Vietnam & Cambodia
30 November 2013 - During the last few years the Indochina region has become a very sought after destination for Australian travellers. Europe has always been my greatest area of interest for travel and I had not been considering making my next trip to Vietnam and Cambodia… but I am so glad that I did.
My husband and I started our journey in chaotic Hanoi and quickly mastered the art of crossing the road - walk diagonally across and do not stop or slow down or you will disturb the flow of traffic and risk being hit. If you walk at a consistent pace you will be safe. A visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Confucius are all fascinating. To find some peace in Hanoi visit the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake and the surrounding area.
Our two nights on a Halong Bay junk followed by a home stay in a small Vietnamese village were absolute highlights of our trip. We kayaked, ate dinner by candlelight in a cave, visited a floating village, learnt how to fish with a basket, ate all kinds of amazing food and had a very memorable conversation with a Buddhist monk.
Cambodian hospitality is legendary. Hotel staff members are generally trained to a very high standard and they are constantly attempting to improve their service to meet the needs of their guests.
There are many diverse places to visit in Phnom Penh. The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda with their pristine gardens and beautiful architecture are in stark contrast to the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. Cambodia has an horrific recent history and many visitors choose to learn more about it during their stay.
We found tuk-tuks to be a quick, cheap and easy way to travel around cities but the red dust outside Siem Reap is best travelled when in an air-conditioned taxi rather than an open tuk-tuk. I would recommend a taxi when visiting the most famous attractions at Siem Reap - the stunning temples of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. A taxi is also the way to go when travelling to the river to access the floating village of 10,000 people, Kompong Khleang on Lake Tonle Sap - well worth a visit! The best time to see the village “floating” is from October to January.
There are so many other fascinating parts of Vietnam and Cambodia to explore. I will certainly be going back.