Day 1

I started my trip to Cambodia at 4 am on December 27 in Austin. My itinerary involved flying from Austin to Seattle, Seattle to Seoul, and finally Seoul to Phnom Penh (pronounced nom pen). By the time I reached Phnom Penh it was around 11 pm on December 28.

Day 2

My first day in Cambodia involved visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. The Royal Palace is a series of buildings that serve as the residence for the king of Cambodia. Walking around the Royal Palace felt like walking around a series of historical museums. One building showcased traditional garments of royal men and women (which resembled Indian saris and salvars). The main building contained the royal throne which was ordained with jewels and shiny gold. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the complex, but I remember noticing lots of gold and detailed carpets.

We then saw the Silver Pagoda. Upon entering the pagoda, we were required to take off our shoes. As we walked around the pagoda, I noticed hundreds of Buddha’s in the room. There was a standing golden Buddha in the center and a large, jade Buddha just behind it. Each side of the pagoda contained glass walls that protected small Buddha statues. After our time at the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, we boarded our bus and headed to the Independence Monument which was built in 1958 to memorialize Cambodia’s independence from France in 1953.

Once we took our pictures in front of the monument, we headed to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum explained the harsh conditions for those living under the Khymer Rouge regime. The regime which was also known as the Communist Party of Kampuchea (led by Pol Pot) ruled in Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The Genocide Museum was a former prison when the regime ruled.

After completing the guided tour at the museum, we drove to the airport and boarded a flight to Siem Reap. The streets of Siem Reap were much less crowded. Majority of the streets were paved with a reddish mud similar to the streets built in certain parts of India. We ate dinner at a local restaurant and checked out one of Siem Reap’s many night markets. We saw an assortment of trinkets, bags, and earrings at stalls throughout the night market. There was even a section with exotic food stalls which included grilled insects like scorpions and spiders!

Day 3

We woke up early to get prepared for the longest day of our trip! We started the day by visiting the Angkor Thom Ancient City. Angkor was the capitol of the Khmer Empire. It was established in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman. We spent lots of time taking pictures with what remains from this ancient city. Our guide, Sam, did his best to explain the stories illustrated on stone carvings and fixtures.

By mid-afternoon, we arrived at Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple complex. Angkor Wat was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god, Vishnu. By the 12th century, Angkor Wat transformed into a Buddhist temple. It was truly an experience walking through the temple complex and thinking about all those who walked my path hundreds of year before.

We eventually waited in line to ascend a staircase with more rooms and sacred spaces. At the top of the complex, we prayed by lighted diyas and even experienced a small pooja from a Buddhist monk. It was an experience of a lifetime that can only truly be described through onsite pictures.

Day 4

The day began with an ox-cart ride in a local village in Siem Reap. Our guide, Duc, reassured us that these type of excursions contribute to the local economy.

After the ox-cart ride, we drove to a river where we boarded a boat. We were assisted by three little kids (probably around the age of 8). They helped the driver at times and at one point gave each of the passengers unsolicited massages. Along the river, we saw a floating village with small huts, stores, and temples.

After the boat ride, we headed to the airport and boarded a flight to Ho Chi Minh City also known as Saigon. This city is located in the south of Vietnam. By the time we arrived, we were in desperate need of good food! We found a restaurant with reasonably good reviews and decided to give it a shot. The food was fantastic! We ordered several fish and vegetarian dishes and tried for the first time (in Vietnam) ice-cold Vietnamese coffee! Since it was New Year’s Eve, we walked along the streets of the city and eventually made our way to the city square. Hundreds of young people crowded the square to experience beautiful fireworks and a live concert! It was the perfect way to kickoff a new decade.

Day 5

We kicked off the new year with a tour to Cu Chi tunnels. These were the tunnels built by the Vietnamese army during the Vietnam war. I was amazed by how the Vietnamese army discretely built these tunnels and camouflaged with leaves, trees, and bark. We even had the opportunity to crawl in the tunnels to experience what life was like for the Vietnamese soldiers. I felt so claustrophobic and had trouble breathing as I crawled for about 5 minutes in one of the deeper tunnels. Our guide informed us that Vietnamese soldiers hid in these tunnels for hours, carrying on with the activities of life such as eating and sleeping.

After our tour, we drove back to the hotel and looked for a well-rated banh mi food stall. We finally found a food cart called, Banh Mi Hong Hoa, which served fresh pork, chicken, and beef banh mis. This was by far the best banh mi I ate in Vietnam!

