Following the curvature of Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City has become one of Southeast Asia’s classic trails with Mekong cruises the culmination of a tour that can also include imperial walled cities, limestone monoliths and some of the finest beaches this side of Thailand. Over the border in Cambodia, parallels await with the all too recent past following a familiar pattern, although the unique experience of Angkor Wat, it has to be said, is something else entirely. If you’re looking for similarities between Vietnam and Cambodia, you’ll find them. If you’re looking for differences, yes, they exist, obviously. However, if you’re hoping to untie cultural threads through street food stalls, homestays, temple visits and by not sticking your head in the sand when it comes to the region’s history, then, for goodness’ sake, don’t let a little old river like the Mekong stand in your way.

Find out more in our Cambodia and Vietnam travel guide.

‘Same-same, but different’ was once, perhaps still is, a stock phrase in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, and on this occasion it also fits quite nicely into reasoning why it’s wise to combine Cambodia and Vietnam within the same tour. Forever linked by the Mekong Delta and shared borders with Laos and Thailand, travelling from Hanoi to Siem Reap or vice versa has become far more than simply a rite of passage for backpackers and instead offers opportunities to escape and experience Asia, without the ‘gap yah’ influence.

No matter where you start, travelling across Cambodia and Vietnam takes you through some of Southeast Asia's quintessential scenes with the limestone karsts of Halong Bay and the temples of Angkor Wat just a couple of cultural contrasts to point you in the right direction. Following the Vietnamese coast south from Hanoi can take you, via overnight train, to Hue and Hoi An, in the centre of the country, whereas to the west of Ho Chi Minh City, in southern Vietnam, the Mekong River can be followed past Phnom Penh, in central Cambodia, to afford effortless border crossings alongside ever-changing tales of the riverbank.