The perfect complement to the more serene Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) has a pulsating energy that is impossible to resist.
Saigon (also known as Ho Chi Minh City) is the economic engine of Vietnam, a thriving, sprawling metropolis of 13 million people with about 7 million scooters on the streets.
Attractions include the bustling Ben Thanh Market, where vendors sell everything from food, sweets and spices to tobacco, souvenirs and clothing - including custom-made suits, and Nha Hang Ngon, where you can taste traditional street food served up from food stalls in a leafy garden.
Reminders of the war-time period are there in Saigon's Reunification Palace, the War Crimes Museum and the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels, whilst Saigon itself is dotted with French colonial buildings.
Other notable sites and experiences include the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Jade Emperor Pagoda for its statues and woodcarvings and the Khanh Van Nam Vien Pagoda, said to be the only pure Taoist temple in Vietnam.
There are plenty of sights in Saigon and a city stay in Saigon is essential to really experience Vietnam properly.
Hotel accommodation in Saigon is very good value and there is just a handful of colonial style, boutique hotels in Saigon.
The Mekong Delta in Southern Vietnam is comprised of a 60,000km long web of interconnected waterways which spans across three Vietnamese provinces. This lush, tropical delta is dominated by Southeast Asia’s mightiest river, the Mekong.
The Mekong splits in Cambodia into two main rivers, the Bassac and the First River, then in Vietnam into a more complex system, creating a maze of small canals, rivers and arroyos.
Exploring these rivers and their numerous tributaries by boat is an ideal way explore the Mekong Delta at a leisurely pace and provides an opportunity to experience the truly unique Mekong River lifestyle.
The area is brimming with small craft villages, Khmer Pagodas, magnificent mangroves, picturesque orchards and some remarkable floating markets.
Located at the meeting of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, Cambodia’s energetic capital, Phnom Penh, is known for its rich history, friendly locals and world-class food scene.
The primary drawcard of the city its visible heritage - the National Museum of Cambodia features a millennium’s worth and more of an incredible Khmer design.
The monumental Royal Palace, the official residence of King Sihamoni, houses the famous Throne Hall, used for coronations and ceremonies.
Within the Royal Palace is the spectacular Silver Pagoda, named for its floor covered with five tons of gleaming silver.
The Tonle Sap riverfront area provides a charming place to enjoy a meal and some fine French wine (an enduring colonial legacy), while the local nightclubs provide a fun time out on the town, complete with karaoke singers and stage dancers.
The province of Kampong Cham is located in central Cambodia and offers some interesting sights and activities.
The capital of the province, also called Kampong Cham, is situated on the Mekong River and was once a French trading post.
Visitors can meander through the downtown area with its colonial architecture before crossing the unique Bamboo Bridge - rebuilt each year to provide access to Ko Paen Island, where rural Cambodian life plays out in a picturesque setting.
Active travellers can hike to the peak of Phnom Hanchey (located 20 kilometres north of Kampong Cham) for the incredible views of the Mekong River flatlands that it provides.
The province is also home to an excellent archaeological site, Nokor Wat, which are ruins that date back to the 11th-century and are famous for their dramatic wall paintings.
As previously described
Tonlé Sap (the Great Lake) is Cambodia’s most distinctive geographical feature, swelling to a massive 12 000 square kilometres during the rainy season.
The lake and its floodplains are a key fishing and agricultural region, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.
It also has plenty to offer visitors: traditional floating villages inhabited by a diversity of Vietnamese, Khmer and Muslim residents; superb birdlife (particularly in the Prek Toal Biosphere Reserve); and an amazing array of aquatic wildlife and birdlife, including the almost-extinct Siamese crocodile, as well as turtles, otters, giant Mekong catfish and more than 100 species of waterbirds.
As previously described
Best known as the gateway to the magnificent ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap is a pleasant town with lovely French colonial and Chinese architecture and a laid-back ambience.
The main attraction here is of course the Angkor complex. Covering an area larger than Paris, it encompasses scores of exquisite temple structures featuring intricately carved detail – dancing ladies and lotus flowers embellish the walls, five-headed naga (serpent deities) fan out from chunks of rock.
Abandoned for unknown reasons thousands of years ago, it was rediscovered in 1860 by a French explorer, Henri Mahout, and has been Cambodia’s crowning glory ever since.
Other attractions in and around Siem Reap include an array of arts and crafts shops, a cultural village that allows a glimpse into traditional local life, and a bird sanctuary on the outskirts of town.
