Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Destination Guide

Everywhere you go you will find the old and the new competing for its place in the present. Some of the distances are vast and it’s easier to travel by air. However, taking that option all the time could deprive you of some of the most idyllic scenes. Whilst some of the roads are rough by our standards, it is worth a bit of hardship. Remember though, that these are still developing countries and whilst things have improved substantially, the infrastructure can become frayed at the edges at times and the best laid plans can go awry. Many international hotel chains are opening hotels in Indochina and hotel standards are very good. The people are still not completely used to their new role in tourism, so the service might not always be as efficient as you would wish, although it is more than made up for by these charming people’s evident desire to please.

The culture

Whilst travelling around this fascinating region, you will meet and see happy, smiling people full of curiosity about you. Don’t be surprised or unsettled – they just love to express their country’s hospitality and friendliness. Touched by the influence of the French and the ravages of their war-torn past, this is a region which is swathed in history.

The options

Indochina is opening up and now has links to most major Asian cities. As there are no direct flights to the UK, most commonly, people arrive from Bangkok, but non-stop flights also operate between Vietnam and Singapore, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur, any of which combine with Indochina. Don’t forget that Vietnam’s beaches make it a complete destination in its own right and provide an unspoilt alternative to more well-known beach resorts.

In a nutshell...

“Intriguing, magical, fascinating – all worthy descriptions of a relatively undiscovered region of Asia. It’s exotic and adventurous and absolutely never boring! Life doesn’t always go according to plan, but that is just part of the excitement of visiting a place which is relatively new to mainstream tourism. A genuine welcome awaits you and you cannot fail to fall under its spell.”

The facts

Geography: Located between Thailand and China, the countries of Indochina are linked by the Mekong River. They offer coastal plains, mountains and miles of deserted coastline. Vietnam, with a population of some 80 million the largest followed by Cambodia with 12 million and Laos with 5 million.
Passports: You will need a full British passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond your date of return.
Visas: Visas are required. For Vietnam, a type visa should be obtained prior to departure from the UK. For further information, contact the Vietnamese Embassy; tel: 0207 937 1912 or visit their website at www.vietnamembassy.org.uk
For Laos, as there is no embassy in the UK, the visa will be issued on arrival on payment of a US$35, in cash, issuance fee (Thai Baht is also accepted). You will also require one passport size photograph. Visas are also issued on arrival in Cambodia at a charge of US$20 in cash and you will also require one passport size photograph.
Vaccinations: Vaccinations are strongly recommended. For further information, please consult your doctor.
Travelling time: There are no direct flights from the UK, but Ho Chi Minh is less than two hours air from Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and two and a half hours from Hong Kong.
Local time: GMT + 7 hours
Currency: US dollars are essential in small denominations and are often more useful than local currencies, although change will always be given in local currency. Credit cards are not readily accepted outside the larger hotels.

Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south. Since opening its borders to tourism in the late 1980s, Vietnam has become an incredibly popular destination. Still, the country remains relatively unspoiled as a tourist destination in Southeast Asia and holds many pleasant surprises for first-time visitors. Vietnam has over 1,800 miles of coastline most of which is lined with sandy beaches providing visitors with an excellent location for relaxing beach holidays. In contrast, the remote hills of northern Vietnam on the Chinese border are home to more than 40 ethnic minority peoples, whose culture and lifestyle has remained unchanged for centuries. The Vietnamese people are some of the friendliest you are likely to encounter anywhere in Asia and their genuine smiles are an enduring memory for almost every visitor.

The sights

Ho Chi Minh City - Formerly known as Saigon, this is a big city full of hustle and bustle. Saigon is a melting pot on a social and cultural level. Wandering around the city each district has its own charm and character. You should make time for the Reunification Palace (once the Presidential Palace), Notre Dame Cathedral, the War Museum, Historical Museum and the Ben Thanh Market.

Cu Chi Tunnels - Tours offer you a fascinating opportunity to see the impressive underground tunnel network built by the Vietcong. The tunnels are 125 miles long and, at their peak, housed 10,000 troops.

Chau Doc – Chau Doc is a riverside port famed for fish-breeding. The fish are raised in cages beneath houses, which rest on wooden drums floating on the river. The residents feed the fish by opening a "trap door" in the floor of the house, and can catch the fish with just a stretch of the hand.

Can Tho – Can Tho is a bustling trading hub connected to the rest of the Mekong Delta via a system of rivers and canals. A boat trip along the network of canals is the highlight of a trip to Can Tho, as is a visit to the floating market, where traders zip around from boat to boat selling rice, fruit and other agricultural products.

