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Light clothes for the wet season (May – Oct) and something warm for the dry season (Nov – Mar), especially for the north of Laos and Thailand; a good travel medical kit supplied by a doctor (for any inconveniences, dietary or otherwise); your travel insurance details; sunscreen; bug repellent (at least 30% deet content); girls - a sarong for swimming in remote areas, local culture requires modesty; a poncho or light raincoat (it can rain even in the dry season in the north), shoes/trainers for walking, a roll of toilet paper and hand sanitizer is always good, and of course, a sense of adventure!

Usually. A dual-pricing system is prevalent in Asia. Sometimes it's official and declared on signs, sometimes it just happens. Tourists are often quoted prices for goods as much as five times what locals pay. Tourists are viewed as temporary residents, which is true, and also sometimes as having money to spare.

Generally speaking, you should never pay the asking price for most goods; food and drinks are an exception. Good-natured haggling is a part of local Asian culture, and you actually contribute to inflation and bias over time by paying the first price without negotiating. Always make a counter offer or ask for a slight discount when shopping in markets.

Understandably, tourists are commonly expected to pay much high entrance fees at national parks and attractions.

That depends — both on your phone and the way you wish to use it. In general, Americans' phones will not work in Asia without some help, but there are some exceptions. T-Mobile allows unlimited data and texting for international travelers with no extra cost.

If you only want to have your phone handy for emergencies, you can opt for international roaming on certain plans. Using it for anything aside from emergencies will be very expensive.

Instead, you may be able to "unlock" your cell phone and then purchase a local SIM card and number. Most Asian countries use a pre-paid system where you can purchase phone credit from kiosks and mini-marts. The rates for dialing and texting home are competitive, plus you'll get a local phone number which may come in handy.

Tip: Prepare your smartphone for travel by turning off auto-update features to cut down on background data use. Those weather updates could be silently costing you credit while you sleep! If you just need to call home every now and then to check on things, you're better off using your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to make internet calls. Wi-Fi is easy to find in most places, so you won't need a local SIM or number.

Passengers with Freestyle Passes and Freestyle Tours travel together, on our safe, reliable, flexible adventure travel network, with a fun local Tour Leader, exploring amazing destinations.

The main difference is that Freestyle Tours include accommodation and activities in the package price, and so this is sorted up front, and passengers on Freestyle Passes book and pay for their accommodation and activities as they go.

Both Passes and Tours are fully flexible so you can hop-off anywhere and hop back on when you are ready to continue travelling.

The recent resurgence of bed bugs affected North America far worse than it did Asia. Ironically, Westerner travelers are bringing bed bugs to Asia from home, rather than the other way around!

Once considered only a problem for backpackers staying in low-budget hostels, bed bugs are a serious and costly problem found even in four-star hotels. With a little vigilance on your part, you can avoid coming into contact with them and prevent spreading the pests.

Once bed bugs become established in a guesthouse, they can be inadvertently moved from room to room by staff members. Getting rid of them is challenging. And with frequent traveler turnover, bed bugs end up spread in pockets around tourist neighborhoods.

Immediately after checking in, inspect your bed before unpacking. If you detect signs of bed bugs on your mattress, changing rooms simply isn't good enough. No matter the inconvenience, go find a new place to stay!

For the most part, yes. A majority of the world's population calls Asia home, and most of those residents are squeezed into urban areas. You will notice a much higher density of people in public transport hubs, shopping malls, and even on busy sidewalks. Don't be surprised if someone stands too close while speaking to you. Or if trains and buses are consistently oversold beyond capacity. Have patience, and keep in mind that the general considerations of privacy and personal buffer space may be different than that which you expect at home.

More and more travelers are bringing smartphones, tablets, and laptops with them to Asia. Many people wouldn't imagine leaving home without their trusted camera/GPS/internet device handy.

Depending upon where you travel, the environment could be a little rough on electronics. Heat, sand, rain, rough treatment, theft, and bad power are potential threats on trips.

Violent crime is less a problem in Asia than in the U.S. or Europe, however, phone snatches do sometimes happen. Don't leave that expensive iPhone sticking out of your back pocket. Falling asleep with a phone in your lap (e.g., while listening to music) on public transportation could make you a tempting target.

Surges and sags in power can harm sensitive devices while they are charging — avoid leaving things plugged in while unattended. At least you'll be able to unplug everything if the lights in your room begin to dim and brighten.

Identity theft is a problem in Asia. Have a plan to protect your data if your phone becomes lost or stolen.