Bangkok, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City
Southeast Asia is a region of contrasts: ancient temples stand beside modern skyscrapers, Michelin starred restaurants sit alongside bustling food carts, and centuries old traditions collide with European influences. Few places capture this diversity better than Bangkok, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City.
Each destination offers its own distinct personality:
Bangkok is energetic and dazzling, Siem Reap is serene and deeply historic, while Ho Chi Minh City is vibrant, creative and constantly evolving.
Here are some highlights from my 2 week trek thru Indochina…
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is the world’s most visited city and it’s easy to see why - it’s a central hub for Southeast Asia, there are tons of tastes, sites and stays that fit every price point. From backpackers to ultra luxury travel, Bangkok has it all. Since the city is spread out with uneven transportation - boats, SkyTrain, Grab cars (the Asian Uber) and walking - I would budget at least 4-5 days to explore the different sides of this incredibly interesting and welcoming city.
Grand Palace and Main Temples
For your first big day of sightseeing, I would highly recommend visiting the main temples on either side of the busy Chao Praya river, the main one being the Grand Palace. Previously the home of the Thai kings from Rama I to Rama IX for over 125 years, the Grand Palace is a glittering complex of temples and royal residences that is simply stunning.
Grand Place
Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) - this is the holist site within the Grand Palace, where the solid jade Buddha is the most revered and consecrated statue in Thailand. Draped in gold and sitting high above worshippers, this is the most important religious icon in Buddhism.
Temple Of Dawn (Wat Arun)
Wat Arun is best known for its monstrous prang, a pinnacle on the Chao Phra river bank worked in Khmer building style. The prang in over 250 feet tall is the most noteworthy in Thailand and the entrances are guarded by giant warrior statues. It’s also fabulous at night when it’s all lit up - so go see if at different times of the day!
Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)
The Reclining Buddha’s pose represents the Buddha entering complete spiritual enlightenment—free from all worldly desires. At 150 feet long, this gold statue is one of the most unique and impressive that I’ve ever seen. The soles of the statue’s feet are inlaid with exquisite mother-of-pearl, featuring a wheel (dharma) at the center of each foot, symbolizing cause and effect as well as a powerful chakra point where universal energy flows into the body. Just stunning!
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Because Bangkok can feel a little overwhelming and chaotic, it was really important for me to have a quiet homebase from which to explore the city. While there are a great number of high end hotels at really reasonable prices, I decided to return to one of my most favorite hotels in the world - the Mandarin Oriental. Just named the #11 hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure, this hotel is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026. A few standouts from an incredible hotel are - the rooms with 24 hour butler service, the Bamboo Bar with nightly jazz, the 9 dining options (I did the Michelin Starred China House by Chef Fei) and the on-demand ferry boat to the opposite side of the Chao Praya river to access the gym, yoga and Thai restaurant - it made every day an adventure! Check out my love letter to this world class hotel…
There’s so much to do in Bangkok - it’s hard to capture all the options. My top picks for exploring include:
Icon Siam - a brand new huge mall, with a recreated floating market in the lower level, high end shops above
Lumphini Park - a hub for outdoor life in Bangkok, early morning tai chi, afternoon strolls, concerts and more
Massage and facial treatments - Bangkok is a global center for aesthetic treatments from foot massage all the way to pricy laser facial treatments. I went to Aura Bangkok for a non-invasive facial laser that was amazing!
Chinatown - Yaowarat and Song Wat Roads are the best people watching, nighttime drinks and cheap eats
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap, with only ¼ of a million people, feels a world away from the crush of 12 million people in Bangkok. Siem Reap is most notable for the gateway to Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious complex and the symbol of Cambodia. After a quick 1+ hour flight to the brand new airport, you’re in the heart of the historic city of Siem Reap. I went to bed immediately upon landing as I had to get up at 4am for an experience I’ve waited a lifetime to see…sunrise at Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat at sunrise.
Angkor Wat temple complex
Built in the 1100s, this massive complex is made of sandstone and limestone and features miles of decorative carvings and bas reliefs. The main 5 towers dominate the structure and you can climb up to the top level to get an expansive view of the surrounding building, square moat around the complex and vistas far off into the jungle beyond. Truly a life memory made watching the sun climb out from behind the towers, as the light changed from purple, to yellow, to green to blue. I went ½ way around the world for this, and it was worth it!
