Land-only DMC · Vietnam · Cambodia · Laos
Destinations
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, seen from operations
Three countries, three visa systems, and a handful of airports and crossings that decide how a land programme can be routed. These pages are written for the person who has to make the itinerary work, not for the brochure.
The three countries side by side
| Vietnam | Cambodia | Laos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main international gateways | Hanoi (HAN), Da Nang (DAD), Saigon (SGN) | Phnom Penh Techo (KTI), Siem Reap–Angkor (SAI) | Vientiane (VTE), Luang Prabang (LPQ), Pakse (PKZ) |
| Usual share of a combined programme (our planning range) | 7 to 11 nights | 2 to 5 nights | 3 to 5 nights |
| Traveller e-visa | 90 days, multiple entry | 30-day stay, single entry | Accepted only at listed airports and crossings |
| Main operational constraint | Length: north to south needs flights | Airports far from or new to the cities | Few direct flights; e-visa not valid overland from Vietnam or Cambodia |
Most programmes we quote combine Vietnam with one of the other two. Vietnam with Cambodia is the common pairing, linked either by a regional flight to Siem Reap or by a road or river crossing to Phnom Penh. Vietnam with Laos is almost always linked by a flight from Hanoi to Luang Prabang. All three together run most smoothly as Vietnam, then Cambodia, then a flight from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang.
Sources: vietnam.travel — Visa requirements; Wikipedia — Visa policy of Cambodia; Lao eVisa — Information · checked .
Seasons across the region
3 = easiest months to operate · 2 = workable · 1 = rain, storms or heat that make days less reliable. A general guide, not a forecast.
There is no single good month for the whole region. November to March is the easiest window for a programme that covers all three countries; the central coast of Vietnam is the exception, with its wettest months from about September to December. Northern Vietnam is cool and often grey in January and February, which surprises clients who packed for the tropics.
Routing all three in one programme
A programme that covers Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in under three weeks usually runs north to south through Vietnam, flies from Saigon to Siem Reap, and then flies from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang, with the long-haul flight home from a regional hub. The reverse works too. What does not work well is crossing into Laos overland from Vietnam on a short programme: the roads are slow, and the Lao e-visa is not valid at those crossings.
How to use these pages
For the crossings between them, read border crossings for groups. For programmes already built across these countries, see the land programme list.
Common questions
Questions agents ask
Which two countries combine most easily?
Vietnam and Cambodia, because Saigon and Hanoi both have regional flights to Siem Reap and there are road and river crossings to Phnom Penh.
Is there a month to avoid across the whole region?
Not across all three countries at once. The central coast of Vietnam is the most weather-exposed, mainly from September to December.
Do clients need three separate visas?
Usually yes, unless their nationality is exempt in one of the countries. Each country runs its own e-visa, valid only at listed entry points.
Related
Read next
Destinations · Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam for agents: gateways, regional seasons, visa route and how programmes are routed.
View this journey
Destinations · Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia for agents: Angkor, Phnom Penh, the new airports and the e-visa versus visa on arrival.
View this journey
Destinations · Laos
Laos
Laos for agents: Luang Prabang, flights and railway, and where the Lao e-visa is accepted.
View this journey
How it works · Borders
Border crossings for groups
Road and river crossings between the three countries, with visa constraints for groups.
View this journey
Land programmes
Land programmes
The list of sample land programmes, by format, length and countries.
View this journey
How it works · Operations
Operations
Rooming lists, guide briefings, on-trip support and how changes are handled.
View this journey
Start planning
Send a land quote request
Request type, group size and travel month are enough to start. Add your agency name so we can match the request to your contract. We reply by email with an itemised land quote or the questions needed to write one.