Itinerary Expand all Saigon to Bangkok Depart London Day 1 Start Saigon The day is free to recover from the flight. Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly known as Saigon, is an exciting and absorbing city where bicycles battle with lorries and temples stand defiantly alongside modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, Saigon is now a bustling free market city where anything goes. The Ben Thanh Market and Notre Dame Cathedral are highly recommended. There will be a welcome briefing with your leader this evening followed by an optional group dinner at a local restaurant. Huong Sen Hotel or similar Arrive Saigon The day is free to recover from the flight. Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly known as Saigon is an exciting and absorbing city where bicycles battle with lorries and temples stand defiantly alongside modern developments. Devastated by the Vietnam War, Saigon is now a bustling free market city where anything goes. The Ben Thanh Market and Notre Dame Cathedral are highly recommended. There will be a welcome briefing with your leader this evening followed by an optional group dinner at a local restaurant. Huong Sen Hotel or similar Day 2 Visit Cu Chi Tunnels; tour of Saigon This morning we leave the city behind us and head west to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. Used by the Viet Cong during the war, the network covers 3 levels and approximately 240 kms of tunnels. Traditionally these were very narrow but some areas have been widened to allow tourists to explore the system. Claustrophobes may prefer to stay outside in the sunshine! In the afternoon we return to Saigon for a tour which include visits to the Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum where there is an interesting record of the Vietnam/American War. Please be advised some of the images are of a graphic nature. Huong Sen Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Mekong Delta; visit floating market; overnight homestay guesthouse We drive to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta via a Cao Dai temple used by devotees of this strange indigenous religion that fuses all the great religions of the east and west. En route we pass magnificent countryside and stop at some small cottage industries. The Mekong is locally known as the rice bowl of Vietnam and produces much of Vietnam's fruit, sugar cane and coconuts. Cai Be floating market is becoming less crowded and smaller as fruit trading is mostly now done by trucks due to the bridge being built. However, this is still a great opportunity to see a local market and the trade being conducted traditionally on a smaller scale. We take a relaxing sampan cruise in the afternoon and arrive at our accommodation. The evening is tranquil as we have dinner on an island and enjoy some 'Delta' hospitality. We spend the night sleeping at a simple homestay guesthouse built in the style of a local house. Bedding, a mosquito net and a small towel are provided. Mekong Homestay Guesthouse Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 4 Walking tour in the delta; visit Sam Mountain for sunset; overnight Chau Doc This morning we take a short walk around the surrounding village to uncover the daily lives of the people. We board our boats once again and cross the main channel to Vinh Long where we re-join our vehicle for the drive further into the Mekong Delta to the small border town of Chau Doc. After checking into the hotel we will enjoy a sunset visit to the top of the holy Sam Mountain with views stretching across into Cambodia. The evening is free to wander around this town, situated on the banks of the Mekong River. Chau Pho Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 To Cambodia: visit pepper plantation then transfer to Kampot; sunset river cruise After driving approximately 1 hour to the Tinh Bien/Phnom Den land border we will bid farewell to Vietnam and cross into Cambodia. Our drive then takes us via the La Plantation Pepper farm, to enjoy an included lunch and an introduction to the famous Kampot Pepper farm. Afterwards, we transfer to Kampot town, which sits on a picturesque river. Upon arrival we check into our centrally located hotel, our base for the next two nights, before boarding a local boat for a sunset cruise on the Kampot River. The river runs through the centre of the town and can flow in both directions as it is closely connected to the sea. Boutique Kampot Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 6 Full day boat trip to tropical Koh Tonsai Island Today we jump on a local boat for the short trip to Koh Tonsai (Rabbit Island). Palm tree fringed with a small beach this is the perfect place to enjoy swimming in the warm water or relax and just soak up the exotic tropical surroundings. Boutique Kampot Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Drive to Phnom Penh; free time There may be the chance to rise early and do an optional walking tour with your leader to visit the Kampot fish market before returning to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, we depart Kampot and transfer to Phnom Penh, where we will spend the next 2 nights. During our time in the Cambodian capital, take the chance to wander among the traditional buildings, or shop at either the impressive Central Market or the sprawling Russian Market, a souvenir hunter's paradise. Ohana Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Full day sightseeing including the Royal Palace and the 'Killing Fields' We will visit the beautiful Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda inside the Palace complex, so named for the solid silver tiles that make up the floor. Thankfully the complex escaped the worst excess of the Khmer Rouge. Similar in style and scale to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the Royal Palace has significantly fewer visitors and there is plenty of time to wander amongst the traditional buildings. We will also visit Tuol Sleng museum or S21 (Museum of Genocide), which graphically displays the horrors of the 4 years when Pol Pot systematically ordered the murder of between 2 and 3 million Cambodians. Tuol Sleng was originally a school but was used as a