Cambodia, Angkor Wat-Thom Cruise from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City — 11 Days

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor, where Cambodia’s Khmer kings left one of Asia’s great archaeological landscapes. At Angkor Wat, galleries of carved stone surround a temple begun in the early 12th century. Beyond it, the vast Angkor Archaeological Park holds the jungle-embraced towers of Bayon and Ta Prohm. Allow time for Siem Reap itself: a lively Cambodian city with markets, cafés, and access to Tonlé Sap’s floating communities.

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Kampong Tralach, Cambodia

Kampong Tralach reveals a quieter Cambodia, where river life and rice fields shape the day. Travel by ox cart through the countryside to Wat Kampong Tralach Leu, a historic pagoda with painted walls. Nearby, Kampong Chhnang is known for its pottery and communities on the Tonle Sap. Come ashore for a close look at rural life, far from the capital’s bustle.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh rewards a day spent looking beyond its riverfront. Cambodia’s capital pairs the Royal Palace’s gilded roofs and the Silver Pagoda’s silver-tiled floor with the broad Mekong. At Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields, the Khmer Rouge years become painfully tangible. Leave time for the Central Market, where art deco architecture shelters stalls selling silver, silk, and local produce.

Oudong, Cambodia

Oudong, also written Udong, lies in Kandal Province, not Kampong Thom. For more than two centuries, it served as Cambodia’s royal capital, until the court moved to Phnom Penh in 1866. Hilltop stupas and royal memorials mark the former capital, with wide views across rice fields and the Tonle Sap plain. Visit for a quieter, historically rich counterpoint to Phnom Penh’s busy streets.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh rewards a day spent looking beyond its riverfront. Cambodia’s capital pairs the Royal Palace’s gilded roofs and the Silver Pagoda’s silver-tiled floor with the broad Mekong. At Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields, the Khmer Rouge years become painfully tangible. Leave time for the Central Market, where art deco architecture shelters stalls selling silver, silk, and local produce.

Tan Chau, Vietnam

Tân Châu lies on the Tiền River in An Giang Province, near Vietnam’s border with Cambodia. This upper-delta town is known for Lãnh Mỹ A, its lustrous black silk. Weavers traditionally dye the cloth with fruit from the mặc nưa tree. Here, river traffic, markets and modest streets offer a direct view of life in the delta. Come ashore to see silk-making and the daily trade that still follows the water.

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Cu Lao Gieng Island Vietnam, Vietnam

Cu Lao Gieng is a quiet island in the Tien River, amid orchards and narrow waterways. Come ashore to see its 19th-century Catholic landmarks, including Cu Lao Gieng Church, built between 1877 and 1889. Between visits, look for mango gardens, village lanes and daily life shaped by river trade. This is a rewarding stop for travelers drawn to history beyond Vietnam’s major cities.

Chau Doc, Vietnam

Châu Đốc sits on the Hậu River, where Vietnam’s Mekong Delta meets Cambodia. Fishing boats and floating fish farms animate the waterways. Markets reveal Vietnamese, Khmer and Cham influences. Nearby, Sam Mountain offers wide delta views, historic pagodas and the revered Lady Chúa Xứ Temple. For a change of pace, glide through Trà Sư Cajuput Forest’s shaded canals.

Sa Dec, Vietnam

Sa Dec rewards travelers who look beyond the Mekong Delta’s better-known stops. This working river town in Dong Thap Province is famed for its flower village. Nurseries line canals and supply markets across southern Vietnam. At the Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House, carved wood and French-era details evoke Marguerite Duras’s *The Lover*. Follow the riverfront to Sa Dec Market, where produce, flowers and fish reveal the delta’s daily trade.

Cai Be, Vietnam

Cái Bè sits beside the Tiền River, where ferries, cargo boats and sampans share the waterway. Take a small boat through narrow canals to see fruit orchards and villages shaped by life on the Mekong. The town’s landmark Catholic church offers a striking pause on shore. At dawn, the once-famous floating market is quieter than its reputation suggests, but river trade remains part of daily life.

My Tho, Vietnam

Mỹ Tho offers the Mekong Delta at an inviting, human scale. Along the broad Tiền River, this working city opens onto orchards, canals and villages shaped by water. Take a small boat beneath coconut palms or sample tropical fruit. At Vĩnh Tràng Pagoda, Vietnamese, Chinese and European influences meet in striking form. For a taste of southern Vietnam beyond the city, Mỹ Tho makes a rewarding first encounter.

Saigon, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City rewards curious travellers with a vivid collision of old Saigon and modern Vietnam. French-colonial landmarks, busy markets and motorbike-filled streets make the centre a study in contrasts. The War Remnants Museum offers a sobering account of the conflict, while local cafés invite a slower pause. For a deeper look at Vietnam’s wartime history, the Cu Chi tunnels make a memorable excursion beyond the city.