Road to Angkor - Westbound

Itinerary

Day 1 Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam's largest city brims with streetside stalls, stylish new boutiques, tamarind trees and motorbikes carrying everything from children to chickens. Arrive early for a first taste of pho or a bit of bargain-hunting at the Ben Thanh Market.

Days 2-3 Phnom Penh

Cross into Cambodia and confront the country's tragic past in the chilling Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. A visit to the infamous Killing Fields is equally sobering, the site marked by a stupa made of some 8,000 skulls. Later, there's time to check out the capital's many other attractions such as the Silver Pagoda, with its dazzling silver-tiled floor.

Days 4-6 Siem Reap/Angkor Wat

Travel back to a brighter time in Cambodian history with a trip to the temples of Angkor. From sun-up to sundown, soak up the sacred beauty of Angkor Wat, the eerie shadows of Ta Prohm and the serene smiles of the carved faces of the Bayon. Don't miss sunrise over the complex - the hilltop sanctuary of Phnom Bakheng is the best place to see it so climb up on foot or ride an elephant.

Day 7 Battambang

Admire the elegant architecture left behind by the French, learn the secrets of Khmer cuisine in a cooking class or clickety-clack along on an ingenious contraption known as a 'bamboo train' in the tranquil riverside town of Battambang.

Days 8-9 Bangkok

Bus across the border to Bangkok for a plate of pad thai, a soothing Thai massage or a spot of shopping at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar - all perfect ways to round off the journey from Angkor.