Appealing Destinations You Should Never Miss In Cambodia - Vietnam Tour 2021

If you are deeply interested in Southeast Asia, and harbor to have a tour by yourself to discover some countries in this area, a Cambodia - Vietnam tour is possibly the great choice you should take into consideration. Two Southeast Asian nations, Cambodia and Vietnam hold their own special and spectacular places as well as splendid cultures which charm tourists just for the first sight. While Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam attracts tourists with French colonial architecture, Siem Reap in Cambodia is home to mysterious and religious Angkor Wat temple complexes. In each country, we absolutely believe you will gain your own experience in terms of not only exploring the beauty of attractions but also acquiring practical knowledge and exchanging cultures during your journey.
To have a perfect tour, this article will provide you with useful information about appealing destinations you should never miss when having a Cambodia – Vietnam tour. So keep reading and discover with us!

When is the best time to take a Cambodia - Vietnam tour?

To enjoy the tour completely, considering when to visit is very important. However, because this is a Cambodia - Vietnam tour including 2 destinations, it is quite complicated to determine the exact time to visit. Luckily, all countries share the common weather features which are distinct wet and dry season although regional variations do occur. Usually, the wet season lasts from May to October and the dry season is from November to April. 

Vietnam: Vietnam is divided into 3 distinct regions including the North, Central and South regions, so the weather is diverse from north to south. In the far north, the weather a humid subtropical climate with 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In this region, the weather gets cold in December and January and get wet earlier in April. In the central region, the weather is hot and dry from January to late August and the wet season lasts from September to December. Southern Vietnam experiences 2 seasons rainy and dry ones. This region has constantly high temperatures all-around a year from May to September.

Cambodia: Cambodia is regarded as one of the simplest weather systems in Asia. The whole country experiences two main seasons: dry and rainy seasons. The dry season runs from October to April and the rainy season is from May to late September. Besides such a long season, the average temperature in Cambodia is about 27°C so you can go to Cambodia in any months of the year. 

Top appealing destinations you should never miss when taking a Cambodia - Vietnam tour

Vietnam - Discover the poetic beauty of Vietnam in Cambodia - Vietnam tour

Ho Chi Minh City - The bustling pace of Vietnam

Situated on the banks of the Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon in the past is the business and financial hub of Vietnam with a prominent history going back hundreds of years. The area was originally called Prey Nokor, which was later formed by the Nguyen's exploration of the South. In 1698, Nguyen Huu Canh established the Gia Dinh government, marking the birth of the city. When France entered Indochina, in order to serve colonial exploitation, Sai Gon was established and rapidly developed, becoming one of the two most important cities in Vietnam. Along with Cambodia's Phnom Penh, Saigon is known by the French as the Pearl of the Far East

Nowadays, Ho Chi Minh City is considered the most populous one in Vietnam which offers tourists amazing sights and adventures. It charms visitors with fabulous structures influenced by French elegant architectural style. It also features a modern and energetic city with trendy bars, mega malls, nightclubs,...day and night.

Here are the top attractions you should not miss in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Da Nang - The worth-living city in Vietnam

Located in the South Central region of Vietnam, Da Nang is the city which is a center of economics, finance, politics, culture, tourism, society, education, training, science and technology of Central Highlands and the whole country as well. Da Nang is situated among 3 world cultural heritages: Hue Ancient Town, Hoi An Ancient Town, and My Son Sanctuary. This makes this area more special.

Owning a lot of diverse natural scenery, Danang attracts tourists with not only a coastline more than 60 kilometers long, which was selected by Forbes magazine as one of the six most attractive beaches in the planet but also many impressive sceneries such as Son Tra peninsula, Ba Na Hills tourist area, Ngu Hanh Son …

Besides breathtaking landscapes, Da Lat is a city worth living due to its clean and quiet atmosphere. The city is well-secured without beggars and drugs. In addition, traffic jams rarely happen. All make tourists feel safe when wandering and discovering Da Nang.

Here are some attractive destinations you can choose when coming to Da Nang:

Hanoi - The capital with many ancient attractions 

Hanoi is the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and also the capital of most of the former Vietnamese feudal dynasties. Thus, the history of Hanoi associated with the ups and downs of Vietnamese history through the ages. Hanoi is the largest city in terms of area and the second-largest city in terms of population with 8,285,000 (2018) after Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi lies between the prosperous Red River Delta, so it quickly became a political, economic and cultural center from the very beginning of Vietnamese history.

Nowadays, Hanoi is a modern city that blends the eastern and western patterns of culture. Hanoi appeals to tourists from all over the world because of its ancient corners, historical sites, friendly people, tranquil coffee shops,... Moreover, Hanoi is also considered as the “Food Paradise” in Vietnam. Wandering along walk sides of Hanoi, it is not difficult to see a big number of food stalls or small vendors selling local street foods at low prices and which will delight and entice your taste buds. The most popular dish you must try when coming to Vietnam is Pho, made of noodles and served with perfect broth from beef or chicken.

Here are some attractions we recommend to you:

Cambodia - Discover the splendor of Cambodia in Cambodia - Vietnam tour

Phnom Penh - The capital of Cambodia

Considered as the "Paris of the East," Phnom Penh was built at the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap, and Bassac. In the past, the Kingdom of Cambodia was the French colony, so it continues to have a strong influence on Phnom Penh today.

