The Land

Five South East Asian experiences you need to have at least once before you die

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM: A mystical morning haze on the Mekong Delta.  Photo: Shutterstock.com
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM: A mystical morning haze on the Mekong Delta. Photo: Shutterstock.com

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Vietnam and Cambodia are two of the most beautiful and exotic countries on the planet. From their breathtaking landscapes to the stunning architecture and the canals of the picturesque Mekong Delta, they are truly unique places.

However, they’re also home to a people that have endured the worst that humanity has to offer. Their history is as brutal as it is tragic. Yet through it all, their spirit burns eternal, a testament to the will of man to be free. 

It is a land that is not simply ‘visited’. It is something to be experienced. Here are five things in Vietnam and Cambodia that everyone should do before they die:

SUNSET: An Asian orange sunset on the Mekong Delta is something that can't be described, it can only be experienced.  Photo: Shutterstock.com
SUNSET: An Asian orange sunset on the Mekong Delta is something that can't be described, it can only be experienced. Photo: Shutterstock.com

1 –  Watch the sunset on the Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is not just the jewel in the crown of South East Asia, it is the lifeblood of both Vietnam and Cambodia.

A vast maze of rivers, swamps and islands throughout Southern Vietnam, which is home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas and villages surrounded by rice paddies, boats are the primary mode of transportation in this mystical waterway.

This region is like no other on the planet. It’s beauty is seldom surpassed. The way the light glistens off the water is majestic. The sunsets are like nothing you’ve ever seen. In fact, words don’t even describe them. They simply need to be experienced. 

CITY LIFE: A colorful perspective of Bui Vien Street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: David Bokuchava / Shutterstock.com.
CITY LIFE: A colorful perspective of Bui Vien Street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: David Bokuchava / Shutterstock.com.

2 – A stroll through Ben Thanh Markets and down Phạm Ngũ Lão Street

If you’re looking for an authentic cultural experience, you need to check out Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling Ben Thanh Markets and the backpacker district on Phạm Ngũ Lão street. 

Both are filled to the brim with street stall and exotic cuisine, with the latter playing host to the city’s world famous nightlife. 

The sights and sounds of this bustling area is overcome by just one thing - the smells. Local cuisine fills the nostrils and is sure to leave you curious to find out more.  

AWE INSPIRING: A night time view of the magnificent Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre.  Photo: Shutterstock.com
AWE INSPIRING: A night time view of the magnificent Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre. Photo: Shutterstock.com

3 – Peruse the French Colonial Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City

While French Indochinese rule is still a sore topic for many Vietnamese, Ho Chi Minh City is home to some of the most beautiful and exquisite examples of French Colonial Architecture on the planet.

From the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica to Ho Chi Minh City Hall these stunning buildings are shrines to human ingenuity and industrial design. 

The flamboyant Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre was designed by the legendary architect Félix Olivier and constructed under the supervision of architects Ernest Guichard and Eugène Ferret. It is just one of many stunning buildings that are sure to inspire awe and keep amateur photographers snapping until their hearts are content.  

HISTORY: The Cu Chi Tunnels were the Viet Cong’s essential mode of military movement during the Vietnam War.  Photo: Shutterstock.com
HISTORY: The Cu Chi Tunnels were the Viet Cong’s essential mode of military movement during the Vietnam War. Photo: Shutterstock.com

4 –  Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Bến Dược Memorial Temple 

Few nations or peoples have ever struggled as long and as hard to gain their independence as the Vietnamese. The communist guerrilla army battled three of the most formidable and powerful empires of the 20th century (the French, Japanese and American) and managed to walk away victorious.     

This was due in equal parts to their unwavering will to overcome the oppression of colonial rule and their ingenuity on the battlefield. Both are on display at the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Bến Dược Memorial Temple. 

The Cu Chi Tunnels were the Viet Cong’s essential mode of military movement; in fact they were able to sneak around directly underneath the Americans’ feet. The tunnels were also the North Vietnamese’s base for operations during the bloody Tet Offensive. 

The Bến Dược Memorial Temple honours both those who fought for their nation’s independence as well as those who lost their lives during the struggle. Like Anzac Cove or the Western Front, these sites are a powerful reminder that there are always two sides to history.

NEVER AGAIN: Like Auschwitz-Birkenau, Choeung Ekis the site of one of the worst atrocities in human history. It’s not an easy place to visit but it’s our responsibility to bare witness. Photo: Shutterstock.com
NEVER AGAIN: Like Auschwitz-Birkenau, Choeung Ekis the site of one of the worst atrocities in human history. It’s not an easy place to visit but it’s our responsibility to bare witness. Photo: Shutterstock.com

5 – Bare witness at Choeung Ek

There are few sites on the planet as haunting, emotional or downright powerful as Choeung Ek memorial, south of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. Like Auschwitz-Birkenau, this is the site of one of the worst atrocities in human history. 

Dubbed the Killing Fields, this former orchard is now the final resting place of more than 8,895 innocent civilians, buried together in a mass grave after being slaughtered at the hands of their own government, the brutal Khmer Rouge.

This genocide is now commemorated with a Buddhist Stupa, containing more than 5000 skulls. It’s not an easy place to visit. In fact, it’s hard. But it’s our responsibility to bare witness. To speak up for the slain. And to affirm for them, never again.  

CULTURE: Buddhists floating lanterns on the river at night as a ritual prayers for everyone during the Buddha's birthday celebration in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo: Shutterstock.com.
CULTURE: Buddhists floating lanterns on the river at night as a ritual prayers for everyone during the Buddha's birthday celebration in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo: Shutterstock.com.

Start working on that bucket list

You could tick all of these items off your bucket list in one go while enjoying five star luxury aboard the Cruiseco Adventurer. 

Cruiseco is currently offering a seven nights cruise on its own ship Cruiseco Adventurer, with all meals and drinks in hotel luxury for just $1,999 per person, or an all-inclusive 11 night package with flights from Australia and five star hotel stays in Ho Chi Minh and Siem Reap (Raffles Hotel) from $4,499 per person.

Cruiseco Adventurer goes up and down stream on The Mekong from September to March, providing once in a lifetime journeys for up to 60 guests per trip. You will experience unforgettable visits to major landmarks, iconic temples, and exotic cities, with expert tour guides to explain the cultural and historical significance of each site.

The downstream tour begins in Ho Chi Minh City and includes stops in My Tho, Sadec, Tan Chau, Phnom Penh, Kampong Tralach and Kampong Chhnang. The tour then culminates in Siem Reap, home of the magnificent stone ruins of Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. 

Cruiseco Adventurer cruises from September through to March. For solo travellers there is no single supplement on several departures if you book this month. For more information or to book, call 1800 225 656, visit www.cruising.com.au or click here.

Sponsored by Cruiseco.