Plan a Trip to Cambodia and Vietnam: Cost, Best Time, Places to See

In the heart of Southeast Asia, Cambodia and Vietnam have long been in the limelight for many travelers. They border each other, offering convenient travel connections.

Marvelous sea beaches in Phu Quoc Island, flourishing floating markets along the Mekong River, spectacular karst scenery in Halong Bay, a mysterious temple complex in Angkor Wat... mean the two countries are well endowed with inmate charms for travelers to discover.

China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.

Thailand -insights, no stress and amazing team My husband and my Thailand trip was fantastic, stress-free and educational thanks to the amazing team coordinated by Albee at Asia Highlights. The whole team was incredibly accessible, responsive, sensitive to our needs and lovely to work with. End-to-end, the trip was truly remarkable and the knowledgeable and dynamic tour guides and drivers made it especially memorable! More AndrewsFamily, Oct 2023

Informative & Thorough / Thanks Sharon! Sharon the advisor that helped me was so thorough & informative and explained the details of the tour including questions about visas and what is included vs what is not included in the tour packages. I would recommend them to explain tour packages that would fit the schedule of your pending travels. More Chris, Sep 2023

Easy, fast responses I worked directly with Monica in Asia Highlights. She was incredibly helpful and answered all of my questions quickly. Working with her made the whole process easy and we are so excited for our trip! More Diana B, Sep 2023

Stress free Thailand Alisa has organised our 14 day Thailand holiday for 2024 for my family & I. She has been very accommodating & super quick with all of our requests & we cannot wait for a stress free holiday! Thank you Alisa! More Alana Mitchell, Sep 2023

Family Trip to Thailand-Cambodia All of our guides were very nice and knowledgeable, but we have a special mention to our guide in Cambodia, Chan, he was very kind with us and it was very amusing. He went the extra mile for us. We really enjoyed our holidays! More José Antonio Carrillo de la Pl, Sep 2023

Asia Highlights and Sharon Asia Highlights, specifically Sharon, has been wonderfully helpful as we get ready for a 2024 excursion to Thailand. We are beyond excited, and much of that has to do with the personalized attention that we have experienced with Sharon. She has been extremely responsive, obliging, and focused as she helped us design a tailor made itinerary. All of our questions have been addressed, our needs have been met, and the path has now been set for a very exciting trip.... thanks to Sharon. More Marcy Hoenig, Sep 2023

I was planning a trip to Thailand to… I was planning a trip to Thailand to especially see the Lantern Festival this year for our birthdays!! It’s been on our bucket list, but we were completely lost on how to go about planning for our trip. We’ve never really booked tours before but Alisa was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, flexible and efficient in providing all the information we needed to make our decision on the best tours and tickets to purchase. Thank you so much!! More https://www.trustpilot.com/reviews/64d9a5a4657e4b39f768a21e, Aug 2023

I would definitely recommend Asia… All of our guides were wonderful (Mr. Bank - Bangkok and Ms. Kai in Phuket & Khao Sok plus antoher guide who assisted in Koh Samui). Sharon took care of tours, private drivers, flights and hotels within Thailand and our trip went off without a hitch. The hotels were great and the transportation always arrived on time and with a clean, More Guinevere Provance, Aug 2023

Great Experience WOW! I’ve traveled Asia some & I must say Sharon & Asia Highlights made this trip so much more enjoyable and easy More Stephen Hollis, Aug 2023

Alisa has has been great to work with Alisa with Asia Highlights has has been great to work with. Very friendly and responsive. More Ana Rausch, Aug 2023

Using Sharon right now to book our… Using Sharon right now to book our upcoming trip to Thailand. She has booked everything that we asked for. Has answered all of my inquiries, which has been many! Looking forward to having a great girls trip in Thailand More Tracy, Aug 2023

