Swapping the Hypermarket for a Vietnam and Cambodia Travel Adventure

Northern France may be an ideal destination for the cross channel hopper to visit frequently. Sampling the delights or the attractions, history, culture and local cuisine in and around Normandy, Calais, Boulogne, Lille and the Ardennes regions is now relatively simple thanks to the large number of low cost flights, the Eurotunnel and car ferry services that criss-cross the English Channel.

Far from being an arduous trek, a trip to northern France is now relatively simple for anybody in England to undertake with a little planning. However, there are some trips to countries a little further afield that can offer vastly different cultural experiences, and all with a little eastern promise thrown in for good measure. Two such destinations that can persuade people out of the boulangerie and hypermarket are the spectacular countries of Cambodia and Vietnam.

A couple of decades ago, the likelihood of having a positive Vietnam and Cambodia travel experience was nigh on impossible. War-ravaged Vietnam was a country as unsuitable for western visitors as Cambodia, a country that was once under the control of the dictator Pol Pot and his brutal Khmer Rouge regime.

Fortunately, since those awful times, each country has made significant strides in healing itself from the scars of these dark periods of history. Both nations have emerged as not only being inordinately rich in tradition, culture, natural beauty and spirituality, but also increasingly welcoming and accommodating to foreign visitors.

Vietnam is a sumptuous and surprisingly diverse country. While those interested in the war will find many relics and sites pertaining to that iconic time in the countries' past, there are also many other attractions for visitors. Ha Long Bay, for example, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site site famed for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts that litter the bay and give the area an ethereal feel. Equally spectacular are the Ban Gioc Waterfalls, north of Hanoi, which are as beautiful as the famous Niagara Falls on the US-Canadian border.

Getting around Vietnam is fortunately relatively simple. There has been large-scale investment in the road system meaning that if you would like to experience the country by car, you can find a good deal at a local car rental place and hit the road. Alternatively, moving between cities is equally possible via internal flights, especially from the south around Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi in the north.

Alternatively, those wishing to visit Cambodia are best advised to take full advantage of the local guided tours that are on offer in this land of great contrasts. These enable travellers to fully appreciate the beauty and splendour of the country.

No trip to Cambodia would be complete without a visit to the World’s largest religious building, the magnificent Angkor Wat. While the temple is without doubt a site of immense beauty and significance, there is also a great deal more on offer in this enchanting country. A harsh, overland trip to Prasat Preah Vihear is difficult but worth it in order to reach this mountaintop sanctuary that affords a degree of solitude and beauty that is entirely humbling and unrivalled anywhere in the world.

Indeed, everywhere you turn in Cambodia, there is something that catches your eye and takes your breath away. The turbulent recent history of the Khmer Rouge is clearly depicted with a trip to the Tuol Sleng museum. Be warned though, this is an emotional and visceral depiction of the hell wrought by the Pol Pot regime during its four years in power.

That said, Cambodia, like Vietnam, has undergone an incredible transformation from the dark years of the 70s and both have emerged as friendly, vibrant and hauntingly beautiful countries, well worthy of adding to your travel itinerary.