What information will I receive after registering?

Once you sign up for a trip, we will e-mail a general itinerary, lists of Suggested Reading, what to take, cultural considerations, weather charts, etc.

How can I get a detailed itinerary for a tour?

A day-to-day itinerary will be sent once you sign up for a trip. If you need specific information about the flow of the trip and the pace of the specific activities, before committing to the trip, get in touch with your questions and we will be happy to fill you in.

What sort of clothing should I bring?

When you sign up for a tour, you’ll receive detailed lists of what to bring to your destination, as well as weather info, to more easily coordinate your wardrobe with the heat or cold.

We will also include suggestions for appropriate clothing for dressing in conservative countries. Basically you’ll need modest clothes that cover your shoulders and legs. Be comfortable, in light cool clothes you would wear to go out in the USA. Shorts and short pants are not appropriate for tourists, men nor women. Thai women wear dresses and skirts with blouses. Please keep your legs covered to below your knee.

Light cotton clothing, like long, loose pants and blouses with short sleeves, is perfect. Skirts at least knee-length are also comfortable with a nice T-shirt. Long dresses with short sleeves are also practical. Sleeveless tops are not considered in good taste for visiting temples and homes. Slip-off shoes will be easier to slide on and off when we visit a temple where we must be without shoes. We’ll send out a more complete list of What to Take at a later date, including the luggage size limits.

Are laundry services available?

Most hotels have a laundry service and prefer that you don’t wash clothes in the bathroom sinks. If there is no laundry service, and you don’t want to wash your jeans and wait a day or two for them to dry, asking at the hotel desk is a good place to start.

Please note that it is considered demeaning to wash someone else’s underpants, so we ask that you wash your own underpants. Hang them to dry discreetly in the bathroom.

Are laundry services available?

Most hotels have a laundry service and prefer that you don’t wash clothes in the bathroom sinks. If there is no laundry service, and you don’t want to wash your jeans and wait a day or two for them to dry, asking at the hotel desk is a good place to start.

Please note that it is considered demeaning to wash someone else’s underpants, so we ask that you wash your own underpants. Hang them to dry discreetly in the bathroom.

Do I need any vaccinations or immunizations?

This varies with each country. Make an appointment with your travel doctor and take your tour itinerary with you. Some areas of certain countries require malaria pills and others do not; same with Yellow Fever and others such as Cholera and Typhoid. He or she will have all the latest requirements at hand.

A rural visit to a farm may require extra precautions, for example. We will send you the links to the CDC.gov information pages for your specific destination so that you can ask questions.

You should be current on all your typical childhood and international travel shots such as Polio and Tetanus. Some countries now demand proof of vaccination against COVID. Behind the Scenes Adventures requires you to have had two COVID vaccinations. We recommend you have a booster as well.

How much physical activity is involved during the trip?

You should be able to stand and stroll around markets and museums for several hours at a time. Most indoor venues such as our hotels, restaurants and museums have air-conditioning. Most days will involve some walking around towns on paved streets, but the sidewalks are sometimes broken and rutted. We’ll take our van or taxis for any long distances out to see the Buddhist temples and wats, or archeological sites.

The days involving the most exercise (at your own pace) will be at the Angkor Wat temple complex. These extensive and glorious ruins involve lots of walking, usually along hard dirt pathways. Closed toe shoes with good tread are important for climbing slippery stone stairs and walking in the jungle. There will always be the possibility of moving slowly in the heat and taking frequent breaks for cold water and iced teas. Bring a collapsible walking stick if you think you might need one.

What will the weather be like?

You will receive weather and temperature information with your pre-departure info. We will be traveling of necessity (for the festival) during the hot and humid June-August tropical rainy season, at least in Cambodia and Laos. Thailand is warm and humid with less rain during this season. Don’t be too alarmed, the hotels and most restaurants are air-conditioned. There are distinct advantages to traveling during this “rainy” season: the monsoon rains cool the hot, humid air, and there are fewer tourists.

