K M Cheng-Travel Journal: Vietnam & Cambodia Jan 2014

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Vietnam & Cambodia Jan 2014

Say yes to cool Angkor & Huda beer - just US$0.50 per can

" No dream is too big, so don't be afraid to chase it "

" Remember you had retired but not fired. You have now take on a new path & re-fired "

" Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than your words, and your faith stronger than your feeling "

" My 10 days visit with my travel buddy (Mr Choy) to Vietnam & Cambodia (Ho Chi Minh, Phnom Penh, Hue, Danang & Hoi An) from 3-12/1/2014 - my 2nd visit to Vietnam and Cambodia & once again saying Good Morning to Vietnam & Good Day to Cambodia "

Travel itinerary: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) > Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam > Phnom Penh, Cambodia > Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam > Hue > Danang > Hoi An > Danang > Ho Chi Minh City > Kuala Lumpur

Total expenses incurred (10 days): US$407 = Rm1,340

Air Asia ticket: Rm$474.00 =US$144 (KL>HCM 12.00>12.55 HCM>KL 10.35>13.25)

Airport bus: Rm$10 (KL Sentral>LCCT)

Hotels: US$78.50 (7 nights)

Food: US$45

Trains: US$71

Buses: US$31

Taxis:US$3.50

Tuktuk: US$12

Motorbike: US$1

Entrance fees: US$18.30

Exchange rate: US$1=21,080vnd (dong); Rm$1=6,407vnd; US$1=Rm$3.29 (Malaysian Ringgit); RM$1=1,220 Riel

In Oct 2006, I visited Siem Reap of Cambodia and spent a total of 4 days just to see Angkor Wat & Tonle Sap Lake. Angkor Wat (the mother of all temples) was one of the Seven Great Wonders of the World and a must see if you plan to visit Cambodia. As for Vietnam, I visited Hanoi, Halong Bay & Catba Island in May 2007 (6 days).

So for this visit, my main focus is to explore their capital cities ie Phnom Penh (Cambodia) & Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and also extended my stay to see Hue, Danang & Hoi An in Central Vietnam.

For those who intend to visit Cambodia & Vietnam, the 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites ie Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, Hue & Hoi An are likely to be the favorite places they like to see - as for me, I have been there, done that & move on ....

Both of us had a rather depressing & distressing experience after a visit to the Killing Field of Choeung Ek & Tuol Sieng Museum in Phnom Pehn. This sort of experience was also been felt when I visited the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Krakow, Poland in May 2010. Likewise, one could gain a better perspective on the Vietnam War (1965-1973) by visiting the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh city.

January is probably a good time to visit these two countries as the weather during the day & night is pretty cool & pleasant . Land transport is convenient ie by bus from HCM city to Phonm Penh & by train to Central & North Vietnam.

Food including drinks & hotel accommodation are reasonably cheap. You will enjoy eating the Khmer curry dishes, Vietnamese pho (rice noodles), nem (spring rolls) & local drinks such as coffee, beer & fruit juices.

So bring along a stack of US dollars and be merry and have fun the moment you land in Cambodia & Vietnam ! Celebrate your arrival for a start with a jar of cool Angkor & Hanoi beer !!!