11 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners

We believe solo travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other’s company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. Included breakfasts will usually be asian style consisting of noodles or congee (rice porridge) or bread and eggs. Vegetarians will be able to find a range of different foods, although in some areas the choice maybe limited. While trekking in remote regions food is included, plentiful and made of fresh local ingredients. For all trips please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets.

Minimum age of 18 years for this trip.

In Asia the dress standard is more conservative than it is back home. When packing try to pick loose, lightweight, long clothing that will keep you cool in the usually hot and humid climate of Asian summers. In predominately Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim countries we ask that you dress respectfully and avoid very short shorts/skirts and singlets/tanktops when visiting temples or mosques or other holy sites.

1. COMBO TRIP

Please note that this tour combines with other Roamies tours. As such, the staff and some travel companions on your tour may have previously been traveling together on Roamies, prior to Day 1 of your tour. Likewise, some staff and travel companions may be continuing together on another tour, after your trip concludes.

2. HOTELS

In some major cities in Vietnam and Thailand, many hotel rooms do not have windows.

3. PROOF OF EXITING VIETNAM

Important thing to note for our travellers arriving into Vietnam, and travelling onwards with G Adventures to neighbouring counties (i.e. Cambodia & Laos). When you are checking onto your international flight heading to Vietnam, you will often be asked by airline ticket counter personnel to provide a proof of exit from Vietnam.

In respect to this requirement, we encourage our travellers to print out a copy of their tour vouchers, along with a PDF copy of their Tour Details from the webpage. These references, along with entry and exit details on travellers Vietnam visa should be sufficient information.

All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to see and do, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting – we think it’s the best of both worlds.

Accommodation will be primarily in multi-share hostels (typically 6-8 people per room), with a choice of mixed gender and female-only dorms as well as available upgrades to twin-share rooms (same gender).

Some rooming exceptions may apply due to the unique nature of the itineraries and of the hostels themselves, which have been specifically chosen to give local flavour to your trip. Please see the full itinerary description and the Rooming Exception section below for specific exceptions to the rooming that may apply to this tour.

What you need to bring depends on the trip you have chosen and the countries or regions you are planning to visit. We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as your are expected to carry your own luggage. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 minutes with your bags which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg/22-30lb. Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips! Most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!) as they need to fit under the beds when travelling on sleeper trains. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones. If your trip involves overnights in homestays, villages or camping then you usually have the opportunity to rent sleeping bags if need be instead of bringing them with you.

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

As evening falls on day 8, settle into a three-wheeled seat for a classic cyclo ride through Phnom Penh. Pedaled at an easy pace, you’ll roll past Wat Phnom, the Independence Monument and the riverside bustle of Sisowath Quay, with neon rippling across the Tonlé Sap and Mekong confluence.

Cap the night with a sit-down feast at a renowned Khmer restaurant, where favourites like fish amok and lime-marinated salads showcase Cambodia’s pantry. It’s a charming, low-slung way to take the city’s pulse before you enjoy a free evening to continue exploring.

En route to Siem Reap on day 9, pull into Skun Market, famed for its trays of deep-fried tarantulas, crickets and other seasoned snacks. Brave a crunch if you wish, or sample palm-sugar sweets and local fruits while your CEO explains how this roadside stop became a culinary curiosity.

Continue to Santuk Silk Farm to trace silk’s journey from mulberry leaf to shimmering scarf. See silkworm cocoons reeled into fine threads and watch skilled women at wooden looms create intricate patterns. These visits juxtapose everyday rural enterprise with Cambodia’s heritage of craft.

Arriving among quiet forest glades on day 9, explore Sambor Prei Kuk, a 7th-century capital of Chenla and ancestor to Angkor. With your guide, wander brick sanctuaries—some octagonal prasats unique in Southeast Asia—adorned with delicate carvings and slowly entwined by roots.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, the complex of Ishanapura offers history without crowds. Learn how these early temples shaped Khmer architecture, then pause for photos and reflection beneath dappled light before continuing to Siem Reap.

On day 10, ride a tuk tuk to either the New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant or a hosted dinner in a local home, depending on the day of the week. Sit down to a home-style Khmer meal—fragrant curries, crunchy salads and grilled specialties—prepared and served with pride.

Your visit supports skills training, education and community health initiatives, turning dinner into a direct contribution to Siem Reap’s future. It’s a warm, insightful evening that pairs flavour with impact and conversation.

