Hello all ,   I am planing to travel to Combodia or Vietnam soon as a back packer,but I am wondering /thinking between these two countries where is the best/interesting place/country &  get an image of  rustic /exotic things in the country ?  

Hello. If you want to have some information about Cambodia you can try this url:

http://www.talesofasia.com/cambodia.htm

Have a nice day

Vietnam has more to offer as far as beautiful landscapes, diversity of culture and places to see and things to do.

Not knocking Cambodia, but it is small compared to Vietnam, much poorer, and outside of Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat, there isn't a helluva lot to see. And if you wander off the beaten track, there are still many places infested with landmines. Overall, Vietnam is a safer place.

I agree with you Loburt. Tales of Asia have also info on Vietnam

i vote for Vietnam na ka ... nice city and people are more welcome :-)

have fun on ur trip ka

Thanks for all comments , what I am thinking is to go to VN ,and at leat I can enjoy the rustic places/things there. Love the food there

I agree with viggop - plenty to see in Cambodia!

Ja ,tks naka. But I have already been Loas, so I think I don't go na, maybe in Songkran , can see their tradition there:)

For me I would definitely choose Cambodia. I've been to both Cambodia and Vietnam and like Cambodia much more. Difficult to explain why however. If I had to make a ranking of South-East Asian countries it would be in this order :

Myanmar (at the top, no doubt about that)

Thailand (what else can I say on this site :-)

Cambodia

Laos

Vietnam

So, Vietnam is at the last place. This doesn't mean it's not a beautiful country (it is actually!!!), just that I like the others more...

lived in vietnam for a year...must visit Hoi An mid way between hanoi and HCMC....near danang...lovely area....whole old town is world heritage site....nearby cham temples...40km of white sand beach...very rustic, great food and interesting place....let me know when u go and i will give u some contacts.....

Is there any nice beach there ? or can I ride a bicycle to visit the areas around ?

beautiful beach at hoi an...and can do trip to cham island with my friends company....snorkling diving camp over night..beautiful beach on island. lots of cycling to do too...

I hope that if you are backpacking that you are going with friends.

Please be aware that Cambodia is not safe for a woman alone, especially an Asian woman.

Combodia so dirty..just been there last two weeks...everything more expensive then thailand...water on street 1 $..and walk everwhere with lots of ppls ask for give me money!! won't go back there...next time will visit Vietnam....

Cambodia has been through some terrible times as a country, so the fact that it's dirty and the people are begging is understandable. It's not a place for everyone, but have some compassion and understanding for the people and what they had to suffer through.

Please don't interpret my comments as saying Cambodia is not worth visiting. It definitely is. But if it's a choice between Vietnam and Cambodia, I would choose Vietnam for a trip. That's just my opinion.

Parts of Phnom Penh reminded me of BKK; just much poorer. Similar open markets and other things to see. The tuk tuk drivers are far too aggressive and the beggars are everywhere. It is really sad. The people overall are very nice. I found Pol Pot's Killing Fields to be a moving experience. I agree with the above statement that you should not travel there alone; if you go, take friends. You will need to pay a $25 airport tax on the way into the country and I don't remember if they charged again on the way out. I have yet to visit Viet Nam so I can't comment on travel there.

When you looking at going...I might do the smae next Month...

Vietnam is a great place to see ... but go to Cambodia alot - and you can fly to Phnom Penh - see the markets and killing fields etc - then catch a boat up the Mekong River (5 hours - 25.00 USD) and go to Siem Reap .. the temples are amazing and you can ride a bike there or take a moto-taxi all over the country and see some of the most beautiful temples in the world !! I would go to Siem Reap now because I fear that in 5 years it won;t be the same because of all the Korean and Japanese tourists that are starting to flood the city ....

If your willing to get hot and dirty the Russian Market in Phnom Penh can be fun too .....

Have Fun...

Thanks for all commments ka:) I think I will go to VN finally .. Just want to see the beach there how it is ..

Balibatman : I think I will go there by April . Hope to see you there. lol..

Well, if you like beaches, you definitely should go to Vietnam. I found Cambodia more interesting, especially Siem Reap. You will like Hoi An. Its a beautiful small town with lots and lots of cheap tailors. Not a good quality though. You really have to be picky. I bought a nice silk dress for my (ex)gf in Hue. Better quality there!

Beaches and scuba diving: around Nha Trang. Halong Bay is a must!!! If you like mountains, go to Sapa... but you like beaches right?...

Have fun! Wished I could join you, but my plans are going to Thailand, Myanmar, China.... in summer...

cheers,

Yuri