Travel to Vietnam & Cambodia

Luxury Women’s Tours is bringing Vietnam and Cambodia to our valued clients.  These two lovely locations boast warm people, tropical conditions and many interesting things to see.  Whilst both countries, who share a lot more than just a border, have had a tumultuous history, including the effects of war and communism, they are both still very beautiful places to visit.  There is a heap of history and culture to be experienced.  

Vietnam

Vietnam is a tropical country, but interestingly, in the north-west, around Sapa, between December and January, the temperature can drop to below zero and you can experience snow.  Snowboarding and sledding is not very common though.  

The Vietnamese language and culture have been heavily influenced by the Chinese for more than a thousand years.  Having said that, the Vietnamese language is quite different from the Chinese languages.  

If you love coffee, you no doubt think of Brazil as the number one coffee producer in the world.  Vietnam is number two, followed by Colombia, Indonesia and Ethiopia.  Other export goods include electronics, textiles, machinery (such as broadcasting equipment, telephones, circuit boards and office machinery parts), footwear, seafood, steel, pepper, rice and crude oil.   

This country, is somewhat non-religious (less than 20% identified in the national census as religious) with just over half being Buddhist and the smaller portion being Roman Catholic.  The Buddhists partake in vegetarianism; either full time (lifetime) or partially, where certain days of the lunar calendar are to be animal product fee.  Having said that, whether you’re a big meat eater, or a vegan, you’ll enjoy some very delicious and fresh foods whilst here.  Whilst rice and noodles form a base for many dishes, you certainly won’t go hungry during your stay; the food will be tasty and bountiful. 

It’s no surprise that motorbikes and cyclos are common here.  Boat is also another very common means of transport.  You can also get around in kayak; especially in places like Halong Bay.  

Don’t worry about wifi – it’s a reasonable standard here and you’ll find Vietnam among the cheapest places in the world to access it.  It is free in some places, although not everywhere.  

So, in Vietnam, here are some of the cool things you can do:

• Cruise in a traditional boat (called a junk).  There are day cruises, or longer where you’ll visit a number of locations, eat like a king and relax to your core.  Famous locations to cruise include the Mekong Delta and Halong Bay.   
• The beaches are lovely here too.  Not quite the surf of Bells Beach, but it’s clean and very pleasant.  
• There are a number of extraordinary resorts along the coastline – something for everyone where you’ll be treated like royalty.  
• Vietnam (and especially Sapa to the north west) has some amazing trekking opportunities. 
• Both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are very busy cities and boast a number of things to see.  There are museums, temples, fantastic restaurants and of course lots of shopping.  
• There are many iconic and aged pagodas to visit – full of interesting traditions, architecture and transition decorations. 
• The Ban Gioc Waterfall is very arguably one of most beautiful waterfalls in the world.  It’s the fourth largest in the world, falling only behind Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls and Iguazu Falls. 
• Explore the Golden Bridge in Da Nang.  This is the bridge which is supported by two huge hands.  It allows spectacular 360-degree views and is about 150 metres long.  It’s one of those ‘must visit’ places if you’re anywhere near it.  

Cambodia

Neighbouring Vietnam to the west, Cambodia is a similar country, but it certainly has its own differences and uniqueness.  This country has been ravaged by the Khmer Rouge regime said to be brutal, then American bombings, long-term civil war, genocide, and even a Vietnamese occupation.  

What is interesting about this country is that it’s change its name five times since 1953.  It’s been the Kingdom of Cambodia (yes, it does have a King), Khmer Republic, Kampuchea and State of Cambodia.  And for a little bit of random information – in this country, the person’s head is considered the highest part of their body and is sacred; you should not touch it whether in a kind or loving manner.  

Some interesting things to know and see in Cambodia:

• You can’t go past Angkor Wat, which directly translates to ‘City of Temples’ which is exactly what this is.  It’s an ancient city of many temples.   In fact, very unusual, Cambodia did something which hasn’t been done and put this building on their flag.  Angkor Wat is an UNESCO World Heritage site for good reason. 
• Don’t look for your take away fix in this country.  In fact, McDonalds isn’t in Cambodia and even other takeaways like KFC are not doing well.  It’s simply not a country that has embraced fast food.  So, be prepared for natural and traditional food during your stay; don’t worry, you won’t go hungry as you dine on local cuisine.   
• Funerals are huge in this country and a relatively large amount is spent on a funeral.  It’s common for $1,000 to be spent, in a country where the average monthly income is $200.  Likewise, weddings are a huge event and can often go on for as long as three days.  
• Explore the lush green land and lovely temples from a bike; you can take everything in at a much slower pace.  Naturally this won’t happen so much in the cities, where traffic can be just a little bit crazy.  Alternatively, hire a tuk tuk to get around and see the sights. 
• Like with Vietnam, cruising is also popular for tourists in Cambodia.  You cannot go past a sunset cruise along the Mekong River.  

• Visit Ta Prohm, which is the temple from ‘Tomb Raider’ fame and is very photogenic.
• Visit the Phnom Penh Palace and see its very opulent architecture of towering spires and silver pagoda. 
• Swim with the elephants at the Elephant Valley Project at Mondulkiri, where care and conservation have been put in place for the elephants who have been injured, abandoned, overworked or orphaned.   
• Swimming can also occur without elephants, on some of the prettiest sandy beaches in the area.
• Shopping around for souvenirs, local markets, handicrafts, clothing and more.
• Natural therapies and spa therapies are plentiful too; after all that travel, it must be time to take in a relaxing and rejuvenating treatment! 
• Visit the Cambodia Landmine Museum to learn a little more of the region. 
• The Killing Caves (also known as the Battambang Bat Caves) is a very popular tourist attraction.  Located at the base of Mount Sampeou, it is very unique. 
• See the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, where you can see many different and endangered animals.  Get to see up close gibbons, otters, clouded leopards and many other animals in this sanctuary.
• Markets, shopping (silk, scarves, gems, antiques, sculptures etc), cafes and local food stalls will be sure to tempt your tastebuds.

As with all Luxury Women’s Tours, we put together a trip which has the best of everything.  We do all the prep, work and organising so you get to relax and enjoy a wonderful holiday in comfort and luxury.  This trip will include a wide range of activities and sights, plus of course, we’ll ensure you stay safe and have a wonderful time with other like-minded ladies. 

As always, if you have any queries or would like to know anything specific about this trip, or any of our other trips, just reach out to us at jamie@luxurywomenstours.com.au or via Our tour link