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If you’re hoping to travel this year but can’t decide where to go, you might want to consider Vietnam and Cambodia.
These two Southeast Asian countries boast vast, intoxicating cities, dreamy beaches, breathtaking scenery, compelling culture and history, and mouthwatering food. Plus, because they’re neighbours, you can see many of the best attractions in one trip, particularly if you take a tour or river cruise.
Here are 10 of the best places to visit in Vietnam and Cambodia.
1. Halong Bay
Vietnam isn’t short of breathtakingly beautiful places, but Halong Bay is a contender for the most spectacular. Known for its startling green waters and towering limestone pillars draped in vegetation, Halong Bay is truly otherworldly.
This designated World Heritage Site boasts an estimated 1969 islands, though a further 2000 are scattered along the coast towards China.
The best way to explore Halong Bay is undoubtedly by boat, and as you sail along these emerald waters, you’ll be able to see floating villages, secluded beaches, and local children fishing or climbing upon the jagged rocks.
Swimming and kayaking here is a joy, and stumbling upon the bay’s many secret sea caves and gleaming grottos will have you feeling like an intrepid explorer.
Embark on an exotic Mekong River cruise with Avalon Waterways
Experience Southeast Asia on an unforgettable Mekong River cruise. Discover Angkor Wat, sail past riverside villages alive with tradition, and explore local life through markets, a Vietnamese cooking class, and the historic Cu Chi tunnels.
With a choice of Classic, Active or Discovery excursions, you can experience your cruise your way. Onboard assistance is also available to further personalize your cruise.
2. Hoi An
On Vietnam’s central coast, halfway between the major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll find Hoi An, an elegant riverside city that’s almost impossible not to fall in love with.
Once a busy port, today Hoi An is charmingly easygoing, making it the perfect place to relax and recharge. Home to ornate bridges, colourful colonial buildings and flowing lanterns, and crisscrossed with canals, it’s astonishingly picturesque.
Hoi An’s old town is exceptionally well-preserved, and the diverse architecture reflects the town’s melting-pot history – from Chinese wooden-fronted shops, French colonial houses, Japanese bridges, and narrow Vietnamese tube houses.
The cobbled, lantern-lined streets are packed with interesting shops, excellent eateries, lively markets, and some of the best tailors in the world. So if you’re looking to get a special suit or dress made, you won’t find anywhere better!
3. Hue
Sprawled along the banks of the atmospheric Perfume River, Hue (pronounced ‘hway’) is one of Vietnam’s most vibrant and engaging cities. And if you’re interested in history, it’s an absolute must-visit.
This is a place where Vietnam’s turbulent history and exciting future collide – where old meets new and modern hotels stand alongside crumbling citadel walls.
Many of Hue’s finest buildings were destroyed in the American War. But the palaces and shrines of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Imperial City and Forbidden Purple City still evoke the past glories of imperial Vietnam, and you can spend the whole day exploring these sites while learning about the Nguyen Dynasty.
Hue is a tranquil city that’s simply jam-packed with history. And just outside it, the tombs of bygone leaders are dotted among the forested hills of the Perfume River Valley.
Embark on an exotic Mekong River cruise with Avalon Waterways
Experience Southeast Asia on an unforgettable Mekong River cruise. Discover Angkor Wat, sail past riverside villages alive with tradition, and explore local life through markets, a Vietnamese cooking class, and the historic Cu Chi tunnels.
With a choice of Classic, Active or Discovery excursions, you can experience your cruise your way. Onboard assistance is also available to further personalize your cruise.
4. Hanoi
As Vietnam’s capital city, it’ll come as no surprise to learn that Hanoi is teeming with beauty, history, and culture.
This is a city with something for everyone. History buffs can learn about the city’s thousand-year past, architecture fans can admire the red-roofed temples and pagodas of the Old Quarter, and culture enthusiasts will enjoy visiting the excellent museums.
Hanoi is a capital that buzzes with life, and you can spend weeks here and still barely scratch the surface of what it has to offer.
Foodies will be in their element, too, as Hanoi has a reputation for culinary excellence. Whether you want to feast on steaming bowls of mouth-watering pho from street food stalls or enjoy fresh baguettes and Vietnamese coffee in cool cafes, there’s something for every palate here.
5. Mekong Delta
When people imagine Vietnam, images of the Mekong Delta often spring to mind.
From the endless emerald paddy fields, cone-hatted farmers, swaying palm trees, and houseboats drifting slowly along gentle currents, the Mekong Delta is quintessentially Vietnamese – and it’s also one of the prettiest, most authentic, and least developed places in the country.
Here, the mighty Mekong River breaks up into countless tributaries and rivulets, and though life feels like it goes by slowly, the waterways are a hub of activity.
A world away from the bustling cities, sailing along these waterways allows you to glimpse rural life in Vietnam. You can observe rare birds in the mangrove forests, spot water buffalo in the shallows, and barter for goods with locals in the fascinating floating markets.
Embark on an exotic Mekong River cruise with Avalon Waterways
Experience Southeast Asia on an unforgettable Mekong River cruise. Discover Angkor Wat, sail past riverside villages alive with tradition, and explore local life through markets, a Vietnamese cooking class, and the historic Cu Chi tunnels.
With a choice of Classic, Active or Discovery excursions, you can experience your cruise your way. Onboard assistance is also available to further personalize your cruise.
