Amazing Trip to Vietnam and Cambodia
On arrival at Siem Reap they were collected by private car and transferred to their hotel for a couple of nights. They wandered around Siem Reap after checking into their hotel and had a look at the evening street stalls that offer a variety of amazing Cambodian street food and delights - the smells and tastes are overwhelming, and you just can help but indulge!
Siem Reap is the known as the Gateway to the Temples and of course Angkor Wat - a world heritage site with soaring towers, is one of the most amazing man-made monuments in the world. It was built in honour of Vishnu in the 12th Century. It is such a beloved and important part of Cambodia that it is included on their national flag!
They also visited the ancient Ta Prohm Monastery - nicknamed the Jungle Temple due to the immense branches that have taken root in the stones. They said that this was a unique atmosphere here.
They also visited the Angkor Thom Temple which consist of 54 gigantic towers which feature 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara, a Bayon deity. Few tourists realise that you can escape the bustle of the South Gate by walking up along the top of the laterite wall (access is possible from any of the gates). You can either walk or cycle round the entire perimeter, safe in the knowledge that with an (almost) uniform shape you’re not going to get lost. There will be some areas where the wall has crumbled a little. With shady forest paths and a small temple on each corner of the four walls, this is an easy way to get away from the crowds. Nature lovers and bird watchers enjoy this route.
After their stay in Siem Reap they travelled on to Phnom Penh passing through ancient villages which haven't changed much! They visited the Skun Market which is locally known as the market of the large spiders! This busy market town is visited daily by tourists which go there to 'taste the fried spiders'. Travelling between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh there is not much to see between the two points, but this is a welcome stop for about 30 mins. They have a variety of bugs/insects to taste but the market is best known from the spiders or tarantulas.
On arrival in Phnom Penh they checked into their hotel and then had a look around the capital of Cambodia which is located on the Mekong River. They ventured out to the local markets of Phnom Penh where they tried the local street food with dishes that ranged from grilled chicken and meatballs to hot dogs. Plus the local delicacies!
There are several day trips that you can do from Phnom Penh but one of the most popular is the City Tour and the Killing Field trip. The tour began with a visit to the temple of Wat Phnom, the city's namesake. Then they visited the 19th-century Royal Palace, see the thousands of silver tiles inlaid in the floor of the Silver Pagoda. After lunch, they were taken to visit the infamous Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, a grim memorial to more than 17,000 people who were executed on the site by the Khmer Rouge. A Buddhist stupa, built to commemorate the victims, houses 8,000 skulls behind clear glass panels, and more remains lie in the disinterred pits of the mass graves. Horrendous but fascinating - a look at history and the evilness of man!
The following day they transferred from Cambodia to Vietnam. This involved checking out at the border gate in Cambodia -walking across 'no man’s land' (his description) to the border at Vietnam. He said that it was a little daunting and a bit scary, but they were not allowed guides in this part of the crossing. Once on the other side they were met by another driver and taken to their hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
The following day they visited the Cu Chi Tunnels the amazing underground network of tunnels used in the Vietnam war. It’s a fascinating history and if you are game you can squeeze down into the tunnels for a closer look!
They had some free time and took in the city tour of Ho Chin Minh and then flew to Hanoi the following day. Again, to get their bearings they had a full sightseeing tour of Hanoi and its temples and monuments and even hired a cyclo-pousse (cycle rickshaw) and travelled through the artisans, stalls, tinsmiths and jewellers of the Quarter of the 36 Guilds. A fascinating look at local sellers and crafts where no doubt they picked up a few bargains.
Their final stop before returning to the UK was to Halong Bay - the amazing overnight stay on a kunk. Here they had fresh seafood and slept overnight onboard the junk taking in the peace and serenity of the Bay - a great end to an amazing trip.