Mekong River Cruise & Angkor Wat - 7 Days

Highlights

• Enjoy a four-night cruise on the legendary Mekong River
• Visit palaces and museums in the capital of Cambodia
• Spend two days touring the famous temples at Angkor

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Transfer to My Tho, Mekong Cruise Day 1

Welcome to southern Vietnam! You'll arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon and today the most populous and modern city in the nation. However, nestled amid the glimmering skyscrapers towering over the Saigon River are historical landmarks, like cathedrals and opera houses, that harken back to the days of French colonialism. And traditional Vietnamese culture also remains strong here, even in the face of ever-encroaching modernity.

Save city life for another trip because, on arrival at the airport, a driver will meet you for the 1.5-hour transfer south to My Tho. This river city is located in Tien Giang province at the doorstep of the famous Mekong Delta. Known as Vietnam's rice bowl, this region is full of coconut groves, fruit orchards, and green rice paddies.

Once there, you'll board the Mekong Navigator, a luxurious riverboat, and begin a memorable four-night cruise. As you settle into your elegant suite, the ship will get underway, cruising west toward the idyllic delta town of Cai Be. After a welcome reception on the sundeck to meet the friendly crew, you'll sit down to a Mekong-themed dinner. Created by the onboard chef, it features exotic flavors and locally sourced produce—a delicious intro to regional Vietnamese cuisine.

Day 2: Mekong Cruise Day 2: Rafting & Villages Tour

Fuel up for the exciting day ahead with a delectable breakfast on the ship. Later, you'll board a traditional sampan (flat-bottomed raft) for a ride around the Mekong waterways. Accompanied by an English-speaking guide, you'll pass many of this region's most famous landmarks and locales, like coconut groves, floating villages, and wooden stilt houses. Then, ride into the narrower canals of Cai Be, stopping briefly to visit a traditional Vietnamese home and garden. Later, you'll visit a rice-processing factory to see how locals make fashion various products from rice, like paper, wine, and popped rice.

Upon returning to the Navigator, savor a sumptuous buffet lunch while the ship sails upstream amid gorgeous riverine scenery toward Sa Dec. This port city on the river is a major agricultural center, which you'll see on a visit to local villages. Rounding out the day's experiences will be tours of local temples, historic houses, and even a calligraphy demonstration. You'll also browse the town market, a hub of activity and energy filled with vendors selling fresh produce, seafood, and other items. You'll overnight onboard the ship.

Day 3: Mekong Cruise Day 3: Farms, Villages & Weaving Workshops

It's another day of discovery on the Mekong. This morning, hop on a sampan once again and ride over to a traditional farming village on the riverbank. Take a walk along green fields, interact with the villagers, and learn about their daily lives, which haven't changed much over the generations. You'll even get to enjoy fresh coconut.

Then, visit the home of a local family for a cup of honey tea and fresh fruit as you listen to the beautiful melodies of don ca tai tu, traditional music from southern Vietnam. Following this, you'll be treated to an exciting martial arts performance by the village teenagers.

The sampan ride continues to another island village, Hong Ngu, near the Vietnam-Cambodia border. The villagers here are known for their handmade Khmer scarves, produced in local homes and exported to Cambodia for sale. While here, you'll visit a workshop and observe the traditional weaving and embroidery techniques passed down over generations. Before returning to the sampan, take a leisurely walk in the countryside and visit the home of a war veteran to learn about this crucial chapter in the nation's history and hear his life stories.

Day 4: Mekong Cruise Day 4: Free Day on the Mekong

Free time on the cruise ship! After breakfast, you'll have the entire day to relax on the sundeck and dive into the ample amenities onboard the Navigator. If you like, spend a few hours in a lounger enjoying the peaceful riverine scenery. You can also visit the onboard library and engage yourself with a selection of books by authors enchanted by Southeast Asia. There's also an onboard spa to soothe your tired muscles and reinvigorate the body.

