Vietnam Cambodia Tour from Ho Chi Minh City

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. The rest of the day is free to relax before your evening adventure.

18:30 – Saigon After Dark by Vespa
Your Vespa tour guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel to begin an exciting evening exploring Saigon's nightlife. Start with a drink at Cafe Zoom, a Vespa-themed café where you can watch the city go by.

Continue through the bustling streets on the back of a vintage-style Vespa, stopping at two carefully selected eateries to sample authentic Vietnamese dishes, from fresh spring rolls to savory Vietnamese pancakes with shrimp and seafood. Along the way, discover some of Ho Chi Minh City's famous landmarks and lively neighborhoods.

The evening continues at a Vietnamese-style coffee shop featuring live music, followed by a vibrant music bar where young locals gather to enjoy the city's contemporary nightlife. With food and drinks included throughout the tour, this is a fun way to experience Saigon after dark.
22:00: Ride back to your hotel.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Spend the day exploring Ho Chi Minh City's historic landmarks and the cultural heritage of Cholon, the city's historic Chinatown.

Morning: Saigon's Historic Landmarks
Begin at the Reunification Palace, a landmark in modern Vietnamese history associated with the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Continue to the Central Post Office to admire its distinctive French colonial architecture, then take a short walk to view Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica from the outside, subject to access and renovation conditions.
Next, visit the War Remnants Museum, where photographs, documents and military exhibits offer a sobering perspective on the Vietnam War and its lasting impact.

Enjoy lunch featuring classic Saigon specialties, such as phở or cơm tấm (broken rice with grilled pork), at a carefully selected restaurant.

Afternoon: Cho Lon Heritage & Secret Weapons Bunker
Head to Cho Lon, Ho Chi Minh City's historic Chinatown, to discover its distinctive Chinese-Vietnamese culture. Visit Thien Hau Pagoda, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, and admire its intricate carvings and hanging incense coils. Continue through the traditional herbal medicine streets before exploring the bustling Binh Tay Market, a major trading hub for the local community.
If access can be arranged, conclude with a visit to a Secret Weapons Bunker, where weapons were reportedly concealed during the Vietnam War. This lesser-known historic site offers another perspective on Saigon's wartime past.
Return to your hotel in the late afternoon. The evening is free to relax or explore the city independently.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Leave Ho Chi Minh City at around 7:30 AM and travel to Sa Dec, a riverside town in Dong Thap known for its flower gardens, old houses and traditional markets.

Morning: Sa Dec Heritage Town
Visit the Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House, built with a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese and French architectural styles. The house is associated with the romance between Huynh Thuy Le and French writer Marguerite Duras, which later inspired her novel The Lover.
Continue to Sa Dec Flower Village, where growers raise flowers and ornamental plants on wooden platforms along the waterways. Depending on the season, you may see flowers being prepared for sale at markets across southern Vietnam.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Sa Dec, with regional specialties from Dong Thap and the Mekong Delta.

Afternoon: Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Park & Bird Sanctuary
Continue to Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Park, known for its cajuput forests, canals and birdlife. Take a rowing boat through the narrow waterways, passing beneath the trees and looking for birds along the banks.
You can also visit the observation tower for views over the forest and surrounding wetlands. The area is home to storks, egrets and other waterbirds, although the number of birds you see depends on the season.
Later in the afternoon, drive to Long Xuyen, a riverside city on the Hau River in An Giang Province. Check in at your hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.

Overnight in Long Xuyen.

Morning: Long Xuyen Floating Market
Start early with a local boat trip to Long Xuyen Floating Market on the Hau River. Watch as boats carrying fruit, vegetables and other goods gather for the morning trade. Unlike some of the Mekong Delta's busier tourist stops, Long Xuyen remains closely connected to the daily lives of people living and working along the river.
Return to shore for breakfast before continuing by road to Chau Doc, a border town in An Giang Province known for its mix of Vietnamese, Cham, Khmer and Chinese cultural influences. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before exploring the area.

Afternoon: Chau Phong Cham Village & Mubarak Mosque
After lunch, drive to Chau Phong Cham Village, home to a Cham Muslim community with its own traditions, architecture and way of life. Walk through the village to see traditional wooden houses on stilts and learn about the community's history and traditional brocade weaving.

Continue to Mubarak Mosque, a distinctive Islamic landmark and an important place of worship for local Cham Muslims. Learn about the role of the mosque in community life and take time to appreciate its architecture. Visitors should dress modestly and respect prayer times during the visit.

Afterwards, return to Chau Doc and check in at your hotel. The rest of the afternoon and evening are free to relax before continuing to Cambodia the following day.

Overnight in Chau Doc.

Transfer to the pier in Chau Doc early in the morning to board a speedboat for the journey along the Mekong River into Cambodia (speedboats depart around 7:00-7:30). Along the way, watch riverside villages, floating houses and fishing boats gradually give way to the countryside on the Cambodian side of the border.
The boat stops at the Vinh Xuong border checkpoint in Vietnam and the Kaam Samnor checkpoint in Cambodia for immigration procedures. Keep your passport and required travel documents ready while your guide or boat crew assists with the formalities before the journey continues to Phnom Penh.

