By 9 AM, the city’s pavements are already alive with low plastic stools and the clink of ice in tall glasses. This morning, the talk among the regulars at the corner cà phê vợt (cloth-filter coffee) was the new pedestrian zone along Nguyễn Huệ — now extended to the Saigon Riverfront, with night markets opening from 6 PM. A small but significant change: the city has introduced dedicated bike lanes on Đề Thám, making the backpacker district noticeably calmer. For those heading to the Mekong Delta, the new express bus to Cần Thơ now takes only 2.5 hours and departs from Miền Tây station every 30 minutes. The first boat to the floating markets leaves Cần Thơ at 5:30 AM — a fact that early risers are already sharing.

Phong Điền market was quieter than its famous neighbour Cái Răng, which suited the handful of travellers who arrived by private boat. The water level is unusually low for March — local farmers say the dry season has been especially fierce this year, which means the canals are narrower, but the fruit boats are clustered closer together, making for exceptional photographs. A new cooperative now offers homestays on the islands of the Mekong, allowing visitors to spend a night on a fruit orchard. The owner of one such homestay, a retired nhạc tài tử musician, played a short concert for a Belgian family last night. He told them: “The river is our living room.”

The international border at Vĩnh Xương (Châu Đốc) remains the most scenic way to enter Cambodia: a 20‑minute ferry across the Mekong to Kaam Samnor. Immigration formalities took less than 15 minutes; the Cambodian visa‑on‑arrival counter now accepts credit cards (a small luxury). A Swiss couple on the same ferry had just completed a bicycle tour from Hà Tiên to Châu Đốc and reported the new coastal road is fully paved, with several eco‑lodges open along the way. On the Cambodian side, minibuses to Phnom Penh depart every hour until 7 PM; the ride takes three hours. The road is smooth, and the rice fields are already turning golden in the late‑afternoon light.

At dawn, the riverfront belongs to joggers and monks collecting alms. A new wooden boardwalk extends from the Royal Palace to the night market, lined with flowering trees. A small group of travellers gathered to watch the city’s first rays illuminate the spires of Wat Phnom. Local news: the reopening of the National Museum’s central courtyard after a year of restoration now allows visitors to have breakfast under the old frangipani trees. For those continuing north, the morning bus to Siem Reap (Giant Ibis at 8:30 AM) reported only 60% occupancy — a chance to spread out across the spacious seats. The journey is now a consistent five hours, with a new rest stop at Skun where you can sample fried spiders (for the adventurous) or fresh mango (for the wise).

The Angkor pass system has fully digitised; most visitors now purchase 3‑day passes online before arrival, bypassing the queues at the main entrance. The afternoon heat sent most travellers to the shaded corridors of Bayon, where a Japanese restoration team is currently working on the central tower — scaffolding up but access still open. A quiet discovery: the newly cleared path from Ta Prohm to Banteay Kdei is now walkable, offering a half‑hour stroll through the jungle without the crowds. A guide named Sophea told us that the pre‑monsoon rains are expected a week earlier than usual, possibly by April 5. “The moats will fill, and the reflection in Angkor Wat will be perfect again,” he said.

Across the border to Myanmar (accessible via a direct flight from Siem Reap to Mandalay, then a road transfer), the sun set behind the ancient stupas of Bagan. The balloon season has officially ended, but the absence of hot‑air balloons means quieter evenings. A new bicycle route along the Irrawaddy River connects Old Bagan to the village of Myinkaba, passing through lacquerware workshops that are open to visitors. The consensus among expats in the region: travel permits for Bagan are still straightforward for ASEAN citizens, while others should apply for the Myanmar e‑visa at least five working days in advance.