Touch down in Thailand and head to the neon blaze of Yaowarat Road on day 11 for a guided street food dinner in Bangkok’s Chinatown. Follow the sizzle of woks to slurp peppery guay jub noodles, share crispy oyster omelettes, and nibble mango sticky rice while lanterns glow overhead.

Your CEO reveals hidden alleys and long-loved stalls, tracing how Teochew-Chinese flavours shaped the capital’s palate. The atmosphere is festive and fast, with time to pause for photos and reflection before the night continues.

Keep the energy high on day 11 with a guided wander down Khao San Road, Bangkok’s storied backpacker strip. Streetside bars thrum with live beats, vendors flip pad thai at speed, and travelers from every corner swap stories.

Join your group to mix and mingle over a cold Singha or a shared bucket, duck into a music bar, or watch buskers light up the night. Your CEO sets the tone, then you’re free to lean into the city’s late-night mood.

When traveling overland on day 11, pause at the sprawling Rong Kluea Market near the Aranyaprathet–Poipet border. Browse aisles stacked with casual wear, luggage, kitchenware and Thai snacks, and try a quick iced coffee while your CEO points out local favourites.

This bustling marketplace reflects the cross-border trade that has long linked Cambodia and Thailand. It’s a brief, colourful window into everyday commerce before continuing toward Bangkok. Note: this stop occurs when the itinerary operates by road.

On day 11’s overland route, detour to riverside Wat Sothon Wararam Woraviharn, one of central Thailand’s most revered temples. Step into the gleaming hall to see the venerated Luang Pho Sothon Buddha image as devotees offer lotus and incense.

Your CEO shares the temple’s lore and its place in Thai Buddhist life, while the Bang Pakong River flows quietly outside. Modest dress is required; remove shoes before entering. This contemplative stop bridges the journey from Cambodia to the capital with a moment of calm.

Make day 4 delicious with a visit to a working Kampot pepper farm. Walk vine-laced rows to learn how green berries become black, red and white pepper, then taste the terroir—citrus-bright reds, smoky blacks—often paired with pineapple or sea salt to showcase their character.

Your guide explains why Kampot pepper carries a protected geographical indication and how careful harvesting sustains quality. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; it’s a fragrant way to deepen your connection to the region’s most famous spice.

On day 4, hop into a tuk tuk to explore Kampot’s countryside—rice paddies, salt pans and sleepy hamlets framed by limestone hills. Climb to the atmospheric Phnom Chhnork cave temple, where a brick sanctuary sits inside a karst chamber scented with earth and incense.

Your driver shares local life along the way, with photo stops and a chance to see cottage crafts. This half-day outing is at additional cost and bookable on tour, offering a leisurely, local window on coastal Cambodia beyond town.

Close day 4 on the water with a gentle sunset cruise on the Preaek Tuek Chhu. Drift past riverbank gardens and wooden homes as the Elephant Mountains silhouette against a sky of amber and rose, cameras ready for reflections and birds skimming the surface.

Settle in with a cool drink and let the breeze do the rest. This relaxing cruise is at additional cost and bookable on tour, a simple way to soak in Kampot’s unhurried rhythm.

Use day 10 to venture onto the water for a boat tour of a Tonlé Sap floating village such as Kampong Phluk or Chong Kneas (destination varies by water levels). Glide among stilt houses and floating schools, where life rises and falls with Southeast Asia’s great flood pulse.

Learn how fishing, flooded forests and seasonal change shape Cambodia’s inland sea. This excursion is at additional cost and bookable on tour. Bring sun protection and sensitivity—respectful photography is encouraged.

Rise in the dark on day 10 to watch sunrise over Angkor Wat as lotus pools mirror its towers. With a local guide, continue to the serene faces of Bayon in Angkor Thom and the root-shrouded galleries of Ta Prohm, learning how the Khmer Empire engineered cities from jungle and stone.

This in-depth visit brings context to carvings, cosmology and restoration work across the UNESCO-listed complex. The tour is at additional cost and bookable on tour; expect an early start, temple dress code and plenty of steps.

Dedicate part of day 8 to Cambodia’s recent past with visits to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) and the Choeung Ek Memorial. Exhibits and survivor accounts at S-21 provide stark testimony to the Khmer Rouge era; audio guides at Choeung Ek offer space for quiet remembrance beneath a peaceful sky.

Handled with care by your CEO, this optional excursion deepens understanding of the country’s resilience and the importance of memory. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

On day 8, step into Cambodia’s royal and artistic heart. Stroll manicured courts of the Royal Palace and the gleaming Silver Pagoda, home to revered Buddha images including a crystal “Emerald” Buddha. Continue to the National Museum of Cambodia to admire sandstone masterpieces from Angkor and earlier periods.

Your guide ties iconography to history, highlighting royal ritual, Khmer aesthetics and conservation. This excursion is at additional cost and bookable on tour. Modest dress is required; opening hours can affect order of visits.

Make the most of island time on day 6 with a boat trip to snorkel Koh Rong’s reefs. Slip into warm, clear water to spot damselfish and parrotfish over patches of coral, then relax on sandy coves between swims, salt on your skin and sun on your shoulders.

After dark, head back out to swim among bioluminescent plankton—move your hands and watch the sea sparkle. This experience is weather-dependent, at additional cost and bookable on tour. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a sense of wonder.

Cross into Cambodia on day 3 and follow your CEO through the lively Kep Crab Market, where baskets of blue swimmers are pulled straight from the sea. Watch cooks toss crabs in woks scented with Kampot pepper, garlic and green herbs, the sea breeze carrying the aroma across the pier.

Sit down for a fresh, finger-licking plate of pepper crab, the region’s signature dish. Learn how Kampot pepper earned its celebrated status and why Kep’s fishing culture has long fed Cambodia’s coast. With the Gulf of Thailand glittering beside you, this simple market-to-table meal anchors you to place, people and produce.

On day 5, trade lowland heat for the cool plateau of Monivong Bokor National Park. Explore the weathered royal retreat of Damnak Sla Khmao (the Black Palace), its walls open to wind and mist, and the moss-cloaked French-era church near the old Bokor Hill Station. Jungle swallows these relics, creating a striking collage of nature and nostalgia.

Continue to Wat Sampov Pram, a hilltop pagoda with sweeping vistas—on clear days out to the Gulf of Thailand and forested ridges below. Your CEO connects the site’s colonial heyday, spiritual landmarks and biodiversity, before you descend to the coast and ferry towards island time.

Returning to the mainland on day 7, travel to rural villages that form the Chambok Community. With a local guide, gain an insider’s look at daily life—kitchens fragrant with lemongrass, gardens edged by forest, and children biking dusty lanes. Sit down to a traditional Khmer lunch prepared by a women’s group, cooked simply and seasonally.

Afterwards, join a handicraft workshop to learn how bracelets and necklaces are made from natural fibers. Your visit supports community-based tourism, helping fund education and conservation in the foothills. It’s a grounded, human encounter that balances the region’s big-ticket sights.

On day 2, climb aboard as locals do and ride by motorbike from Châu Ð?c up the verdant slopes of Sam Mountain. Pause at Hang (Cave) Pagoda, heavy with incense and echoing with prayer, to observe gentle rituals and views over emerald paddies and canals. Your driver continues higher to shrines and hermitages scattered across the hill.

As late afternoon softens the delta’s colours, you’ll watch the sunset over the Mekong from a breezy viewpoint. Your CEO explains why Sam Mountain has long drawn pilgrims, and how the pagodas here tell stories of protection and devotion. The ride back glides through warm evening air—temple bells fading behind you—perfectly setting the tone for the journey ahead.

Arrive and meet your CEO and group before diving straight into Saigon’s flavours. As dusk falls on day 1, follow your leader through backstreets and boulevards of Ho Chi Minh City on a lively street food crawl. Pull up tiny stools at curbside stalls to try bánh mì layered with pâté and herbs, sizzling bánh xèo torn by hand, smoky bún th?t nu?ng, sweet chè puddings and iced cà phê s?a dá.

Your CEO shares nuggets of history and etiquette as you weave between colonial-era facades and buzzing alleyways—an initiation into Vietnam’s kitchen culture shaped by Chinese and French influences. It’s a delicious, social start that helps you get your bearings, swap first impressions, and enjoy a free evening to continue exploring the city’s neon-lit energy at your own pace.

Greet day 3 before dawn and glide along the Bassac River as the Mekong branch stirs to life—fishing boats sputter awake, roosters call from floating houses, and saffron robes flash on riverbanks. Step ashore to see a fish farm and a nearby Cham stilt village, where river, craft and faith are entwined with daily rhythms.

Back in town, wander Châu Ð?c Market, a sensory maze of steaming ph? pots, tropical fruits and woven baskets. Your CEO points out regional specialties and helps translate the bustle, with time to pause for photos and reflection. The morning’s gentle river light and market colour make a vivid snapshot of the delta’s layered cultures.