Arrive in Phnom Penh at around 1:00 PM, where your Cambodian guide will meet you and transfer you to a local restaurant for lunch. Afterward, check in at your hotel or leave your luggage there before exploring the capital.
Visit the Royal Palace, the official residence of the Cambodian King, and the adjoining Silver Pagoda, known for its silver-tiled floor and collection of Buddhist treasures. Continue to Wat Phnom, a hilltop temple traditionally linked to the founding of Phnom Penh. If time allows, end the afternoon with a walk along Sisowath Quay, the riverside promenade where the Mekong and Tonle Sap meet, before returning to your hotel.
The evening is free to relax or enjoy dinner at one of the city's restaurants.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Depart Phnom Penh at around 10:00 AM and travel north toward Siem Reap through the Cambodian countryside. Along the way, pass rice fields, rural villages and traditional wooden houses, offering glimpses of daily life outside the country's capital.

Stop at a roadside restaurant for lunch before continuing to Kampong Kdei, home to Spean Praptos, an ancient laterite bridge dating from the 12th century. Built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, the bridge once formed part of the Khmer Empire's road network. Take a short walk around the site to admire its distinctive stone arches and learn about its place in Cambodia's history.

Continue to Siem Reap, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening depending on traffic and the duration of your stops. Check in at your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. You may wish to explore the night markets or Pub Street, known for its restaurants, cafés and lively evening atmosphere.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Start the day with a visit to Angkor Wat, the best-known temple in Cambodia and one of the finest examples of Khmer architecture. For those who wish to watch the sunrise, an early departure, usually around 4:30–5:00 AM depending on the season, is required. Watch the first light appear behind the temple’s five towers and reflect across the ponds before exploring its galleries and detailed bas-reliefs. If you prefer a more relaxed morning, you can leave later and visit Angkor Wat after sunrise instead.

Explore the temple complex and learn about its original Hindu origins, its later role as an important Buddhist site, and the stories depicted in its intricate stone carvings.
Continue to Angkor Thom, the former royal city of the Khmer Empire. Enter through the impressive South Gate, lined with stone figures of gods and demons, and head to Bayon Temple, famous for its towers carved with large stone faces. Visit the Terrace of the Elephants, once used for royal ceremonies and public gatherings, followed by the Terrace of the Leper King, known for its detailed carvings.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant near the temple complex before visiting Ta Prohm, often called the “Tomb Raider” temple after its appearance in the film. Here, enormous tree roots grow across ancient walls and galleries, creating a distinctive setting that differs from the more extensively restored temples of Angkor.
Return to your hotel in the late afternoon to rest before dinner.

In the evening, enjoy a traditional Cambodian dinner accompanied by an Apsara dance performance. This classical Khmer art form is known for its graceful hand movements, elaborate costumes and stories drawn from Cambodian mythology and tradition.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Leave Siem Reap in the morning and drive to Kampong Phluk, a traditional village on the edge of Tonle Sap Lake. Board a local boat to explore the village, where houses stand on tall stilts to cope with seasonal changes in water levels. Along the waterways, you can see fishing boats, wooden homes and glimpses of daily life in this lakeside community. When water levels are high, the boat may also pass through the surrounding flooded forest. The route and scenery vary with the season.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing east into the Cambodian countryside to visit Beng Mealea, a 12th-century temple built during the reign of King Suryavarman II. Unlike the better-restored temples around Angkor Wat, much of Beng Mealea remains in ruins, with fallen stone blocks, moss-covered walls and large tree roots spreading across parts of the complex. Walk along the wooden walkways and through the temple grounds to see its courtyards, galleries and intricate stonework.

After returning to Siem Reap, visit a local Buddhist pagoda for a traditional water blessing ceremony performed by a Buddhist monk. Listen to the chanting of prayers as the monk sprinkles or pours blessed water, offering wishes for good health, peace and safe travels. The ceremony provides a glimpse into the role of Buddhism in Cambodian daily life. The exact ritual depends on the pagoda and arrangements made in advance.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon or early evening. The rest of the evening is free to relax, enjoy some last-minute shopping or explore Siem Reap independently.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and spend your final hours in Siem Reap at leisure, depending on your flight schedule. You may take a stroll around town, pick up a few Cambodian handicrafts at the Old Market (Psar Chaa), or simply relax before your journey home.

At the scheduled time, your driver will transfer you to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) for your departure flight.

As your journey through Vietnam and Cambodia comes to an end, we hope you take home fond memories of the places you visited, the people you met and the experiences you shared along the way. Thank you for choosing WaytoVietnam Travel. It has been a pleasure arranging this journey for you, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Asia.

Safe travels, and see you again!