Vietnam & Cambodia Highlights

Discover the highlights of two wonder-packed Southeast Asian destinations

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.

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Is this 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.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Cambodia

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm your vaccine recommendations and requirements with your doctor or travel clinic.

Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Methanol: The FCDO warns travellers to be cautious of methanol poisoning when travelling in destinations visited on the trip.

Vietnam

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to speak to your doctor or travel clinic about vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may want to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Similarly, dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are known risks in Vietnam. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Methanol: The FCDO warns travellers to be cautious of methanol poisoning when travelling in destinations visited on the trip.

Visa

Vietnam

UK passport holders normally do not need a visa to enter Vietnam for visits up to 45 days, while those with a US or Irish passport normally do need a visa to enter. Visa requirements for EU citizens vary by country.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/vietnam
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Vietnam.html

Cambodia

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Cambodia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/cambodia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/cambodia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cambodia/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Cambodia.html

Important advice regarding e-Visas:

Please note, e-Visas are not accepted at all border checkpoints when travelling overland into Cambodia.

This applies to the following borders/trips:

• Tinh Bien,Vietnam/Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia border: Thai Indochina Explorer (Trip Code: AOX) and Southeast Asia Express (AOK)
• Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia (Ha Tien crossing): South East Asia Adventure (Trip Code: FIJ)

You can only purchase a tourist visa on arrival at these borders as e-Visas will not be accepted.

More information can be found at:

• https://www.evisa.gov.kh/
• https://www.evisa.gov.kh/information/port_entry/3

Visa on arrival:

For obtaining a visa on arrival, you will need $30 USD in cash and 2 passport photos. You will be required to fill in a small application on arrival with your personal details including the address of the first hotel you stay at in Cambodia.

Applying for your Cambodia tourist e-Visa:

If you choose to apply for a Cambodia tourist e-Visa before arrival, will need to add in the following information to your application:

Address during visit (Address in Cambodia):

Steung Siem Reap Hotel

Address: Street 9, Sangkat Svaydangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Phone: (+855) 63 96 51 67

Intended date you enter Cambodia: The AOL: Vietnam & Cambodia Highlights tour arrives in Cambodia on day 8 of the itinerary.

Supporting documents: You can submit your Exodus trip invoice and/or booking confirmation with your application.

Important Information- Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA)

Applicable for all clients travelling on Exodus trips AOA/AOH/AOL & Angkor Wat Extensions.

As of 1 July 2024, all travellers arriving in Cambodia (via air only) are required to submit a Cambodia e-Arrival Card within 7 days before their arrival. The Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA) is free and is replacing the requirement to complete paper forms when arriving at Cambodia Airports. The e-Arrival card is separate from visa/e-visa requirements.

How to fill out the e-Arrival card online:

1. Visit the official website https://arrival.gov.kh/
2. Fill out the form online or download the app, available or iOS and Android devices.
3. Once the form is completed, you will receive a confirmation email with QR code.
4. Take a screenshot, download or print the QR code.

Food & Drink

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.

Weather

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.