Vietnam / Cambodia : which shoes to take ??
 

Now this may seem like a dumb question but my wife and I both have the same dilemma. We are fairly seasoned travelers and will be in SE Asia for 3 weeks in February. I expect it to be hot and humid. We have 5 days in HCMC, 8 days on a Mekong Pandaw cruise and 5 days in Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat. I'd like to travel as light as possible so which 2 of these should I take a) sandals b) running shoes c) casual dress shoes ???

I manage to do a trip like that with just a good pair of Ecco shoes - a velcroed type of sandal. Can be worn with and without socks, depending on the weather.

ttt

we are visiting VN and Cambodia in the summer, so hope you will post a trip report when you return. I have taken similar trips in SEA and found that i wore sneakers with really good tread for hiking/ruins and a good pair of waterproof sandals, with good tread, for everything else. i take flip flops for yukky showers, but your pandaw cruise probably won't have that!
there are new kinds of sandals out that give some toe protection and i will probably look into getting a pair. look forward to hearing about your trip when you return.

Hi Galiano,

First of all, five days is way too long for Siem Reap. Two to three at max. Flip flops for showers. A pair of water sandals and one pair of sneakers if you don't like to get your feet dirty in the cities, or plan on hiking in the jungle. Also recommend sneakers for Angkor Wat. Lots of climbing on tiny stairs.

I would really suggest branching out of HCMC. Bike on the Mekong Delta roads -- it was a highlight in my two week trip to Vietnam. If you feel like traveling north, the other highlights were Hanoi, Sapa and the Bac Ha market in the hills around Sapa.

By the way, we were in Viet Nam just days before Tet (new year). Watching the people prepare was spectacular, especially in Northern Vietnam, which is more traditional and less Western than Saigon. The cherry branches were gathered by all (like we do Christmas trees); the burning of fake money and clothes. Tet's on the Feb 18. Good luck. Gung hay fat choi.

We were in Siem Reap for 6 days and thought the time was just right.

I have weird feet, so I need a really comfortable shoe when travelling. Don't like the way sneakers look or the fact that you can't really clean them easily.

I always wear a pair of very lightweight black leather shoes. Slip on (like loafers) but perfectly smooth, so easy to wipe down (or have polished)and more comfortable than even sneakers. Non-slip synthetic sole that is dark black, so they look fine when dressing up or hiking in the jungle.

I also take a pair of very lightweight sandals for going to pool, walking through flooded streets or if we'll eat dinner without having to walk much.

1) comfortable stylish sandals
2) lightweight waterproof running shoes or Keens

I wore Keen Newport closed-toe sandals, and found them to be excellent, especially when wandering the temples in Angkor.

http://www.footgear.com.au/pages/pro...?Product_ID=43

Thanks for all your replies. Now I'm wondering if open toe, regular sandals are a good idea. Maybe sneakers and a pair of light casual shoes would be best ? Part of the equation is that we leave from Canada with these shoes on ! Ah decisions decisions.

Why flip flops for showers ?

We are 5 days in Siem Reap which will give us lots of Wat time and also time to just wander around town and take in the markets.

I believe Tet this year is February 7th. We arrive on the 5th have a mandatory New Years Eve dinner at our hotel in HCMC ( Majestic ) on Feb. 6th. Should be an exciting time in Saigon so we'll just hang out and not try to travel much outside of the city.

Here is my suggestion based on a previous trip to Vietnam and Angkor Wat/Siem Reap. Wear your casual dress shoes on the plane. Take a pair of sandals or flips flops, they won't take up much space. My favorite shoes I took with me were a pair of lightweight water sneakers. They fold down fairly well, don't take up as much space as regular sneakers, weigh little, are very breathable, and they have a closed toe for protection. I found the sturdy sole to be great for exploring and climbing through temples. Or go with a similar sandal with a closed tow and sturdy bottom like this one:
http://www.eddiebauer.com/eb/product...&lp=v1i002

I am not recommending this particular brand, but just wanted to give you a style idea. This could serve as both sandal and sturdy sneaker. Cheers.

I agree with SassTraveler....too many days in SR. But that's your call. I would give yourself one to two full days at the temples in SR, and that's about all you need...

"Tet's on the Feb 18. Good luck. Gung hay fat choi."

TET will be over by Feb 18th, so pay no attention to this information.

BTW, Gung Hay Fat Choi is Chinese, not Vietnamese.j

The Vietnamese do all the traditional things in HCMC, just like they do in Hanoi. It's a National Holiday.

Your schedule of 5 days in SR is fine. 3 fulls days is necessary to really explore all of what Angkor has to offer.

Keen's and some casual dress shoes will be fine.

Hi
The thongs(flip flops)for the shower protect your feet a little from any fungal infections,like tinnea. These type of infections love the warm moist conditions in SE Asia.