Vietnam > Cambodia > Thailand - December 2018

July 2019

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City Arrive in hectic Ho Chi Minh! There will be a pre-departure meeting at around 6 pm. Look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. There's nothing planned for the first day, so go get amongst it. A good place to start is the Ben Thanh Market, where you can snack on chao tom (barbecued shrimp paste on sticks of sugar cane). If you have time, a visit to Reunification Palace or War Remnants Museum are both recommended. Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Optional Activities Ho Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum - VND40000 Ho Chi Minh City - Reunification Palace - VND40000 Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Day 2: Phnom Penh Travel to Phnom Penh by public bus today (approx. 10 hours including two border crossings and lunch). If you're looking for a tasty beverage on arrival, head to the Foreign Correspondents' Club for a mojito on the rooftop. Perhaps you'd prefer a traditional Khmer massage. Look no further than Seeing Hands, a great cause supporting visually impaired masseurs. Tonight, tuck in at Friends Restaurant – not only will you get a serious taste of delicious local food, you'll also support an organisation that helps vulnerable local children. Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Optional Activities Phnom Penh - Cyclo tour - USD4 Phnom Penh - Traditional Khmer massage - USD8 Phnom Penh - Urban Adventure Mekong Sunset - USD65 Meals Included Dinner Day 3: Phnom Penh Today there's the option of visiting Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or Choeung Ek (Killing Fields) – both pretty sobering but important and informative. The very different Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are also well worth visiting, offering brighter aspects of the past. You might also head for the National Museum or Wat Phnom (more like 'Wat Phenomenal'). If your Riels are burning a hole in your pocket, look no further than the Central or Russian markets, both choice places to interact with the locals. Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Optional Activities Phnom Penh - Wat Phnom - USD2 Phnom Penh - Transport to Choeung Ek (Killing Fields) - USD15 Phnom Penh - National Museum - USD10 Phnom Penh - Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda - USD10 Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) - USD5 Phnom Penh - The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek - USD3 Phnom Penh - Killing Fields - guide - USD17 Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng (S21) - Guide - USD17 Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Day 4: Sihanoukville Province Take a public bus through the idyllic Cambodian countryside to the coast of Sihanoukville Province. Whether you like your beaches lively or chilled, you'll find something to your taste along these shores. You might like to boat out to one of the nearby islands, hire a bike for a few hours, or just kick back on the shore with a good book and a beer. Accommodation Guesthouse (1 night) Optional Activities Sihanoukville - Foot massage - USD8 Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Special Information Sihanoukville is Cambodia's iconic beach destination. It has seen immense change over the last few years, with a huge influx of Chinese tourists and massive development along the coast of resorts and casinos. In light of this, we are currently reviewing traveller feedback to assist in deciding whether to continue to include Sihanoukville on our trips. Day 5: Sihanoukville Province Enjoy a day of free time. You could take a boat to one of the nearby islands, enjoy a barbecue lunch or simply relax among swaying palms, white sands and blue waters. Maybe explore the local market and pagodas, or take a Khmer cooking class. The nearby waterfall of Kbal Chaay is particularly dramatic during the wet season. Accommodation Guesthouse (1 night) Optional Activities Sihanoukville - Island Boat Trip & Snorkelling - USD20 Sihanoukville - Express Boat to Koh Rong Island - USD25 Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Day 6: Homestay Travel by private vehicle (approx. 