torture and interrogation centre between 1975 and 1979. It is a sobering, but enlightening place to visit. We complete our day with a moving late afternoon visit to the 'killing fields' of Choeung Ek. A football-field-sized area surrounded by farmland, the killing fields contain mass graves for perhaps 20,000 Cambodians, many of whom were tortured before being killed.Phnom Penh is a city in transition and, despite its horrific recent history, it is now starting to find its feet. Some of its former French colonial buildings have been restored and there is a small but lively restaurant and bar scene developing along the riverfront. Ohana Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 To Siem Reap Today we have a long drive to Siem Reap (approximately 8 hours). En route we stop at the town of Skuon, famous for its local delicacy - fried spiders. We will also stop off at Sambor Prei Kuk, Cambodia's most impressive group of pre-Angkorian monuments and some of the oldest structures in the country. We'll also pause for a traditional Khmer lunch at a community restaurant before continuing our journey to Siem Reap. Angkor Holiday Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 10 Full day exploring temple complex at Angkor A full day spent exploring the complex. We will visit the incredible Angkor Wat, the many temples inside the Royal City of Angkor Thom, including the magnificent Bayon, which comprises of 54 intricately carved towers in one single temple. The Bayon certainly left an impression on an early traveller in 1925 who stated 'we stand before it stunned. It is like nothing else in the land.' We will also see other less-visited outlying temples. Particularly impressive are Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm, which is still covered in jungle as it was first found. Re-discovered in the 1870s and famously described as being 'grander than anything of Greece or Rome' by the French explorer Henri Mouchot, this world heritage site stands alongside Chichen Itza and Machu Picchu as one of the world's most spectacular archaeological sites. A truly magical experience and a photographer's paradise. One evening we will make our way to watch the sunset over this magnificent scene. Angkor Holiday Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 11 Further time at Angkor; free afternoon This morning we will continue our exploration of the Angkor complex with a visit to the small but charming Temple of Banteay Srei, which is noted for the intricacy of its carvings, 35km from Siem Reap town. Our route takes us past paddy fields, and through pretty villages. Banteay Srei was built in the 10th century and contains some of the finest examples of Khmer sculpture. Although much smaller than the later temples, here all of the buildings are covered in exquisite carvings. The afternoon is free for you to continue with further independent exploration of the temples or to wander around Siem Reap town or visit a floating fishing village and enjoy a boat trip on the Tonle Sap Lake (optional). Angkor Holiday Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 12 To Thailand; transfer to Bangkok Today we have an early morning start and bid farewell to Cambodia, and embark on a longer journey from Siem Reap to Bangkok. The journey from Siem Reap to the border can take up to 3 hours. After the border crossing (usually takes up to an hour), we meet our Thai tour leader and have our first taste of Thai food at a local restaurant before continuing onto the capital of Bangkok. Famous for its tuk tuks, khlong boats and incredible street food, Bangkok is an assault on the senses and provides a real contrast to sleepy Cambodia. Rembrandt Bangkok Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 13 Tour of Bangkok including Wat Pho, free time Today we board a long tail boat for a tour of the local canals. Please be advised there may be a possibility of larger groups being accommodated in a bigger boat. Bangkok was once known as the Venice of the East because of its intricate canal network. We get a glimpse of daily life as we pass locals selling their wares by the river. We also visit what to this day remains the home of the Thai Royal family at the Royal Palace complex followed by Wat Phra Kaew, home to the Emerald Buddha, one of Thailand's most venerated images. Another highlight is Wat Po, the largest temple in Bangkok, housing a 46m long, 15m high gold-plated reclining Buddha. Please note, when visiting the Royal Palace, clothes covering your shoulders and knees are a requirement for entry. Rembrandt Bangkok Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 14 End Bangkok For land only clients, the tour ends this morning in Bangkok after breakfast. Meals included: Breakfast Depart Bangkok Meals included: Breakfast Arrive London
Cambodia Arriving By Flight: An electronic visa (e-Visa) facility is available via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Co-operation website at the cost of $37. A tourist visa can be obtained on arrival for British nationals at most border crossings. Two passport photos are required. The cost is US$30, although an additional express fee of US$5-6 may be incurred at the border. For further information see the FCDO site and check under Cambodia / 'Entry Requirements'. Arriving Overland: A tourist visa can be obtained on arrival for British nationals at most border crossings. Two passport photos are required. The cost is US$30, although an additional express fee of US$5-6 may be incurred at the border. For further information see the FCDO site and check under Cambodia / 'Entry Requirements'. Important advice regarding E-Visas Please be advised, e-Visas are not accepted at all border check points when travelling overland. This applies to the following borders/trips: Tinh Bien, Vietnam/ Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia border: AOX- Thai Indochina Explorer Xa Xia, Vietnam/ Prek Chak, Cambodia (Ha Tien crossing): FIJ- South East Asia Adventure 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
Thailand A visa for Thailand is not required for British nationals for stays of 30 days or less. If you are unsure of the requirements please check with your nearest Thai embassy.