Thailand, Singapore, Bali In Thailand, Tanny and Nori(Suparp), were both incredible! They were both fun, funny, and full of knowledge and made sure we got the full experience. They went the extra mile and always made sure we had cold bottled water and towels to cleanse our hands. In Singapore, Nicole was an absolute gem. She was so kind and knowledgeable and guided us in the right direction to make our day as enjoyable as possible. She helped us choose a top notch local lunch and coffee spot in China Town and taught us so much about the country! In Bali, Emon was an absolute joy. He was very knowledgeable and kind and absolutely made sure we were feeling comfortable and was willing to be flexible with us. He was fun to converse with and made our time traveling between destinations so enjoyable! I cannot recommend Asia Highlights enough! Accommodations, travel arrangements and guided tours were all a breeze. More Cassi Thunker, Jul 2023

Very supportive Very supportive ! I have received eticket for Sky Lattern Festival very fast More Chi?n Nguy?n Ng?c, Jul 2023

My experience in Chang Mai with Asia Highlights I greatly enjoyed my experience with Asia Highlights for a trip I booked to Thailand.All of my interests were catered too. My guide in Chang Mai Gemma was excellent.I truly felt the soul of Thailand culture and Buddhism. More Richard, Jul 2023

A pleasure to plan with Well, this has been a painless and pleasurable process to find such a wonderful company. I had specific dates and places to be and Sharon worked with me diligently to refine the schedule and costs to suit my travel needs and budget. She informed me of a special tour on the dates I am to be in Thailand and I added that to my previous plans. More Chris Williams, Jul 2023

Large multi-generational holiday in Thailand The holiday was wonderful. Our guides, Mr Monchai (Bangkok), and Ms Tipagorn (Tippy) (Chiang Mai) were exceptional. Travelling in a large multigenerational group with many children requires patience and our guides truly understood that. Mr Monchai and Ms Tippy shared their extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. While everyday was busy, having them greet us with patience and a smile truly made this a memorable holiday. The hotels we stayed at were equally wonderful and went above and beyond to celebrate not only my parents 50th anniversary but also celebrate 2 milestone birthdays that occurred. We will cherish this holiday for many years to come. We hope to use Asia Highlights again. More CL, Jul 2023

I never used a travel agent in my life I never used a travel agent in my life, but Sharon for Asia Highlights did a phenomenal job helping planning and coordination a family vacation. The best part of working with Sharon was that she maintained an open line of communication and provided answers to my question well within 12-24 hours. Additionally, Sharon was flexible and customized our vacation to my families needs. Overall great experience. More Antione Barry, Jul 2023

Great company to plan a trip to Southeast Asia! Sharon Haung has been wonderful to work with! Very patient and accommodating. Responds immediately given time change and is prepared, prompt, and professional. More Debi Hinerfeld, Jul 2023

We took a 15 days trip (10 days Vietnam and 5 days Thailand … It was an amazing experience the guides and drivers were there awaiting for us at each airoport for a transfer to the hotels also on time for all the tours all the guides were so lovely , very experienced and spoke very good English , one of the days on tour in Thailand I lost my phone in a temple in Bangkok mr chai went out of his way in a middle of thousands of visitors and managed to find an bring it back to me I found that amazing , also while on a trip I contacted Jason li out tour organizer few time via whatup and he replied and helped on the spot I recommend asiahilights 150% The quality of the service hotels the guides the drivers outstanding From start to finish ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT ???? More SIMO el ghobar, Jun 2023

Wonderful Guides and Experience Our large group arrived in Bangkok with Tanni as our guide. She was wonderful! An absolute joy to spend time with. She is knowledgeable, kind, and extremely funny. I don’t know what we would have done without her! After Bangkok, we traveled to Chang Mai, where Indy was our tour guide. She was a delight! She is kind, knowledgeable, and so patient. Our trip to Thailand was an adventure of a lifetime and these two women helped make it memorable. I would definitely use Asia Highlights for any future travel in Asia. More Jessica Bennett, Jun 2023

Places to See in Cambodia and Vietnam

Diversity is absolutely one of the most enchanting features of Vietnam and Cambodia. Plunging into Halong Bay, climbing up Pre Rup for a breathtaking sunset in Siem Reap, or delving into Hanoi's alleys for delicacies... no matter whether you're traveling for a honeymoon, anniversary, or family vacation… Vietnam and Cambodia will not disappoint you.

