- Personal
medication - Note: If you are allergic to bee stings, you are
likely allergic to jellyfish stings also. Bring your own EpiPen® (A
self-injectable dose of Epinephrine).
- Personal hygiene items such as soap, shampoo, insect repellant, etc.
- Sunscreen or sunblock (SPF15 or greater). Zinc sunblock
is recommended for sensitive skin. There is excellent information
on sunscreen in this REI
article.
- Lip balm (protector/moisturizer/sunblock)
- Rainwear and/or 'warm-when-wet' types of clothing such
as some of the new synthetic cloths. December through March is usually
very dry. El Nino can change that, but not much.
- Light weight, light colored hat. Throw an extra hat
in too.
- Sunglasses and safety strap. An extra pair of sunglasses
is a good idea.
- A small waterproof flashlight.
- Water shoes (wetsuit booties are a bit too hot)
- An extra pair of sandals (Dave learned this the hard way
when he had to wear a pair of undersized light purple shoes for a
whole week in Laos on one trip... they were the only pair in Vientiane
close to his required size 13)
- If you're coming on one
of our hiking or mountain climbing trips, you'll need a pair of sturdy
hiking boots with lugged soles.
- Lightweight gloves with non-slip gripping surface if you
have tender hands. This is also a good idea of you have sun-sensitive
skin. A sunburn on the back of your hands is not pleasant.
- Lightweight, light-colored, long-sleeve shirt if you are
sensitive to the sun. Wearing protection against the sun during the
midday hours is a good idea for anyone coming to an Asian country.
- If you bring a non-waterproof camera, you may wish
to bring your own pre-tested watertight container. We provide
a quality dry bag for each person, but in a humid climate, moisture
can sometimes be sealed in along with the camera. Bring a hand towel
or small towel to wrap your camera while in the dry bag. It's
good padding and it's helpful in case you've got sweaty or wet hands.
- Plenty of film and batteries.
- Binoculars (a 'must' for a Khao Sok trip). We have
dry bags for your camera and binoculars.
- Bring your own towel. Some of the
other bungalow operations have synthetic towels that just seem to
smear the water around. The bungalows at Khao Sok DO
NOT have towels. Bring your own.
- You only need a small amount of money for incidentals, personal
items, tips, etc. 
- If you are a light sleeper,
you might want to bring some ear plugs. Frogs and other night sounds
can get pretty loud.
- Your personal paddle if you wish
- Tarutao, Khao Sok, Trang
- bring about 10 feet of light string to make a clothes line.
Bring a few clothes pins too.
- Jewelry and make-up are not necessary. If you don't bring
it, you can't loose it
- A small
battery-operated fan will increase your comfort
level immensely. Some of the bungalows have fans, but they are often
on generator power. They sometimes shut them off either in the
middle of the night or early in the morning.
Naturally we respect Thai and Lao cultural values. Remember, we
will be going to areas that see few Western tourists. This means the
local people can be easily offended by scantily dressed Westerners.
It is particularly important that women realize in Muslim areas, it
is very important not to appear in bikinis or other clothing that
people of more traditional cultures would consider provocative or
offensive. In other words, you won't be able to wear your bikini around
the fishing villages. A pair of shorts and a shirt will do. Once on
the water, you can do as you please.
Pack
lightly
Leave the
kitchen sink behind! You should pack lightly for our trips.
You don't need to bring huge suitcases or massive backpacks.
For example, on a two or three day Phang Nga trip, you should only
bring a small pack or small bag. Besides the items listed above,
you should only bring your swimming attire and a couple of shirts
and trousers or shorts.
If you are
on an extended tour and you can't leave your baggage at your hotel
while you're with us, we offer storage at various locations.
We cannot be responsible for the security of your luggage however.
Please let us know your situation ahead of time, so we can make arrangements
for your excess luggage.
Health
matters
In
our experience, Thailand is a safe, healthy country for normal activities.
Thailand does not necessarily require any particular immunization
for your visit. Cholera, yellow fever, Tetanus & Diphtheria, Typhoid
and Gamma Globulin are some of the vaccinations that you should consider.
We still recommend that you consult your physician for recommended
inoculations before departure to Asian destinations.
