Cambodia Vietnam for less than P15,000 ALL-IN 5N4D!!!

Here is the breakdown of our expenses in our recent trip to amazing Indochina countries - Cambodia and Vietnam!

You will never go wrong if you decided to book a ticket now and travel to these amazing countries as both are relatively cheap and are highly regarded as backpackers heaven. Your $20 will go a long way really, such as in a day, accommodations, food, and attractions are both cheap, decent, and clean. You can have a cheap accommodation for as low as $10 per room with clean and decent service. This  is one of the obvious things I observed in our south east Asian neighbors. They offered very cheap rooms with good quality standards compare to our country maybe due to their inexpensive electric charges, since electric bills eat a lot of portion in operating a business in the hospitality industry.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia. A world heritage site.

My siblings and I were very happy and contented to the places we stayed. Like for example, in Golden Temple Villa in Siem Reap, its a 3-star accommodation priced only at $35 a day good for 3 persons but offers a stellar 5-star service which I can personally vouch based on our experiences. It includes already breakfast, fresh cold water drink upon arrival, arrival welcome drink of fresh ice lemon tea, half hour authentic Khmer massage, unlimited Khmer coffee, lipton tea, and bananas available at the hotel restaurant, and a traditional Khmer Apsara dance viewing at night in their sister hotel Temple Club! Unbelievable bargain right? Too bad, we weren't able to avail all of these like the massage and the cultural dance since of our very tight schedule.

Ho Chi Minh Statue, Vietnam

They had a very kind gesture on us when on our first day, they have to move us to another room due to aircon malfunction. It was actually no big deal for us, but to our surprise, when we got back from our tour, they offered us a fresh fruit salad placed in a big plate. It includes banana, mango, and dragon fruit. For us, it was really a touching apologies on their part and speaks so much about the character of the people behind the hotel. My brother couldn't believe it for all the perks we got from this hotel and was skeptical and thought something fishy at first due to its cheap price. But all of his doubts were replaced by gratitude when we witnessed their authenticity and good intentions to all of their guests.

Below is the breakdown of the expenses incurred for the whole duration of our trip all-in! As you can see, you don't have to break your bank just to follow your travel urges and explore this scenic places. One just have the courage and discipline to stick to the plan and everything will go smoothly! 

Tips for everyone, book in advance for both airline fare and hotel accommodation to find the most attractive deal online so that you will have spare cash for souvenirs and shopping.

Truly we really enjoyed our experiences we had to these amazing countries and am looking forward to go back very soon! :)

Exploring present Saigon - Ho Chi Minh

We just came from Choeng Euk and headed back to our hotel. We had our lunch to a nearby restaurant and prepared to pack up our things for our next destination - Vietnam.

Vietnam's bustling largest city sets the cultural and economic pace for the country. The former Saigon boasts charming French colonial architecture and wide boulevards, usually thronged and choked with traffic. Taxis are an option for seeing the sprawling city.

 

This will be our first time to travel cross countries by land and were very excited what was it gonna be like.

We bought our tickets from a ticketing office in pnom penh and based on our research and various suggestions from the web, we opted to ride Mekong Bus due to its reputation and service for tourists and business travelers.

American airplanes lining up in War Remnant Museum.

The first stop in our tour is The War Remnant Museum. Here, your guide  will tell the story of the city's darkest and most tragic hours during the Vietnam War. The museum contains displays of military craft, weaponry and many photographs - some that are quite graphic in nature and I notice pictures are somewhat anti american. I wonder what american tourists would feel seeing it though. Lol

Cambodia's heartwarming capital: Pnom Penh

After enjoying wonderful Siem Reap,  we decided to travel to Cambodia's capital and that is Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh is a laid back city which is somehow similar to Siem Reap but with an urban touch. 

Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, was once known as the Pearl of Asia before the country spun into turmoil with the mass killings by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Over the last few decades, Phnom Penh has grown into an economic center, sprawled with high rises, hotels, historical architecture, modern malls, and an incredible food culture.

Captivating Siem Reap in One Day!

Siem Reap, has long been a destination for architectural and historical seekers alike with the Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom being famous worldwide, but as a destination it has a great deal to offer for many types of traveler, but you find the groove and pattern of the small city within the day. It's a very safe and easy-to-get around town, and very economical for every sort of traveller! Not to mention it's a short 20 minutes from Angkor Wat - the famous temples in Cambodia!

Temple Run! You played it, I lived with it. lol

My First International Travel - Phuket, Thailand

Most of us loves to travel and definitely one of our dreams that we want to experience in our lifetime is to travel the world.

The infamous Patong beach in Phuket. 

But let's be honest, the biggest factor that is keeping us from realizing that dream is the means to do so. Yeah, you heard it right, as much as I don't want to tackle this dreaded subject, I can't help but mention the most sought after material thing in the world and that is money. We all need money and who doesn't right? And that is the truth.

Karst limestone formations in Maya Bay, Phi phi Island. This is where Leonardo di Caprio's "The Beach" movie was shot.

I am just a regular employee in a multinational company in Makati who is just starting his two year career in finance industry. My perspective in travel has changed dramatically when I received an email notification from Tiger Air Philippines back then (currently subsidiary of Cebu Pac) about promotional air fares. They were launching a new route from Manila to Phuket direct flights for only P500 all-in one way or for a meager P1,000 roundtrip. What a bargain right?

Phi Phi Islands are dotted with these kind of view.

Koh Phi phi Don, the main island in Phi phi.

Without a second thought, I followed my impulses and booked the flight that started all my passion for travel.