The Ultimate Adventure Through Vietnam and Cambodia

For entry into Vietnam, US passport holders can check up-to-date visa requirements on the US government site. For other passports, you will be able to verify Vietnam's visa requirements for your specific passport nationality on the official government website of your country or the website of the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate in your country.

For Cambodia, a visa is required for entry and is not included in the price of the trip. Visas can be obtained either in advance or on arrival, with both methods being quick and easy.

If you opt for a visa in advance (an e-visa), please visit the website of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information and pricing.

If you opt for a visa on arrival, you will need two recent passport photos, an arrival form (provided by your airline), and cash in US Dollars to be granted your visa. Please visit the Cambodian Embassy website in your country of origin for more information and pricing.

From September 1, 2024, Cambodia will implement an electronic Arrival Card. If you are entering Cambodia by air at either Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, or Sihanoukville international airports, you must complete and submit an electronic e-Arrival Card within 7 days prior to your arrival. There is no charge for this.

Tap water in Vietnam and Cambodia is not safe to drink; clean drinking water will be provided at refill stations available in the hotels and homestays. Please pack your own reusable bottle, it will be well used.

Water bottles with built-in filters are becoming increasingly popular for travelers to use in countries without clean tap water. Please see our guide to the best water filters for adventurers if you wish to bring your own filtration bottle on this trip.

Your trip includes regional flights from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City, and from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap in Cambodia. You’ll be allowed to travel with 15 lbs of hand luggage and 51 lbs of checked luggage per person.

Flights are booked once the trip reaches minimum group numbers, so please submit your passport details as soon as possible to secure your seat.

Your name must be provided exactly as it appears on your passport. If incorrect details are submitted and the flight is booked, tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable. Any amendments will be subject to airline availability and rebooking fees, which will need to be covered by you.

There are plenty of options when it comes to the kayaks available on this adventure. Whether you're a solo adventurer or prefer to share the paddling experience, you will be able to use either single or double kayaks. You can also choose from comfortable sit-in kayaks and versatile sit-on kayaks. Each kayak has a maximum weight capacity of 330 lbs.

Yes. Trips to Cambodia have been running as normal since the political unrest and localised military activity have been seen on the Thailand and Cambodia border. Much Better Adventures operate trips in line with the British FCDO travel advice. We continue to receive real-time updates from the FCDO and our local host in Cambodia, who will also inform us immediately should anything change locally. In case you have any questions, we have prepared some additional information about travel to Thailand & Cambodia during Political Unrest.

For current Government advice about travelling in Cambodia, have a read of the FCDO pages.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND Vietnamese cuisine is shaped by a long agricultural history centred on rice cultivation, a tropical climate that yields an abundance of fresh herbs, vegetables and seafood, and cultural influences from China, France and the country's many distinct ethnic groups. Meals are typically light, fresh and aromatic, built around rice, noodles, broth-based soups and a balance of raw and cooked ingredients, with strong regional variation between north, central and south. Vegetarians can generally find suitable options, particularly in areas with a Buddhist influence where plant-based cooking is well established, though fish sauce and seafood-based stocks are used widely and may not always be visible in otherwise vegetable-heavy dishes. Travellers with strict dietary requirements should communicate needs carefully, and guides can be essential in helping to identify safe options and avoid hidden ingredients.

Cambodian cuisine is rooted in the country's agrarian heritage, shaped by the fertile floodplains of the Mekong River and Tonlé Sap lake, which have long supported rice farming and freshwater fishing as the foundations of everyday eating. Meals are generally mild and aromatic compared to neighbouring cuisines, featuring rice, freshwater fish, fermented condiments, tropical vegetables and coconut-based dishes influenced by centuries of trade and cultural exchange with India, China and Thailand. Vegetarians may find options more limited than in some parts of South-East Asia, as fermented fish paste and dried shrimp are common flavour bases that appear across many dishes, including seemingly plant-based ones. Travellers with strict dietary requirements should plan ahead and communicate needs clearly, and guides will be well placed to help navigate menus and identify suitable options with local hosts.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian -Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Both Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine offers a variety of delicious vegetarian options such as salad with sweet and sour dressing; Braised eggplant; Seasonal stir-fried vegetables; Vegetarian spring rolls; Vegetarian curry with potatoes and carrots; Fried silken tofu, merlettes, steamed rice, bread, so are always of good quality and variety.

Vegan -Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Both Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine offers a variety of delicious vegetarian options such as salad with sweet and sour dressing; Braised eggplant; Seasonal stir-fried vegetables; Vegetarian spring rolls; Vegetarian curry with potatoes and carrots. Restaurants are generally happy to adapt dishes where possible; However, vegan-specific options are more limited than vegetarian ones, so meal options in certain locations can be basic, repetitive and lacking in protein. Your protein will be almost exclusively derived from tofu. As with all our meals, dishes are served communally. We will provide dedicated vegan plates, but the variety will be significantly narrower than the standard menu.

Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Kosher -Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in advance by your host. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal -Certified Halal supply varies by destination and may not always be possible. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free -Gluten-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Our traditional meals will be based on naturally gluten-free dishes rather than substitutes.

Your meals will primarily consist of rice, rice noodles, seasonal vegetables, and potatoes. Because of the local supply chain, you should expect these ingredients to be highly repetitive throughout the trip. That said, most standard meals already include several options without gluten, even without special preparation. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free -Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that provision for certain mild and severe or life threatening food allergies on this trip may be unreliable. Please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip.

This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Although our cuisine mainly uses fresh ingredients and processed food is not traditionally common, we do rely heavily on fish sauce and shrimp paste in many dishes. In some cases, there may also be hidden ingredients in dressings or sauces that local suppliers may not be fully aware of.

Meals are often prepared by small local restaurants and family-run kitchens. While this is an important part of the cultural experience, it also means that ingredient control and food preparation standards can sometimes be more limited compared to international standards.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).

If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.

For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Vietnam is a great destination year-round and has three distinct climate regions. In the north, winters (November to March) are cool and dry, with temperatures ranging from 50°F to 68°F, while summers (April to October) are hot and humid, with temperatures between 77°F and 95°F. Central Vietnam has a varied climate: the north-central coast has a tropical monsoon climate with a wet season from September to February and a dry season from March to August. The south-central coast experiences a dry season from January to September and a wet season from October to December. Southern Vietnam has a dry season (November to April) characterized by heat and low rainfall, with temperatures between 77°F and 95°F, and a rainy season (May to October) with higher humidity. It's important to note local variations and the possibility of typhoons, especially during the wet season.

Siem Reap has a tropical climate characterized by well-defined dry and wet seasons. November to April are dry months with temperatures ranging from 77°F to 95°F. Following the dry season, the hot season emerges from March to May, with temperatures rising above 95°F. The wet season follows, lasting from June to October, with heavy rainfall and elevated humidity, contributing to lush landscapes and vibrant vegetation.