Travelling to Vietnam/Cambodia
Replies: 9 - Last Post: Jul 9, 2012 8:14 PM Last Post By: indochinatravel...
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Travelling to Vietnam/Cambodia
HelloJust looking for general advice really, travelling to Vietnam flying into Ho Chi Minh City and flying out at end of trip from Hanoi, main thing on the agenda so far is to travel into Cambodia and get to Angkor Watt, so looking for other places to visit that is not crammed full of tourists ( want to see the real Vietnam & Cambodia)
How long does it take in days to get to Angkor Watt from Ho Chi Minh City, is the best route along the Mekong Delta (or most scenic), is it best to get a boat for myself if it's affordable or go on a tourist boat with other travellers? Or get a local boat with local people?
Is it best to get the Visa now before I go or get them over in Vietnam, what is best or what is possible, I was thinking of a multi entry Visa so I can get back into Vietnam after travelling to Cambodia?
Any advise would be appreciated and places to go, looking at places off the beaten track and get a glimpse of this wonderful country
I am going in August so is there any festivals or events I should be aware of that is worth going to?
Thanks
Scorchiolee666
1
How long does it take in days to get to Angkor Watt from Ho Chi Minh City6 hours to Phnom Penh, change bus, 6 hours to Siem Reap.
is the best route along the Mekong Delta (or most scenic)
Yes. Better than along the road.
is it best to get a boat for myself if it's affordable or go on a tourist boat with other travellers? Or get a local boat with local people?
No difference. In spite of what agents in Saigon tell you. You take the boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, 5 hours.
Is it best to get the Visa now before I go or get them over in Vietnam, what is best or what is possible, I was thinking of a multi entry Visa so I can get back into Vietnam after travelling to Cambodia?
Then you will need a multi entry visa for Vietnam. Easy enough to get but takes 5 days. The visa for Cambodia is on arrival, good for 30 days, costs 20USD and a passport photo unless somebody does it for you, then it's 25USD.
I am going in August so is there any festivals or events I should be aware of that is worth going to?
No idea about Vietnam, possibly the moon cake festival? Nothing big in Cambodia (except maybe moon cake festival).
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Mr. Henning's answer provided everything you need. Just want to add something about the festival. You can refer to this. Mid Autumn Festival is not quite a big one but it's very interesting with the tasty moon cakes and colorful lanterns. Worth any visit!3
Here is a copy of the lunar calendar. http://lunaf.com/english/moon-phases/lunar-calendar-2012/ The 15th day of the 8th lunar month will be 31 August in 20124
Sorry I tried to get out of the document to check date that and ended up posting it. The lunar calendar for 2012 is here: http://lunaf.com/english/moon-phases/lunar-calendar-2012/ and the 15h day of the 8th month is 30 September not 31 August. So if you are coming in August the mid autumn festival may be too late for you. Locals also say it marks the beginning of the wet season in Hue.I read the link in #2 and found the description of the mid autumn festival to be not very accurate about what happens in Hue. Here the highlight is the dragon dancing troupes of both adults and children in the most amazing costumes, accompanied by loud, even frenetic, drumming. The first year I was here I must have taken at least 100 photos.
For August you need to check for events in the sixth and seventh lunar months.
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Angkor wat has at least 2 days, then visit Phnom Penh and make speed boat to Mekong Delta or vice versa.Take a visit Ho CHi Minh - Cu chi - Mekong delta - Dalat - Nha Trang - Hoi An - Da Nang - Hue - Phong Nha cave - Hanoi - halong - sapa - Hanoi. Choose beaten off track in North Vietnam to avoid touristy sites.
August is good to travel
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Sorry for being a little off-topic but, Maureenm, I guess you may misread something.The link doesn't mention anything about the Mid Autumn Festival in Hue, it just describes the Hon Chem Festival in Hue in August, and provides some general information about the Mid Autumn Festival in Vietnam. Anw, I agree that if OP happens to visit Vietnam in August, you can check again for some events in the sixth and seventh lunar month, as 2012 is a leap year.8
Cheers #7. My comment was meant to indicate that the description of the mid autumn festival given on the link was not an accurate description of what I have observed in Hue during the mid autumn festival. Yes there are moon cakes available everywhere but there are no more lanterns than usual and I have seen no giving of toys. Here the dragon dancers are out every night for a week in the most colourful costumes and the dancers look for money from onlookers at the end of their performance it is part of the role of some of the performers who, to my western eyes, resemble mummers with white painted faces. And in the weeks before that you can hear drumming practice all over town.I know that festivals can take different forms in different parts of the country and that a generic description can not describe all the local variations. But I thought the link description failed to capture the colour and excitement (and noise) of the mid autumn festival as it is celebrated in Hue.
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ah got it :) you're right. the description here mostly demonstrates the festival atmosphere in the North of Vietnam, so it might be a little different. in Hanoi people still keep the traditional custom. if you have a chance to visit Hanoi in this occasion, you can take a look at Hang Ma St. and i'm sure you can feel the truest atmosphere of the festival.