Top Things to Do in Cambodia

• North Cambodia: Siem Reap and Tonle Sap Lake
• South Cambodia: Phnom Penh

Ride a bike through the jungle to enjoy a sunset view at Angkor Wat

1. Ride a bike through the jungle from the center of Siem Reap to Angkor Wat, walking on the stone roads covered with moss and wandering in the mysterious corridors, you will feel like you are in a time tunnel.

2. Take in the charming countryside scenery on a quad bike in Siem Reap: pass the seldom visited local villages, rice fields, and temples, and reward yourself with an amazing countryside sunset.

3. Sit on a mini Tara river boat to cruise the flowing heart of Cambodia — Tonle Sap. See Siem Reap from another perspective as you pass the floating villages, which still retain the lifestyle of the ancient Cambodians.

4. Sense the misery of the Khmer Rouge period in Phnom Penh: Although it's sad and even disturbing to visit the Killing Fields and S-21 Prison, this will get you acquainted with one of the worst human tragedies of the last century.

2-Week Vietnam-Cambodia Tour with a Luxurious Mekong Cruise

Top Things to Do in Vietnam

• North Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sapa
• Central Vietnam: Hoi An, Hue
• South Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc

Take a Cruise Through the Karst Scenery in Halong Bay

1. Explore the Old Quarter in Hanoi: explore the city's charm by visiting sites like the elegant Bach Ma Temple and Dong Xuan Market, the oldest local market in the city.

2. Stay overnight on a junk to see Halong Bay: exercise with water activities like swimming, kayaking, or canoeing, and enjoy the sunset on the cruise deck with a cup of beer in hand.

3. Trek in Sapa among the rice fields: bring yourself closer to the raw nature of Vietnam.

4. Track back to the last emperor's life in Hue: a good destination for history buffs.

5. Soak in the beauty of Hoi An Old Town: strolling around the lantern-lit streets, you will have a sense of peace and tranquility.

6. Visit the floating markets along the Mekong Delta via a boat ride: they have retained their traditional way of doing business.

7. Relax on a wonderful beach on Phu Quoc Island in south Vietnam: enjoy sun bathing, fresh seafood, as well as fantastic scuba diving and snorkeling.

15-Day Best of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour

How Much Does It Cost to Travel Vietnam and Cambodia?

When traveling to Vietnam and Cambodia, you can expect lower prices than in Thailand and Singapore. For a 2-week private trip, the daily cost usually ranges from US$170 to US$250 per person. Travel with us, and you can enjoy better per-person rates per person when inviting more family or friends to join.

Beyond regular sightseeing, you can enjoy more exclusive activities with us: foodie adventures, a fishing tour with a basket boat ride, sunset quad bike rides, and an Angkor Wat walking tour led by our Khmer scholar.

We've also carefully selected various hotels at the best agent rates whether you look for a family resort or a boutique hotel with unparalleled views.

You can see our two handpicked private tours to get more details about costs and itineraries. The prices are based on a group of 2+ people. 

• 2-Week Vietnam-Cambodia Tour with a Luxurious Mekong Cruise: from US$3,079 per person
• 14-Day Vietnam and Cambodia Family Tour: From US$2,366 per adult, US$1775 per child

What Is the Best Time to Visit Vietnam and Cambodia?

See trading traditionally in the flourishing floating markets in Mekong Delta in Vietnam

Both countries are subject to a monsoon climate. Average daytime temperatures in summertime (late April to September) are around 27–36°C (81–97°F). Winter has milder weather, getting up to 20–28°C (68–82°F) in the day, but cooler at night and up north.

There are three main seasons in Vietnam and Cambodia:

• Dry season: November to February
• Hot season: March to May (temperatures consistently get up to around 38°C (100°F))
• Rainy season: June to October (it usually rains in the afternoon and at night, and so it's easy to plan around the weather)

The period from November to February (cool/mild and dry) is the most comfortable time to travel Vietnam and Cambodia. If you plan to travel during the cool season, make sure to book at least 3 months in advance, as this will be the busiest time of the year.

The hot season and the rainy season are not so comfortable for travel, but you will find fewer crowds and lower prices for flights and accommodation.

19-Day In-Depth Tour of Southeast Asia: Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam

Typhoons from July to September

Typhoons hit the coast of northern to central Vietnam during the July-to-September typhon season, which usually mean cruises in Halong Bay are canceled. Always get insurance if you wish to cruise at this time.

