Cambodia/ Vietnam with children 17, 15, 13 and 10?

[struwellpeter]

We are thinking of a trip next summer to Cambodia and Vietnam with the family. Probably planning to back-pack and do the chicken buses. any ideas?! Many thanks.

Frineds of ours went earlier this year And had a blast 2 kids age 7 &5. Bus trips are long and tiring. Bathrooms are OMG. Food is good or very bad and def not suited to picky eaters. The sites are amazing, the experience increible, plan for some decent r&r before you go home as you will be tired.
If you need more ideas, give me more specifics and I will help.

I took my DDs (age 13 and 15) to Vietnam last year. We had a great time. Lots of amazing sights, always felt safe and welcome.

I've no experience about Cambodia, but I travelled extensively through vietnam with my children (then 15 and 13) a few years ago.

It was fantastic - the trains are a hoot, we sleepered from Hanoi to Hue - a first for the kids who were amazed by the whole thing.

Not sure about buses, but the roads in Vietnam are really dangerous.

Worth a visit : Saigon (and the Mekong delta), Hue (amazing temples and palaces - very Lara Croft/Indiana Jones!), Na Trang (fantastic World Heritage village - try and be there for full moon as the village is lit by lanterns only), Dalat, Hoi An (although I gather Hoi An has got a bit busy and touristy over the past couple of years) and Hanoi. If you've time, you can get a train from Hanoi up to Sapa - probably a much more interesting trip than spending time in Halong Bay (which is very touristy, but pretty)

I'm so jealous - it was a great trip for us and I'd love to go back

Oh - and the food!! Just fantastic!!