Temples and street food in Bangkok, mountains in the north, Khmer ruins in Isan, and islands on two coasts.
Destinations · Asia
Asia destinations: the practical basics for 10 countries
Money, plugs, emergency numbers, clocks and which side of the road, for Thailand and nine more countries and territories, with the official arrival portal where one exists.
Updated · Checked against official sources
Six of the ten drive on the left (Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia); the Type G three-pin plug is used in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia; Japan runs on 100 V; and Thailand and Singapore both require a free online arrival card filed within the 3 days before arrival. Thailand gets the fullest coverage on this site, starting with the Thailand travel Q&A.
How do the ten destinations compare at a glance?
| Destination | Currency | Plugs and voltage | Emergency | Time zone | Drives on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Baht (THB) | A, B, C, F, O · 220–230 V, 50 Hz | Tourist Police 1155 · ambulance 1669 · police 191 | UTC+7 | Left |
| Japan | Yen (JPY) | A, B · 100 V, 50/60 Hz | Police 110 · fire and ambulance 119 | UTC+9 | Left |
| South Korea | Won (KRW) | C, F · 220 V, 60 Hz | Police 112 · fire and ambulance 119 | UTC+9 | Right |
| Vietnam | Dong (VND) | Mostly A, C · 220 V, 50 Hz | Police 113 · fire 114 · ambulance 115 | UTC+7 | Right |
| Taiwan | New Taiwan dollar (TWD) | A, B · 110 V, 60 Hz | Police 110 · fire and ambulance 119 | UTC+8 | Right |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | G · 220 V, 50 Hz | 999 | UTC+8 | Left |
| Singapore | Singapore dollar (SGD) | G · 230 V, 50 Hz | Police 999 · fire and ambulance 995 | UTC+8 | Left |
| Malaysia | Ringgit (MYR) | G · 230–240 V, 50 Hz | 999 · fire 994 | UTC+8 | Left |
| Philippines | Peso (PHP) | A, B, C · 220 V, 60 Hz | 911 | UTC+8 | Right |
| Indonesia | Rupiah (IDR) | C, F · 230 V, 50 Hz | 112 · police 110 | UTC+7 to UTC+9 | Left |
None of the ten uses daylight saving time. Check that your chargers accept the local voltage (most phone and laptop chargers are rated 100–240 V; the rating is printed on the plug).
Thailand
Visitors from 60 countries and territories can stay up to 30 days visa-free for tourism (since 15 September 2026), and every arrival files the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) within the 3 days before landing. The cool season, mid-October to mid-February, suits most of the country; the Andaman coast is wettest from May to October and the Gulf islands from about October to December.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Thai baht (THB, ฿); foreign-card ATM fee 250–350 THB |
| Plugs and voltage | Types A, B, C, F and O; 220–230 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | Tourist Police 1155 · ambulance 1669 · police 191 · fire 199 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 |
| Drives on | Left |
Official arrival portal: tdac.immigration.go.th (free; look-alike sites charge for it). Mobile data: Thai eSIM.
Japan
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons in Japan; early summer brings a rainy season to most of the country, and late summer can bring typhoons. Winter is the season for snow in Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps. North American two-flat-pin plugs fit Japanese sockets; European, British and Australian plugs need an adapter, and the supply is only 100 V.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Japanese yen (JPY, ¥) |
| Plugs and voltage | Types A and B; 100 V, 50 Hz in the east (Tokyo) and 60 Hz in the west (Osaka) |
| Emergency | Police 110 · fire and ambulance 119 |
| Time zone | UTC+9 |
| Drives on | Left |
Official online service: Visit Japan Web, the Digital Agency's service for entry procedures. Mobile data: Japan eSIM (NTT docomo, KDDI and SoftBank networks).
Old wooden streets in Kyoto, big-city Tokyo and Osaka, and the high-speed rail network between them.
