Saigon is Vietnam’s largest and most energetic city, a place of movement, commerce, history and reinvention. Officially known as Ho Chi Minh City, it’s still widely called Saigon, especially when referring to the central districts and the city’s old southern character.
This is the natural counterpoint to Hanoi. Where Hanoi feels older, more traditional and more reflective, Saigon is warmer, faster and more outward-looking. French colonial buildings, modern towers, busy markets, rooftop bars, old apartment blocks, hidden temples and endless streams of scooters all sit side by side.
Most first-time visits focus on District 1, where many of the main sights are close together. Dong Khoi Street, the Saigon Opera House, Saigon Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum all help tell the story of the city, from French Indochina to the Vietnam War and the rapid growth of modern Vietnam.
Saigon is also a superb food city. Travellers can enjoy classic southern dishes, strong Vietnamese coffee, market snacks, street-side grills and some of the country’s most creative contemporary dining. An evening street food tour, ideally by scooter with experienced local drivers, is one of the best ways to feel the rhythm of the city.
There are rewarding quieter moments too. The Jade Emperor Pagoda is atmospheric and incense-filled, while neighbourhoods such as Thao Dien offer riverside cafes, boutiques and a more relaxed expatriate-local mix. The city is also the main base for visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta, both of which work well as day trips or deeper add-ons.
Saigon is busy, humid and sometimes overwhelming, but it’s also full of life and confidence. With the right pacing, a central hotel and a good local guide, it becomes one of Vietnam’s most fascinating and enjoyable city stays.
Mekong River Delta is one of the most distinctive regions in Vietnam, a vast, fertile landscape of rivers, canals, islands, rice fields, fruit orchards and river towns in the far south of the country. Formed by the many branches of the Mekong River as it spreads towards the sea, the Delta has long been one of Vietnam’s most important agricultural regions and is often described as the country’s “rice bowl”.
Life here is shaped by water. Boats carry fruit, vegetables, building materials and daily supplies, while houses, markets, workshops and farms are often linked as much by river as by road. Even where modern transport has changed daily routines, the river remains central to the identity and rhythm of the region.
For travellers, the Mekong River Delta offers a very different experience from Vietnam’s cities. Instead of high-rise skylines and busy boulevards, the appeal lies in small waterways shaded by palms, floating markets, cottage industries, village lanes, local temples and quiet moments on the river.
Highlights may include Ben Tre, known for coconut groves and traditional workshops, Can Tho and Cai Rang Floating Market, the fruit orchards around My Tho, and the quieter upper Delta areas near the Cambodian border.
The Delta is best explored slowly, either on a day trip from Saigon, an overnight stay, or as part of a river cruise between Vietnam and Cambodia. It’s a rewarding region for travellers who enjoy local life, gentle scenery and a closer understanding of how deeply the Mekong has shaped southern Vietnam.
Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s capital and its most important city, set at the meeting point of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap and Bassac rivers. It’s a city of contrasts, where royal palaces, saffron-robed monks, busy markets, French colonial buildings, modern cafés and riverside life all sit alongside the country’s more difficult recent history.
The city is best explored with time and context. The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda give a glimpse of Cambodia’s royal traditions, with elegant Khmer architecture, gilded roofs and peaceful courtyards in the heart of the city. Nearby, the National Museum of Cambodia is one of the best places to understand the artistic and spiritual heritage of the Khmer world, especially before or after visiting Angkor.
Phnom Penh also asks visitors to engage with Cambodia’s 20th-century history. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields are deeply sobering, but important for understanding the resilience of the country and its people. These visits are best done with a thoughtful guide and enough time afterwards to pause and reflect.
For a lighter side of the city, wander the riverside promenade, explore Central Market or Russian Market, or stop at one of the city’s growing number of independent cafés, galleries and social enterprise shops. Phnom Penh is also one of the best places in Cambodia for food, from classic Khmer dishes to contemporary restaurants and lively street stalls.
Phnom Penh works well at the start or end of a Cambodia itinerary. It’s busy and sometimes confronting, but it’s also warm, engaging and essential to understanding Cambodia properly.