6. Sapa
Perched on the edge of a dramatic plateau and circled by looming mountains, Sapa is the tourism centre of northwest Vietnam. It’s also the adventure capital, and if you’re a keen hiker, you won’t find a better place to trek.
Here, lush terraced rice fields seem to flow down hills, and hazy mountains lurk behind rolling fog. Even on cloudy days, the landscape is breathtaking. Sapa is home to the Hoang Lien Son Mountain range, where you’ll find Vietnam’s highest mountain, so if you’re looking to stretch your legs, you can certainly do that!
But this spectacular part of the country also boasts plenty of culture and history, and meeting the local people – many of whom are ethnic minorities – can give you an insight into another, lesser-seen side of Vietnam.
The tiny tribes and villages here couldn’t be further away from the country’s spirited cities, and if you’re looking to pick up colourful, authentic souvenirs and handicrafts, the famous Sapa market is one of the best places to do so.
7. Ho Chi Minh City
It may not be the capital, but Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s largest city – and arguably the most exciting and characterful, too. Formerly known as Saigon, this place will overwhelm you from the moment you arrive (in the best way possible).
From the ceaseless buzz of a million motorbikes to the tantalising aroma of freshly baked bánh mì, Ho Chi Minh City is a metropolis on the move, and it pulses with positive energy.
If you’re not sure that big, chaotic cities are for you, there’s a good chance that Ho Chi Minh City will convert you – and you’ll leave feeling energised and enthused, not exhausted!
You can learn about Saigon’s past at the city’s many fascinating historical and cultural attractions, admire ornate temples and pagodas, browse lively food markets, and enjoy what’s often touted as best food in all of Vietnam.
Embark on an exotic Mekong River cruise with Avalon Waterways
Experience Southeast Asia on an unforgettable Mekong River cruise. Discover Angkor Wat, sail past riverside villages alive with tradition, and explore local life through markets, a Vietnamese cooking class, and the historic Cu Chi tunnels.
With a choice of Classic, Active or Discovery excursions, you can experience your cruise your way. Onboard assistance is also available to further personalize your cruise.
8. Temples of Angkor
It’s impossible to downplay the beauty and grandeur of Cambodia’s most popular attraction, the legendary temples of Angkor.
The enormous Angkor complex was the seat of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to 15th centuries, and today, it’s one of the most fascinating and picturesque tourist sites in the world. There are 72 temples to explore, from the overgrown Ta Prohm to the atmospheric Ta Nei.
But of course, the jewel in the crown is Angkor Wat. This vast temple is the largest religious monument in the world, and because it was never abandoned, it’s also the best preserved of all the Angkor temples.
From a distance, you can marvel at Angkor Wat’s incredible symmetry and soaring towers, and when you get up close, the intricate sculptures, mysterious passageways and detailed carvings will dazzle you even more.
To visit Angkor Wat, you’ll want to stay in the nearby city of Siem Reap.
9. Tonle Sap
Just outside lively Siem Reap and near to Angkor Wat is Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.
At 250km long and 100km wide, it looks more like a vast ocean than a lake, and it’s home to hundreds of floating villages whose inhabitants make their living off the lake’s bountiful resources. Here, you can visit absorbing local communities and get a feel for the traditional Khmer rural way of life.
If you’re interested in wildlife, there’s a lot to see here. Tonle Sap has one of the world’s most vibrant ecosystems, and the Prek Toal bird sanctuary is home to a diverse range of birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles.
You can glide by bobbing houses, schools, and markets; sample local fruits or fresh fish sold by local fishermen; and explore the eerie flooded forest of Kampong Phluk.
To visit Tonle Sap, you’ll want to stay in the nearby city of Siem Reap – where you’ll also be on the doorstep of Angkor Wat.
10. Phnom Penh
Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, is a city of contrasts. It’s a place where modern skyscrapers sit beside historic palaces, French colonial houses rub shoulders with classic Khmer architecture, and a bright future has arisen from the harrowing past.
While this is a big, sprawling city, it’s more easygoing than it seems, and strolling along the river or taking a tuk-tuk ride are two great ways to get around.
Cambodia’s dark history is impossible to ignore in Phnom Penh, and it’s here that you can learn about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge at the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Museum.
But while these attractions are sobering, the city today is thriving and has an excellent food scene and many top restaurants. Beautiful, trendy, historic and heart-wrenching, this is a city like nowhere else.
Embark on an exotic Mekong River cruise with Avalon Waterways
Experience Southeast Asia on an unforgettable Mekong River cruise. Discover Angkor Wat, sail past riverside villages alive with tradition, and explore local life through markets, a Vietnamese cooking class, and the historic Cu Chi tunnels.
With a choice of Classic, Active or Discovery excursions, you can experience your cruise your way. Onboard assistance is also available to further personalize your cruise.
Final thoughts…
As you can see, Cambodia and Vietnam are truly captivating countries. Whether it’s their astonishing natural beauty, the delicious and fragrant cuisine, the welcoming optimism of the local people, or the fact that both countries have endured heartache in relatively recent years, Vietnam and Cambodia have a way of getting under your skin like few other places. And once you’ve visited, it’s safe to say you’ll want to return.
But these countries are also big and diverse, and seeing the best of both in a single trip can sound like a big ask! That’s why taking a tour or river cruise is arguably the best way to discover their delights.
To find out more about these unique countries, check out our articles: 12 things to know before travelling to Vietnam and A quick guide to the perfect Cambodia getaway.
Have you been to Vietnam or Cambodia before? Is there anything we missed? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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