Cambodia and Vietnam: Take Two

By Oldest on the Bus

Cambodia, Vietnam, and Asia in general awaken and stimulate your physical senses like nowhere else. There is the constant noise of traffic and street hawkers peddling their wares, the incredible colour of temples, and the smell of incense sticks and spices. Your tongue and taste buds are in culinary heaven as divine food fusions from across the continent are merged into regional delights. Shoes come on and off; the feel of cool tiled floors against bare feet is one of life's simple pleasures during the day's intense heat. Asia makes you wonder if you've been living numb in your day-to-day life. Four months away, and all our senses have been jolted and kick-started back to life.
This will be our second time extensively travelling and exploring Southeast Asia. The first time around, we visited Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, before spending a month each in both Cambodia and Vietnam. We had both been made redundant when our employer entered administration, and the chance to travel was too good an opportunity to pass up. Rather than satisfying that craving, we wanted more, and after working a further two years in jobs that we found unfulfilling, we handed in our notices to go backpacking again.

Our Thailand experience will be brief, a few nights in Bangkok, before we move on to Cambodia and Siem Reap. Our plan for the Cambodian leg is the same route we covered last time, a confidence-building opening as we take in some familiar sights. On a southerly path from Siem Reap, home to the incredible Angkor Wat, Battambang splits the long trek to Phnom Penh. After the hectic mayhem of the Cambodian capital, we will take in the riverside town of Kampot and the small beach resort of Kep.

The last time we visited Vietnam, after exploring the city formerly known as Saigon, we took a bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Cần Thơ in the Mekong Delta. We flew from there to Hội An before continuing to Hanoi. This time, we are looking to take in the places that we leapfrogged over If all goes to plan, we will get our first taste of the Central Highland city of Dalat before heading back towards the coast. Nha Trang and Quy Nhon should offer two different beach experiences - one modern and bustling with tourists, and a more traditional, low-key fishing town. In addition to these new locations, another visit to our old favourite, Hội An. This well-preserved trading port boasts a reputation for fantastic food and is within cycling distance of nearby beaches and islands.
En route from central Vietnam to Hanoi, we intend to spend time in Da Nang and witness the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge. The Imperial city of Huế is somewhere that we overlooked last time. Huế and its citadel were once forbidden for most; only the emperors, their concubines and close associates had access. Punishment for trespassing was death. These days, tourists are more than welcome. Reaching there by a short railway journey along the scenic coastline is recommended. Ninh Binh, or Tam Cốc, will be next; we are not sure which yet. They both look stunning, with limestone karsts towering above green paddy fields and river deltas passing through.
Once in Hanoi, we plan a second trip to the hill station of Sapa, nestling among stunning terraced mountains. A visit to the eastern coast will also be on the agenda - a Halong Bay cruise or a stay on one of the islands. A trip to Cao Bằng and the Bản Giốc Waterfalls that straddle the border between Vietnam and China should also be possible. The mountainous scenery in that region is supposed to be incredibly beautiful.

By the time we return home from Hanoi, we expect to have covered around 3,000 miles, mainly by bus but with the odd rail journey thrown in for good measure. Our excitement and anticipation are interspersed with dread - flashbacks of the countless hours on never-ending bus journeys, accompanied by blaring Cambodian karaoke shows, are still firmly etched in the memory from four years

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CS91MR4C
• ISBN13: 9798874072445
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 174 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"