After eating our delicious banh mis, we embarked on a city tour of Ho Chi Minh City. We visited a beautiful Buddhist temple with spiraling incense candles. We also stopped by a French-style Central Post Office in the heart of the city. Before dinner, we walked through Ben Thanh Market and admired all types of jewelry, handbags, and hats.

Day 6

We started the morning early in preparation for our flight to Danang. Once we arrived, we drove about 50 minutes to Hoi An. This city is located in Vietnam’s Quang Nam province and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visiting Hoi An was my favorite part of this trip. We explored by walking around the streets of the city’s old town. We visited the Old House of Tan Ky (an 18th century merchant’s home) and the Quan Cong Temple (17th century Chinese pagoda). In the evening, we enjoyed a fantastic Vietnamese dinner at Bep Me In.

Day 7

On my seventh day in Vietnam, I took a boat cruise along the Thu Bon River. On one of the stops, I had a chance to meet a few schoolchildren. Despite the language barrier, we could all connect on the cuteness of the two puppies near us. We took pictures of the pups and some brave travelers even picked them up.

After spending time with locals, we visited Tra Que Organic Village where we learned how to make traditional Vietnamese crepes called Banh Xeo. The village was close to a large farm that grew fresh vegetables and fruits. This was truly a farm to table experience!

I spent the rest of the day exploring the old town of Hoi An. I tried street-side snacks like banana-chocolate crepes, coconut coffee, and egg coffee! All were worth trying and extremely flavorful.

Day 8

We left Hoi An early so we could arrive in Hue for lunch. After grabbing a bite to eat, we stopped at the Imperial City of Hue which was the former imperial capital of Vietnam. I admired the Meridian Gate and Courtyard of the Imperial City. After our walking tour, we enjoyed a cyclo ride around the city. We cycled past a vegetable and fish market and several parks. We enjoyed a delicious imperial decorated dinner in which ingredients came together to build art.

Day 9

We started the day with a boat cruise along the Perfume River upstream to Thien Mu Pagoda. The river is known as the Perfume River since flowers fall into the river contributing to a perfume-like smell. I noticed many locals washing clothes in the river. After the boat trip, we walked to the Thien Mu pagoda, a seven-story pagoda (each story is dedicated to a form of Buddha). Then, we drove to Tu Duc tomb, a complex built for the emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. We ate a vegetarian lunch at a Buddhist pagoda, which included vegetable soup, rice, and lentils. We spent the rest of day walking the Khai Dinh tomb, a mausoleum dedicated to Emperor Khai Dinh. Emperor Khai Dinh was very unpopular amongst Vietnamese citizens, since he worked very closely with the French government.

Day 10

We boarded a flight to Hanoi early in the morning. Upon arriving to the Hanoi airport, we drove to Ha long, a bay located in Northeast Vietnam known for its limestone islands and rainforests. The day was mainly spent traveling between cities. We spent the evening walking through Ha Long’s night market where we saw dozens of stalls selling fish, meat, and clothes.

Day 11

We started the morning with a cruise along Ha Long bay. We took many pictures of the limestone casts and islands that form a natural labyrinth. While taking in the views, we made fresh Vietnamese filtered coffee and enjoyed Vietnamese tamarind candies. After the cruise, we drove back to Hanoi to finish the final stage of our trip.

We spent the last two days of our guided trip touring the city of Hanoi and Thay Pagoda. We enjoyed our last few sips of cold coconut coffee at a local coffee shop called Tora Coffee. We enjoyed a dinner at Maison Vie, a famous French restaurant that specializes in french-style cuisine. During the city tour, we visited the Ba Dinh Square where President Ho Chi Minh read the Proclamation of Independence in 1945. In the center of the square, we saw the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a resting place for the President Ho Chi Minh. In Hanoi, we enjoyed street-side banh mis for lunch and ate a delicious dinner at Bun Cha Huong Lien (restaurant in which President Obama and Anthony Bordain enjoyed a $6 meal). The last main attraction of our guided trip was a tour to Thay Pagoda, a Buddhist temple complex built in the 11th century.

Day 14 & 15

Once our official tour ended, we decided to stay a few extra days in Hanoi. We spent majority of our time exploring new banh mi restaurants and night markets. On our last official day, we took a canoe trip to Trang An, a gathering of 31 valleys and 50 cross-water caves. The views were spectacular!

On our way back to Hanoi, we visited the Bai Dinh Pagoda, a Buddhist complex located in the Bai Dinh mountains.