Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam

I was very fortunate to be selected for an Educational to visit these 3 countries. Each country is quite different from the another although they share common borders.

First stop was Cambodia, where we stayed in Siem Reap and visited a number of temples including the famous Ankhor Wat. We also had a day trip out to the Floating Village on Tonle Sap Lake. We then flew to Luang Prabang, Laos where we enjoyed a stay in this town that included temple visits on a cycling excursion, watching an early morning buddhist monk procession plus sailed up the Mekong River to stay at an EcoResort for a night.

We flew to Hanoi, again exploring the city and then heading out into the countryside to Halong Bay for an overnight cruise on M.V. Emeraude. The cruise included morning sessions of Tai Chi on the deck as well as visiting a pearl farm. On our return to Hanoi, we flew to Hoi An, a delightful fishing village near Danang. We enjoyed a cycling tour to Tra Que Vegetable Village that included a cooking class and an amazing lunch, experienced a cooking class at the famous Madame Vi Cooking School including a walk through the markets, as well as a tour of the old city.

On to Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) and this place had a very different feel/vibe to Hanoi, and the difference between the former North and South Vietnam could still be felt. There seemed to be even more bikes than in Hanoi. We visited Cu Chi Tunnels, south of the city – just stunning to see how the villagers went underground during the war. We also toured the City Hall bunkers and sites relating to the American occupation in the Vietnam War.

After a magical 10 days of travelling we flew home via Singapore. I look forward to visiting these countries again as there is so much more to see. The food was amazing and so were all the people we met along the way.