I have considered travelling to Asia for years, but Covid complicated it. Finally, years after visiting Thailand I planned my trip to: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos – Indochina in 3 weeks.
I arrived in Pho Quoc Island. The immigration procedure took hours, and the visa cost me $50 (multiple entries to Vietnam). Generally, all border procedures take ages. You need to be patient and take time when travelling through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. All civil servants take their time and they are not under any pressure- of course, they are expecting $ in a passport then magically everything can happen faster. Pho Quoc Island has a nice night market, and the King Kong Store is the biggest “market” on the island. You can buy there literally everything. There are two buses 17 & 19 free of charge (green bus). Just remember to use the bus stop, they do not stop anywhere you want. I recommend taking a photo of the bus stop and the area around so you can recognise where to go off the bus on your way back to the hotel.
I reached land’s Vietnam by taking a speedboat/ ferry. I took only 2h20min. It was very convenient. I headed to Cambodia. I had to cross the Vietnam-Cambodian border – hell, it took me ages. The Cambodian visa costs $25. That day I managed to approach the capital of Cambodia: Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh -it is less chaotic than Bangkok. It is nice to spend there a couple of days to explore all that the capital of Cambodia offers.
The King Palace complex is really beautiful and represents typical architecture for this region. Beside the Royal Palace, you can find there also The Silver Pagoda. Remember: in all sanctuaries, you need to take off your shoes, it is wise to bring a pair of socks with you. It is worth seeing the Monument of Independence and having a walk along. I visited the Museum of Tuol Sleng former high school changed into a prison by the Khmer regime. Explore every building and every floor. There is no single Cambodian who did not lose a family member over this period. Wat Phnom – is the oldest temple in the town. It is a working temple so be prepared that people are bringing food to the Gods. It looks funny when God is holding a bacon in the mouth but it is absolutely normal for them. Phnom Penh offers lovely restaurants beside the river and a lively night market. To be honest, either day or night market can be found in every single Asian city.
From Phnom Penh, I travelled to Siem Reap visiting spiders’ village on the way. You can try barbequed spiders or insects or plenty of tropical fruit.
Why Siem Reap -> the only correct answer is-> Angkor Wat. Siem Reap as a town is much more touristic than Phnom Penh. There is a night market and plenty of strolls beside the river. Park district offers tons of restaurants which are inexpensive. Angkor Wat is a complex with multiple temples. It will easily take you a day to explore the basics. To walk around without any rush, you will probably need at least 2 days. Angkor Wat amazed me. It is a place worth the hassle of coming to the middle of Cambodia. The sunset behind the main temple is breathtaking. Just be aware: there are thousands of steps and a lot of walking. Also, there are plenty of monkeys which are aggressive. Stay away from them and if any hurt you, go to the nearest ER for rabies vaccination if you have not done it in your homeland.
After Siem Reap, I decided to travel to Laos. I took a flight using Vietnam Airlines from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang. This is a very decent airline. They offer complimentary tea, coffee, and a snack. After arrival, I went for dinner where the restaurant played typical music and presented Laotian dances. The following day I spent sightseeing the Luang Prabang which is an old Laotian capital. It is a nice little Asian town. There is a Royal Palace with Haw Pha Bang temple which can be explored. I climbed up to Phousi Hill where you would find a landscape of Luang Prabang and Xieng Tong temple from the XVI century.
I visited also Kuangsi Waterfall Park. It is nice to take your time, do the trekking up the waterfall, take a bath in one of the waterfall pools and grab lunch in the park. There is also a bear's sanctuary which allows you to observe Asian bears rescued from the jungle. Bears are hunted for the aspirate and left to die in the forest. Here they can find a safe place to live. Outside the park gate, there is a small market where you find fresh fruit, nuts and rice pancakes.
Vientiane – the capital of Laos – I took a train from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. The train station is like an airport and conducts even strike rules, any shapes or objects are prohibited. The train route was built by a Chinese company and is fast, comfortable, and convenient. The only thing to remember: it is not easy to put a heavy suitcase on the shelf if you travel on your own. Other than that, I totally recommend this way of transport. Vientiane has also many temples like Haw Phra Kaew, Si Saket, Si Muang and Pha That Luang. which are worth visiting. Besides them, there are many small silk factories where you can find the best quality silk and observe how silk garments are being made.
My next flight was from Vientiane to Hanoi. Ha Long Bay -finally I reached this famous bay: Ha Long. I was surprised at how many empty apartment buildings are there. The pandemic has changed the development of this place. Now it is a ghost town. Ha Long Bay is really picturesque. I took a boat to the cave which has amazing rock formations. You can easily work along the cave to admire what nature can do. It is nice to explore small bays by small boat. On the way back there was a lunch served with delicious seafood.
Finally, I arrived in Hanoi. The capital surprised me with lots of green spaces in the city centre. Ho Chi Minh Sanctuary is a must to visit. The body of Ho Chi Minh is possible to see only on Sundays. There are plenty of temples and museums like One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature. You can easily plan to visit this town for 2-3 days. The icing on the cake is Train Street. It is absolutely amazing to sit in a cafeteria when a regular train is a meter from you. There is also a theatre which presents the history and Vietnamese fairy tales using puppets but it was totally waste of time and money – in my humble opinion.
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is completely different from Hanoi. Not only there is fewer green places but also traffic is mental. It is truly: Saigon. As always there are plenty of temples and museums and Notre Dame Cathedral (under constant renovation), Main Post building, Thirn Hau Pagoda. It is fab to see Saigon from a local perspective. You can do it by booking a scooter tour – fortunately, you do not have to drive a motorbike. Locals will drive, and you will be a passenger. To fully explore Saigon, I recommend 2-3 nights to walk around, try food and go to one of the rooftop bars.
Close enough to Saigon is Vient Cong tunnels, Cu Chi. They are narrow so be prepared. It is unbelievable that people could dig them, live in them and fight in them. I you are claustrophobic- do not even think about going near the tunnels. I have never been uncomfortable in small spaces, but this time, my adrenaline level jumped up to the roof.
Mekong River – Mekong cruise is a must when you are in Vietnam. It is wonderful to observe the landscape and floating fishing farms on the river. I stayed overnight in the Ut Trinh Homestay. Well, it is an amazing experience to have a bathroom outside the room and see stars while taking a shower. I travelled across the Indochina using mainly Vietnamese Airlines, fast trains, and ferries or boats. Unintentionally, my travel included Asian New Year's 2025 Snake Year. It was a 3-day party. Lots of places were closed so it is wise not to plan anything major on these days.
Finally, I ended up on Phu Quoc Island to rest after travelling for weeks across Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. I love snorkelling. If only I have an opportunity to snorkel, I will do it. This time was no different. I snorkelled in wonderful spots. I used a company called: Phu Quoc Jeep Tour https://www.phuquocjeeptour.com/ . It was a half-day excursion which cost me $50. They collected me and dropped me back to my hotel. I also used a cable car to go to the top to see the views. I spent my time in Phu Quoc staying at the Amarin Resort & Spa: https://amarinresort.com.vn/
Phu Quoc is a great place to visit. I recommend using a cable car and visiting the water park. The views are breathtaking.
Indochina – I totally recommend this region to explore however distances are massive. Logistics will take you a lot of time. The food is excellent, people are friendly despite barely anybody speaking English. All the main museums have strict safety rules like in the airport.
If you want to see pure Asia – the above trio is a must.
Asian Trio: Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
