NOTES MONGOLIA:
VISA USA CITIZENS
- EASY - WALK UP TO BORDER
USA VISA Mongolia
Information from:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/americans1.html Information Dated March 9,
2004
MONGOLIA - *Passport required. Visa not required for a stay of less
than 90 days. Tourist and business travelers may be asked to show letter of
invitation or a letter from a Mongolian company, and onward/return ticket. AIDS
test required for students and anyone staying longer than 3 months; U.S. test
accepted. Visitors planning to stay in Mongolia for more than 1 month are
required to register with the Immigration, Naturalization and Foreign Citizens
Agency within 7 days of arrival. American visitors who fail to register and stay
longer than 30 days may be stopped at departure, denied exit, and fined. For
additional information, contact the
Embassy of Mongolia, 2833 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20007 (202/333-7117 or
the UN Mission of Mongolia, 6 East 77th St., New York, NY 10021 (212/861-9460).
Internet: www.mongolianembassy.us
Travel Notes on Mongolia
I keep a daily travel log and write a newsletter. That
information is much more detailed. I made this page to collect some essential
notes of problems, or variance to pay attention to in Mongolia.
My Travel Log or Blog for Mongolia starts as of first of March, 2004 in log and
newsletter for information on Mongolia.
Andy HoboTraveler.com
NEWSLETTER
BLOG
SUBSCRIBE
MY PHOTOS
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
REAL Mongolia
- No foreigners will be around.
- They will be glad to see you.
- Nothing in English
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WHY PEOPLE VISIT Mongolia?
- Sleep in tents or Gers.
- Go on horse back rides.
- Ride in 4-wheel drive vehicles.
- Coming from Russia or going to Russia.
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DO NOT VISIT Mongolia IF?
-
-
THESE THINGS ARE GUARANTEED TO HAPPEN
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NEED TO BRING
You may wish to also bring the stuff that you can buy
immediately. If you are on a tourist trip you should bring both the need and
what you can buy immediately.
Mongolia ENTRY
- Sleeping Bag - Especially in winter as they do not heat or sometimes provide
enough blankets.
- Toilet Paper
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BUY IMMEDIATELY
- Toilet Paper
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THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN OR IS A BIG PROBLEMS IN Mongolia
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VISA OR STAMP:
- Mongolia entry is easy.
- DO NOT GET RUSSIAN VISA IN MONGOLIA - This is the last
place in the world you should get the Visa.
Mongolia ENTRY:
- By train is normal, and entry coming from China is easy.
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TOILETS AND SHOWERS:
- No showers on trains.
- No shower in tents or tourist tents for travelers.
- Showers or maybe tubs with hot water in Hostels.
- Never supply toilet paper.
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ENTERTAINMENT
- Discos
- Fully westernized restaurants.
- They sell alcohol and beer.
- Markets
- Go sleep in tent.
- Girls and guys are social and dating with locals is possible.
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TRANSPORTATION:
- Train is good.
- Local bus is confusing.
- There is a real "Make Money off Tourist" 4-wheel drive
mentality here in Ulaan Baator.
- Negotiate hard for tours and transportation.
- Airfare to Berlin, Germany and Beijing are pretty easy.
Cost about anywhere is 600 Dollars U.S. Not a good place to buy a plane ticket.
Mongolia ENTRY:
- Easy
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ANNOYANCES:
- Men in streets standing around.
- Pickpockets
- Mostly at night if you go to a bar or use a taxi you need to count the money
or bill carefully because they will overcharge you. Try to have exact change or
be ready to argue about the money.
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INTERNET:
- Some normal dial up and pretty easy.
- You can connect your laptop in the Internet cafes if you
have the RJ 45 plug and probably XP, other than that and more complicated.
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HOTELS OR
ACCOMMODATIONS:
- 4 Dollar a night is standard for a dorm bed.
- UB Guesthouse appears to be the best. Lockers. Movies, and free breakfast.
- Nassan Guesthouse says movies and such, but really do not supply.
- It appears that a KITCHEN is a standard feature in most guesthouses for the
residents.
- The Hostels will pick you up for free from the train. I think they wait
there daily.
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LAUNDRY:
- Can do yourself in the Hostels.
- Hostels will do for you for money.
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MONEY:
- Turog
- Money exchange on every corner in Ulaan Baator.
- ATM in Ulaan Baator
- Bring U.S. Dollars as they tell you prices in dollars.
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ELECTRICITY:
Good, but not many plugs in Hostels.
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WATER:
Water is pretty good.
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SAFETY:
- Avoid men in streets.
- Avoid walking walking at night.
- Very dangerous for pickpockets.
- People drinking
- Avoid the police and walk on the other side for danger of
bribes.
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COMMUNICATION:
- Internet and telephone in Ulaan Baator for sure. Internet cost about 600
Turog or 50 Cents U.S.
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COMPANIONS OR TRAVEL MATES
- This country is safer with a travel companion.
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CULTURE:
- Buddhist
- Sort of drinking to much former Soviet Russians with an attitude.
- Animal skin fur hats and jackets.
- Long boots on and blanket like Russian style jackets for men.
- Most people or 99 percent of people in Ulaan Baator wear Western style
clothes.
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LUGGAGE
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GEAR:
- Need sleeping bag
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BUSINESS
- Probably not a good place to do any type of business. In the center of
nowhere and the flights are expensive. Lots of corruption.
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GOSSIP
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SOCIAL PROBLEMS:
- Alcohol
- Violence in the streets
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SEASONS:
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TRASH AND RUBBISH DISPOSAL
This is a clean country for the most part, and if you come
from India you will need to be very careful where you put your trash, although
this is not always true for the locals.
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FOOD:
- Mutton
- Lots of large grocery stores and in the Hostels are
kitchens the guest can use.
-
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TERMS OR DEFINITIONS:
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FOOTNOTES:
1. From Encyclopedia Britannica - I have made
BOLD some key words.
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