Vietnam & Cambodia, where to fly and visit?
Discussion
Looking at some cheap internal flights (out of Bangkok) for next year's holiday. Would like to visit Vietnam & Cambodia, and I have just over two weeks.
Fly into Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, and Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi?
What's the essential places to visit, and what's the best way to travel round.
Been to Bangkok before, plan is cheap flight to Cambodia, then Kuala Lumpur, then Vietnam then back to Bangkok.
Bit of a weird route, but makes sense financially. Am I trying to do too much? Thanks for your help
Fly into Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, and Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi?
What's the essential places to visit, and what's the best way to travel round.
Been to Bangkok before, plan is cheap flight to Cambodia, then Kuala Lumpur, then Vietnam then back to Bangkok.
Bit of a weird route, but makes sense financially. Am I trying to do too much? Thanks for your help
Air Asia do some cheap internal flights and they're very good. I flew Bangkok to Siem Reap and it was fine. Got to go and see the temples at Angkor, maybe 2-3 days at most to do the touristy stuff, the Capital is OK but not loads to do. Haven't been to Vietnam yet but thats a place I'd love to go and I reckon there must be more to do and see there.
Magic Torch: There are already a couple of thread running about Vietnam, so I'd advise you to look at those. I've only been to North Vietnam, stayed in Hanoi, Hoi-An, DaNang and Halong Bay.
Thoroughly recommended, although I still won't have Lemon Grass in any of my food now, 2 years later.
Thoroughly recommended, although I still won't have Lemon Grass in any of my food now, 2 years later.
Siem Reap is great and good for at least 3 days, the temple complexes are huge and if you want to see more than the main sites it does take a few days, downtown is fun too in a backpacker pissed kinda way, there is some quality eating there too if you look around.
We stayed local guesthouse which was cheap and clean and ate out in town every night for pennies.
There was a boat to Phnom Penh but in the end we just went on an extended day trip on the river and that was enough.
You can do it up market and shepherded everywhere but we just pootled around with a tuk tuk and went to the temples when the crowds were low. We did a couple of trips out to outlying temples in the jungles and a great day riding through the rice paddies on horses (can do it on quads too if you want).
We were there 5 days and not bored but I can see that it might be loo long for many.
We stayed local guesthouse which was cheap and clean and ate out in town every night for pennies.
There was a boat to Phnom Penh but in the end we just went on an extended day trip on the river and that was enough.
You can do it up market and shepherded everywhere but we just pootled around with a tuk tuk and went to the temples when the crowds were low. We did a couple of trips out to outlying temples in the jungles and a great day riding through the rice paddies on horses (can do it on quads too if you want).
We were there 5 days and not bored but I can see that it might be loo long for many.
Two days in Kl is more than enough, not much of a tourist city, good shopping, Borneo/Kota Kinabalu is good, for a few days, as said Air Asia is good, if you've never been to Asia before you will enjoy anywhere, but like say London is like Paris for a tourist, in a generic sense, (history, cafes, sites you go Oh at), Asia is all 'much' the same, temples, shopping, animals, you can go any where first time then specialize on the next trip.
Try and do some of the less well known temples too at Siem Reap, some of the ones that haven't been touched yet are worthwhile seeing, it will make you appreciate what they have done at Ankgor Wat.
Only had a couple of days in Phnom Penh which was enough - saw the Royal Palace, small boat trip (not worth it) had a nice curry and a pint.
Got the coach from Siem Reap to the capital, was told the boat can be a nightmare.
Only had a couple of days in Phnom Penh which was enough - saw the Royal Palace, small boat trip (not worth it) had a nice curry and a pint.
Got the coach from Siem Reap to the capital, was told the boat can be a nightmare.
Edited by SimonV8ster on Monday 8th November 09:28
I would also recommend flying into Siam Reap and spending at least 3-5 days there.
There are other things than just temples to see if you get templed out. There is the Land Mine Museum which is quite interesting and really brings home some of the things that went on in the 70's. Also there is a silk farm which is really interesting if thats your kind of thing. Also if you are there in the right season you can take a short (small) boat trip into the sunken forrest, which is amazing.
