Hello,
We are U.S. citizens & I have 2 daughters who are living & working in Shanghai right now. They both are planning separate vacations with friends during their Chinese New Year break. I am your typical Mom who worries about her children.

Daughter #1 is going to Malaysia with a friend for one week. I have already told her to stay away from the Sabah region. Are there other regions of Malaysia they should not travel to? I don't know a lot about Malaysia. I know they are going to Kuala Lumpur. What is that like? My daughter's friend mentioned seeing the jungle. Would that be close to KL? Is it safe?

Daughter #2 is traveling to Thailand, Cambodia & maybe Laos for a month. I already told her to stay away from the southernmost provinces of Thailand. I am a little nervous about her going to Bangkok because of the New Years bombings. Is it safe? They also want to go to a beach, not sure which one. Any recommendations on beaches?

I have never been to these countries so I would greatly appreiciate anyone's advice/input especially regarding safety issues. Thank you in advance.

Karen (a nervous Mom)

You can read my travel report...Guenmai in Bangkok...go to the bottom and scroll up. I just returned. Happy Travels!

Frankly, I think traveling in all of those countries is safer than traveling in the US. The only areas I would recommend staying away from are the southernmost provinces of Thailand, but even there, your daughter would not be targeted. By the way, those provinces are not typical tourist destinations.

Malaysia is a huge country. KL is the capital city and is a cosmopolitan place. The "jungles" might mean some wilderness areas on peninsular Malaysia or might mean the primary rainforests of Borneo (sabah and Sarawak). I'm not sure why you would warn her away from Sabah.

I consider Bangkok safe. I travel there almost every year. Yes, there were bombings at the New Year, but would you recommend that someone not visit New York City or Oklahoma City beacuse there were terrorist activities? In our own country we tend to interpret these things as isolated inscidents. In a foreign country, especially one that one is unfamilar with, people often generalize and think it means the country is unsafe. Not true.

It sounds like your daughters are well capable of planning their trips. All of the areas you mentioned are well-traveled places. They will have internet access almost everywhee. Just ask that they email you periodically.

My wife and I have been visiting this area for many years have no hesitation in recommending it. Very safe I believe. We became addicted to Phi Phi years ago and return over and over, combining it with somewhere else each time. eg. Cambodia, Laos , Vietnam etc., which brings me to Sabah, where we visited last February. We stayed at Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan and thoroughly enjoyed it. No safety issues to report.
As a parent I understand your concerns but hey, isn't it great that our kids can do all this!
We live just outside London and have been looking for some time to buy property in Thailand to retire. One of the reasons we are considering this, is that we feel safer in the far east than we do at home. I do avoid the town-centre after 10 at night at the weekends here in the UK because of regular loutish behaviour and I am not alone in doing so! I've never encountered anything like this in my travels to the far east.
I'm sure your daughters will be fine. Ask them to e'mail regularly (internet access is no problem).

Good for you for being concerned but having an open mind. Your daughters sound brilliant to me - hats off to those who don't just stay with the tried and true - especially if they are American (who rate top on the ill-informed wimp list everytime).

They sound extemely sane and will be fine.

Don't worry - there will be plenty of youngsters from other countries wherever they go. It's not a big deal for kids from Europe, Australia, NZ, Japan, Korea - countries where I guess there is more awareness of the outside world, and more desire to see it.

Their parents would worry too. The difference between them and you is that you really do see them going anywhere outside the US as a threat whereas European parents would see it as perfectly normal.

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I feel better after reading your posts.

Kathie, the reason I told my daughter who is going to Malaysia to stay away from Sabah is that the Australian government (& I believe the U.S. and British governments) do not recommend travel to that area because "of the high threat of kidnapping by terrorists." Also, apparently there are renewed outbreaks of Hand, Foot & Mouth disease in Sarawak. I would feel better if she stays on the Malaysian Peninsula.

I will keep checking this forum to see if others also post. Once again, thank you so much. I have been to China several times but never to these other countries so am always a little nervous about the unknown.

Kwoo, The kidnapping by Phillipine terrorists was years ago, from an island off of Sabah. The idea that there is a "high threat" is simply silly. Unfortunately, the US government warnings have far more to do with politics than with reality. And the outbreak of Hand, Foot & Mouth disease is not really of concern to visitors to Sarawak. I was in Sabah and Sarawak a year ago and it was really an unforgettable experience.

There is plenty to keep your daughter interested in peninsular Malaysia.

We spent 4 days in KL last may and it was completely safe from our point of view. Yes, it is very congested like BK but SAFE. While in KL a long day trip to the Cammeron Highlands is a MUST.It is best to get a private driver/guide-not through the hotel for it will be double others. On the Malaysian Peninsula in the Redang Islands, a 1 hour flight from KL-City Airpoirt-has some of the best snorkeling and diving we have done. We chartered a boat and went to the Prehentian Islands because everyone raved about them. It was no better, in our opinion and less than a year ago we were told maybe 1 place had A/C and it is quite hot. On Redang there are 3-4 places with A/C and decent but not great food.It is completely save based on our 7 dayu stay there.