By Heidi Li, Co-founder, Laurus Travel
After years of designing journeys through Southeast Asia and visiting the region many times myself, one question comes up again and again.
“If I only have one trip to Southeast Asia, where should I go?”
My answer is almost always the same. If you have three to four weeks, combine Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.
Not because they’re the three most famous countries in the region, but because they complement each other so well.
Vietnam has a wonderful sense of movement. One day you’re wandering the busy streets of Hanoi with a Vietnamese coffee in hand, and the next you’re cruising through the limestone islands of Halong Bay. Further south, Hoi An slows the pace completely before Ho Chi Minh City brings back the excitement with its energy and remarkable food scene.
Then Cambodia changes the rhythm again.
Most people arrive expecting Angkor Wat to be the highlight, and it rarely disappoints. What often surprises them is how much they enjoy everything around it. Some of my favourite memories have come from simple moments that never appear on an itinerary, whether it’s chatting with local people, discovering a small family-run restaurant or watching the sun set after a day exploring the temples.
Thailand feels like a fitting finale. Bangkok is vibrant and full of contrasts, while Chiang Mai offers the chance to finish your holiday at a gentler pace. By then, many travellers tell me they’ve stopped trying to see everything and started enjoying simply being there.
Over the years, I’ve also learned that the order of a journey matters just as much as the destinations themselves. A well-planned itinerary should feel natural. You shouldn’t spend your holiday doubling back across the region or wasting days on unnecessary travel. Instead, each destination should build on the last, making the journey feel effortless.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve refined our 26-day Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand itinerary over the years. It’s based not only on the places people want to visit, but also on what we’ve learned from listening to our travellers and experiencing these destinations ourselves.
Every traveller is different, of course, and that’s why we often tailor the itinerary to suit individual interests and travel styles. But if someone asks me where to begin their love affair with Southeast Asia, this is still the journey I recommend first.
Recommended Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand Itineraries
Laurus Travel offers a number of well-designed itineraries featuring Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. You can also find many itineraries on our list that focus on just one or two of these destinations. Please be sure to check them out.
About Heidi Li
Heidi Li is the co-founder of Laurus Travel. She has spent years travelling throughout Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, designing tailor-made holidays and helping travellers discover Southeast Asia with confidence. Her passion is creating journeys that balance iconic sights with authentic local experiences.
