Before
you travel
ISIC
Anyone in full-time education Is entitled to an International
Student Identity Care (ISIC).These are issued by student
travel offices and travel agencies across the world and
offer special rates on all forms of transport and other
concessions and services The ISIC head office is: ISIC
Association, Box 9048, 1000 Copenhagen, Denmark T45-33939303.
Customs
Duty-free allowance 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g
of tobacco and one litre of liquor or wine. Cameras, watches,
pens, lighters, cosmetics, perfumes, portable radio/cassette
players are also duty-free in Malaysia. Visitors bringing
in dutiable goods such as video equipment may have to
pay a refundable deposit for temporary, importation. It
is advisable to carry receipt of purchases to avoid this
problem.
Export
restrictions Export permits are required for
arms, ammunition, explosives animals and plants, gold,
platinum, precious stones and jewellery (except reasonable
personal effects), poisons, drugs, motor vehicles. Unlike
Singapore, export permits are also required for antiques
(from the Director General of Museums, Muzium Negara Kuala
Lumpur).
Vaccinations
A certificate of vaccination for yellow fever is necessary
for those coming from endemic zones except for children
under one year of age.
What
to take
Travellers usually take too much. Almost everything is
available in the main towns and cities -and often at a
lower price than in the West. Remoter areas are inevitably
less well supplied.
Suitcases are not appropriate if you are intending to
travel overland by bus A backpack, or even better a travel
pack {where the straps can be zipped out of sight) recommended.
Travel packs have the advantage of being hybrid backpacks-suitcase
they can be carried on the back for easy porterage, but
they can also be taken into hotels without the owner being
labelled a 'hippy: NB For serious hikers, a backpack with
an internal frame is stiff by far the best option for
longer treks.
In terms of clothing, dress in Southeast Asia is relatively
casual - even at formal functions. Suits are not necessary
except in a few of the most expensive restaurant However,
although formal attire may be the exception, dressing
tidily is the norm. Women particularly should note that
in many areas of Malaysia and Brunei, the should avoid
offending Muslim sensibilities and dress 'demurely (ie
keep shoulders covered and wear below-knee skirts or trousers).
This is particularly true on the east coast of the Peninsula,
especially in Kelantan, but does not generally apply in
most beach resorts.
There is a tendency, rather than to take inappropriate
articles of clothing, to ta. - too many of the same article.
Laundry services are cheap, and the turn-around rapid.
Checklist
Bumbag, earplugs, first aid kit, insect repellent and/or
electric mosquito mats, coils, international driving licence,
passports (valid for at least 6 month photocopies of essential
documents, short-wave radio, spare passport photographs
sun protection, sunglasses, Swiss Army knife, torch, umbrella,
wet wipes, zip-lock bags.
Those intending to stay in budget accommodation might
also include: cotton sheet sleeping bag, money belt, padlock
(for hotel room and pack),soap, student car toilet paper,
towel, travel wash.
For women travellers: a supply of tampons (although these
are available in most towns), a wedding ring for single
female travellers who might want to help ward off the
attentions of amorous admirers.
Unlike Indonesia and Thailand, camping grounds do exist
pretty widely in Malays - both in Peninsular Malaysia
and in Sabah and Sarawak. lf intending to camp, then the
usual equipment is necessary. a tent, stave, cooking utensils,
sleeping bag etc
links
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