As neighbors, the histories of Cambodia and Vietnam have crossed paths. Both were under French occupation as part of Indochina up until 1953 for Cambodia and 1954 for Vietnam. Elements of French influences are visible in the colonial architecture, tasted in the food, heard and read in the languages, and experienced in the culture.

After becoming independent from Imperial China in 938 AD, Vietnam experienced growth up until the mid 19th century when it was a colony of France. Since the 9th century, the Khmer Empire flourished for over 600 years. In the 12th century, the Khmer Empire was the most powerful and largest in Southeast Asia, encompassing a region that spanned into modern day Thailand, Laos and southern Vietnam. One of the best ways to get a taste of these distinctly unique and tantalizing countries is a river cruise on the Mekong River.