LOCATION: Southeastern portion of Asia, south of China and east of India.

PEOPLE: A broad range of ethnic groups live in Southeast Asia.  Most people are descendants of Austronesian, Tai, and Mon-Khmer-speaking immigrants who migrated from Southern China during the Bronze Age and Iron Age.  There are also large pockets of ethnic Chinese as well as smaller groups decended from immigrants from India, Arab countries and Polynesia.  The majority religeon is Buddhist with significant Christian, Islam, and Animist minorities.

GOVERNMENT: Southeast Asia has a variety of governments.  None of them are very friendly with the United States.  Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy.  Laos and Vietnam are Socialist Republics.  Myanmar is run by a military junta that hates the United States.  In fact they flat out refused US military help after the deadly cyclone of 2008.

CURRENCY: Cambodia riel, Laos kip, Myanmar kyat, Vietnam dong

LANGUAGE: Each country has its own primary language.  Khmer (Cambodia), Lao (Laos), Burmese (Myanmar), and Vietnamese (Vietnam).  Since they are so close together there is quite a bit of overlap.  Chinese is widely spoken throughout Southeast Asia.

ECONOMY: Economies of Southeast Asia are still based primarily on agriculture.  Common exports are rice, fish and timber.  The countries lack modern infrastructure.  There is great development potential in Southeast Asia but the governments there must decide they want that first. 

TRAVEL: Tourism is of growing importance in Southeast Asia.  Most visitors come for a specific reason like seeing Angor Wat in Cambodia or war sights in Vietnam.  Travel is relatively cheap but beware of government restrictions.  Going to Myanmar is very difficult.  The government is paranoid of Americans.

VISA:  A Cambodian visa can be obtained on arrival for $20 and is good for 30 days.  A visa for Laos or Myanmar can be obtained on arrival at the airport (not border crossings) for $20 and is good for 15 days.  If you want to stay longer get a visa in advance from their embassy.  You need to provide proof of tour group or hotel.  For Vietnam you need to get an approval letter from their embassy before arrival.  They will then issue you a visa on arrival at the airport for $25 for 30 days.  Requirements and fees change frequently in Southeast Asia so be sure to check visa details before you depart. 

GETTING THERE: There are very few direct flights from the United States to Southeast Asia.  Vietnam Airlines flies from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Ho Chi Minh City.  Other airlines like Cathay Pacific Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Philippine Airlines offer connecting flights through they home countries.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:  The governments of Southeast Asia are restrictive and suspicious of foreigners, especially Americans.  If you are willing to deal with the hassles you can travel there.  There are facinating cultures and kind people there, but it is definitely the third world, so it's a little like going back in time.  The Cyclone that hit Myanmar focused a lot of attention on the military junta that runs the country.  It will be interesting to see if the disaster opens up the nation or causes it to strengthen its resolve to reject the West at the expense of its people.