The places of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are both more modern and very interesting. There are tourists in Vietnam but not in Thai and the Philippine Nationals. There are tourists that are going to need a Visa before they are allowed in the country. For their health, Malaria is one of the things to worry about in Vietnam. It is best to take some type of mosquito repellent with you when you go.



The Chinese have the prices set for everybody for the major attractions so you do not get special tourist prices, and a lot of the prices are written down for you to see in places that you might not expect like hotels. The temples and the tourist spots have many Chinese there visiting them, and they are as interested in you as they are the cultural attraction.

Any of the markets will offered many things to sniff taste and play with. I bought some magnets that were providing hours of fun for a couple of dollars, only to have them taken away when I went to get on the plane to come home, a major bummer for me. I also bought a coffee cup that changes scenes when you put hot liquids into it.

Everything emanates from the center of town which in Beijing is The Forbidden City. Surprisingly taxis were expensive, and the buses a little hard to understand, but the metro is a breeze to use and cheap at only 3 Yuan a trip. Using only the metro does limit you a bit when you go out to the outer rings, but in the city center it will get you everywhere.

Malaysia tour is going to be nice and cool. You will want to find this beautiful city and all that it has to offer. You will find that there are so many great items to see here. You will want to take in the region and the all of the religion that is practiced there. There are great churches and mosques that are going to be there as well.

Every place is going to have its own money and you will need to figure out what you are going to use there. You need to make sure that you have your money changed at a local financial institution. There are hotels that sometimes offer money changing but it is going to be at a lower rate.

The sight of new and different items on display and the excitement of open air markets and colorful shops make shopping in Asia a unique and fun experience. Not only will you see goods that are different and hard to come by in the west, but you'll find prices much different than those you're accustomed to, and different from prices seen when traveling to other regions, like Europe.

In China, clothing costs about four or five times less than in European countries. However, the sizing system is much different than in the U.S. A woman who wears a size medium in the United States will find herself browsing the extra large section of the department store. It is wise to try everything on to make sure it fits before buying, and carefully consider the size of any clothing item you plan to purchase as a gift for someone else.

In India clothing can be had for about half the price that it would cost in European stores, if you know where to shop. For example, on Mumbai's Fashion Street, surplus from the city's clothing factories can scooped up at bargain prices.

Naturally, Asian goods of all kinds are considerably cheaper in Asian countries than in Europe. For example, Chinese chops, which are name stamps usually used with red ink, can be found in many shops catering to tourists for about $5. The purchaser's name is normally carved into the chop at the store. The same item would cost around $40 outside of China.

Beautiful and unique jewelry can be purchased in Asia for bargain prices. Because of India's strong diamond industry, diamond rings and earrings can be bought for less than half of what they would cost in Europe. For pearls, you would pay about five times more in Europe than in China for a strand of similar size and quality.

Remember that the prices listed above are guidelines. Prices will vary from shop to shop - expect to pay more at the store in the hotel lobby than the one tucked away on a side street. Also, in most Asian countries it is customary to bargain over prices and your skill at bargaining will determine the price you ultimately pay for your purchases.

You will also find that horseback riding is not only something that you can do in hopes to enjoy a great afternoon, but you can see a lot of things in the natural beauty of Mongolia that you could only see on horseback. For those who have a love of horses, you will find that Asia has plenty to offer to you, and you don't have to particularly go to Mongolia, however, it is beautiful on horseback.

For those who are experienced riders, you will find that the opportunity to ride a horse in another country is something that may come out of a fairy tale. If you do even up going overseas, it is very rare that you would think about horseback riding, however, it is the ultimate adventure vacation.