...Insight

Green Season In Asia

Green season in Asia means fewer crowds, lush landscapes and lots of availability at your favourite hotels.

Travel to Cambodia in summer to explore Angkor Wat, then fly directly to Vietnam for beachy bliss and a cultural fix

We’ve been advocating for a while travelling to Cambodia and Vietnam over our summer months. Although rainfall is prevalent in Cambodia, it means that visits to Angkor Wat are enhanced with the moat around the main temple complex filling up, offering mesmerising reflections. Crowds are noticeably thinner, so you’re more likely to have some time alone among the temples. In Vietnam, you’ll catch dry season in the central province and enjoy perfect conditions for a beach break.

"Rainy season in Cambodia means more lush jungle and fewer footfalls around Angkor Wat and flying to Vietnam will see you entering their dry season, so you can relax on the beach for the end of your holiday."

Stephanie Carthy

Personal Travel Designer

01488 689700 stephanie.carthy@baileyrobinson.com Read Stephanie’s profile

Temples of Angkor

Green season sees the jungle springs into life, entwining with the temples, giving it a truly undiscovered and atmospheric feel – you’ll feel like an explorer uncovering Angkor for the first time! Temperatures will still be hot so your guide will recommend early starts to catch sunrise. You’ll be taken via the lesser-known back route to the quieter east entrance to see the ancient site infuse with morning light.

On another day, you might see sunrise at Ta Prohm before exploring its famous, tree-root-wrapped temples in relative seclusion. From here, a 15-minute forest walk to little-visited temple Ta Nei makes a perfect setting for a picnic breakfast. In the afternoon, you could visit the Tonle Sap lake, which at this time of year will be full of water, ideal for gliding around the floating villages by boat.

Beach Bliss

"Take a few days to relax on the beach or by the pool before considering activities. We especially recommend a vintage Vespa tour of Hoi An with stops at local eateries."

Becoming ‘templed-out’ is a real phenomenon so we recommend a beach break afterwards, and some sunshine. While it might be wet in Siem Reap, it’s dry season in Denang on the central coast of Vietnam, an easy direct flight away. Here you’ll find the Four Seasons Nam Hai, set on a pristine stretch of beach on the South China Sea.

As you would expect from a Four Seasons hotel, service is at a very high standard. You’re also just a stone’s throw away from the many cultural attractions of Hoi An and Hue.

Culture Calling

Hoi An was once one of the most important trading ports in South East Asia, with merchants lured from far and wide by the prospect of highly prized silks. Today the ships may have disappeared but the traders have become tailors, making Hoi An one of the best places in Asia to get fitted for a silk suit or shirt. We recommend a walk through the picturesque old town, a colourful blend of French, Chinese and Japanese architecture, and a visit to the nearby ruins at My Son, a 4th century Hindu temple honoured by UNESCO as the final bastion of the threatened Cham culture.

Lastly, the Imperial City of Hue is a treasure trove of sights. Climb the steps to the three-tiered Hue Citadel, or head underground to explore 30 acres of caverns and vaults in the city’s tomb complex.

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