Eventually, the ship will cross over into Cambodia, and later in the evening, it will dock close to the capital of Phnom Penh. Marvel at the bright lights of this metropolis illuminating the riverbanks as you enjoy one last dinner on board the ship, followed by more cultural activities. You'll spend your last night on the river in your cabin.

Day 5: Disembark & Tour Phnom Penh, Fly to Siem Reap (Cambodia), City Tour

Your grand Mekong adventure concludes this morning. After one last breakfast onboard the Navigator, you'll bid farewell to the crew and disembark in Phnom Penh. This grand metropolis of over two million people was founded in the 14th century and became the capital after the fall of the Angkor Empire. There's been a lot of history in the intervening centuries, much of it represented in the city's famous temples, museums, and Art Deco buildings from the French Colonial era. You'll have the day to visit Phnom Penh's most iconic sites on a guided tour.

During this four-hour excursion, you'll hit the highlights, starting with the Royal Palace, home to Cambodian royalty. This 19th-century architectural marvel features intricate carvings and towering spires that exemplify Khmer design. Also, here is the Silver Pagoda, one of Southeast Asia's most impressive Buddhist temples. These days it serves as a repository for cultural treasures such as a life-size golden Buddha encrusted with 2086 diamonds.

Next, make your way to the National Museum, which showcases artifacts spanning millenniums-worth of Khmer history dating to pre-Angkorian times. Continue to Wat Phnom Temple, one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh, which dates to 1373. At the end of the day, you'll transfer to the airport and catch a one-hour flight north to Siem Reap. This town is the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor, which you'll visit tomorrow. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and settle in for the evening.

Day 6: Day Trip to Angkor: Bayon Temple & Angkor Wat

Today, you'll visit Angkor Thom (literally "Great City"), which comprises the ruins of what was once the most impressive royal city of Cambodia's Angkor period. During its heyday in the 12th and 13th centuries, it was also a formidable defensive area, protected by 26-foot (8 m) walls and a wide moat.

Looming over Angkor Thom is Bayon Temple. Comprised of 54 Gothic towers, King Jayavarman VII commissioned it in the 12th century, and his smiling face and glaring eyes are represented in its 216 stone sculptures. Other structures you'll visit here include the Terrace of the Elephants (featuring sculptures and bas-reliefs of elephants), Phimeanakas (a three-tiered pyramid), and the Terrace of the Leper King, known for its carvings of demons and mythological figures.

After Angkor Thom, you'll tour the most famous temple in Southeast Asia: Angkor Wat. This 12th-century complex covers 200 acres (81 ha), and its five towers are so iconic they're actually emblazoned on the Cambodian flag. On a walking tour, immerse yourself in the ruins as you stroll through its galleries, libraries, pavilions, and courtyards. Later, you'll return to your hotel.

Day 7: Sunrise at Angkor Wat & Temples, Depart Siem Reap

Wake up at the break of dawn to experience Angkor in the most memorable way possible: on a sunrise tour. Meet your guide bright and return to Angkor Wat in time to see the temple towers awash in dawn's golden glow. Not only is it a beautiful spectacle, but a tranquil one too. Fewer visitors are in the area at this time, meaning you'll experience the majesty of the temple complex in relaxing silence, save for the morning birdsong. Afterward, you'll return to the hotel and enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

Later in the morning, you'll visit Banteay Srey, a 10th-century Hindu temple made of pink sandstone, almost every inch of which is adorned with intricate designs. The name Banteay Srey translates to "Citadel of Women," and it's indeed likely that women completed the elegant carvings depicting scenes from the Sanskrit epic "Ramayana." Whoever built it, Banteay Srey, is regarded as the finest example of Khmer art in the world.

The adventure isn't over yet. In the early afternoon, you'll visit Ta Prohm, a 12th-century Buddhist temple whose crumbling towers have been all but absorbed by the surrounding jungle. Next up is Ta Keo. This sandstone pyramid temple is unique in that it remains largely unfinished after King Jayavarman V first commissioned it in the 10th century. After touring the pyramid, you'll leave Angkor, transfer to the airport in Siem Reap, and catch your flight home. Come back soon!

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