Vietnam **UPDATE 11.03.2020** The below visa advice is not valid at the current moment in time. If you are booked to travel to Vietnam within the next month, Exodus will contact you with further information when it becomes available. A visa is no longer needed for British, German, French, Spanish and Italian citizens travelling to Vietnam (for all purposes) for a period of up to 15 days, and on the basis of meeting all conditions prescribed by Vietnamese laws. The visa exemption period will end on 30 June 2021. All other nationalities require a visa to enter Vietnam and this must be obtained prior to departure. For further information please check the FCDO site and check under Vietnam / 'Entry Requirements'. If you have any questions about whether you need a visa for your trip please contact the Customer Operations department.
Cambodia There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Thailand There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Vietnam There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Tetanus, Polio, Typhoid, Hepatitis A and Diphtheria. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Hotels & Guesthouses You will stay 12 nights in comfortable hotels, all with en-suite facilities and 1 night spent in a local homestay guesthouse. Most of the hotels used on this trip are of a 3 star standard by local classification. At the homestay guesthouse in the Mekong Delta you will be sharing 1-3 people to a room depending on group size. Please be advised that the accommodation listed in each location on the day to day itinerary are the standard hotels used. However, there may be some departures where groups stay at similar hotels of the same standard and quality. Single supplements are available (on request) except the one night at homestay guesthouse in the Mekong Delta. Please advise the sales team at the time of booking if you would like to request a single supplement.
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Reviewed December 2018 Ashley Foley Trip: Thai Indochina Explorer Wonderful trip I really had the best time on this trip. The tour guides were amazing. So knowledgable and professional. Everything was perfectly organised and we squeezed a lot into a very short space of time. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Angkor Wat was wonderful. Our guide was from the area and spoke very passionately about the temples and about growing up in Cambodia. What did you think of your group leader? All three were amazing. Catered to our every need and made sure we had an amazing time. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be careful of the water in Cambodia! Is there anything else you would like to add? The accommodation in Sihanoukville was disappointing. It wasn’t the one included on our itinerary and was of a much lower standard than the other hotels on the trip. It was far from the beach and the centre of town and was in the middle of a building site. However, I do now understand that the original hotel cancelled the groups booking and the team was unable to find another suitable place. It certainly didn’t spoil my trip but it would have been better if expectations were managed before we arrived at the hotel. The Exodus team and the group leader were very understanding and accommodating and did everything they could to resolve the situation.
