2 Week Vietnam and Cambodia Itinerary

We wanted to get out and see the country and history, so we visited the templates of the town of Hoa Lu (about 2 hours away). We had a private guide give us the history which is worth every penny. We then drove to Tam Coc where we went into a small boat (sampan) and glided along the river to look at the limestone "mountains". It was so peaceful and truly stunning natural beauty. The next day we took a tour around the key sights in Hanoi, and then drove out to Halong Bay just a few hours north of Hanoi. The Bay is really spectacular. We rented a private boat (which was huge and just about $125 for several hours which included lunch). This tour through the Bay was a real highlight and definitely recommend it. Afterward, our guide invited us for dinner at his parents home. His father was a Viet Cong and fought in the war. It was incredibly special to see how far our two countries have come together. Related: Southeast Asia Travel.

We drove about 2 1/2 hours to visit the floating villages in the Mekong Delta (Cai Be). We were able to ride in the boats and get out to visit some of the working villages. This was a real highlight of the trip. Definitely recommend. The next day we toured Saigon and visited War Remnants Museum and the Presidential Palace. Both were worth the time.

The first day we spent visiting the temples - 1st we went to  Angkor Thom which is smaller than the more popular Angkor Wat. I believe Angkor Thom was one of the locations for the movie Tomb Rader which was fun to see in person. Next we went to Bayon Temple, and then onto Angkor Wat. All were spectacular and worth the visit. It was however excruciating humid so I recommend carrying water and dressing cool.  The next day, the guys went to visit the Banteay Srey and Ta Prohm temples. My friend and I stayed at the resort and relaxed by the lovely pool. During our time in Cambodia we also had another exceptional guide who shared his stories of fleeing as a young man to Thailand to escape the Khmer Rouge. I highly recommend splurging on hiring guides as it added so much to our experience. The following day, we drove a few hours Tonlé Sap Lake. The lake has floating restaurants and villages which was a cool experience. We also walked through a tiny lake village (Kampong Phluck)  to see how the locals lived when the lake rose and receded (the houses are built on tall stilts). Everyone we met was extremely friendly and welcoming.

We essentially hung out at the beach (which is incredible), and visited a few small restaurants. One highlight of my travel experiences, was us renting a boat for the day where we fished for our lunch which was set up on the beach for us. We ate fresh fish, and swam in crystal blue waters--truly heaven.