Southern Vietnam sees some storms from October to early December, yet the major cities are pretty safe from rain and wind. Cambodia seldom gets struck by storms, except for Sihanoukville during the typhoon season.

8-Day from South Vietnam to North Cambodia Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, and Seam Reap Tour

How Long Do You Need in Vietnam and Cambodia?

For a nice school kids' holidays or annual vacation, it is critical to get the essence of each destination without wearing yourself out. This typically requires at least 12 days for both Cambodia and Vietnam.

A classic route is suggested below for your inspiration. What we are suggesting is a hardest-to-easiest approach. Cambodia's cultural attributes demand more of your engagement: emotions are drawn at the Killing Fields and S21 Museum and a lot of walking is required at the Angkor Wat Complex. Vietnam is relatively relaxing and can be a good wind-down after Cambodia.

12-Day Cambodia and Vietnam Highlights A Journey in Wonders

• Day 1: Phnom Penh Arrival, Cambodia
• Day 2: Phnom Penh (Heart-Breaking Past and Hopeful Present)
• Day 3: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap (1-hour flight or 6-hour drive along Tonle Sap), Tomb Raider Experience
• Day 4: Siem Reap (Angkor Wat in Depth)
• Day 5: Siem Reap – Ho Chi Minh City by flight | Saigon at Dusk
• Day 6: Ho Chi Minh City | Mekong Impression
• Day 7: Ho Chi Minh City – Hoi An (Danang Airport)
• Day 8: Hoi An Ancient Town
• Day 9: Hoi An (Danang Airport) – Hanoi
• Day 10: Hanoi from a Different Angle
• Day 11: Hanoi – Halong Bay | Relaxing Cruising in Halong Bay
• Day 12: Halong Bay – Hanoi, Hanoi Departure

To extend a tour to Sapa in north Vietnam, another 3 days are needed. More itinerary options are suggested in 2 weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia>>>

How to Get to Vietnam and Cambodia?

Walking in the Narrow Lane in Hoi An Ancient Town

As the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh is more conveniently connected with other countries than Siem Reap. There are 1-stop flights available transiting in Singapore or Seoul from Los Angles, New York, Toronto, Paris, Frankfurt, London, Sydney, Auckland, etc.

For getting in and out of Vietnam, the first option is to go to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. From the US or Canada, there are 1-stop flights via Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, or other major international hubs. From London or Frankfurt, there is a non-stop flight to Hanoi once a week.

As a way to ensure you get the utmost out of all destinations, always fly out to the next destination on an afternoon flight if possible.

12-Day Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour Spellbinding Historic Sites, Natural Beauty & Welcoming People

How to Obtain Visas for Vietnam and Cambodia?

Vietnam Visas

Holders of normal passports issued by the following countries do not require a visa to visit Vietnam:

• Europe: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belarus, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden
• South and Middle America: Chile, Panama
• Asia: Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Brunei

Starting from August 15, 2023, Vietnam e-visas are issued to citizens of all countries and territories, and they are issued for multiple entries for up to 90 days. You can now apply for the e-visa online. The e-visa fee is approximately 25 USD, and your application will usually be processed within 3 working days. Applying for an e-visa is efficient and convenient.  

Cambodia Visas

Regular passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Cambodia (for the following periods):

• Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam (30 days)
• Philippines (21 days)
• Thailand (14 days)

If you are from other countries, you can apply for an e-Visa online for US$37 before arrival, or you may do it on the spot when you enter Cambodia as a Visa-on-Arrival (30 USD for single entry). Visa-on-Arrival is not available at the border-crossing from Chau Doc in Vietnam, but it is at most other ports.

14-Day Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos Tour

Visit Vietnam and Cambodia with Asia Highlights

Traveling is all about experiences. That is the very thing that you cannot cut corners on. It is also nice to get inspired by experiences. Here, we have designed classic tour itineraries catering to almost all palates for inspiration. If that doesn't strike your fancy, talk to us and get started here: Help Me Plan Now.

• 12-Day Cambodia and Vietnam Highlights
• 12-Day Essential Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour
• 15-Day Best of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam Tour
• 19-Day Highlights of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam