Plan Cambodia in Stippl
Day-by-day planning, stays and budget in one app, with every place from this guide already on the map.
Download the appWhy combine Vietnam and Cambodia
Because that is how travellers already plan it. Almost 129,000 trips that include Vietnam have been planned with Stippl, and fewer than one in four of them stay in Vietnam alone. Seen from the other side, four in five of the almost 36,000 Cambodia trips planned with Stippl also include Vietnam.
The two countries fit together well. Vietnam gives you a long journey north to south, from Hanoi's Old Quarter to Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City. Cambodia adds Angkor, the history of Phnom Penh and quiet islands, and its main sights sit close together. The border between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh is a single bus ride, so you do not have to fly back on yourself.
How many days do you need for Vietnam and Cambodia?
Two weeks covers the classic route from Hanoi to Angkor; three weeks lets you slow down. A typical Vietnam trip planned with Stippl lasts a full month, so if you have the time, use it. As a rule of thumb, split the days like this:
| Total trip | Vietnam | Cambodia | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days | 2 nights | 2 nights | Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap |
| 10 days | 4 nights | 5 nights | The south: Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap |
| 2 weeks | 9 nights | 4 nights | North to south, then Phnom Penh and Siem Reap |
| 3 weeks | 12 nights | 9 nights | Cambodia first, then south to north through Vietnam |
Cambodia needs less time than Vietnam. Travellers who plan it with Stippl give it about three stops of two nights each, with three nights in Siem Reap for Angkor.
Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary 10 days
The Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary for 10 days stays in the south, where the two countries meet. It suits a first trip to the region, or a trip in the months when northern Vietnam is cold. Fly into Ho Chi Minh City and out of Siem Reap, or the other way round.
| Duration | 10 days, 9 nights |
| Route | Ho Chi Minh City → Phnom Penh → Siem Reap |
| Nights | Ho Chi Minh City 4 · Phnom Penh 2 · Siem Reap 3 |
| Best time | December to February, when the south of Vietnam and all of Cambodia are dry |
Days 1 to 4Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong
Three nights is the stay travellers plan most often in Ho Chi Minh City; the fourth here is for a day trip. Visit the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi tunnels early in the trip, as many travellers advise, because they reframe everything after. Spend one day in the Mekong Delta: My Tho is about two hours away by bus or on a tour.
Where to stay: old District 1, now split into new wards after the 2025 renaming. Choose Dong Khoi for quiet and history, or Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien for cheap and loud. Hotel Majestic Saigon has stood on the river since 1925; La Siesta Premium Saigon is the one guests praise for its service.
Days 5and 6: Phnom Penh
The bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh takes 6 to 7 hours and costs €13 to €17 (US$15 to $20), crossing at Bavet and Moc Bai. Giant Ibis runs it in both directions. In Phnom Penh, two nights is the stay travellers plan most often: one day for the Royal Palace and the National Museum, and one for Tuol Sleng (S-21) and the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek, with the audio guides. End the evenings on Sisowath Quay, the riverside promenade.
Where to stay: the riverside for a short visit. Palace Gate Hotel & Resort is a 1908 villa beside the palace wall; Mad Monkey Phnom Penh is the social hostel with a pool.
Days 7 to 9Siem Reap and Angkor
The bus north takes 6 to 7 hours. In Siem Reap, buy the three day Angkor pass, €53 (US$62), and give it two temple days: sunrise at Angkor Wat and the small circuit, then the grand circuit and Banteay Srei. Keep the third day for a pool, Phnom Kulen or the floating villages. Our guide on how many days in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat has the full plans.
Where to stay: near the Old Market, or across the river on Wat Bo Road for quiet. Viroth's Hotel has a rooftop pool; Angkor Village Hotel is a family run garden hotel.
Day 10Fly home from Siem Reap
The airport is 45 to 50 km east of town, 60 to 80 minutes by shuttle, so leave in good time.
Shorter: 7 or 8 days
A Vietnam Cambodia itinerary of 8 days drops one night in Ho Chi Minh City and one in Phnom Penh: three nights, one night, three nights. For a Vietnam Cambodia itinerary of 7 days, keep two nights in Ho Chi Minh City and skip Phnom Penh's sights, using it only as an overnight stop on the way to Siem Reap. Angkor still gets its three nights.
Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary 2 weeks
The Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary for 2 weeks is the classic: Vietnam north to south, then across the border to Phnom Penh and Angkor. It follows the Vietnam half of our Vietnam 2 week itinerary, shortened to make room for Cambodia.
| Duration | 14 days, 13 nights |
| Route | Hanoi → Ha Long Bay → Hue → Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City → Phnom Penh → Siem Reap |
| Nights | Hanoi 2 · Ha Long Bay 1 · Hue 2 · Hoi An 3 · Ho Chi Minh City 1 · Phnom Penh 1 · Siem Reap 3 |
| Best time | February to April for Vietnam; February is the month that suits both countries |
Days 1and 2: Hanoi
Base yourself in the Old Quarter around Hoan Kiem, as every source recommends. Hanoi is a city to walk and to eat in, and a glass of bia hoi on a plastic stool is about the cheapest beer you will ever drink.
Where to stay: the Old Quarter. Hanoi La Castela Hotel is right in it; Apricot Hotel looks over Hoan Kiem Lake.
Day 3Ha Long Bay overnight cruise
An overnight junk boat on Ha Long Bay is Vietnam's most iconic image, and one night is the stay most travellers plan. The bay is about 2.5 hours from Hanoi, and most cruises include the transfer. Visibility is best from October to April.
Days 4and 5: Hue
Back in Hanoi, fly to Hue in about 1 hour 20 minutes, or take the train, about 13 hours. Two nights is the typical stay for the old imperial city.
Days 6 to 8Hoi An
Ride the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An by Easy Rider, about four hours and €45, the famous coastal road the trucks no longer use. Three nights is what travellers plan here: for the lantern lit Ancient Town, a tailor made outfit and the beach.
Where to stay: the Ancient Town or the riverfront; An Bang Beach for a quieter stay. Little Riverside Hoi An sits on the river with a rooftop pool; Allegro Hoi An is five minutes from the old town's bridge.
Days 9and 10: Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh
Hoi An has no airport: go to Da Nang, 45 to 60 minutes away, and fly to Ho Chi Minh City in 1 hour 20 minutes. Spend one night, then take the morning bus to Phnom Penh for one night and the Royal Palace and riverside.
Days 11 to 14Siem Reap and Angkor
The bus north takes 6 to 7 hours. Give Siem Reap three nights and two temple days, then fly home from its airport.
Shorter: 12 days
A Vietnam Cambodia itinerary of 12 days drops Ha Long Bay and one night in Hoi An: Hanoi 2, Hue 2, Hoi An 2, Ho Chi Minh City 1, Phnom Penh 1, Siem Reap 3. Or skip Hue and fly straight from Hanoi to Da Nang.
Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary 3 weeks
The Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary for 3 weeks turns the route around: Cambodia first, then Vietnam from south to north. That order suits the dry months from November to February, when you want Cambodia before the heat. This is exactly the route of our ready made 3 weeks in Southeast Asia example trip in the Stippl app.
| Duration | 3 weeks, 21 nights |
| Route | Siem Reap → Phnom Penh → Kampot → Ho Chi Minh City → Da Nang → Hoi An → Hanoi → Ha Long Bay |
| Nights | Siem Reap 3 · Phnom Penh 3 · Kampot 3 · Ho Chi Minh City 3 · Da Nang 3 · Hoi An 3 · Hanoi 3 |
| Best time | November to February |
Days 1 to 9Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Kampot
Three nights in each. Angkor first, then the capital, then Kampot, a slow river town with pepper farms, Bokor mountain and the crab market in Kep down the road. From Kampot, the way into Vietnam runs back through Phnom Penh: 3 to 4 hours by minivan, then 6 to 7 hours on the bus to Ho Chi Minh City. Break it with a night in the capital if you can.
Days 10 to 18Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hoi An
Three nights in Ho Chi Minh City with the Mekong Delta, then fly to Da Nang in 1 hour 20 minutes, and move on to Hoi An for three more nights. It is the slow version of the south and the centre.
Days 19 to 21Hanoi and Ha Long Bay
Fly north to Hanoi for the last three nights, with Ha Long Bay as a day trip or an overnight cruise to finish.
Swaps that work: replace Kampot with Koh Rong for island days in the dry season; add Sapa from Hanoi (5.5 to 6 hours by bus) for rice terraces from September to November; or put Da Lat in the cool highlands between Ho Chi Minh City and the coast. Our Vietnam itinerary for 3 weeks covers more of Vietnam in depth, and our 10 day Cambodia itinerary does the same for Cambodia.
Short on time: a 5 day taster
A Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary of 5 days only works with a flight between the two countries: two nights in Ho Chi Minh City, then two in Siem Reap for one long temple day. Check direct flights when you book. It is a taster, not a trip: if you can find two more days, take the 7 day version above and go overland.
How to travel between Vietnam and Cambodia
You have three options, and the bus is the one most travellers use:
- Bus via Bavet and Moc Bai. Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh takes 6 to 7 hours, €13 to €17 (US$15 to $20). The crossing is nominally open from 8 am to 8 pm, and Giant Ibis runs the route in both directions.
- Boat up the Mekong from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, the river crossing for travellers coming from the Mekong Delta.
- Fly. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap both have international airports; check routes from Vietnam when you book.
Visas. Cambodia's tourist visa costs €26 (US$30) for 30 days, either as an e-visa on the official evisa.gov.kh site or on arrival. The e-visa ties you to the entry point you name and is not valid at every border, so travellers with flexible plans often prefer the visa on arrival. Vietnam lets most European passport holders in visa free for 45 days; everyone else uses the 90 day e-visa on evisa.gov.vn. Bring US dollars for the Cambodian fee, and never hand your passport to a driver or fixer who offers to arrange the visa.
Coming from Thailand? The land crossings between Thailand and Cambodia have been closed since mid 2025. Fly instead, and check your government's travel advice in the days before you go.
Turn these stops into a route
Pick your favourites and Stippl orders them, adds travel times and builds the day-by-day.
Which month is best for Vietnam and Cambodia?
There is no single month that is perfect everywhere, because Vietnam has three climates. Use this table to set the order of your route.
| Region | Dry and best | Wettest |
|---|---|---|
| North Vietnam (Hanoi, Ha Long) | November to April, cold in the mountains in December and January | May to October |
| Central Vietnam (Hue, Hoi An) | February to August | September to November |
| South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) | December to April | May to October |
| Cambodia | November to February | June to October, wettest in September |
November to February: Cambodia and the south of Vietnam are at their best. Start in Cambodia and travel north, keeping the centre for the end of the window. Avoid the week of Tet, the Lunar New Year (from 6 February 2027), when Vietnam's transport books out and much of the country closes. March and April: Vietnam is dry in all three regions, while Angkor gets very hot. Do Vietnam north to south and keep the Cambodian leg short. May to August: central Vietnam is the dry spot. Cambodia is green and quiet inland, but the islands are off.
More detail in our best time to visit Vietnam and best time to visit Cambodia guides.
How much does a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia cost?
Both countries are cheap by any standard, and similar to each other. Per person per day, excluding flights:
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | €11 to €33 | €37 to €70 | €85+ |
| Cambodia | €10 to €28 | €33 to €60 | €65+ |
What moves the total most is your flights, how fast you travel and the level of your rooms. A few fixed costs to plan for: the three day Angkor pass at €53 (US$62), the Cambodian visa at €26 (US$30), a Ha Long cruise and any domestic flights. Planning the route ahead keeps the transport days and the number of nights under control.
Track what you actually spend
Set a daily budget per country and log expenses in any currency while you travel.
Cambodia runs on US dollars, so carry some for the border and for anything above a dollar.
Cambodia essentials for first timers
Siem Reap
The town at the gate of Angkor, and the Cambodian stop travellers add most often. Three nights is the stay they pick most, and the three day pass is built for it: two temple days and one slow day is the plan that works for most people.
The capital of Cambodia
The capital is Phnom Penh, not Siem Reap, which surprises some first timers. It sits where the Mekong and the Tonlé Sap meet, with the Royal Palace on the riverfront and the Khmer Rouge memorials of Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek. Two nights is enough for most.
The currency of Cambodia
Cambodia uses two currencies at once: US dollars for anything above about a dollar, and Cambodian riel, at roughly 4,000 to the dollar, for the change. ATMs give dollars and charge about €4.30 (US$5) a withdrawal, so take out larger amounts. Damaged dollar notes are often refused.
Plan your Vietnam and Cambodia route in Stippl
Fewer than one in four of the almost 129,000 Vietnam trips planned with Stippl stay in one country, so a two country route is the normal case. Add your stops in the Stippl itinerary planner, set the nights per stop, and you see both countries on one map with the travel time between each stop. Flip the direction to match the season, drop Ha Long or add an island, and share the plan with whoever is coming. Or start from the 3 week example trip above and edit it.
Describe your trip, get a Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary in seconds
Everything in this guide is already in Stippl. Tell the planner how long you have and what you like: it builds the route, the days and the travel times, and you edit whatever you want.
Frequently asked questions about Cambodia
Two weeks covers the classic route from Hanoi to Angkor, and three weeks lets you slow down. Ten days works if you stay in the south. A typical Vietnam trip planned with Stippl lasts a full month, and fewer than one in four stays in Vietnam alone.
February suits both countries: Cambodia and the south and centre of Vietnam are dry, and the north is mild. Avoid the Tet week, from 6 February 2027, when Vietnam shuts down. From November to January, start in Cambodia. In March and April, put Vietnam first and keep Cambodia short, because Angkor gets very hot.
On a budget, roughly €10 to €33 per person per day in either country, and €33 to €70 mid-range, excluding flights. The fixed extras are the Angkor pass at €53 (US$62), the Cambodian visa at €26 (US$30), any domestic flights and a Ha Long cruise.
It depends on the month. From November to February, start in Cambodia while it is cool and travel north through Vietnam. In March and April, start in northern Vietnam and finish in Cambodia. Both ways, the border between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh is one bus ride.
Ready to plan both countries? Open our 3 week Vietnam and Cambodia example trip in Stippl, or build your own route, and share it with your travel partner.
