Jungles & Beaches - Family Holiday

Clothing
It's shorts and t-shirts most of the way, as it will be hot and humid in places, so you don't need anything too heavy. Some long trousers or canvas trousers are good for evenings, and a couple of long sleeve tops as well. If you had a waterproof light jacket, it's handy as you might get some rain along the way.

When it comes to sightseeing, I would recommend wearing breathable shoes such as sandals, flip flops or lightweight walking shoes as it's can be humid and you will be walking around in the heat. 
There are one or two sights were you will be walking up lots of steps and visiting caves, I just wore trainers.
 
It's very casual so you don't need to take any smart clothes or footwear. However, it's always nice to dress up for the evening meals so you may wish to bring some nice clothes to change into for the meals in the restaurants.  You can get clothes made out there (in Hoi An in Vietnam especially) so if you have a favourite top, take it with you and they can make a copy.

Laundry
You can wash stuff out yourself or get laundry done in the hotels, so don't need to take a huge amount. You can also buy loads there as you go. Anywhere you stop for more than one night should be able to do some washing, somewhere around the middle of the trip maybe.  Laundry is rarely a problem in SE Asia, so maybe just check with the leader and he'll help you organise

Wifi at hotels
The hotels are generally very good, a lot of them are relatively new and have good facilities. I wasn't using Wifi myself so not 100% sure. I would imagine that some of them would. There would definitely be cafes around you could use in the larger towns and cities, but there is internet almost everywhere anyway, so not sure you want to drag a laptop all the way out.

Most, if not all, hotels also have air con.

Weather
The weather will be hot and humid mostly, with a chance of rain in a few places. But when it does rain, it generally dries up pretty quickly. It doesn't really get cold, but you may want a light jacket for night time. It's usually quite pleasant during the day, so it should be light clothes, with a layer you can add if you feel chilly. Think of a warm summer's evening here, and it's not dissimilar (but probably a bit warmer!).

Money
It's generally a very safe area, as long as you exercise the same degree of common sense you would at home, so taking mostly cash isn't a problem. I took sterling cash and changed that as I went along. I also topped up with my ATM card a couple of times, mainly for shopping. Dollars are very common in Cambodia and Vietnam, but I had no problems changing sterling anywhere I went.
There is no real benefit to getting Dong or Bhat before you travel, as you can change as soon as you arrive at the airport on arrival, or there are plenty of banks in the city centres. The leader will advise you when and where it's best to change, but it is quite straightforward. Dollars aren't strictly legal tender over there, but people will take them maybe as tips or for larger payments. When it comes to small stores, restaurants or anything like that, they will expect local currency.

General
As I said, if you're in Hoi An in Vietnam, it's a fantastic place to get some clothes made, if you like, and most of our group got something done. You can either get something made form all the books they have (catalogues from all the UK stores!) or take out a favourite piece and they will copy it - cheap as well!

Take along some decent non sweat suncream, good sunglasses and a hat with a brim for shade - all important.

I took a wheelie suitcase with a handle, but it doesn't make a huge difference as your bags are just moved from hotel to van and back again - so whatever is easiest for you.

I would recommend taking mosquito spray and taking precautions such as covering your skin in the evenings (particularly at dusk) with long sleeve tops and covering your legs and ankles.  To be honest, it's okay in the north but you need to take extra care in the south. Take some DEET or bug spray and lather up as the sun starts to go down, and you should be fine. You'll pick up a bite or two probably, but nothing too serious.

Diane Knight - Web sales

On average, a lunch should cost no more than £3 and dinner up to £10 including drinks. The standard and quality of the restaurants is very good while still retaining a traditional ambience. In the more remote locations, it's amazing how the local people can prepare such delicious meals!

