Questions & Answers

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Shangri-la & The Golden Triangle Including Mekong River Cruise

How many people will be on this tour?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; Aside from your Tour Escort Team, this tour takes a maximum of 24 guests. This ensures there is plenty of room available on our tour bus for your comfort and sightseeing opportunities.

How much money should I take with me?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; It is difficult to make a general statement about how much money to take as each person is different and has varied needs. It is possible to complete the tour without spending an additional penny however if you wish to buy souvenirs, postcards, additional drinks, have laundry done, make telephone calls, etc. then you will need to pay extra. Travellers cheques are a good option as they are secure in case of loss or theft and can be changed back into Pounds Sterling when you return home. Small denominations are best for travellers cheques and for cash, it is often hard to change money back from the local currency.

What currency should I take on tour?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; Banks and exchange houses in all of the countries visited can change Australian Dollars, US Dollars, Pounds and Euro into local currency. The US Dollar is the most widely accepted currency but any of the abovementioned currencies can easily be changed into local currency. Credit cards can be used in major shops at the places to be visited. Automatic Teller Machines (ATM's) are available in China, Thailand. They will not be easy to find in the other cities to be visited on this tour. Small denominations for both cash and travellers cheques is recommended to prevent problems with changing back into US or Pounds Sterling.

What is the electrical voltage?

» Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here

If you wish to use electrical appliances in the countries to be visited you will need to take a suitable adaptor. The currents in each country are:

Country	Voltage	Plug Type
China	220V	Australian style three flat pin adaptor
Laos	230V	European style two round pin adaptor
Thailand	220V	European style two round pin adaptor
Cambodia	230V	Japanese style two flat pin adaptor
Aboard Mekong Sun	220V	European style two round pin adaptor

What will the weather be like?

» Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here

The weather on our tour will vary from extremely cold evenings and cool days in Yunnan Province to ideal weather conditions in Laos and hot days at Angkor Wat. You will need warm clothes and heavy coats for the first week or so of the tour. There is no ideal time to do this journey. If we travelled in September/October it is monsoon time with heavy rains or in April/May excessively hot temperatures in the south. By travelling in December/January we will encounter cold conditions in the north and ideal travelling conditions in the south.

Destination	Average Min. Temperature	Average Max. Temperature	Average Days of Rainfall
Kunming	2	15	2
Zhongdian	2	14	2
Lijiang	1	12	3
Dali	1	14	2
Jinghong	3	14	2
Xieng	6	15	2
Chiang Saen	15	24	-
Luang Prabang	12	20	2
Angkor Wat	18	25	22

What clothing should I take?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; The Captain�s Choice Tour has no formal dress requirements. It is your holiday and you should select what you feel comfortable wearing. The variety of climates on this tour means you will need to be prepared for cold, warm and hot weather. We recommend bringing clothes that you can layer in cold weather and �peel off� like an onion when we reach warmer climates such as Cambodia.

What is the activity level?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; This tour is conducted at a leisurely pace but there will be a number of walking tours offered. In addition, the only way to fully experience Angkor Wat and the surrounding complex is by foot, on these days considerable walking is involved.

What is the ship like?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; Our privately chartered river boat, �Mekong Sun�, is German built and managed. The vessel was specifically built for cruising the Mekong River and offers the most comfortable and relaxing way of visiting the remote villages between the Golden Triangle and Luang Prabang. Each cabin has private facilities and is comfortably fitted out with modern amenities, complemented by fine teak and mahogany wood paneling. The onboard restaurant combines western and Asian cuisine, several evenings you dine ashore on a sandbank, a very special experience. Wine and beer are included with dinner.

What visas do I need?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; The Captain�s Choice Tour obtains visas on your behalf. The cost of obtaining visas (including courier fees) is in addition to your tour cost. We do not include visa costs in our tour prices as many people have different passports from various nationalities. Visa requirements and associated costs are decided by each country�s government and differ from nationality to nationality. Visa requirements and costs change frequently. As a very rough guide, Australian passport holders can expect to pay between $80-250 for visas. We will send you the visa requirements and appropriate forms three months prior to your tour.

What vaccinations are required?: » Answer from The Captain's Choice Tour available here; Three months prior to travel the doctor accompanying this tour will send a letter detailing his/her recommendations. These recommendations are general and should be discussed in conjunction with your personal doctor. We strongly recommend that you discuss any medical requirements with your GP, or local travel clinic (see Yellow Pages) for the most up to date information. Generally speaking, before travelling overseas, you should be up to date with Tetanus/Polio boosters and should have been vaccinated (within the last ten years) for Hepatitis A/B. Our doctors also recommend that you have had a fluvax injection within the previous 12 months as contracting the flu may spoil an otherwise wonderful holiday.