Day 11: Da Nang – Saigon – Phnom Penh: Airports, Airplanes, and Arrival in Cambodia

Today wasn’t about temples, markets, or tasty street food. Today was about airports, queues, and the strange sense of limbo you get on travel days, where you spend more time waiting for planes than actually flying on them.

We kicked things off with a flight from Da Nang—booked with VietJet but, in a fun twist, operated by the Turkish airline Freebird. I didn’t expect to be greeted with “Merhaba!” in Vietnam, but there you go! The crew was a mix of Vietnamese and Turkish, which made for some interesting announcements and an unexpected touch of Anatolia in Southeast Asia. The flight itself was a breeze, barely an hour in the air before we landed in Saigon around 8:30 a.m.

Then came the long wait. Our next flight, this time with Qatar Airways, wasn’t until 3 p.m. That meant a lot of people-watching, coffee-sipping, and airport wandering in Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat airport. If you ever want to see a cross-section of modern Vietnam—business travelers, backpackers, families, and everyone in between—just hang out in the departures area for a few hours.

The flight to Phnom Penh was, no joke, the shortest we’ve ever had with Qatar Airways: just 30 minutes! Honestly, it felt like we’d barely reached cruising altitude before we started descending. Also, it was our cheapest flight with them, which is a fun little record to set.

Hello, Cambodia!

Arriving in Phnom Penh was a blur—we managed to get through immigration and into a taxi to our hotel on autopilot. After a day of transit, the only thing we were capable of was collapsing into bed. Exploring would have to wait.

A Few Facts About Cambodia (Since We’ll See More Soon!)

Since we didn’t get to see much of Phnom Penh yet, here are a few things that might come in handy as we explore Cambodia over the next few days:

History:

Cambodia’s ancient history is most famous for the mighty Khmer Empire (9th–15th centuries), which built the legendary Angkor Wat. The country’s more recent past is marked by the tragic Khmer Rouge era (1975–1979), when nearly two million people perished. Cambodia is resilient, and you’ll find both sorrow and hope in its capital’s monuments and museums.

Present Day:

Today, Cambodia is a kingdom—with King Norodom Sihamoni as a symbolic head of state—run by a constitutional monarchy. Phnom Penh is the country’s largest city and political, economic, and cultural center.

People & Language:

Around 17 million people call Cambodia home. The official language is Khmer, and you’ll hear it everywhere. English is increasingly common in tourist areas, so getting around is relatively easy.

Currency:

Cambodia uses the riel (KHR), but US dollars are accepted everywhere, often interchangeably with riel. Don’t be surprised if you pay in dollars and get change in a mix of currencies!

Food:

Think curries, rice, grilled meats, and the famous fish amok—a creamy coconut curry that I can’t wait to try.

Getting Around:

The roads are improving, but travel can still be slow outside the main cities. Tuk-tuks are the way to go for short rides in Phnom Penh.

What’s Next?

Tomorrow, we head to Siem Reap—home to the legendary Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Phnom Penh will have to wait for our return trip, when we’ll have more time to explore the Royal Palace, the riverside, and the city’s sobering reminders of its history.

For now, though, it’s time to rest. After a day of airports and airplanes, nothing sounds better than sleep. Cambodia, we’re here—and ready for adventure (after a nap).

Stay tuned!