Vietnam & Cambodia

A 14-day trip to Vietnam and Cambodia

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The first thing I have to write about these 2 fantastic countries is that it is impossible to state which one is more beautiful and which one we enjoyed the most, beacuse they are both great, even if different. One thing they have in common though, is how tasty their food is. We were never disappointed by the local cuisines, which differ from region to region. Nevertheless, the population of both Vietnam and Cambodia are highly friendly and kind.

The organization of the trip was comprehensevely made by the agency Horizon Vietnam Travel, therefore all our hotels, flights, guides and drivers were arranged, and not once we had a problem. Everything ran smoothly, and they were fast and effective in their replies, before and during the trip. I highly suggest them !

We arrived in Hanoi early in the morning, so we went to taste the typical vietnamese breakfast (Pho), before reaching the hotel. After check-in, we started walking through the old town, and we stopped at first to see the train passing through the houses (you need to ask for a bar to let you pass, and you have to buy something from there, but it is fun to see). The train follows the following schedule,if you want to see it passing by : Monday through Friday = 19 :00, 19 :45, 20 :30, 22 :00. Saturday and Sunday = 6 :00, 9 :00, 11 :20, 15 :20, 17 :30, 18 :00, 19 :00, 19 :45, 20 :30, 21 :00, 23 :00.

After this experience, we followed the classic tour through the old town, which you can find at this link.

The next stop was the « Hilton Hanoi », the infamous prison used both by the French army and the Vietcong. It was a really touchinbg experience to witness. From there, we walked through the French quarters, full of luxurious shops and restaurants, and then we went back to the Old Town to have dinner and rest.

The second day in Hanoi we visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex including the Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Uncle Ho’s House on stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda which built of wood in 1049, looks like a flower of lotus. The following stop was Hanoi Temple of Literature – symbol of Vietnamese feudal education and passionate spirit for Vietnamese studies. Before lunch, we went to a lacquer shop, where we were told how the pieces of art are made. The last stops were the Citadelle, and then the water puppet show.

The following day we left Hanoi to visit Hoa Lu (100 km-1h40) – the ancient capital of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty (968-980) and early Le Dynasty (980-1009). Here we can admire the 2 templs of the kings, built in the 10th century. Before lunch, we went to see the Bich Dong pagoda, divided into low, medium, and high temple.

In the afternoon, we boarded a sampan for a nice ride in the middle of the rice fields on the Ngo Dong River. This represents why this place is nicknamed Ha Long Bay on the mainland. We reached the caves of Tam Coc and then back. Our tour was over for the day, but we decided to go to the Mua Caves Temple (500 steps to reach it), to have an amazing view of the Valley, and before dinner we had a nice massage !

The following day we left Ninh Binh to reach Tuan Chau Internation Port (209 km-3h), where we boarded our Sena Cruise in Lan Ha Bay. After lunch, we enjoyed a bamboo boat ride to see the Light and the Dark Cave, and back on the boat we followed a cooking class on how to make Nems (and of course we ate them after !). We slept on the cruise and the next morning we sailed towards Ao Ech (the famous set of King Kong Skull Island), and we enjoyed a 40-minute kayak ride. After this, we started heading back to the Port, where our driver was waiting for us and drove us to Hanoi airport (170 km-2h20), to catch our flight to Danang. Once in Danang, another driver took us to Hoi An (30 km-45 min), where we spent the night. Before going to sleep, we went to have dinner and a boat ride in the old town, which made us understand why the city is nicknamed « the city of lanterns ».

The next day our guide took us through the streets of Hoi An, where we also visited the Japanese Bridge, the Chinese Temple, and the old House. This town is famous for the use of silk, so I bought a Kimono and my parents and brother bought some lanterns. After the tour, we bought a famous Banh Mi for lunch and we took the car to reach Hue (130 km-2h30). The 2 cities are linked by the Hai Van Pass, a notorious panoramic route. Once we reached Hue, we visited before a tasty dinner (this city is famous for its cuisine, and we were not disappointed).

The following day we visited the Imperial city, where 13 emperors of the Nguyen dynasty lived between 1802 and 1945. The next stop was the pretty Heavenly Lady Pagoda, perched on the hilltop overlooking the Perfume River, followed by the Tomb of Tu Duc and Minh Mang. Unfortunately, our time in Hue was over so we were dropped off at the airport (16km-30 min) to reach Saigon. Once we arrived, we followed the tour Dong Khoi to have an overview of this breathetaking city.

The following day we left for Ben Tre (87 km-1h50), where we discovered the Mekong Delta, formed by the nine arms of the feeder river. Upon arrival we took a boat to sail along the river, and we stopped at an artisanal coconut production workshop to see how all parts of the coconut are used. The navigation continued on the Cai Son River, and from the village of Nhon Thanh, where local families have specialized in the production of rush mats, we continued our tour through the coconut palm fields and fruit and vegetable gardens by bicycle. Afterwards, we took take a short pleasant rowing boat ride in a coconut plantation which will take you through preserved and romantic landscapes. At the end of this experience, we took the car and we arrived in Can Tho.

The next day, we woke up early to experience the original Cai Rang floating market, one of the most typical markets in the southern regions of Vietnam. We then waved goodbye to the Mekong Delta and drove back to Saigon (165 km-3h). The following day we visited the Reunification Palace (the old residence of the South Vietnam President), and then we drove to Chu Chi to see the tunnels used during the war. Upon return to Saigon, we visited Thien Hau and the Ben Thanh market. This was our last day in Vietnam, because we left the following day for Siem Reap.

We arrived in Siem Reap in the afternoon (our flight was delayed), therefore we only had time to visit 3 temples in Angkor; Ta Prohm, famous for the film Tomb Raider, Preah Khan et Pre Rup. The following day we woke up to arrive at Angkor Wat at 7 :30, so that we could visit the complex of Angkor Thom, Angkor What, Kravan, Neak Pean, Krol Ko, and Mebon Est. They were all amazing, but the thermometer hit 44C (felt like 50C), so we wrapped it up and at about 15 :00 we went back to the hotel. The next and last day, before the flight, we had time to visit the Temples of Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, and Ta Som.

Of course, not only the site of Angkor is incredible, but what made it so special is that we were there throughout the Khmer New Year, and we partecipated in the water battles and baby powder marquage with everyone else!