About Madeleine Morris Expertise Regarding Vietnam, I have lived in Ho Chi Minh City for more than four years and have travelled extensively elsewhere in the country. I speak Vietnamese quite well, as well as French and Spanish. I can answer questions on where to stay, what to see and where to go. I can also answer questions about cultural etiquette; both professional and personal. For anyone coming to settle for a while in Vietnam, I can answer questions on most topics concercing settling in, doing business, legal and visa issues, language, where to shop, how to get help, emergencies, etc.
Experience I have lived in Vietnam for six years now (and can't seem to find a way to update the "expertise" part of this profile! I currently teach full time at RMIT Vietnam.
Organizations International Ladies in Vietnam Org
Canadian Vietnamese Business Association
Question Hello. I am travelling to Cambodia, then on the Thailand, Australia and NZ, then back to Vietnam and Laos. The malaria tablets I require and going to really eat in to my budget, so I was hoping you might be able to tell me if it's easy/possible to buy Larium in Cambodia for use on my return leg. Thanks
Abi
Answer Firstly, if you are not planning to spend any time at all outside of the cities like Phnom Penh or Saigon then you probably don't need the Lariam at all.
However, if you are planning to go into the Delta or you are travelling in the height of the rainy season you really absolutely MUST take them and you need to start them a week before you arrive - so buying them here is not an option.
Vietnam does have Lariam cheaper than in the West but not by much. Frankly, I would not trust any drugs I bought in Cambodia - especially antimalarials - either they are counterfeit or they are past their due date.
Laos is another matter. Malaria is quite widespread there and I would not trust the efficacy of any pharmaceutical drugs bought there.
Also, if you are travelling soon, then I have a bit of bad news for you... you really need a series of Japanese Encephalitis shots and those are really quite expensive.
If you are going to Angkor(Siem Reap), then you will also need a meningitis shot.
Abi, frankly if you are planning on spending any time outside of the larger cities, then all the shots and the drugs you can get are a very good investment. The malaria here is the nasty sort - not like the African type that gives you fevers every now and then and seems vaguely romantic; this type can kill you on the first bout. And neither Japanese Encephalitis nor meningitis are pleasant. If they don't kill you, they can leave you with severe brain damage.
So, I would say.... borrow the money - really, it's worth it.
Anyway, the Lariam gives you really very cool, very intense dreams.
