This was a 10 day guided tour visiting locations in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam taken in November 2023.
Day One – Bangkok
This first day was spent travelling from London Gatwick to Dubai and then after a 2 hour stopover a flight to Bangkok, Thailand which arrived at 7.30 am the following day.
Members of the group were arriving at various times prior to our scheduled meeting at 2pm. After being transferred to Hotel Trang we had plenty of time to spare, so myself and another member of the group decided to explore the local area and get breakfast.
At 2pm we met our guide Jeff and the other members of the group. After being introduced we set off on a tour of the city. First we travelled by tuk-tuk to centre of Bangkok where we embarked on a longtail boat journey along Chao Phraya river.
Our first stop was a visit to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) at Thornburi built to honour the God Aruna. Its design represents the towering slopes of Mount Meru – the Khmer’s mythical home of the gods.
Afterwards we continued down the river for a time before doubling back. As dusk fell, we found a restaurant in the heart of the night market where we enjoyed a local meal. Afterwards we returned to our hotel for an early night.
Day Two – Bangkok – Siem Reap
It was a 5am alarm today to get to the station ready for our train journey to PoiPet where we would cross the border to Cambodia. The six-hour journey gave us a glimpse of rural Thailand.
At PoiPet we were given instructions on how to pass through immigration and told that our Cambodia guide would be waiting for us. We then said goodbye to Jeff and joined the border crossing queue.
It took around an hour to get through the border and once in Cambodia we looked for our guide, but couldn’t see him anywhere. After more than an hour wait and phone calls to Explore it transpired that he had been waiting in the wrong place.
Once met we transferred to a minibus for the 3.5 hour drive to Siem Reap stopping at a service station along the way for some food.
Day Three – Siem Reap
This was a free day and I had booked a Viator tour of the Angkor Wat temple complex. I was collected from the hotel at at 9.45am and after purchasing a one day ticket ($37) the tour began with the main Angkor Wat temple. After walking to a vantage point to photograph the iconic view we went inside and climbed to the top.
Next we travelled to Ta Promh, famous for featuring in the 2001 Tomb Raider film and for the trees that have grown through the stone temple buildings.
After a stop for lunch we travelled to Angkor Thom, a complex of four temples where we visited the Bayon and Khlaeng Temples.
Finally we ascended the hill to Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset. The Amazing temple complex of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat lived up to expectations. Particularly loved Ta Promh (Tomb Raider Temple from 2001 film).
Day Four – Siem Reap
Day four was another free day in Siem Reap and I opted to join the Explore excursion to Lake Tonle Sap, the largest lake in South East Asia. The homes and municipal buildings of the local communities are built on stilts to prevent flooding during the rainy season.
We had lunch in a local restaurant some distance from the lake before visiting a non-profit artisan centre teaching crafts to young people.
Our final stop for the day was the Land Mine museum which tells raises money for and tells the stories of those people maimed by and the ongoing struggle to rid Cambodia of land mines.
We then returned to Siem Reap where we dined out in the World famous Pub Street – a stark contrast to the ancient temples Siem Reap is known for.
Day Five – Siem Reap – Battambang
Today we travelled from Siem Reap to Battambang. Our first stop was a ride on a bamboo train. Bamboo slats are placed on a wheeled frame and then covered with mats which passengers sit on. A small engine powers the train along regular rail tracks. If a normal train is approaching passengers have to quickly get off and the bamboo train removed to let the locomotive pass.
After our ride we returned to Battambang city and had lunch in a local restaurant. I then spent the rest of the day relaxing.
Day 6 – Battambang – Phnom Penh
After breakfast in our hotel we made the six hour journey from Battambang to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. After freshening up at our hotel we embarked on a boat ride along the River Tonle Sap. The picture below shows the cityside bank of the river, full of modern, expensive-looking, newly built buildings.
The opposite bank houses the poor of the city and is in stark contrast to the richer side.
Day 7 – Phnomh Penh
First stop today was a tour of the city. First we visited the Royal Palace, the home of the Cambodian King and Queen.
From the palace it was a short walk to the waterfront where locals were busy preparing for the upcoming boat festival.
After a quick visit to the city museum we travelled by tuk-tuk to the site of the Killing Fields. This open air museum tells the story of the genocide that saw the murder of around 3 million Cambodians by the Communist regime of Pol Pot.
Day 8 – Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City
Today we said goodbye to our guide in Phnom Penh as we made a 6.5 hour unaccompanied public bus journey to Ho Chi Minh City. Along the way we crossed the mighty Mekong river that runs 4900km from south-west China to Vietnam.
The fact that we did not have a guide with us was a little problematic because we had to resort to Google translate to understand what we were being told. At the border crossing we had to carry our luggage through the crossing and then get back on the bus. One of our party did not have the correct visa and was not allowed through. Having a guide on hand would have made it much easier for them to sort out the correct paperwork.
Once through the border we hit heavy traffic and were late arriving at out hotel. After quickly checking in we embarked on a brief orientation tour before enjoying a lovely meal in the city.
Day 9 – Ho Chi Minh City
Today I opted to visit Independence Palace and the old part of the city. Independence Palace was the headquarters for the US and South Vietnamese during the Vietnam war. A North Vietnamese tank crashing through the Palace gates signified the fall of Saigon and the end of the war. Much of the interior is preserved from the war days.
Leaving the Palace I walked the short distance to Notre Dame cathedral built by the French when they occupied Vietnam in the 19th century.
The old Post Office, also built by the French has been well preserved. A portrait of Ho Chi Minh bears testament to the end of occupation. Although it still functions as a Post Office it also houses numerous stalls and kiosks to tempt tourists to part with their money.
Leaving the old quarter, I walked back to my hotel passing by the Parliament buildings.
Day 10 – Ho Chi Minh City and home
Today was the last day in Indochina. As I had a late flight home I paid a visit to the War Remnants Museum. Formerly named the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, various rooms tell the harrowing stories of atrocities carried out during the wars of occupation and the Vietnam war. The stories of the western journalists and the effects of Agent Orange and napalm were particularly horrific. Most of the exhibits were too upsetting to be posted online.