Holiday to Vietnam and/or Cambodia/Thailand

[TrentCrimmOfTheIndependent]

Hi, I am looking for some advice on a holiday in this area.

DH and I are considering a two week holiday to Vietnam from approx Sun 3 March. The only must have currently on our list is Angkor Wat. Other than that, we would be happy to either just stay in Vietnam, or combine it with either Cambodia or Thailand. We would even be open to not going to Vietnam if there was a good reason not to.

Budget about under £5,000. Can be flexible on dates and don’t mind indirect flights if cheaper.

Would like:

• Dry hot weather!
• Modern, clean accommodation, doesn’t have to be luxury. Would prefer a pristine three star over a shabby five star.
• Would like some history and nature.

Other than that, we are open to anything!

Any suggestions welcome, thank you.

Angkor Wat is in Cambodia

I'm sure the OP knows that...

It's a wonderful part of the world! You can't go wrong with Vietnam, Cambodia or Thailand. They're all wonderful and the people are so special.

Trailfinders are fantastic at helping you put together an itinerary. My must see in Vietnam would be Hue, Ho Chi Min, Hoi An, Mekong Delta, Halong Bay but doubt you'll be able to get to all of them in a short time span and do them justice so just pick an area.

@Iquitelikedthatone
That is not how it reads to me.
OP mentioned that Cambodia is an optional extra to the Vietnam trip.

Ugh sorry Cambodia!!! How could I do such a major typo!!! Sorry all!

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the main event - so sorry for wasting people’s time!

@Iquitelikedthatone Thanks for the trailfinders tip.

So do you want Vietnam or Cambodia? I'm confused.

I would like Cambodia. Then maybe Vietnam or Thailand as an add on.

So sorry for the confusion.

I travelled to North Vietnam in September for two weeks starting in Hanoi then Ha Long/Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba flew to Danang, a couple of days in Hoi Ann and Ang Ban Beach then back to Hanoi. We aimed for a blend of culture, experience and food and decent weather and not to do so much that we were always travelling and not appreciating the place itself. We DIYed and the flights and some amazing accommodation were £3500.

TBH I’d follow the weather 🙂

That sounds really reasonable @TheOnlyAletheia ! Thanks!

Ignore the snippy posters, I knew what you meant.

Thailand is wonderful too but in all honesty I'd do them as two separate trips as both such fascinating countries and cultures.

Weather in Vietnam is 3 distinct seasons dependent on which area you visit in which month, the country is 2000 miles long so yes definitely follow the weather!

Thanks @Iquitelikedthatone , wow 2000 miles - great tip re the weather! I normally love planning holidays myself but this time am too busy and really welcome the steer.

Apologies - just to clarify the £3500 was for two of us

Seems like a really great deal

I've been to Angkor Wat (Siem Reap) and Thailand (Bangkok, Koh Phangan, Chiangmai, Phuket). I've never been to Vietnam. There wasn't much to do in Siem Reap other than Angkor Wat.

Depending on what you like you could split the Angkor Wat visit up with something different. National Park in Thailand such as Koh Sok, or beach in Phuket or Koh Samui, or city in Ho Chi Minh city.

Flights from London to Thailand / Vietnam will likely be cheaper than flights to Cambodia due to popularity. I've been three times and stopped in Dubai / Doha on Emirates / Qatar airways on two of the occasions.

Regional flights in SE Asia are plentiful and cheap - we used AirAsia - think Ryanair. £40 flights from Thailand to Cambodia. I'm not sure about Vietnam but Thailand is very easy to travel around.

Really helpful, thanks @LondonTraveller . I think my husband would like to go to Phuket. And useful to know there’s not much more in Angkor Way itself.

Phuket has different experiences depending on the location.

If you're 25 and like partying then Patong Beach is for you. If not, Kamala or Karon Beach are quieter. From Phuket you can visit the Phi Phi Islands on the other side of the island.

Just a tip, The Thai islands either side of the mainland have different monsoon seasons so best to check.

We did Cambodia 8 years ago and it was amazing. We flew into Siem Reap and stayed there for a week - its a fabulous town and great base for touring Angkor Wat. We then got a "luxury" coach to Phnom Penh and spent a few days in this amazing city. From there we got a taxi to the south and spent a few days in Kampot and then Kep. We had an incredible time and stayed in some fantastic hotels. The Veranda Natural Resort in Kep has a special place in my heart.

That sounds fantastic @FitAt50 . Do you have any hotel recommendations?

That’s definitely worth knowing, thanks a lot @LondonTraveller . Partying is definitely not on our list of priorities.

It is better to do Vietnam only in 2 weeks but if Angkor Wat appeals to you, give Siem Reap at least 3 nights (Fly into Vietnam and out of Cambodia is advised).

Thanks @dinhoecotour , good to know. Why is that?

One of our best-ever Christmas' was at Krabi in Thailand, followed by a few nights in Kuala Lumpur for the New Year. Very child-friendly, we spent most days taking long-boat trips out to the amazing islands.