Vietnam forum

Here is my personal opinions/experiences/knowledges about Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam travel, generally. I'm not a fan of Lao travel even if Lao has a lot of un-touch areas and very friendly people, but due to Laotian land locked country, no ocean view could be seen...To me, Thailand and Cambodia as whole, they have almost similar cultures, same structures, heavily Indian influence with majority of beautiful temples, pagodas with complicated details..Thailand is more commercial and exspensive compared to vn. The internal turmoil ssometimes trigger un-expected dangers. Thailand is more advanced compared to vn. About Cambodia, if you travel SEA and miss Angkor temples then you're wasted your chance due to cheap and friendly Cambodian environment as a whole. In my own experience, Cambodia has more flat lands, fewer mountains but....dangers still exsisted regarding to landmines in recent conflicts. I'm not sure whether I'm right or not but I think due to far aways from ocean which leading to shortage of ocean air, one could easily pick up malaria in jungles of Cambodia. And it doesn't take long, after one rainy day adventure of Cambodian jungles, you could get leeches on your body before you even know it. That happened to me during my 2005 wandering in jungles of Battambang province, not far from border pass POIPET b/t Thailand and Cambodia. Phnompenh is smaller compared to HCMC, more French influence in term of city structures but relatively as cheap as Vietnam in term of expenses. Riel as Cambodia currency has more valued than vn Dong. In short, in my long trip to vn, above 6wks, I used to "sneak in" Cambodia Angkor temples and Phnompenh from HCMC. Too bad to hear about stand off at PreahVihear b/t Thailand and Cambodia....