Hello,

I'm starting to throw about a few ideas for a trip to SE Asia sometime late next year. Debating between visiting Vietnam or Thailand with a side trip to Siem Riep to see the ruins at Angkor Wat. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a reputable tour that offers package tours from Hanoi to Siem Reap (airfare/hotels)? When I was doing some pricing tonight for just air tickets, they came out at over$400 on Vietnam Airlines which was quite high and more than I'd like to spend for such a short flight. We would be interested in spending about 2 nights there.

If not an air/hotel package, does Vietnam have any smaller/more regional airlines like some of its neighboring countries do? I know that Bangkok Airways offers the Discovery Airpass with decent prices and was hoping to find something similar.

Thanks in advance!

Your options for flights into Siem Reap Are limited. None of the budget airlines fly in/out of Siem Reap. As you mentioned, if you were flying from Bangkok, you could use the Bangkok Air Discovery Pass. So flights into Siem Reap are always expensive. MichaelBKK noted that a new Cambodian AIrline will have flights into Siem Reap and that may help prices to drop, but I don't know when that will happen.

Two nights in Siem Reap is only one day. It takes three full days just to see the so-called major temples. if you are really interested in the temples three days won't be enough. So, to be honest with you, if you only want to spend a day at the temples, I'd say don't bother.

Packages won't get you lower airfare to Siem Reap (at least until there is more competition). So check the airline prices and hotel prices on your own. agoda.com and asiarooms.com are both options for booking hotels in Siem Reap.

Kathie's advice is good, but Air Asia does fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap. I flew that route last year and am doing it again this fall. I realize your trip might not really include KL but it's an option to look at. IMHO, tour packages to Siem Reap are overpriced and unnecessary. Last year I priced airfares at two different travel agents in Bangkok, both quoted me something like $200 - 300. Then I finally booked directly with Lao Airlines, which co-shares the Vietnam Airlines flight. (forget the exact terminology, but the flight is operated by Vietnam). The price was at least $100 cheaper than any travel agent quoted me.

And in Siem Reap, there are many wonderful and inexpensive hotels and it's a very easy place to get around. All hotels are very well set up to tour the temples, they arrange guides and/or tuk tuks or air con cars and know all the routes and best times to see and photograph, etc. In short, you don't need to book a specific tour package, your hotel can arrange it all for you. i stayed at Pavillion d;Orient and it was wonderful, but again, there are a lot of choices.

kuluk is correct that Air Asia serves Siem Reap from KL, also there are relatively inexpensive flights from SIngapore on one of the budget carriers. But from VN or Thailand, your options are limited. kuluk, isn't the Lao Air flight you refer to between Luang Prabang and Siem Reap?

If you have more time, another option to consider is flying in and out of PP. But it's about a 5 hour drive between the two cities. So while it would save you money it will take time. Given that you are trying to see Angkor in one day, I don't think it will work for you.

Just touring around Hanoi then go to Ho Chi Minh City. You can go to Seam reap by bus from HCMC which is cheaper than flight. I think you shouldn't use just one tour from HaNoi to Cambodia; It will be very expensive.