Vietnam & Cambodia Highlights

Experience Overview

Journey from Hanoi, Vietnam, to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on an adventure packed with cultural and natural marvels. In Vietnam, you’ll cruise among limestone cliffs in Ha Long Bay; delve into culture and history in Hoi An; and take in the high-octane street life of Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll then travel to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to visit the temple complex of Angkor, one of the great archaeological wonders, before journeying to alluring Phnom Penh, where this ultimate-highlights journey concludes.
Profile
— Accommodation: 6 Superior nights (hotels), 5 Classic nights (1 Ha Long Bay cruise, 5 hotels) — One night boat stay with twin-share cabins — Group normally four to 16, plus leader — Travel by private air-conditioned buses, three flights and boat
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 6 Superior nights (hotels), 5 Classic nights (1 Ha Long Bay cruise, 5 hotels) — One night boat stay with twin-share cabins — Group normally four to 16, plus leader — Travel by private air-conditioned buses, three flights and boat
Trip For You
This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.   This is an active-paced trip taking in the highlights of Vietnam and Cambodia. We travel by private minibus and two domestic flights in Vietnam and one international flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to allow you to experience the must-see highlights of these two beautiful and diverse countries in a short amount of time. The weather in both destinations is hot and humid; but can be cold in the winter months in the north of Vietnam around Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. Please be advised some of the days can be fairly long and tiring, with long travel days.
Group Description
Your group will be led by a local leader in Vietnam and another local leader in Cambodia.
Eating Drinking
All breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner are included. Thanks to the tropical climate, the long coast and the gigantic range of mountains, Vietnam is blessed with numerous varieties of culinary offerings and consequently maintains a reputation as one of the healthiest, tastiest cuisines in the world. Vietnamese food relies on fresh fish, vegetables, rice and a myriad of verdant herbs and spices; lemongrass, ginger, basil and lime all play a key role. The Chinese and French influence is felt throughout the country, where you are just as likely to be offered a banh mi (stuffed baguette) as you are a hot bowl of pho (noodle soup). Be sure to seek out the national beverages; Vietnamese coffee is served iced and sweet with condensed milk, a real sugar and caffeine hit, and beer hoi (local beer, brewed daily) is served on most street corners in the north out of large plastic jugs that are perfect for sharing. Cambodian food is all about contrasts: sweet and bitter, salty and sour, raw and cooked. It shares many dishes with its neighbours, and you’ll find noodle soup similar to Vietnamese pho, the refreshing salads and sour soups of Thailand, Indian-inspired curries, and noodles and stir fries handed down from years of Chinese migration. Food is cheap in Vietnam and Cambodia and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Western food is readily available almost everywhere. Vegetarian food is widely available; however, the offering will be fairly similar in most places. Please advise at the time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.
Transportation
Throughout the tour we use a private coach/minibus, usually with air conditioning. Road conditions are generally good and improving all the time, particularly in Vietnam. However, progress can be slow in the main cities due to traffic. There are three flights included in the itinerary and all bookings on flights are in economy class. Tet Holiday Period (Vietnamese New Year) During the Tet holiday period,  28 January to 3 February 2025 and 16-21 February 2026, and two weeks either side of Tet, our itinerary is subject to minor change as despite booking hotels and trains in advance, rooms and seats are difficult to obtain during this busy festive period when people are travelling home to celebrate with their families. It is unlikely that changes will occur and if they do it is likely we will just need to use alternative accommodation.
Joining Instructions
Key information Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately Airport: Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) Getting to the start hotel The start hotel is approximately 30 to 60 minutes’ drive (traffic dependent) from the airport. Exodus provides free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. Catching your return flight Exodus provides free departure transfers for all customers to Phnom Penh Airport (PNH) from the end hotel. Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Weather Information
The weather will be hot and humid throughout with temperatures during the day usually 28C-34C (82F-93F). It is only a little cooler at nights. There is quite a range of seasons between the north and south of Vietnam: the south up to Hue has a distinct dry season between December to April and then a rainy season from May to November when it tends to come in short heavy bursts with bright sunshine in between. Hanoi is cool in autumn, and even gets chilly between November and February (with drizzly rain). There is no ideal time to visit Vietnam; it is quite pleasant any time of year, though due to the shape of the country it is unlikely the weather will ever be perfect for the entire duration of any trip. Please note, the Ha Long Bay boat trip can be subject to short notice change if certain adverse weather conditions develop during your trip. These could occur year-round, but especially in monsoon season (from October to April). Boat trips on Ha Long Bay are governed by the local authorities who are authorised to make such appropriate safety decisions. If your Ha Long Bay trip is affected by adverse weather, this could either result in a reduced excursion on Ha Long Bay for your group or, less likely, the need to re-arrange the itinerary if it is not possible at all to go out on Ha Long Bay. While this is not a frequent occurrence, our local team and leaders are well equipped to handle such situations and have long offered appropriate options to groups in the instances where this occurs. The weather in Cambodia is hot and humid all year round. The dry season is late October to May and the monsoon is normally between May and October; though there is an obvious transitional time between those settled periods. The dry season is as it sounds, with hot days and generally clear skies, though you can expect the odd shower. The monsoon is characterised by short, sharp bursts of rain and is generally overcast all day though this does not detract from the enjoyment of the place; you just need to take an umbrella or buy a cheap local poncho.
Spending Money
You will need about US$350‐US$400 for all other meals, which will allow you to eat well. Apart from the food, you should allow money to cover drinks (more if you like a beer/alcohol) and souvenirs. Optional Activities There are several optional activities, which your leader can help arrange for you and advise of costs locally. The below costs per person are approximate amounts only. Hanoi — Water puppets 150,000 dong (US$6) Hoi An — Tu Bon River boat trip 180,000 dong (US$7) depending upon numbers Phnom Penh — Mekong sunset cruise 40,000 riel (US$10), subject to availability
Tipping
Tipping is at your discretion but is customary in Vietnam and Cambodia. To take the hassle out of tipping, the leaders in Vietnam and Cambodia will suggest you contribute to a tipping kitty of approximately 750,000 dong (US$31) per person in Vietnam and approximately 40,000 riel (US$10) per person in Cambodia. This is used by the leaders in each destination to tip drivers, hotel staff, on boats etc but it is not used at restaurants. In addition (entirely at your discretion), a tip for the leader at the end of the trip is greatly appreciated if you are happy with the service you have received. As a guideline, we recommend a contribution of US$3-US$6 per day for your leaders.

Highlights