01/25/06 My brother and I will be traveling to Bangkok and Siem Reap at the end of December. We would like any tips or advise that you can offer. Some questions are: Should we book our flight to Siem Reap from the U.S. or from Thailand? Do you know how to find a good guide while in Siem Reap? What should we bring along that we'll need. Thanks for any advise or suggestions.

first of all this is the most expensive time to be in thailand bacause of the holidays...hotel rates are at their highest, but still manageable...but book early..

a good hotel site is:

www.huahin.20m.com


bangkok air is the only major carrier directly from bkk to SR...if you can book 3 legs then you can save using thier discovery pass....so the SR flight would be $80 each way and a thai domestic additional flight would be $50...book through the 800 # in the usa...book early for those dates...

rhkkmk
Thank you so much for your suggestion. We have to fly during that time because I am a teacher and that's when I am off. I don't want to go during my summer break because I hear it is very hot and it is the rainy season. Should we get any kind of vaccines? Thanks again.

I agree with Bob, you'll want to book everything early for those dates. Do you want a guide and driver for Angkor or just a driver? Your hotel can arrange fr you, or some people prefer to book a particular guide in advance. If you do a search here, you'll find contatc info for Ponheary, a popular guide in SR. In any case, do your research on Angkor before you go. I always recommend Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor. It's currently out of print awaiting a new edition, but you can probably find a copy at the library or a used bookstore. You can preview some photos of Angkor at www.marlandc.com

Immunizations: Do read the cdc website - www.cdc.gov/travel - before your trip to a travel med doctor. While no immunizations are required for entry into Thailand (with the exception of persons entering from Yellow Fever infected areas), there are a number of immunizations it is wise to ahve.

Even if you are staying at home, you should have your regular diptheria-tetanus booster every 10 years. You would also be wise to have at least the Hep A vaccine to stay at home. There are outbreaks of Hep A (a food and water bourne illness) even in the US and Western Europe. You don't have control over who handles your food, so it is wise to have this basic immunization. If you haven't had the Hep A vaccine, it's cost-effective to have the combined Hep A and B vaccines. Hep B is spread via blood and bodily fluids.

Polio has made a resurgence, having spread from India and from the Middle East to Indonesia. While there have not been any cases yet reported in Thailand, it would be wise to have a booster if needed. If you are of an age where you need a booster for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, then do get the booster. Many people forget that these so-called childhood diseases can be deadly to adults.

Typhoid is another food and water bourne illness. So this is another one that it is wise to have. There is antibiotic-resistant typhoid in SE Asia, one more reason to make sure you are protected.

Siem Reap is a malarial risk-area, so do read the info about malaria and anti-malarials.

Kathie,
Thanks for your advise about the shots. It's sort of scary getting all those shots but I guess it is better to be safe than sorry. I was able to find a used copy of the book you recommended on Amazon.com.
What is so special about this guide
Ponheary?

One thing I thought would be worth mentioning is that the typhoid immunization is also available via pills now so you can avoid the shot if you want.

In our case, it was actually cheaper to get the pills at costco versus the shot (it was not covered under our health plan). I think it was $50 for the pills and $70 for the shot.

The pills are stored in the fridge and you take 1 every other day I think (4 pills total).

aloha,
gaz

Good pont. The pills also give you immunity for 5 years, while the shot gives you immunity for two or three years.

Do you need a perscription to get the pills from Costco?

We just got back fron BKK and SR. In SR, we used Ponheary as a guide. She was very good. She can be reached at [email protected]. Also, she can arrange a hotel for you at better rates than you can probably get on your own. If she's busy, her brother Dara can also be reached through that E-mail address.

Yes, you do need a prescription to get the oral thyphoid vaccine.

Kathie,

Thanks for the reply.

Guys,Thank you so much for all your advise. I have so much to learn and to investigate before our trip. I am truly excited and will share everything I learn on this trip. I will be constantly checking this site for more info and suggestions.Bibi (Chicago)

Watch out people this person [email protected] this person is a scam artist