4 hours) into countryside Cambodia to the region of Kampong Speu and the village of Chambok. Chambok is right next to the beautiful Kirirom National Park, so you can imagine how serene it is here. A homestay tonight is your chance to really immerse yourself in everyday life. Weather permitting, you might be able to trek to the awesome 40-metre waterfall nearby today too (this is optional). Not to mention feast on a traditional Khmer dinner, prepared by the talented women of the community. Accommodation Homestay (1 night) Included Activities Chambok - Traditional dancing Optional Activities Chambok Homestay - Bike Ride - USD2 Chambok - Waterfall hike - USD3 Meals Included Dinner Special Information We stay in one room in multi-share homestay accommodation. Depending on the group size, we may use two homes that are located close to each other. There will be a thin mattress on the floor, pillow, mosquito net and towel for each traveller. Bathroom facilities will be shared and will often consist of a squat toilet and cold water washing area. Day 7: Kampong Cham Kampong Cham in a nutshell: frontier charm, French-colonial character. Take a private bus there (approximately 5 hours) and soak it all up. Koh Paen Island is a good option while you're here, and you can hire a bike and get there with no fuss (you'll just have to take a ferry over the water if you visit during wet season). The 11th-century Wat Nokor is also worth a look. A little further away are the twin 'mountain temples' of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei which, as well as being fascinating sites of religious, historic and spiritual significance, are more than Instagram-worthy. Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Optional Activities Kampong Cham - Wat Nokor - USD1 Kampong Cham - Bicycle hire - USD2 Kampong Cham - Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei - USD10 Meals Included Breakfast Day 8: Siem Reap Take a public bus to Siem Reap (approximately 5 hours). Your leader will take you on a walk to get you acquainted with the town. Afterwards you might want to hit the markets for some cheap and tasty street food, then get some rest and relaxation before tomorrow's visit to... (drumroll please)... Angkor Wat! Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Day 9: Siem Reap/Angkor Wat Get your camera ready, strap on your walkin' boots and get excited: Angkor is one of Southeast Asia's number one highlights, possibly THE highlight. The obvious banger is Angkor Wat, which is every bit as amazing as everyone says it is, especially at sunset. But you'll also spend plenty of time visiting the other gems of this sprawling complex, like the giant carved faces of Bayon and the crazy jungle-juxtaposition of Ta Prohm (a temple that looks like it's being swallowed by the vice-like grip of Mother Nature's tentacles). And the places Tomb Raider made famous. Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Included Activities Siem Reap - One day Angkor Pass Siem Reap - Angkor Temples Guided Tour Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Day 10: Siem Reap Kick back in Siem Reap and wander around town, visiting its market, shops and restaurants. You may be a little templed out, so take this opportunity to explore your options and do something different. Depending on the season, you might be able to visit Tonle Sap, the big freshwater lake, for a glimpse of local life. Adventure-seekers and adrenaline-junkies can do the Angkor zip-line course that will have you soaring like an eagle over the lush rainforest. For even more bragging material, you can learn the tricks of the trade in a Khmer cooking class. And if you just can't not go back to Angkor, longer passes than the standard 1-day option are available, just ask your leader. Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Optional Activities Siem Reap - Full day remork transport to Angkor complex - USD20 Siem Reap - Three day Angkor Pass - USD62 Siem Reap - Landmine Museum - USD5 Siem Reap - Phare Circus Ticket - USD18 Siem Reap - Urban Adventure Cambodian Cook-out - USD52 Siem Reap - Urban Adventures Tonle Sap Secrets - USD45 Siem Reap - Angkor Zipline - USD129 Siem Reap - Rehash Trash Recycling Workshop - USD8 Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Day 11: Bangkok Drive from Siem Reap to Bangkok in a private minivan (approximately 10 hours, including border crossing and lunch). Again, your leader will assist with the border crossing formalities. If you expect a soothing and charming backwater, think again – it's go, go, go in Thailand's frenetic capital. If you don't go home exhausted from here, you didn't do it properly! Still, the khlongs (canals) are a great escape from it all – maybe take a boat to the highly recommended Chinatown for a delicious street food dinner. A Thai massage may also be a good option at this point. Those staying on can perhaps visit the Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, or the very cool Jim Thompson museum. Accommodation Hotel (1 night) Optional Activities Bangkok - Grand Palace - THB500 Bangkok - Khlong boat canal tour - THB900 Bangkok - Wat Pho - THB200 Bangkok - Jim Thompson's House - THB150 Meals Included There are no meals included on this day. Day 12: Bangkok Your adventure comes to an end today, with no more activities planned. You're free to depart at any time. Optional Activities Bangkok - Bangkok Tuk Tuk Experience Urban Adventure - THB2175 Bangkok - Bangkok Temple & River of Kings Urban Adventure - THB2465 Bangkok - Bangkok Chinatown Food Discovery Urban Adventure - THB2149 Bangkok - Bangkok by Bike Urban Adventure - THB1913 Meals Included Breakfast