Vietnam and Cambodia: Along The Mekong River, Including Angkor and Saigon

Day 1

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Arrive in Siem Reap and settle into our outstanding Khmer style hotel, La Résidence d’Angkor, on the banks of the Siem Reap River, or the luxurious Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Resort with its French-colonial elegance and manicured gardens.

Days 2-3

Angkor

Rise early to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. This 12th-century Khmer temple, one of the world’s largest religious monuments, is adorned with elaborate bas-reliefs and sculptures. Ride a tuk-tuk, or motorized rickshaw, to the walled city of Angkor Thom. Discover the shrines of Ta Prohm and the temple of Banteay Srei. Visit a workshop where local youth are trained in age-old Khmer arts. Enjoy traditional Cambodian music and dance at a beautifully lit private dinner at one of Angkor’s temples. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on Day 2; breakfast and dinner are included on day 3.

Day 4

Kampong Cham / Embark Ship

Drive to the bustling town of Kampong Cham and embark The Jahan, our riverboat home for the next seven nights. Step out onto your balcony to watch as we set sail on a journey along the Mekong River.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

Wat Hanchey or Koh Dach / Angkor Ban

At Wat Hanchey, see a variety of temples, including an eighth-century temple from the pre-Angkor Chenla period, or see the silk weaving village of Koh Dach. Continue to the village of Angkor Ban, with its traditional houses and friendly residents.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6

Kampong Chhnang / Kampong Tralach

Visit a village where artisans make traditional pottery, and board local boats to see the clustered houses and shops that float in midstream. At Kampong Tralach, take an oxcart ride through rice paddies to a local school.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7

Phnom Penh

Explore the Cambodian capital by cyclo (bicycle taxi), and visit the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia. Learn about the reign of the Khmer Rouge on a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This evening, enjoy an Apsara dance performance.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8

Cruising the Mekong

Take in views of everyday life along the river, attend talks by our experts, and join our chefs to learn how to cook regional dishes. Cross the border into Vietnam.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9

Chau Doc or Tan Chau, Vietnam

Chau Doc has one of Vietnam’s most interesting markets, with an astonishing variety of tropical fruits, vegetables and other goods. We continue to a floating market on the river and a fish farm, where we see fish being fed through trap doors in the floating platforms. In the afternoon, we continue sailing the Mekong.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10

Sa Dec / Cai Be

Take a local boat to experience rural life in the Mekong Delta. See the floating market of Cai Be, step into a rice “factory” to watch rice-based candies being made, and cruise among floating markets and fish farms. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner aboard The Jahan.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11

My Tho / Disembark Ship / Saigon

Disembark in My Tho and visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, originally built in 1850. Then journey to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and, on arrival, visit the landmarks of Saigon including a visit to the Bitexco Tower, post office, and the Reunification Palace followed by lunch. Continue to the Park Hyatt Hotel to check in. Early this evening meet with a local expert on Vietnam’s modern development, and then enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 12-13

Saigon

This morning visit the Cu Chi tunnel, part of a huge network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. If you wish, visit the War Remnants Museum, which gives a strong view of the war through the eyes of the Vietnamese. The rest of the afternoon and lunch are at leisure. In the evening we'll take in a performance of water puppetry—a distinctive Vietnamese folk art, practiced here for over 300 years. Dinner is at leisure.

Depart Saigon on Day 13, arriving home the same day.

Meals Included: Breakfast