Phnom Penh is still the cold-fusion point of enchantment, but the city is also growing fast. On the spacious streets, you can see the locals with a smile and they are very friendly. This you can rarely find in other countries. Coming here, you will have the opportunity to admire the eye-catching colonial architecture and gilded palaces and pagodas. In addition, you can enjoy high-standard dishes that are not expensive at all. It is also great if you explore historical sites near the capital and the countryside of Cambodia. The shopping mall has started to grow, so this is also a suitable destination for shoppers, especially those who like fashion and cuisine.

You can see a list of the top destinations you should not miss when visiting Phnom Penh below:

Battampang - The popular attraction in Cambodia

After Phnom Penh, Battambang is one of the largest cities in Cambodia but is much quieter than other crowded cities in this country as well as other ones in Asia. Battambang is located on the banks of the Sanker River and this contributes to its beautiful appearance. Battampang is also a popular attraction because of numerous nearby ancient temples and Buddhist shrines. This second city is a perfect blend - it’s bustling yet friendly and interesting without being overwhelming. It lacks the obvious Cambodian trump cards: no golden beaches, no capital city buzz, no Angkor Wat but then it does not suffer from congested traffic, coach loads of tourists, or hordes of touts.

So, what makes Battampang attractive?

Most of the colonial buildings are located on the main road of Battambang spread along the river. In addition, on the Sanker bank, the magnificent Chinese temple is also a beautiful sight. Going to the inner city, there are temples of Wat Dhum Rey Sor and Wat Phepittam that are worth visiting. However, the most attractive places to admire are in the suburbs. It is Phnom Sampeu - the magnificent rock and splendid temples like Wat Banan or Wat Ek Phnom.

Having a look at this list of charming attractions in Battampang below:

Siem Reap - The dramatically changing city of Cambodia

Siem Reap is a city in southwestern Cambodia, on the banks of Tonle Sap Lake which is the greatest sweetwater reserve in whole Southeast Asia. It is the most tourist attraction as it is the closest city to the world-famous temples of Angkor. The name of the city stems from the victory of the Khmer Empire over the army of the Thai kingdom in the 17th century, which literally means the Siamese defeated.

In the past, Siem Reap was a Cambodian provincial town with few facilities, rough roads and little in the way of nightlife. The tourism industry has not developed yet, just catered mostly to hardy backpackers willing to overcome tortuous roads from the Thai border on the tailgate of a local pick-up truck. Coming to Siem Reap at that time, it was extremely difficult for you to find down some large hotels or budget guesthouses. Taxis were non-existent and the trusty motodup was the means of touring the temples of Angkor. 

In less than half a decade, Siem Reap turned into a boomtown with impressive changes. You can find expensive and large hotels everywhere, and tourism has become a vast and lucrative industry. Despite the massive shift in its economy, Siem Reap remains its friendliness, pleasure, and beauty as it used to. 

Here are some destinations you must visit when coming to Siem Reap:

How to get a Visa when taking a Cambodia - Vietnam tour

9How to get Visa to Vietnam in a Cambodia - Vietnam tour

Vietnam visa is requested for every foreigner who wants to enter Vietnam. Therefore, foreigners are recommended to prepare visa before starting their departure. To save your time and energy, we offer you to apply for a visa through Visa online system. You just do 5 steps below to obtain a visa for travel to Vietnam. 

Step 1: Access to website: vietnamvisa.govt.vn

Step 2: Get started by filling out the secure online form. You need to fill in the application using the correct information regarding your name, passport number, date of birth, nationality, gender, and arrival date.

Step 3: Confirm and pay: Service fee for making visa online is US 17

Step 4: Receive and print the Approval Letter. As soon as you submit your application and payment, the system will l send your Approval Letter via email within two business days. You will need to print the attached PDF file and prepare at least two (4cm x 6cm) passport photos.

Step 5: Get your visa stamp upon arrival at one of three Vietnam international airports

How to get a visa to Cambodia

To most tourists visiting Cambodia, a visa is requested both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap International Airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The price for a tourist visa is USD 30 and this visa allows you to enter and stay there for a maximum of 30 days. the visa is valid for three months starting from the date of issue. To help make you feel more convenient, you can apply for your entrance visa online on this site. This site will give specific instructions about applying procedure.  You’ll be asked to scan your passport and photo during the procedure while the payment is by credit card. After about three days, you will get your visa.

Note that this type of visa can only be used if you enter the country from the international airports of Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, or the border crossings of Cham Yeam, Poi Pet (both in Thailand), or Bavet (in Vietnam).

What we need to do when taking a Cambodia - Vietnam tour

Assess your financial situation

Before you decide to have a trip through many countries, take a look at your finances. Do you have bad debt? If so, you may want to hold off your travel and earn money to pay for debt first.  If you have no debt and your finance is good, it seems nothing to worry. However, if your budget is limited, you can choose to have an economical tour with the limitation of attractions as expenses. You also think to make additional money for your trip to make sure that you enjoy your trip completely.

Research information about where you will visit

Before having a Cambodia - Vietnam tour, you should find out information related to where you want to visit. You can read articles, reviews or access to official websites of attractions to determine your journey and your finance you need to spend. Besides, you can ask your friends or anyone else who had a Cambodia - Vietnam tour before.

Prepare necessary items

Because you will travel to 2 countries with a lot of destinations, make sure you bring the necessary items. It is better for you to make a list of things to bring and divide them into small groups. For instance, for clothes, you should bring trousers, T-shirts, a raincoat,...

Exchange currencies

Do not forget to exchange currencies before your departure. We recommend you change your money into 3 currencies: USD, VND (Vietnamese currency) and KHR ( Cambodian currency). It depends on situations you can use suitable currencies.