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Laos is one of the best bargains in Southeast Asia—and that’s saying something, since most countries there are relatively cheap for travelers. Because tourism is only beginning to make inroads in Laos, visitors are not seen as mere revenue streams; locals extend a warm and genuine welcome. You can find an inexpensive guesthouse for less than $20 a night; open-air cafes along the Mekong River offer absurdly cheap French and Lao specialties.

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“Bali time” is an expression that shows the Balinese reluctance to be obsessed by punctuality but many Balinese in tourism industry or other economic sectors are now familiar with punctuality. This “Bali time” is still used in traditional ceremony, punctual visitors who want to cover a cremation or other ceremony have to wait for an hour or two, be patience.

Keep cool is a golden rule in Bali. Patience is very helpful in this island where everything takes a little longer to accomplish then you are used to. Always in a hurry may turn your holiday into a nightmare. Talking loudly and forcefully will results more consolation words from Balinese, and will impede the immediate action to solve the problem since Balinese will hear your complaints patiently up to finish. Once again, there is no use to be in a hurry, besides you are in holiday anyway.

The best time to visit Bali is during the dry season, from May through September since the weather is pleasant and the visitor can enjoy a long and uninterrupted tropical sunshine. However, it is also the tourist season; the visitors will likely compete for hotel room or villa. The toughest competition will occur in the period of two weeks before and after Christmas and New Year, when Australians are on holiday and domestic visitors flood in from Java.

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