My husband and I have traveled extensively with and without our children, but we have never been to Asia WITH our kids and none of us has ever been to Cambodia or Vietnam. We are thinking of a trip there next Fall (2011) with them. It looks absolutely stunning and exciting to visit. We would not want to stay in a resort where we were isolated but rather get out with the local culture and explore, perhaps renting a small house on the beach somewhere if that is possible. At that time the kids will be 5 1/2 and 7 1/2. My daughter is a beautiful blond and my son is a very pronounced red head. As I started to plan, I have become concerned about their safety since they will stand out so much in this region. I am also wondering about the health risks - my daughter in particular is very allergic to mosquitos and tends to be susceptible to illnesses. I was wondering if anyone has advice on these risks given our situation. Perhaps I am just being paranoid but if I need to worry the whole time I don't think that would be much of a vacation. Any advice is welcome!

I see absolutely no problem.Sure,they may draw attention (you may,inturn,also be adoring the lovely children there),its safe,as long they are around you.As elsewhere in the world.
Need to take care as far as food & water is concerned.Take the usual precautions.Mosquitos are a menace all over SE Asia.Talk to their Ped for vaccines.Take repellants & use nets to sleep in.
There are some wonderful beaches,especially in south Vietnam.Mui Ne for one.Laid back & Idyllic.Renting a house is a good idea but would add to the load.Cambodia & Vietnam are not the ideal countries(atleast in what I've seen & as compared to Thailand,Malaysia & parts of Indo) for such experiences.Most of the long term rentals,on the beach,are budget accomodations,which could be even more isolated.
The Mekong Delta cruise is an great experience.Make sure the holiday is paced & not rushed.Will be easy on them as well as you.Avoid afternoons.Could be hot & humid(need to re-hydrate frequently).Mornings are good for places like the Ankor Wat.

i do not see any problems for the kids....do you mean is someone going to kidnap them?? certainly not... all westerners are a curiosity and often people will approach you...looks never hurt for sure and some touching of the hair might happen...

i would say that if you have not been to asia before that thailand often makes an easier transition and may offer more for the kids to do...

we have had very few experiences with mosquitos in asia...
nets are not necessary in every location.... personally i feel it is easier to control them in an hotel with interior corridors and with excellent a/c which we run very cool to keep them out or lazy.... an a/c bathroom is an aid also for elimination....

The issues for traveling with kids will be health issues. As inquest says, make sure they get all appropriate vaccines well ahead of time. Practice food and water precautions. With children, it is especially important they don't put their fingers in their mouth, make sure all of you wash your hands before eating or drinking anything.

Take good mosquito repellant and use it consistently. Choose air-conditioned lodging with air-conditioned bathrooms (lots of bathrooms are not air-conditioned, so mosquitos get in through windows or vents) so you don't have to deal with bed-nets. Some areas of Cambodia and VN are malarial risk, so consult with your doctor or a travel med doc about this. Take a look at all the info at www.cdc.gov/travel, and print out the pages for the countries you are visiting to take with you to the doctor.

This is a time when it is worthwhile to consult with a travel med or tropical med doctor. Many generalists are unfamiliar with tropical medicine issues.

Sorry, should have been clearer. My husband and I have traveled extensively in Asia (including Thailand) just not with kids and not to these two countries. Sounds like the kidnapping isn't a concern as I'd thought. Good tips on the a/c and tropical med doctors. I have been to those clinics for myself in the past and found them much more insightful for the traveler! Thanks much to all three of you!

I have travelled extensively throughout Asia with my blond haired young son including a recent trip to Cambodia and also a month long visit to Vietnam two years ago with him. We have also travelled through Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia etc when he was younger.

Not once did I ever feel uncomfortable or at risk and we used lots of public transport in both countries as well as staying in many different types of accomodation.

If your children are little many of the locals will want to talk and sometimes touch them eg stroke their hair etc but it is all part of the experience. Both nationalities are extremely hospitable and love children and their enthusiasm will spill over to your children as long as you don't guard them and get upset if someone does make a fuss of them. I think in Australia we call them helicopter parents.

Regarding mosquitos they also love my young son so I just make sure we have a lot of protection to keep him lathered with and if sitting outside at night make sure you are close to mosquito coils etc. Depending on the time of the year and also the region you are visiting you may not even see any mosquitos.

Just remember that it is most likely you have just as much risk in your country of children getting kidnapped, harassed as you do in other parts of the world.

Have fun, it will be a great experience

Also just make sure their vaccines are up to date, your local gp or one that specialises in travel medicine will be able to advise.

Thank you everyone for such fantastic tips!!!!

Definitely bring mosquitoes repellent on your trip since you like to go out and interact with people. Vietnamese will love your kids and they will smile, say hello. Kids may cry (it happen many times to a little girl in my alley to see my husband coming home everyday). She cries.
It's totally safe to travel with kids in Vietnam. Even in restaurant, you may end up having a very nice dinner together and the waitress would take care and play with your kids.

We traveled with children the ages of your kids to Vietnam and Cambodia. No problem. Our kids are also blond and the local people did not get excited. Our only problem was the heat...it was hot and the kids got tired of touring rather quickly. Hotels with swimming pools were a big good part of our trip.
We visited a school in Cambodia and provided lunch for all the children. Our kids still remember that day as the best of the trip.

This was all great feedback - thank you everyone!!! It sounds like it will be a warm, wonderful exchange with the locals which is what I was hoping for!
Elainee - how did you arrange to visit the school? That sounds incredible? Also, can you recommend the places you stayed? I think we have narrowed it down to Cambodia (since things are closer together than in Vietnam). I'd love to hear more about your experiences traveling with your kids if you want and have time to share since our situations are similar. Thanks!