For
medical advice, check out the following sites:
Center for Disease Control main site http://www.cdc.gov/
Traveler's section http://www.cdc.gov/travel/
SE Asia section http://www.cdc.gov/travel/seasia.htm
Note: Malaria is present in Thailand in areas where it used to
be uncommon. During the rainy season, April through November, it is
advised that you take all precautions to avoid contact with the mosquitoes.
For our trips, malaria prophylactic medication is highly recommended,
as is a lightweight mosquito net (available from outdoor equipment
suppliers). These are small precautions to fully enjoy a very special
experience.
Additional
Insurance
Acquiring
travel insurance policy that covers theft, loss and medical treatment
is highly recommended. Make sure the insurance also covers the activities
that you will be undertaking during your stay... such as kayaking.
If you are participating is a strenuous/extreme activity, it makes
sense to buy evacuation insurance too.
Personal
medical kit
 We
have a first aid kit on all of our trips. If you would like
to bring your own or if you will be traveling to other destinations
before or after your PaddleAsia adventure, here is our suggested list
of contents:
-
One very useful addition to any first aid kit is
New Skin. This is a liquid
bandage, which is both an antiseptic and waterproof. It creates a
plastic shield over the wound. This is very appropriate for the tropics.
- Aspirin or Panadol - for pain or fever.
- Antihistamine - useful as a decongestant for colds, allergies, to
ease the itch from insect bites and stings or to help prevent motion
sickness.
- Antibiotics - useful if you are traveling well off the beaten track
but they must be prescribed. You can however, get antibiotics over
the counter in Thailand.
- Kaolin preparation (Pepto-Bismol), Imodium or Lomotil - for upset
stomach or diarrhea.
- Rehydration mixture - for rehydration as well as treatment of severe
diarrhea.
- Topical antiseptic - mercurochrome, antibiotic powder, or similar
'dry' spray - for cuts and abrasions.
- Calamine lotion - to ease irritation from bites or stings.
- Bandages and Band-Aids (plasters) - for minor injuries.
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Thermometer
- Insect repellent
- Sun block and/or suntan lotion
- Chapstick lip protection
- Water-purification tablets if you plan on camping... not needed
on our guided tours
-
Throat lozenges
- Moleskin - for blisters
- Sulamyd 10% eye drops
- Acetaminophen (Paracetamol)
- Antacid tablets
A simple medical kit can be very useful and won't take too much space
in your baggage. Prevention, of course, is the best form of medicine.
Travel
tips
Use
caution in what you eat and drink. Stomach upsets are the most likely
travel health problem but the majority of these upsets will be relatively
minor.
Drink bottled water only. Don't drink water with ice unless the ice
has a "hole" in it, although sometimes they crush this type of ice
too. In Thailand, the ice with a hole is from proper drinking
water. Basically, no one in Thailand drinks tap water nor uses tap
water for ice.
To
play it extra safe, tea or coffee is recommend since the water would
have been boiled.
Be cautious when drinking fruit juice, particularly if water was added.
Canned fruit juices are OK.
Salads and fruit should be washed with purified water or peeled whenever possible.
Thoroughly cooked food is the safest but not if it has been left to
cool. Many restaurants cook their food in the morning and leave it
out all day. It's usually OK, but if you are very sensitive,
you might get a bit of an upset stomach.
Wash your hands regularly. It's quite easy to contaminate your own
food.
You should brush your teeth with purified water rather than tap water.
Wear shoes. You can get worm infections through bare feet. It is important
to wear shoes at all time in Khao Sok as the bungalow walkways and
all flooring is made up of bamboo. You don't want bamboo splinters.
Try to avoid insect bites by using insect repellents or by covering
bare skin.
Passport
protection
Losing
your passport is a big deal. You can get a new one at your country's
embassy in Bangkok. To make this nightmare easier to handle, carry
a copy of your passport and birth certificate in a different place
from where you carry your passport.
A
passport, especially a US passport, is worth a lot of money on the
black market. Be cautious. Keep your passport with you at all times.
Jet
Lag
If you are traveling a long distance and are concerned
about 'jet lag', check out this homeopathic remedy site at http://www.nojetlag.com
(made in New Zealand). There is also a lot of useful advice about
what to do and what not to do before and after your flight.
Contact
us
|