Kampong Cham Province sits in central Cambodia along the Mekong River, offering a gentle mix of rural scenery, river life, small-town charm and understated historic sites. It’s one of those places that doesn’t need to announce itself loudly. The appeal is in the pace, the landscapes and the glimpse it gives of everyday Cambodia beyond the main visitor routes.
The province is best known for Kampong Cham town, a relaxed riverside base with a pleasant promenade, colonial-era buildings, local cafés and a busy central market. Late afternoon is a lovely time to be by the river, when families gather, food stalls open and the light softens over the Mekong.
A short journey from town brings you to Koh Paen Island, one of the province’s most enjoyable rural experiences. It’s a rewarding place to explore by bicycle or tuk-tuk, passing wooden homes, orchards, vegetable gardens and small farms. Depending on the season, access may be by bridge, with the traditional bamboo bridge historically one of Kampong Cham’s most distinctive sights.
The province also has several worthwhile cultural stops. Wat Nokor is an atmospheric Angkor-era temple partly absorbed into a later Buddhist pagoda, creating a striking blend of ancient stonework, modern devotion and quiet local worship. Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei add hilltop views, temples and local legend, while the wider countryside is dotted with rubber plantations, rice fields and riverside villages.
Kampong Cham Province suits travellers who enjoy slower, more authentic experiences. It works well as an overnight stop between Phnom Penh and Kratie, or as a gentle rural pause for those wanting to see Cambodia away from the better-known temple and coastal regions.
As previously described
Tonlé Sap is one of Cambodia’s most remarkable natural landscapes, a vast freshwater lake whose size changes dramatically with the seasons. During the dry months it retreats into a broad, open body of water, while in the wet season the lake swells across the surrounding floodplain, filling forests, fields and channels with life. This annual rhythm has shaped the communities, wildlife and culture of central Cambodia for centuries.
For travellers visiting from Siem Reap, Tonlé Sap offers a very different perspective from the temples of Angkor. A boat trip takes you out into a world of floating houses, stilted villages, fish traps, small schools, pagodas and waterborne markets, where daily life moves according to the level of the lake. Depending on the season, you may pass through flooded forest, see fishing boats returning with their catch, or watch children paddling between homes as naturally as others might walk along a village lane.
The lake is also one of Southeast Asia’s most important freshwater ecosystems, supporting birdlife, fish stocks and wetland habitats that are vital to Cambodia. It’s worth visiting with a good local guide, as this helps put what you’re seeing into context and gives a more thoughtful understanding of life on the lake.
The best experience is usually in the wet or post-wet season, when water levels are higher and the scenery is at its most atmospheric. During the low-water months, some areas can feel more exposed, but the visit still offers a fascinating insight into Cambodia’s relationship with water, food, community and resilience.
As previously described
Siem Reap is the gateway to the temples of Angkor, but it’s much more than a base for sightseeing. This lively, welcoming town combines ancient history, good food, boutique hotels, craft shops, galleries and a growing creative scene, making it one of Cambodia’s most rewarding places to spend several days.
The great highlight is, of course, Angkor Archaeological Park, home to some of the most extraordinary temple sites in Asia. Angkor Wat is the icon, especially beautiful at sunrise, while Bayon is unforgettable for its serene carved faces and Ta Prohm for the way trees and ancient stone seem to have grown together. Beyond these famous sites, quieter temples such as Preah Khan, Banteay Srei and Beng Mealea add depth and variety, especially with a knowledgeable guide.
Back in town, Siem Reap has a relaxed, easy-going feel. The riverside is pleasant for a wander, while the Old Market, Made in Cambodia Market and small independent boutiques are good for local crafts, textiles and gifts. In the evening, the town comes alive with restaurants, cocktail bars and street food stalls, but it’s still easy to find quieter corners away from the bustle.
Siem Reap is also a good place for authentic local experiences, from Khmer cooking classes and countryside cycling to visits with artisans, village workshops and floating communities on Tonlé Sap.
Most travellers should allow at least three nights, with four giving a better pace. The temples are magnificent, but Siem Reap’s real appeal is the way it combines Cambodia’s ancient past with warm, creative and very human present-day life.