Ta Phrom - Tomb Raider Temple
Located next to Angkor Wat, Ta Phrom temple was made famous at the film location for Angelina Jolie’s Laura Croft: Tomb Raider movie back in 2001. With its overgrown strangler fig trees, this temple complex is striking for it’s beauty and the encroachment of the jungle that is extremely picturesque.
Nokur Thom Bridge
Gateway to the ancient city of Angkor Thom
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor
After a 10 hour day sightseeing, it was terrific to come home to the Raffles Hotel in Siem Reap. With it’s authentic 1930s French influenced style, this hotel was like a throwback to a different era. I have so many great things to say about this property - including their doorman with the best aura, a 1930s elevator that adds a unique flair to the lobby, a gin butler, an incredible outdoor pool and a super helpful sommelier. The hotel made every day an adventure - one big surprise and delight was a blessing by a local monk who gave me a red string around my wrist…such a great experience! Here are some highlights from my stay….
There’s so much more to see in Siem Reap - here are my top pics
Phare Circus - local acrobat school puts on a dramatic show in a purpose built theater in the round
Angkor National Museum - right next to Raffles hotel is the national museum of artifacts and art from the Khymer civilization
Pub Street - can’t miss this wild walking street lined with bars, restaurants and a great people watching scene
Spa day - ridiculously affordable massages are available at many places around the historic center of town
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Viet Nam
HCM - or Saigon as it still widely referred to - is another short 1+ hour flight from Cambodia. The heart of Indochina - Saigon still possesses the lingering influence of French occupation, from the Gustave Eiffel designed Post Office, to the Bahn Mi - basically a French baguette with an Asian twist. Coffee and cafe culture rules the sidewalks as well. When I visited, HCM was celebrating it’s 50th anniversary after renaming the city for it’s local war hero. A symbolic change, yes…but as Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet". HCM or Saigon - the warm and friendly people of Viet Nam would be just as sweet.
Vietnam War
It’s impossible to escape the influence of the 19 year Viet Nam War on this country, as much of their modern history is framed and defined by occupation, war and widespread disasters. I came to experience some of the most gripping and powerful examples of the war during my time. I encourage everyone to learn about the human toll and the scars that remain from this conflict. Rather than shy away, there are so many touchpoints to access to give a deeper understanding of the war in Saigon and beyond. Here are a few of the experiences that helped me understand the conflict - check them out!
War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum is a must see stop in HCM, as it tells the story of the Viet Nam war from the Viet position…including the famous photos of “napalm girl’ and “last flight out of Saigon”. The military equipment and machinery are cool to look at but the exhibits on war protests and resistance frame the conflict in a troubling and complex way. The amount of money spent and munitions deployed during the war is several factors greater than WWI and WWII…so it’s a sobering stop for sure.
Chu Chi Tunnels
Another ‘must see’ to understand the Vietnam War first hand is the Chu Chi Tunnels about an hour north of Saigon. This is area where the famous Tet Offensive was launched by the Viet Kong army. Multiple villages in the jungle are connected by 250 kilometers of underground tunnels that served as military positions, kitchens, armories and living spaces. By far the most unique experience of my entire trip was going down into the tunnels - check out this video of how tight the spaces are! This is not for the claustrophobic. Once underground, you can go for about 100 meters before popping up to the surface. Over 16,000 Vietnamese occupied these tunnel complexes during the war. Take the tour and I highly recommend going by boat on the Sai Gon river - great views, much cooler and faster than a 1 ½ hour car ride. Incredible!
Saigon Sights - Post Office, Ben Than Market, Independence Palace
There’s so much to do in Saigon - here are a few of my top tips!
Get an egg coffee at a local coffee house - skip the major chains and head to the Cafe Apartments or a streetside spot like Juice Tin
Bui Vien Walking Street for lively nightmarket and great people watching…good cheap eats!
Japantown for authentic sushi and interesting alleyways - great for a wonder around
Parting Shot: Happy 50th Anniversary Ho Chi Minh City!
View from Landmark 81 - Viet Nam’s tallest building.
City lit up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of changing the name from Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City.
