Vietnam & Cambodia with Mekong River Cruise

Days 1 - Depart Tucson

Depart the USA on your transpacific flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Day 2 & 3 - Ho Chi Minh City

Xin Chao and welcome to Ho Chi Minh City! On arrival, you will be met by your Emerald Cruises representative and transferred to your hotel, situated in downtown District 1, for a two-night stay. After checking in, you will be free to explore the city before meeting your tour director for your welcome briefing and dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals included: (B, D)

Day 4 - Ho Chi Minh City

Drive away from Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi Tunnels, watching the city skyline fade into the distance as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and scenes typical to southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours walking around Cu Chi’s rugged grounds with a local guide. Upon your return to Ho Chi Minh City, enjoy a Pho lunch with remainder of the afternoon and evening yours to enjoy at leisure or venture out on one of our DiscoverMORE excursions.

Choose from these excursions* (extra expense):

• An evening Saigon Street Food walking tour
• One Night in Saigon

Meals included: (B, L)

Day 5 - Ho Chi Minh City - Embarkation

After checkout, enjoy a tour of the city, visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera House and Town Hall. Then, visit the Reunification Palace before transferring to the port where you will board your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship, Emerald Harmony. You’ll be welcomed on board by your captain and crew before setting sail after lunch down the Saigon River to Cho Gao canal where you will anchor for the night. This evening, enjoy your first dinner on board with your fellow travelers. Your Cruise Director will conduct a port talk to review the activities and itinerary for the days ahead.

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 6 - Ben Tre

This morning travel through the bustling Cho Gao. The Cho Gao canal is one of the major arterial canals of Vietnam connecting Tien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City. Today is a fascinating morning watching the heavy commercial traffic navigate this important waterway which can see upwards of 1,800 vessels transit each day. This afternoon once on the Mekong River, you’ll visit the Tan My Floating community followed by a ride through the local plantations to visit a mushroom farm, a fruit farm with sampling and a honey farm with local sweet before returning to Emerald Harmony to sail onwards to Sa Ðéc, a hidden gem on the Mekong Delta.

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 7 - My An Hung

After a short ride on a sampan to Sa Dec enjoy a walking tour around town with stops at the Chinese Congregational House in Kien An Cung, the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le (currently under renovation), who inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant, and enjoy a walk through the central market to peruse its varied produce. Return to Emerald Harmony by sampan and sail to My An Hung Island. Recognised as a cultural and historical destination, this small village in rural Vietnam specialises in red-hot chilli and peppers. As part of our EmeraldPLUS programme, enjoy some local folk singing during the visit.

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 8 - Gieng Island - An Long

On Gieng Island you can travel through the island’s villages to visit families who work in a variety of local industries including boat building of different types and creating incense sticks for temples. Also visit Vietnam’s oldest church. The afternoon is yours to enjoy your free time on board or, if you prefer, partake in a DiscoverMORE optional excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in An Long.

Choose from these excursions* (extra expense):

• A visit to Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in Tram Chim National Park

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 9 - Tan Chau

Embark on a sampan to Evergreen Island for a walk through a traditional village, glimpsing into the lives of the local farming community. Travel back to Tan Chau, and as part of our EmeraldPLUS excursion, visit the recently renovated Cao Dai temple. The religion of Cao Dai is a syncretic montheistic religion established in 1926 in the city of Tay Ninh, southern Vietnam, Here, you wll learn more about the mix of ideas that forms the basis of this fascinating religion. Afterwards, ride in a Xe Loi (local form of cyclo) from the temple back to your sampan to visit a Mekong fish farm. Back on board your luxury Star-Ship, you’ll cruise to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia, celebrating the crossing with a Cambodian-style.

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 10 - Phnom Penh

Wake up in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The city, known as the “Pearl of Asia”, was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. This morning, you will learn more about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of the country’s history. A short drive will take you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. Here you will have the opportunity to walk through the fields, visit the memorial and learn about this sad historic chapter. Afterwards visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S-21). This is a former school that was converted to the main prison and torture headquarters of the Khmer Rouge. Spend the afternoon Vietnam & Cambodia with Mekong River Cruise. Receive a traditional Buddhist blessing at the Oudong Monastery Golden paths guide you in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as you please exploring our DiscoverMORE excursions or simply relaxing on board Emerald Harmony. In the evening, as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme you will have a chance to experience an evening remork (local Tuk-Tuk) ride through Phnom Penh to enjoy the city lights.

Choose from these excursions* (extra expense):

• A silk farm tour at Koh Oknha
• Craft Beer Adventure by remork

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 11 - Phnom Penh

Located north of Phnom Penh, Oudong was the former royal capital of Cambodia up until it moved to Phnom Penh in 1866. Important remnants on the temple site include the burial sites of Khmer kings as well as religious artifacts dating back more than a hundred years. In the main temple of the Oudong Monastery, receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the temple’s resident monks as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme. In the afternoon, you will visit the majestic Royal Palace with its gardens, followed by the Central Market located in the heart of the city. Back on board, as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation. Afterwards set sail, gliding past the illuminated Phnom Penh at night for a short sail to Koh Khsach Krao.

Meals included: (B, L, D)

Day 12 - Koh Khsach Krao Disembarkation

Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning and continue by road to Siem Reap for your included three-night stay. Stay at the beautiful Shinta Mani, a deluxe boutique property of world-class design that takes great care in honouring the environment and paying homage to the traditional and local aesthetics. This evening as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme, attend Phare, The Cambodian Circus, where a combination of acrobatics, music and dance tell a uniquely Cambodian story.

Meals included: (B, L)

Day 13 - Siem Reap

Today, start with a visit to Angkor Thom, not a single temple such as the historic sites it neighbours, but rather one of the most remarkable royal cities of the Angkor Period and an architectural wonder. As the last capital of the Khmer Empire, it was a fortified city, home to priests, officials of the palace, military and buildings for administering the kingdom. Afterwards, visit the sacred Temple of Ta Prohm. In an incredible
standoff between human creation and nature, the jungle’s root systems have reclaimed this spiritual location now enshrouded in wild vegetation. The backdrop to many Hollywood scenes, the incredible Ta Prohm is both a cinematic and contemplative location. This evening is free to visit ‘Pub Street’ or try a DiscoverMORE option this evening.

Choose from these excursions* (extra expense):

• Sunset Drinks Gondola Boat at Bayon
• Dinner in the Rice Field
• Cambodian Street Food Discovery

Meals included: (B, L)

Day 14 - Siem Reap

Rise early and witness the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Afterwards walk through this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site known for its elaborate decorations and intricate carvings throughout. This afternoon is free time to visit the town and markets or try a DiscoverMORE tour. Later this evening, enjoy your farewell dinner as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme, accompanied by an Apsara dance performance.

Choose from these excursions* (extra expense):Vespa tour of Siem Reap

• A visit to Banteay Srei
• A visit to Tonlé Sap
• Aculinary tour of Cambodia
• Senteurs d’Angkor Workshop

Meals included: (B, D)

Day 15 & 16 - Depart Siem Reap / USA

Transfer from your hotel to the airport and return home with memories of life enriching experiences of your amazing adventure through Cambodia and Vietnam.

Meals included: (B)

Itinerary subject to change. *Excursions are an extra expense not included in the price noted.