A shallow lake with boats in Vietnam

Vietnam and Cambodia

Vietnam and Cambodia are located next to each other in South East Asia, but they’re worlds apart culturally and in terms of travel. You might think I’m crazy for lumping them together on one page, and you’re probably right. Unfortunately, that’s the way of the world right now.

I’ve unfortunately only had brief opportunities to visit Vietnam and Cambodia, on two separate occasions. And both trips were only for about one week, I barely scratched the surface of these two unique and beautiful countries. However, my brief stay traveling in both Vietnam and Cambodia left me seriously wanting more. Don’t miss out on these two fantastic countries.

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Sunset near Hoi An Vietnam

Vietnam

You’ll Need a Visa in Advance

Unless you’re from a few select countries, you’ll need to apply for a visa in advance to travel to Vietnam. It’s a pretty easy process and you can do it online. Here’s more information from the Vietnam tourism board.

Vietnam is Huge

Yes, it’s thin, but it is very, very long. Don’t underestimate how long it takes to go to different places. If you have a short period of time, choose a region (north, south, or central) and stick to it. We stayed in the center, flying in and out of Da Nang. The country also varies a lot between the north and south.

Tree growing on temple ruins Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Cambodia

You Also Need a Visa in Advance

Americans need a visa in advance to travel to Cambodia, too. Thankfully, you can also apply online. Here’s the link to the eVisa application page.

There’s More than Angkor Wat…

Angkor Wat is absolutely amazing, however, there’s so much more to Cambodia than just the ruins. I absolutely loved the capital city, Phnom Phen, for example.

… But Don’t Miss Angkor Wat

Yes, Angkor Wat is crowded and touristy, you won’t live out your Indiana Jones fantasies here, but goddamn is it worth it. Splurge and pay for the three-day ticket, you’ll still have trouble fitting everything in. You can hire a driver to take you around the ruins but it’s way more fun to rent a bicycle and cruise around yourself.

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