Also try to get to some of the more remote temples, they are SPECTACULAR and its nice not being surrounded by loads of tourists. The best way to do this is to just hire a car and driver for a day.
We took the boat down to Batambang and stayed there for 2 nights. The boat is VERY uncomfortable, it also didn't help that the weather was manky when we went on it.
There are a few things to see and do in and around Batambang, such as the bamboo train which is good fun, and also some temples and the killing cave, which is harrowing (but not as bad as the killing fields).
Phnom Pen is ok, but you don't really need a lot of time here. The palace is quite cool but I found it quite boring really. The killing fields are nearby and if you can stomach it worth a visit.
Don't know anything about Vietnam so cant help you there.
There are other things than just temples to see if you get templed out. There is the Land Mine Museum which is quite interesting and really brings home some of the things that went on in the 70's. Also there is a silk farm which is really interesting if thats your kind of thing. Also if you are there in the right season you can take a short (small) boat trip into the sunken forrest, which is amazing.
Also try to get to some of the more remote temples, they are SPECTACULAR and its nice not being surrounded by loads of tourists. The best way to do this is to just hire a car and driver for a day.
We took the boat down to Batambang and stayed there for 2 nights. The boat is VERY uncomfortable, it also didn't help that the weather was manky when we went on it.
There are a few things to see and do in and around Batambang, such as the bamboo train which is good fun, and also some temples and the killing cave, which is harrowing (but not as bad as the killing fields).
Phnom Pen is ok, but you don't really need a lot of time here. The palace is quite cool but I found it quite boring really. The killing fields are nearby and if you can stomach it worth a visit.
Don't know anything about Vietnam so cant help you there.
SimonV8ster said:
Oh yeah, you can go to the old school too in Phnom Penh where all the people got tortured. Pretty grisly but it gets you thinking.
S21. Its a very harrowing place and when you look at all the pictures in that place you can see why. Phenom Penn is a great place, some great places to eat and drink. If you get miserable going round S21 and the killing fields you can visit the russian market, its massive and has all the tat a tourist would need. Crossing the road is fun as well, just don't stop or look left and right
Siam Reapp only worth it for Ankor really. If you do go, get to the main ones early doors otherwise they will be packed. Check out the citadel of women too, its a bit of a trek but well worth it.
I spent 2 weeks in total in Cambodia and that was all I needed.
Never been to Nam but I hear some good things about it, especially in the Mekon delta.
As above with Cambodia, I'd go for Siam Reap and Phnom Penh and probably fly between the two to save time.
In Vietnam there are plenty of options, but I'd say to do a few days in the south, then fly/overnight train to Hanoi and do a few days up north.
In the South I'd say go to the tunnels, mekong Delta etc out of Saigon and also get to Hoi An up on the coast.
In the North of course Hanoi and Halong Bay. Possibly Sapa if you have time too.
You can easily fly into and out of Bangkok from Siam Reap/Saigon/Hanoi on Air Asia or another budget carrier too if required.
In Vietnam there are plenty of options, but I'd say to do a few days in the south, then fly/overnight train to Hanoi and do a few days up north.
In the South I'd say go to the tunnels, mekong Delta etc out of Saigon and also get to Hoi An up on the coast.
In the North of course Hanoi and Halong Bay. Possibly Sapa if you have time too.
You can easily fly into and out of Bangkok from Siam Reap/Saigon/Hanoi on Air Asia or another budget carrier too if required.
Pretty much echo what everyone else has said, except id say its well worth trying to make time to get to Sihanoukville in Cambodia too. I worked (well, got a cheap room and free beer in return for serving drinks......!) at a bar there while i was backpacking, good beaches, some pretty much deserted islands a short boat ride away, and a great place to chill out for a few days after the wall to wall temples in Siem Reip and the pretty harrowing stuff you'll see in Pnom Phen.....!
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