South Korea
Spring (April and May) and autumn (September to November) are the most popular seasons in Korea; winters are cold and summers hot, with a rainy spell in early summer. Visa-free visitors need a K-ETA unless their nationality is on Korea's temporary exemption list, which a Ministry of Justice notice dated 20 March 2026 extended; check the official site for your passport.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | South Korean won (KRW, ₩) |
| Plugs and voltage | Types C and F; 220 V, 60 Hz |
| Emergency | Police 112 · fire and ambulance 119 · travel helpline 1330 |
| Time zone | UTC+9 |
| Drives on | Right |
Official portal: K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization), run by the Ministry of Justice; the fee shown on the site is KRW 10,000. Mobile data: Korea eSIM (SK Telecom and LG U+).
Palaces and food markets in Seoul, the coast at Busan, and fast trains between them.
Vietnam
Vietnam's weather changes from north to south, so the right months depend on your route: the south is warm all year with a drier season early in the year, the north has a cool winter, and the central coast gets its heaviest rain in autumn. Many nationalities apply for an e-visa online before travel; use only the government portal below.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Vietnamese dong (VND, ₫) |
| Plugs and voltage | Mostly Types A and C (flat or round two-pin); 220 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | Police 113 · fire 114 · ambulance 115 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 |
| Drives on | Right |
Official portal: Vietnam National Electronic Visa system (evisa.gov.vn). Mobile data: Vietnam eSIM (Viettel, MobiFone and Vinaphone).
Ha Long Bay and Hanoi in the north, Hoi An on the central coast, Ho Chi Minh City in the south.
Taiwan
Autumn and spring are the most pleasant times to visit Taiwan; summer is hot and humid, and typhoons are most likely from summer into early autumn. Sockets take the same flat two-pin plugs as North America, at 110 V. The National Immigration Agency runs an online arrival card.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | New Taiwan dollar (TWD, NT$) |
| Plugs and voltage | Types A and B; 110 V, 60 Hz |
| Emergency | Police 110 · fire and ambulance 119 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 |
| Drives on | Right |
Official portal: Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC), National Immigration Agency. Mobile data: Taiwan eSIM (regional plans that include Taiwan).
Night markets and the MRT in Taipei, hillside Jiufen, and mountain trips such as Alishan.
Hong Kong
Autumn and early winter are the driest and most comfortable months in Hong Kong; summer is hot and humid, with typhoon warnings possible. Sockets are the British Type G three-pin, so a visitor from the UK, Singapore or Malaysia needs no adapter. One number, 999, reaches police, fire and ambulance.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Hong Kong dollar (HKD, HK$) |
| Plugs and voltage | Type G; 220 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 999 (police, fire, ambulance) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 |
| Drives on | Left |
Mobile data: Hong Kong eSIM (csl and SmarTone networks).
The harbour and the Star Ferry, the Peak, Lantau and the MTR that links it all.
Singapore
Every traveler must submit the free SG Arrival Card within the 3 days before arrival (arrival day included), except transit passengers who do not clear immigration and residents crossing at the land checkpoints. Submit it on the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website or in the MyICA app; ICA warns against commercial sites that charge for it. Singapore is warm and humid all year, so plan around showers rather than seasons.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Singapore dollar (SGD, S$) |
| Plugs and voltage | Type G; 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | Police 999 · fire and ambulance 995 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 |
| Drives on | Left |
Official portal: SG Arrival Card, ICA. Mobile data: Singapore eSIM (Singtel, StarHub and M1; regional plans also cover Malaysia and Indonesia).
Marina Bay, hawker centres and a compact city that is easy to cover by MRT.
Malaysia
Malaysia's weather splits by coast: the east-coast islands have their monsoon from about November to February, when many island resorts close, so the west coast (Penang, Langkawi) is the usual choice in those months. Kuala Lumpur is warm all year. The Immigration Department runs the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online; check on its portal whether it applies to your trip.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Malaysian ringgit (MYR, RM) |
| Plugs and voltage | Type G; 230–240 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 999 (police and ambulance) · fire 994 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 |
| Drives on | Left |
Official portal: Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), Immigration Department of Malaysia. Mobile data: Malaysia eSIM (Maxis and CelcomDigi).