Reviewed February 2018 Richard Crookes Trip: Thai Indochina Explorer Thai Indochina Explorer Sites very good, but the journey between them very drawn out. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Angkor Wat What did you think of your group leader? Vietnamese and Thai leaders very good, the Cambodian leader did not reach the level Do you have any advice for potential travellers? No
Reviewed February 2018 Jan Oliver Trip: Thai Indochina Explorer A wonderful trip A wonderful trip full of busy days that take in the history and culture of 3 beautiful countries. The food was delicious, the accommodation was all superb, the Exodus guides were fantastic. Plenty to see and do for the adventurer that likes something slightly different What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Inspirational moments would have to include the visits to see the history of conflicts in Vietnam and Cambodia, harrowing but a reminder to preserve world peace, the temple complex at Anghor Wat, the Royal Palaces in Bangkok, the homestay on the Mekong Delta What did you think of your group leader? The best tour leader was Is, our lovely Thai guide, she was amazing Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Absorb everything you see, taste and hear, it is a sensory trip that will have your thoughts racing Is there anything else you would like to add? This is my 3rd Exodus trip, once again, they have exceeded my customer expectations on every level
Reviewed April 2017 Rosslyn Gray Trip: Thai Indochina Explorer Fascinating trip A fast paced trip with a wide range of experiences and locations What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cambodia was the highlight of the tour. Our guide there was excellent and even invited us to the blessing of her new home and to meet her family. What did you think of your group leader? We had one for each country we visited. They were all very friendly, knowledgeable and interesting. Channa in Cambodia was particularly good, she was so proud of her country and so pleased we'd come to visit. Nothing was too much bother for her. Noung in Vietnam was great fun and Rapd in Thailand was good though she kept us moving quickly and those unable to keep up missed out on the information being given Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take plenty of mosquito repellent and your own toilet paper, outside loos Don't always have it. Is there anything else you would like to add? It was a fascinating trip, but with early starts and the heat it was quite exhausting. There was also a lot of time spent travelling on the bus. All in all though I wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Reviewed October 2016 Simon Winter Trip: Thai Indochina Explorer Thai Indochina Explorer This trip is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the history, cuisine and the way of life in the capital cities of Ho Chi Minh, Phnom Penh and Bangkok. The itinerary also allows you to see how people live, work and socialise in rural areas which is what makes this trip so fascinating. During my 14 day visit I was able to learn more about the Vietnam war, the way of life in the Mekong Delta, the actions of the Khmer Rouge (the toughest part of the trip in my opinion) and the history of Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom. The itinerary also allowed our group some relaxing downtime which involved sunbathing, snorkelling and fishing off Bamboo Island (near to the resort of Sihanoukville, Cambodia). This trip does involve 2 fairly long trips by bus to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap although we were given a number of comfort breaks which included a stop at Skuon and a chance to hold a live tarantula and sample a fried spider!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The most inspirational moments of my trip were: 1) The Homestay in the Mekong Delta and getting the opportunity to assist in preparing a meal (I live on microwave meals so this was a challenge) and being entertained by the local community....listening to a number of folk songs which told stories about their way of life. 2) The Killing Fields / S21 Prison was a very moving experience and I was extremely emotional when I saw the many graves and heard about the events that unfolded at the site. It is hard to take in but I believe it is important to learn about the atrocities that happened in the Killing Fields and the conditions that the prisoners were subjected to at the S21 prison facility. Before leaving the prison, you can speak to one of the survivors in the grounds and here their story. 3) Angkor Wat was amazing (despite the humid conditions) and provided some great photo opportunities. What did you think of your group leader? All 3 group leaders on our tour were very good and provided a real insight into the heritage and culture of their respective countries. A big thank you to Tham (Vietnam), Borey (Cambodia) & Gigi (Thailand) for all their hard work and efforts in making this such a memorable trip. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure that you apply mosquito repellent on a daily basis, particularly at Angkor Wat as they had a good go at my legs and ankles!! Also make sure that you barter / negotiate when buying goods in the shops and markets as one individual in our group learnt the hard way when buying a pair of sunglasses! I would also recommend that you drink plenty of water during the daytime and bring glucose tablets with you to prevent dehydration. When packing before your trip don't take too much clothing as you will be living out of a suitcase and constantly switching between hotels. Most of the hotels provide a laundry service but I would speak to your group leader as they may be able to get a cheaper deal and allow your clothing to be washed & ironed using an express service. Lastly....enjoy it and try the local delicacies such as the Elephant fish, crocodile curry and fried spiders. Is there anything else you would like to add? My only negative comment is in relation to the Royal Princess Hotel that we stayed in (Bangkok). Upon our arrival which was at around 1030hrs, we were informed that our rooms would not be ready until 1400hrs and that our suitcases and hand luggage would be transported to a secure storage room. When returning to the hotel at 1800hrs (having departed earlier to complete a tour of the city) we discovered that all our cases and hand luggage were still in the hotel lobby!! On a positive note, it was great to tour around the 3 countries with a great group of people from all walks of life who made the experience even more enjoyable (will miss the banter, meals out).
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