Vietnam & Cambodia Explorer

19 Days | South East Asia's shining gems are on full display

4 out of 5 based on 5 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
EUR €1,254
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Experience the very best of South East Asia on this awesome adventure through Vietnam and Cambodia. Enjoy a steaming bowl of pho from a street stall in Hanoi, admire the temples of Angkor and get some insight into everyday Khmer life at a rural homestay. With faded colonial elegance in Ho Chi Minh City, the natural beauty of Ninh Binh and bustling Siem Reap, there's a lot to dazzle your senses on this exploration through South East Asia.

Trip overview

Map of Vietnam & Cambodia Explorer including Cambodia and Vietnam
Start
Hanoi, Vietnam
Finish
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Cambodia, Vietnam
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Basix
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 16
Trip code
TVRKC
This trip generates 49.66 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • This trip gives you plenty of free time – perfect for the traveller who appreciates a bit of independence. Food crawl in Hue? An extra day exploring the acclaimed Angkor complex? You decide!
  • Explore the UNESCO protected Ninh Binh - a naturally beautiful area, often referred to as ‘Ha Long Bay on land’, with its winding river etched between towering limestone mountains.
  • Confront the sobering but important Khmer history, with a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek in Phnom Penh.
  • A homestay in Chambok puts you right in the heart of everyday life in Cambodia. Enjoy a village walk and waterfall visit and join in for a local dinner and cultural performance at night.
  • Lan Ha Bay is a beautiful enclave of green waters and strange rock formations. Explore them by boat and kayak, then spend the night on nearby Cat Ba Island.

Is this trip right for you?
  • Accommodation on this tour is basic – a combination of simple hotels, guesthouses and homestays, where you'll be spending a night with a local family. While the homestay accommodation is shared and basic, this is a great opportunity to connect with the local people (and enjoy delicious home-cooked meals!). Read more about the experience here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/cambodia-homestay-experience
  • We cover a lot of distance on this trip, including on overnight trains. A 19-day trip with a lot of public transport might feel a little taxing now and then. There are some long stretches of travel involved, so be prepared for some bumpy roads (and occasional delays). It's all part of the adventure! For more about what an overnight train is like, see our blog post here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-an-overnight.
  • There is a limited amount of time included in Hanoi. Please consider booking some extra time before and after your trip if you would like more time to explore each of these cities

Itinerary

Map of Vietnam & Cambodia Explorer including Cambodia and Vietnam

Inclusions

Meals

1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Transport

Overnight Sleeper Train, Local bus, Private Minibus, Boat, TuK tuk, Train

Accommodation

Guesthouse (4 nights), Homestay (1 night), Hotel (11 nights), Overnight sleeper train (2 nights)

Activities
  • Hanoi - Vun Art center visit
  • Hanoi - Flower and flea market visit
  • Cat Ba Island - Boat trip on Lan Ha Bay
  • Cat Ba Island - Lan Ha Bay Lunch
  • Cat Ba Island - Kayaking
  • Hoa Lu - Temple of King Dinh and King Le
  • Ninh Binh - Bike Tour
  • Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
  • Ho Chi Minh City - Orientation Walk
  • Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21)
  • Phnom Penh - The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek
  • Kampot - Sunset cruise (join-in)
  • Kampot - Heritage walking tour
  • Chambok - Traditional dancing
  • Chambok - Waterfall hike
  • Chambok - Homestay and activities
  • Chambok - Khmer Dinner
  • Siem Reap - One day Angkor Pass
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Temples Guided Tour
Add on activities
  • Hanoi - Fine Arts Museum - VND30000
  • Hanoi - Museum of Ethnology - VND40000
  • Hanoi - Street Food Experience Urban Adventure - USD40
  • Hanoi - Temple of Literature - VND70000
  • Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh Complex - VND80000
  • Ninh Binh - Trang An Boat Trip (entrance fee, boat, taxi) - USD21
  • Ninh Binh - Mua Cave Hike (entrance fee and taxi) - USD12
  • Hue - Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc - VND150000
  • Hue - Imperial City Full Day Tour - USD69
  • Hue - Highlights & back streets by motorbike (with lunch) - USD28
  • Hue - Highlights & back streets by motorbike (without lunch) - USD23
  • Hue - Perfume River cruise & Thien Mu Pagoda - VND220000
  • Hoi An - Cooking class - USD33
  • Danang - Marble Mountain - VND40000
  • Hoi An - Food Adventure Urban Adventure - USD44
  • Hoi An - Private Hoi An: My Son Discovery - USD77
  • Ho Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum - VND40000
  • Ho Chi Minh City - Reunification Palace - VND40000
  • Phnom Penh - Cyclo tour - USD4
  • Phnom Penh - Wat Phnom - USD2
  • Phnom Penh - National Museum - USD10
  • Kampot - Kayak rental fee - USD6
  • Kampot - Phnom Chhnork Entry Fee - USD1
  • Kampot - Salt Field - Free
  • Siem Reap - Three day Angkor Pass - USD62
  • Siem Reap - Khmer Cooking Class - USD25
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Zipline Silver Tour (Gold Course) - USD87
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Zipline Silver Tour (Silver Course) - USD54

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for train tickets. Ticketing fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 5,9 (Overnight sleeper train) and Days 16 (Homestay) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4 out of 5 based on 5 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Marlena · Traveled February 2024
Unfortunately I cannot recommend this trip. You rush around from place to place, spend a lot of time in busses and trains to go to a lot of crowded tourist destinations, and you stay at very bad accomodations with no windows but mouldy walls. The group was really nice and like minded, but travelling like this made me sick.
Review submitted 27 Feb 2024

Josh · Traveled January 2024
This trip took us through two remarkble and up and coming destinations. Staff were accomading of disabilities. 100% reccomend
Review submitted 06 Feb 2024

Julie · Traveled November 2023
Our Vietnam Cambodian Explorer trip exceeded all expectations. This is our first Intrepid Journey and was brilliant. Vietnam and Cambodia will always hold a special place in our hearts - the people, food, history, countryside ... what an amazing experience. Our tour guides were fantastic, the groups we travelled with were all like minded people. We are already planning our next adventure with Intrepid!
Review submitted 16 Dec 2023

CIARAN · Traveled March 2023
The trip was excellent and bought us to places that we would never have seen otherwise. The guides, Bao & Dino, were great and both went out of their way to be helpful. It was a 'Basic' trip but accomadation was satisfactory. Transport was excellent and efficient. Overall a fabulous tour.
Review submitted 20 Apr 2023

Rebecca · Traveled February 2023
What a wonderful way to experience the world. The Intrepid trip was a soul restoring experience, fast paced and culturally informative. The tour leads bring the places to life and show you the 'real' countries. As a solo traveller I will definitely be booking again with them.
Review submitted 27 Mar 2023
Vietnam & Cambodia Explorer
From
EUR €1,254