On that note.. Anyone know if Laos is open yet? or any news on that front? I'd love to go back to Laos for an 11th time :) I haven't been there since 2015

No pre-departure test, and no test on arrival. As long as you're fully vaccinated, no quarantine. The requirement for travel insurance that covers COVID-19 is still there, but no mention that you have to buy it from the government, your existing travel insurance should be fine (no idea if this requirement is actually being enforced, either).

I didn't get quite the same impression you got of Cambodia. As always, your experience of a place depends on how you approach it. Angkor is indeed crowded, but there are many other temples dotted around Cambodia with no tourists at all. Sihanoukville is awful (more Chinese mafia than Russian), but I had a great time on Koh Rong Sanloem just off the coast there. Everywhere I went people were friendly. I never encountered any hostility.

No more pre-departure test too. You just need to be fully vaccinated. But be careful, as the main problem for Cambodia, is to be able to reach the country as there are very few flights at the moment. So you may have to get some tests just to satisfy the airline or transit country Covid requirements, even if the destination country (Cambodia) does not require anything. SIN is an interesting option as no more test is required for transiting in SIN and they are going to scrap their VTL concept very soon

Indeed, Cambodia had among the craziest requirements until last November. The deposit you mentioned was also intended to cover eventually…your cremation if you died from Covid there (I am not joking !!). Now this is all over.

Really ? I have a totally different experience. I have been many times in Cambodia and I have always found the people wonderful and I have never found them hostile against tourists. Of course they have their least favorite ones : particularly the groups of mainland Chinese because of their usually disrespectful and contemptuous behavior.
I have been only once in Sihanoukville 7-8 years ago and didn’t like it at all and I know the situation has worsened a lot there as it’s been totally invaded by Chinese investors who are ruining the city and landscape putting ugly concrete everywhere and all is left abandoned since the beginning of the pandemic. As you said some Russians oligarchs were also interested by this place. Definitely not my cup of tea and I don’t recommend to go there. But, close to Sihanoukville, you have some very pleasant places like Kep and Kampot.
Definitely, seeing Siem Reap and the Angkor park without all the invaders is a must at the moment.

Laos is still is semi-crazy mode for Covid. They have reduced the quarantine duration recently IIRC, but still not an option at the moment. I would love to return too. Lovely and beautiful country.

Yes true. It is is ridiculously expensive to get there still. I have a planned trip coming up to MNL and then planning to go to Siem Reap but there is no direct flight. It is either via SIN, KUL or BKK. Even Air Asia is starting in June they said and only via KUL so far. Otherwise it is over 350 to 400 usd while used to be around 200 to 250 when Cebu Pacific was flying or Air Asia was flying from DMK.

I never found Siem Reap so crowded. I enjoyed every time I have been there and have been there 3 times already.

How about going to Cambodia by land? Is it do-able right now? Fly to HCMC and then bus to Cambodia (if it's running).. I did this trip some years ago.

Yes, Vietnam is open now. It has even less restrictions than Cambodia — no quarantine whether you are vaccinated or not, you just need a negative test before departure. The land border with Cambodia is open. I imagine buses are running (the bus companies would have been itching to make some bucks) but haven't heard specifics. There are also the boats from Chau Doc to Phonm Penh, have not heard if they are running or not. Private transport is always an option and unlikely to break the bank. Remember e-visa isn't accepted at the Cambodia land borders.

One piece of advice I got from the Cambodians was that though it is going to be very hot, in the hot season, if you want to see Tonle Sap lake it is much better to go in the dry hot season.