
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If you want to be picked up at the Bangkok airport to your hotel. If you want to be picked up at Udon Thani airport to go to our Training Center in Nong Khai. If you want other special service requests:seat reservation (aisle or window preferred), special meal (vegetarian / seafood / diabetic, other requests).
Openmind Projects Travel, Visa and Health Information for volunteers and travelers to Asia