S/SE Asia question

[sunnysally]

If you were going to Asia for 2ish weeks, would you choose India or Vietnam/Cambodia?

Interests: nature, wildlife, food, temples, cultural experiences

This isn't a once in a lifetime trip. We will probably visit the destination not chosen another time.

[neonpink]

I love Vietnamese food and hate Indian food so that would be the kicker for me. I've heard amazing things about Cambodia and Vietnam so it's towards the top of my travel list for me.

[rupertpenny]

I haven't been to India, but I LOVE Vietnam and had a good time in Cambodia. If you do that trip I might look into Laos as well.

[alleinesein]

I'm biased because I love India and I have lived there so that is my first choice.

2 weeks would let you hit the major tourist sites in Northern India with some stuff in Southern India. Unfortunately, the state of Kerala got hit hard with flooding a few weeks ago and some parts of the state are in really bad shape. It may take a good year for them to get the infrastructure fixed.

If you want a fun cultural experience in India, you need to visit Mumbai during Ganesh Chaturthi. The city goes insane and all of the Ganesh idols are amazing. It is a unique experience and on the last day of the festival, you need to go out and dance in the streets with the locals.

[GilliC]

The time of year could have a huge impact on my choice.

I wouldn't recommend visiting northern India in the summer (April-June). We traveled around Rajasthan in May, and while the crowds were smaller, the heat was pretty intense. Wandering around the old palaces and hill forts was brutal at times. Also, depending on what you have planned in India, you might also want to plan around the monsoons.

Cambodia and southern Vietnam both have fairly distinct rainy and dry seasons that can have an impact. Although most travelers avoid the rainy season, there are several people who recommend it for the smaller crowds and the increased water levels in the rivers and reflecting pools, especially since it typically rains for only a few hours per day. On the flip side, traveling at the end of the dry season can be impacted by the lower water levels if you're planning to travel by boat (taking the local riverboat between Battambang and Siem Reap was one of the highlights of our trip).


IMO, both have fantastic food and culture, and plenty of temples to explore. I find the nature in Vietnam and Cambodia to be a little more accessible, simply because with India’s large population size, it's a bit more difficult to get away from the crowds. As for wildlife, I wouldn't really consider either to be a major wildlife destination. I've been to national parks in both places, but mostly we just saw birds (I'm admittedly not a birder) and some monkeys, though we did get to see a few Nilgiri tahr at Eravikulam Park near Munnar.