Introduction to languages
Our holidays cover regions of Asia where a huge variety of national and tribal languages are spoken. It will therefore come as a great relief that, not only will your guide speak good English, but that English is spoken with varying degrees of success in many restaurants, shops, tourist sites and by some of the friendly faces you will meet on the street. Having said this, we always encourage our guests to try and learn a few useful words or phrases upon arrival in any country – it helps you integrate with the people you meet and it can be great fun and lead to some hilarious ‘conversations’.
Your guide will always be keen to teach you and you will find that many other people that you come across on a day-to-day basis will also be very happy to help you. The best way to start learning is to just listen to the conversations going on around you…you will undoubtedly find the unusual tones hard to distinguish at first but stick with it - it can be incredibly rewarding.
You will find your hosts very appreciative for any efforts you make to learn even a few words of their dialect. It is considered respectful and indicates a real willingness to learn about the people and their culture. In the early days, it is very possible that your attempts will be met with laughter but stick with it…just think, two phrases a day and by the end of the first week you’ll be able to order your own lunch and perhaps reward yourself with a drink!
For further reading on we recommend the Lonely Planet South-East Asia Phrasebook.
Use the tabs above to try a few language basics before you depart.