Taking a gander at the map, we see that this zesty trip takes us neatly from Bangkok into Cambodia and farther into Vietnam, ending in Saigon. What the map will not divulge is the rarity of crossing these borders (putting this trip high on the gee-whiz scale for border-crossing buffs).

We begin in Bangkok, then drive to the Thai-Cambodian border at Poipet and on to a restful day in Battambang. A lovely riverboat takes us to a couple of days at Angkor, based from Siem Reap. Then a drive south, past many eventful crossroads, to a couple of nights in Phnom Penh and farther south, now by boat, to the Vietnamese border at tiny Chau Doc and on to the unofficial capital of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho. We end with a good look at Saigon’s hustle, bustle, and charm before flying home. (Or on to another Southeast Asian adventure—to more of Vietnam or over to Laos, for instance. We created this family-friendly road trip as a superb beginning or end to an even grander journey.)

Days 1 & 2: Bangkok • Day 3: drive to Poipet and Battambang • Day 4: Battambang • Day 5: riverboat to Siem Reap • Days 6 & 7: Angkor • Day 8: drive to Phnom Penh via Sambor Prei Kuk • Day 9: Phnom Penh • Day 10: boat to Chau Doc • Day 11: Chau Doc to Can Tho • Day 12: Can Tho • Day 13: drive to Saigon • Day 14: excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels • Day 15: depart Saigon.

Laos Extension is available for this trip

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