Across most of the country, the rain is fairly predictable, usually occurring in the afternoon or at night. And the afternoon rains usually last no more than a couple of hours making them fairly easy to plan around, especially if you are visiting the Angkor temples. In fact, the temples are at their aesthetic best during the wet season because the stones are dark and gleaming and the tropical foliage of the surrounding jungle is clean and shiny. Some people bring a little personal battery-operated fan which helps.

What sort of hotels will we be staying in?

Before we depart, we will send you a list of all hotels with contact information in case someone at home needs to contact you. They are all pretty, tropical, and comfortable, with air conditioning, and sometimes a small pool.

What sort of food will we be eating?

Starting with breakfast, the three countries have excellent choices of coffees and pastries. Siem Reap and Luang Prabang especially have numerous amazing coffee shops that are spotless and airy, and serve the best coffees, with crispy, fresh croisssants or other breakfast foods.

When you arrive, we’ll give you a list of easy translations and common dishes to order for lunches and dinners. Food in all three countries that we will visit is superb, with lots of variety, and many unusual but delicious ingredients. On our trips, we are careful to patronize known, clean, and friendly local restaurants and cafes. Local cuisine specialties are integral to our travel experiences and are unique to the regions we’re visiting, so we want you to be able to taste as many traditional and typical dishes and condiments as possible. Our driver, Chai, loves to eat and helps choose the best combinations.

Sticky rice or Khao Niaw is eaten everywhere in Thailand and Laos, usually with delicious stir-fried vegetable and coconut milk dishes. There are many cold or room-temp salads such as Laab, or minced meat/chicken seasoned with lime juice and chili, crispy rice salad, or Green Papaya Salad which you will find delicious if it’s not too blazing-spicy. Steamed fish with coconut milk in banana leaves is superb, often served with noodles or sticky rice. Deep-fried tofu and grilled chicken (gai yang) are common items. Pad Thai and Pad See-Ew Gai are traditional and delicious (but common and simple) Thai dishes, consisting of rice noodles, vegetables, spices, and egg and/or chicken pieces. Sticky rice and fresh mango is one of the most common desserts too.

Will I be able to accommodate my dietary needs?

If you have any special dietary, health, or nutrition issues, restrictions, etc, there is no guarantee that Behind the Scenes Adventures will be able to accommodate your special diets in foreign countries. Please contact us before departure, and bring sufficient alternative foods. Travelers with severe peanut allergies cannot be accepted. Vegan diets are possible but with much less variety than at home. Vegetarian diets are often fairly easy to accommodate, but also with less variety than what is available at home.

The cuisine of all three countries includes many delicious vegetable, noodle and rice dishes. Simple fruits are often served for dessert. Much of the time, you will be free to order the vegetarian dish that you want; sometimes the guide will order family-style so we can share and you can taste different items.

Will I need a visa for connecting countries?

It is very rare to need a visa for a connection if you stay in the Transit area. This will be regulated by the connecting country and the airline will send information as to this requirement.

What are the requirements for my passport to be valid?

Your passport needs to have one blank page for your visa, although, with an E-Visa, you will have just a piece of paper to show, and don’t need room for anything except Immigration stamps in your passport.

Your passport must remain valid (not expired) for 6 months after you enter each country.

Will I be met at the airport?

Yes! Cynthia, an assistant or a driver will meet you with a sign with your name and/or Behind the Scenes Adventures. They will have your flight schedule and know you will need time to pick up your luggage. Wait for them in the terminal, right outside the Arrivals area, and don’t go with any other drivers that don’t have your name on a placard.

What is the best airline to fly to the country?

Basically you will need to get to Bangkok, but because of COVID, the flight rules have changed. We will send information about suggested flights at a date closer to departure. Typically United flights partner with ANA, for some good pricing. Japan Airlines also has excellent prices to Bangkok from the US West Coast.