Vietnam and Cambodia: Cruising the Mekong River

Monday–Tuesday, October 2–3 : HOME/HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON), VIETNAM
Depart home on an overnight flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival on the 3rd, transfer to the Park Hyatt hotel. The evening is at leisure to rest or explore on your own. PARK HYATT SAIGON

Wednesday, October 4: HO CHI MINH CITY
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s most economically dynamic city, and the streets are always abuzz with activity. During a motorcoach tour, drive past the city’s best-known monuments—Notre Dame Cathedral, City Hall, the Old Saigon Post Office, and the Presidential Palace. After lunch, take an excursion accompanied by a local expert to the Cu Chi tunnels, a vast underground network that hid thousands of Viet Cong guerrillas and Vietnamese villagers during the Vietnam War. This evening enjoy the company of fellow travelers at a welcome dinner. PARK HYATT SAIGON (B,L,D)

Thursday, October 5: HO CHI MINH CITY (EMBARK)
Visit the Ben Thanh market, where anything and everything is for sale, including handicrafts, traditional clothing and textiles, and local food specialties. Embark the intimate and elegant Mekong Princess, your home for the next seven nights, and begin cruising the Mekong River. MEKONG PRINCESS (B,L,D)

Friday, October 6: BEN TRE/CAN THO
Today, cruise by sampan (small wooden boat) through a channel lined with mangroves to a coconut candy maker. After walking through a small village, travel aboard horsedrawn carts to a local pier and board small boats to explore narrow creeks lined with Nipah palms. This afternoon, cruise through an area barely touched by tourism to Can Tho, the main city of the Mekong Delta and its economic, cultural and transportation center. Take a guided walking tour and enjoy a free evening to visit the night market and souvenir shops. MEKONG PRINCESS (B,L,D)

Saturday, October 7: CAN THO/HOA AN
Explore by sampan the fascinating Cai Rang market, a feast for the senses and a boon for photographers. Weave in and out among floating watercraft loaded with produce and anything the residents of the Mekong Delta need in their daily lives. Stop at a factory to learn how instant noodles are made, and tour a family-owned orchard to see and savor exotic Asian fruits. Continue to Hoa An, a small village known for its flowers and handicrafts. Meet with local families, including weavers who make hats and mats. MEKONG PRINCESS (B,L,D)

Sunday, October 8: GIENG ISLAND/HONG NGU
Visit a village on Gieng Island where local families make sampans. Continue along a canal to a remote riverside area with duck farms, a tropical orchard, and monkey bridges. Then ride on a xe lam (motorized trishaw) to visit Phanxico monastery, a historic Christian monastery built by the French in 1879. At several family homes, observe residents weaving and embroidering traditional Khmer scarves. Visit a temple dedicated to a unique form of Buddhism called Hòa Hâo, which focuses on aiding the poor. Cross the border into Cambodia and continue upstream. MEKONG PRINCESS (B,L,D)

Monday, October 9: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, retains vestiges of its French charm, including a riverfront corniche and some examples of French Colonial architecture. Ride along the riverfront aboard cyclos to the Silver Pagoda, home to an “Emerald Buddha” made of Baccarat crystal and a lifesize Buddha encrusted with diamonds. Stop at the National Museum for a comprehensive look at its spectacular collection of artifacts excavated in Angkor. MEKONG PRINCESS (B,L,D)

Tuesday, October 10: PHNOM PENH
Travel to the killing fields of Choeung Ek, the center of the darkest days of Cambodian history. Walk through the fields, visit the small museum and Memorial Stupa, and learn more about the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime. On the return drive to Phnom Penh, stop at Tuol Sleng (infamously known as S-21), which was converted by the Khmer Rouge from a school to a prison and torture headquarters. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the city of Phnom Penh. Back aboard the Mekong Princess, enjoy a cultural performance including Apsara, Cambodia’s national dance, as well as several traditional folk dances. MEKONG PRINCESS (B,L,D)

Wednesday, October 11: ANGKOR BAN
Angkor Ban is a unique village on the banks of the Mekong, one of the few that survived destruction under the Khmer Rouge regime. Centuries-old houses stand on stilts above water while the bustle of local life swirls below. Visit the pagoda for a special blessing ceremony by local Buddhist monks and stop at the local monastery before returning to the ship. MEKONG PRINCESS (B,L,D)

Thursday, October 12: KAMPONG CHAM/SIEM REAP
Disembark in Kampong Cham and transfer to Siem Reap, the gateway to magnificent Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the remains of the capitals of the Khmer Empire. In the afternoon, enjoy a visit and audio tour of the Ankgor National Museum to learn all about the history of the Khmer civilization. Through the use of interactive exhibits, develop a deeper understanding of the customs, traditions and different beliefs of the ancient empire, giving you a great foundation for the remarkable temples you will see the next day. Enjoy dinner on your own and an evening at leisure. RAFFLES GRAND D’ANGKOR (B,L)

Friday, October 13: ANGKOR/SIEM REAP
Spend an entire morning exploring the grandest of the temples, fabled Angkor Wat, a miniature universe carved in stone. Its central tower represents mythical Mt. Meru, home of the gods. Intricate carvings of deities and demons, graceful Apsaras (female spirits of the clouds and waters), and scenes of everyday life grace its corridors. In the afternoon, travel around Siem Reap by tuk tuk (auto rickshaw) on an art tour, visiting galleries and artisan workshops to view the arts and crafts of the region. Dinner is on your own this evening. RAFFLES GRAND D’ANGKOR (B,L)

Saturday, October 14: ANGKOR/SIEM REAP
Early this morning visit Bakheng Temple, the perfect vantage point for a sunrise view over Angkor Wat and the surrounding plain. After a picnic breakfast, relax on a traditional Khmer gondola ride to Angkor Thom, once an enormous walled city, to investigate the temple at its heart. Its 55 large and small towers are topped by carved heads, each one wearing a mysterious smile. In the afternoon, when the light is best, visit Ta Prohm, a silent ruin shrouded in jungle vegetation. This evening bid farewell to your fellow travelers during a festive farewell dinner with live Cambodian music and dance performances. RAFFLES GRAND D’ANGKOR (B,L,D)

Sunday, October 15: SIEM REAP/HOME
This morning transfer to the airport for flights home, crossing the International Date Line and arriving the same day. (B)