Kuala Lumpur, the heritage streets of George Town, Langkawi and the rainforests of Borneo.
Philippines
The dry season runs roughly from December to May, and typhoons are most likely from about June to November, so island-hopping trips are easiest early in the year. The government's eTravel registration is free on its official site or in the eGovPH app. One number, 911, is the national emergency hotline.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Philippine peso (PHP, ₱) |
| Plugs and voltage | Types A, B and C; 220 V, 60 Hz |
| Emergency | 911 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 |
| Drives on | Right |
Official portal: eTravel (etravel.gov.ph). Mobile data: Philippines eSIM (Globe and Smart).
Lagoons in Palawan, beaches in the Visayas, and Manila and Cebu as the main gateways.
Indonesia
For Bali and Java the drier months run roughly from April or May to September or October; the rest of the year is the wet season. Indonesia spans three time zones: Java and Sumatra are on UTC+7, Bali and Lombok on UTC+8, and Papua and Maluku on UTC+9. The Directorate General of Immigration runs the All Indonesia arrival declaration online.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | Indonesian rupiah (IDR, Rp) |
| Plugs and voltage | Types C and F; 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 112 (general) · police 110 · ambulance 118 or 119 · fire 113 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (Java, Sumatra), UTC+8 (Bali, Lombok), UTC+9 (Papua, Maluku) |
| Drives on | Left |
Official portal: All Indonesia, Directorate General of Immigration. Mobile data: Indonesia eSIM (Telkomsel, Indosat, XL Axiata and Smartfren).
Bali's rice terraces and temples, Yogyakarta on Java, and island routes east to Lombok and Komodo.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries in Asia drive on the left?
Of the ten covered here: Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia drive on the left. South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines drive on the right.
Which plug adapter do I need for Asia?
A Type G (British three-pin) adapter for Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia; a flat two-pin (Type A) adapter for Japan and Taiwan; a round two-pin (Type C or F) adapter for South Korea and Indonesia. Thai, Vietnamese and Philippine sockets usually take two-pin plugs. Japan runs on 100 V and Taiwan on 110 V, so check that your charger is rated for them.
Do I have to fill in an arrival card online before I fly?
For Thailand and Singapore, yes: the TDAC and the SG Arrival Card are free and must be filed within the 3 days before arrival. Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan run official online arrival forms, and Japan offers Visit Japan Web; check the official site for whether your trip needs one, and never pay a third-party site for a free form.
What is the emergency number in each country?
911 in the Philippines; 999 in Hong Kong and Malaysia (and for police in Singapore, with 995 for fire and ambulance); 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance in Japan and Taiwan; 112 and 119 in South Korea; 113 to 115 in Vietnam; 112 in Indonesia. In Thailand, the Tourist Police are on 1155.
Which of these destinations share a time zone?
Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Bali are on UTC+8. Thailand, Vietnam and Java are on UTC+7. Japan and South Korea are on UTC+9. None of them changes the clocks for daylight saving.
Sources
- Thailand's 30-day visa exemption — TAT Newsroom, checked 27 Sep 2026
- TDAC FAQ — Thai Immigration Bureau, checked 27 Sep 2026
- SG Arrival Card — Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore, checked 27 Sep 2026
- K-ETA — Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea, checked 27 Sep 2026
- Visit Japan Web — Digital Agency of Japan, checked 27 Sep 2026
- Vietnam National Electronic Visa system, checked 27 Sep 2026
- Taiwan Arrival Card — National Immigration Agency, checked 27 Sep 2026
- Malaysia Digital Arrival Card — Immigration Department of Malaysia, checked 27 Sep 2026
- eTravel — Government of the Philippines, checked 27 Sep 2026
- All Indonesia — Directorate General of Immigration, checked 27 Sep 2026
- Currency, plug, voltage, time-zone, driving-side and emergency-number basics: long-standing facts checked by the editors in September 2026. The voltage your device accepts is printed on its charger.
Transparency: the ten country eSIM stores linked on this page are affiliated with Asia Travel Forum. What we say about them comes from their published store information.