Un mois au Laos et au Cambodge

Hi there,
we’re heading to Cambodia in February 2025 and Angkor is definitely on our itinerary. Would it be possible to get your French-speaking guide’s details via PM or otherwise?Thanks in advance.

Thanks for this lovely travel journal and these beautiful photos—they brought back some great memories!
I was in Laos in 2018 and stopped in Luang Prabang, which I really loved (so beautiful and peaceful). I also struggled a lot on the road between LP and Nong Kiaw! Then Muang Ngoi, so far from the world...
Paksé, Champasak (and the stunning Wat Phou), Don Kon where life is so good... All of it makes me want to go back for sure!Last year, I traveled up the Mekong from Phnom Penh to Stung Treng, near the Lao border, before turning toward Banlung. I really enjoyed that part of Cambodia—less touristy than the coast. And I thought I’d love to do it again, this time continuing north into Laos and the 4,000 Islands, maybe even following the river further...About Siem Reap, I agree with Attila—it’s changed so much, especially the city, which feels overrun by Chinese businesses (my first visit was in 2008)... Sihanoukville? Don’t even get me started—it’s ruined.
But it’s almost inevitable: revisiting a place years later, either you don’t recognize anything (the most common, depending on how many years have passed), or you can still find your bearings and see the chaotic development since your last visit, which can stir up a little nostalgia.Anyway, thanks again for your journal—it’s really great! !

Hi Pascal, and thanks so much for your reply!Actually, this trip reconciled me with Asia—Vietnam didn’t quite live up to all its promises. I rediscovered a bit of what I loved so much in Myanmar back in 2015, especially in Laos: the kindness, the warmth, and the sincerity of the people.
And judging by your profile, I don’t think you’ll disagree with me on that ;)

In Vietnam, especially in the north, they can be a bit Chinese in terms of behavior.
You can hardly blame them for not being friendlier than a lot of Westerners.
Either way, it’s definitely a country worth visiting.

I’ll answer both, even though it’s not really related to the topic—I can feel the curiosity bubbling up 1/ the weather
Bad weather followed us from the Chinese border (we went all the way up to Lung Cu) to Danang.
So much so that we skipped the Mekong Delta to extend our stay on Phu Quoc by 3 extra days.2/ the feeling of being a walking dollar sign.
Always, always trying to take more from you. And if they can scam you along the way, it’s because you weren’t paying enough attention. Yet we didn’t just stick to cheap places (or when you’re paying $10 for your room, I get why they’d try to take $2 more).
It’s one of the few countries where I’ve had so many financial hassles (bad karma that year?). Bookings not honored, prices changing, random change given, attempts to charge twice for buses…A feeling I’ve never had in Laos, Cambodia, or Myanmar. In LP, someone even chased me down to return my wallet.3/ the noise and chaos. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are really something else.But I 200% agree—it’s undeniably a country worth visiting.
Ho Chi Minh City is mesmerizing, the north is stunning, Lan Ha Bay is etched in my memory (I’d skipped Halong), Ninh Binh was breathtaking, and I’ll never forget my New Year’s Eve in Hanoi. We saw magnificent palaces in Hue, and Hoi An is one of my most beautiful memories…I also made some amazing connections there…And I think the weather played a big part in how I felt about it.For the travel journal (I can feel the fans panicking [embarrassed]), the vibe on that part of the forum at the time didn’t really encourage oversharing (to put it politely)

Hi Bruno,Ah yes, Myanmar (in 2018) remains my best memory in terms of hospitality and kindness, authenticity, etc... I spent 4 amazing weeks there, and that country will always be in my heart.
I hope the situation there improves soon, even though it’s far from certain given how things are going.About Vietnam, here’s my take:
First visit in 2008, from south to north in a month (so quite fast), and I had very mixed feelings about the Vietnamese—they weren’t very friendly or smiley and were really tough in business...
But I went back this year from early January to mid-February: after a month in Cambodia, I was able to spend 45 days there without a visa (new rules for certain countries). Looking for sunshine, I stayed quite a while in the Mekong Delta, then slowly made my way north while keeping an eye on the weather, which gave me this:And I had 45 fantastic days—I found the Vietnamese super friendly and smiley, and I felt really good there the whole time. So much so that when I arrived in Chiang Mai, I found the Thai people much less smiley—I noticed it almost immediately and naturally... (just to clarify, I wasn’t haggling much, as the prices seemed fair to me).So, are northern Vietnamese more difficult than those in the south? It’s always tricky to generalize, but from talking to other travelers, it does seem possible...

Hey Bruno,Since I was only notified about VoyageForum reopening the day before yesterday (), I’m slowly catching up on my backlog...
Thanks for the (virtual) trip, which partly took me back to the one we did in Laos in 2019—I even found the dream boutique hotel!... Just kidding, it was more like Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, and Muang Ngoi—all under a gorgeous blue sky (which wasn’t the case for us, and left me with mixed memories).
Like several others, I have a soft spot for Myanmar in this part of the world. Unfortunately (especially for the Burmese), I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to go back!
I haven’t read the Cambodia section yet... maybe later

Hi Muriel! No worries, you’re very welcome! Especially since the travel journal is now etched into the web forever!No trouble booking at the Dream—it’s at the top of rankings on many sites. However, the bamboo bridge won’t be rebuilt; a concrete walkway is being installed instead. Good for locals, not so great for the folklore.The weather is a huge factor in a trip’s success. My stepdaughter did the same route in April and didn’t see the sun for 8 days (on top of the weather, the slash-and-burn farming didn’t help).I dream of going back! The Bagan plain is just stunning.

Hi Bruno,
Congrats and thanks for this travel journal (I’m a bit late to the party, sorry about that ).
It’s such a pleasure to read, and the photos are gorgeous.Plus, it’s so great to see so many VF members again

Hi there,Thanks so much for taking the time to share these travel journals.
We’re heading to Laos in April with our two daughters, aged 10 and 8, and this couldn’t have come at a better time.Have a great day!
Aurélie

Hi Aurélie,
Thanks for your feedback, that’s great to hear!
You’re going to have a fantastic time!
Don’t hesitate if you have any questions before you leave—I might be able to answer them ;)
Have a great day

Hi there,What a wonderful story—it swept me away and convinced me to pick these two destinations for our next trip.Thanks! !

Hi Bruno,Thanks for this suggestion. I’ll take the opportunity to ask you a question—I’m starting to plan our trip, and I’m not exactly ahead of schedule since it’s in a month!I was wondering how to do the Bolaven and Thakhek loops. It seems like most travelers do them by scooter, which must be amazing, but we’re traveling with our kids, and I don’t find it very safe for them. *Especially with me behind the wheel ;)*What do you think?Thanks so much for your feedback,
Aurélie