Hoi An – Situated on Vietnam’s central Eastern coast, Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an ancient trading town where much of the 17th and 18th Century architecture remains. It also boasts an amazing untouched beach, just 10 minutes drive from the town.

Hue – Once the Imperial capital of Vietnam, a visit to Hue offers you the chance to cruise along the Perfume River to the 14th Century Thien Mu Pagoda. Hue is one of Vietnam’s cultural and educational centres and is home to pagodas, temples and royal tombs.

Ninh Binh – Ninh Binh is an important commercial link and a major distribution centre for the Northern Delta and Laos and Cambodia.

Hai Phong – Originally a small fishing and market town, known as the City of Flower Lined Streets, the port city of Hai Phong is endowed with a superb coconut palm fringed beach only 25 km drive from the city and the famous district of Hang Kenh, where wool-carpets are produced. Hai Phong offers many historical sites, French colonial houses, temples, pagodas, mausoleums, and shrines - all proof of a rich traditional life.

Halong Bay – Amongst Vietnam’s most spectacular sights and with some of the most magnificent scenery in the country, Halong Bay offers a chance to cruise amongst the mystical, jutting limestone pinnacles, explore hidden caves and beaches and watch the graceful junks and sampans sail by.

Hanoi - The garden city in the north with its elegant tree lined boulevards and inner city lakes has retained a very French ambience. The city itches to be explored. Hanoi, although the capital of Vietnam, is certainly not as dynamic as Ho Chi Minh, but its beauty and warmth envelop all who visit. The main sights to visit include the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, the fascinating Old Quarter with its "36 street and 36 wares", the One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature.

Sa Pa Hill Station – Sa Pa is a former French Hill Station built in the early 1900s. Today Sa Pa attracts visitors for its stunning vistas, colourful markets and fascinating ethnic hill tribes.

Beach Resorts – One of Vietnam’s best kept secrets is its beaches. As you might expect from a developing country, they are still unspoiled by mass tourism – visit before everyone else does! 

Cambodia is almost hemmed in by its neighbours, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and indeed, the country has remained hidden from the outside world for much of the last century. Now emerging from years of isolation and devastating war, the country offers a true taste of Southeast Asia before the arrival of tourism and modernisation. Most visitors head for the stunning Angkor ruins, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However the optimism, warmth and generosity of the Cambodian people are one of the abiding memories.

The sights

Angkor – The ancient capital of the powerful Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 12th Century is the spiritual and cultural centre of Cambodia. Rediscovered in the late 19th Century from beneath the overgrown jungle, the "lost city of Angkor" is one of the world’s most spectacular sites and home to one of the greatest religious monuments in the world, Angkor Wat. A visit to the temples of Angkor will leave you with a profound feeling that few places on earth can match!

Phnom Penh – Nestled on the Mekong River, Phnom Penh is the bustling capital city of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The city offers many cultural and historic sites with the most   popular including the Royal Palace, National Museum, Silver Pagoda, Independence Monument, the Foreign Correspondents Club overlooking the river and Wat Phnom. Visitors interested in the dark days of the Khmer Rouge may wish to visit the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeong Ek Memorial (better known as the "Killing Fields"). 

Visas and Taxes

A visa on arrival applies in Cambodia, 1 passport photo is required for entry. The cost of the visa is US$20.

The departure tax for Laos is US$25.

Like its neighbours, Laos spent much of the latter years of the 20th Century hidden from the outside world. Today visitors encounter a simple society with a strong spiritual tradition where the pace of life is as languid as the Mekong River that flows through it. Towns are less hectic than elsewhere in Asia, the countryside combines beauty and tranquility, while the temples, though not as grandiose as Angkor, exude serenity and character.

The sights

Vientiane – The gentle-paced capital city of Laos sits on the left bank of the Mekong River. Most of the main sights are easily walkable or you could even hire a bicycle. Of its many temples, the most notable is Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues.

Luang Prabang – Situated in an imposing position at the junction of the Nan Khom and Mekong River is the royal and religious capital of Laos. Sightseeing options include the former Royal Palace,Wat Xieng Thong where previous Laos Kings were invested and a river trip to the Pak Ou Caves. 

Visas and Taxes

A visa on arrival applies to Laos, 1 passport photo is required for entry. The cost of the visa is US$35.

The departure tax for Laos is US$20.