Diane Knight - Sales

Unfortunately we are not qualified to answer all your questions in regards to travel health, so we strongly recommend you contact your GP or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information.
Nomad Travel Clinics are experts in preparing people for travel, providing advice on vaccinations, anti-malarial and staying healthy whilst overseas. We have arranged a special 10% discount for Exodus passengers on any vaccinations that you may require! Take along your Nomad discount card, sent with your confirmation pack, or call Exodus for your special discount code.
Visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/exodus for further information.

For additional information please visit: www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk

Charlotte Taylor - Customer Operations

Thais like their food spicy, but in most resturants they will assume that farang (foreigners) won't want their food quite as spicy and you'll be asked if you want it "Thai style" or not. Vegetarians who don't eat fish may find it difficult to avoid fish oil, as this is used in the vast majority of Thai food. Ask your tour leader to ask that this not be used in cooking, even if you are ordering a vegetarian meal. Street food is wide ranging, cheap and generally of excellent quality. If a vendor is busy, it's generally a sign of the food being good. Som Tum (spicy green papaya salad) is one dish I highly recommend. Grilled chicken (gai) with sticky rice is another. If you fancy a drink, Heineken, Singha and Chang are all available widely and will cost from 60 to 120 baht, depending on where you are. All three are brewed in Thailand.

Kai Aylward - Sales

On the sleeper trains, the beds are only folded down at night. There is generally a top bunk with no window and a lower bunk next to the windows. Curtains pull over both the window and across the beds so that you can't be seen by people walking down the aisles of the train. There are two toilets at the end of most carriages. It's advisable to bring your own toilet paper as this tends to run out quickly and DO NOT go to the toilet bare footed. There are showers, so wet wipes for freshening up are also recommended.

Kai Aylward - Sales

With regards to money, it is easy to change cash or travellers cheques in most of the major cities and towns in South East Asia. ATMs are available everywhere (to give you some idea, there is a gloabally connected ATM at every 711, and there are two 711s for every one bus stop in Bangkok alone). However, there is now a flat fee added for every withdrawal made from an international bank account at ATMs (in addition to any fees charged by your own bank) so it's advisable to only make large cash withdrawals rather than taking out small sums as you go.

Kai Aylward - Sales

Despite recent changes to the visa regulations for some nationalities, British passport holders will still get an automatic 30 day visa on arrival (provided you are arriving by air). No photographs or money are required, you will simply get a 30 day stamp in your passport on arrival. Everytime you cross a border, please ensure that the visa stamp has been correctly signed off or a new one issued if re-entering the country.

Kai Aylward - Sales

Please visit the Exodus Travel Guide to Thailand where you can find out what plugs they use, as well as more detailed Country information in the menu on the left of the page.

To book on a Family Adventure Holiday at least one member of the family must be under the age of 18. For individual trips a minimum age will also be specified - see the Essential Information tab for the particular trip you are interested in. Please note there may also be a minimum age for certain activities on your chosen holiday.

If you are the sort of family that enjoys meeting other families and have a passion for discovering new places and trying new activities, then you’ll love going on a Family Adventure. With a Tour Leader to take care of daily arrangements, you can relax and get on with the serious business of spending time with your family and enjoying your holiday. And it’s not just parents who take their children away; we’ve had a number of children travelling with just their grandparents too!

Itineraries are carefully planned to provide a good balance of activity and relaxation time. You can opt to stay with the group all the time or go off and do your own thing every now and then. Your leader will be on hand to help you find your way and organise optional activities. And if the local food isn’t pleasing everyone in the party, it’s usually possible to sneak off to the occasional pizza parlour or similar, to get something a little more familiar.

Our holidays are designed to take you to unusual or remote places, give you exciting experiences and allow you to make the most of your precious holiday time. As with all adventure holidays, there is inevitably an element of risk that you might not find on a resort-based package. However, safety is taken very seriously and our professional leaders will take all necessary precautions to run the trip safely. You will get to see wonderful sights, have the opportunity to interact with local people and create memories that will stay with you forever. Come with us and let us share our passion for travel with you!

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!