Discover the colorful culture and rich history of Vietnam and Cambodia on this 14-day cruise along the Mekong River. Begin your adventure with a tour of Hanoi and sail down the Mekong on your way towards Siem Reap. Make daily stops to discover the limestone islands dotting the emerald-colored bay of Halong, visit the Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral, explore My Tho Islands in small boats, and discover the temple at Banteay Srei.
Highlights
Tour Hanoi and visit the outside of the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Visit the National History Museum and explore at a lacquer-ware factory
Discover Phnom Penh and experience a trip in a “tuk tuk”
Explore the famous temple of Angkor Wat, a masterpiece of Khmer architecture
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Participation in today's activities will depend on your arival time in Hanoi. If you arrive between 6am and 10am, your program will be:
Spend the day on a guided tour of the capital, visiting the outside of the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh's humble stilt house behind the mausoleum, and the unique One Pillar Pagoda Buddhist temple. Visit the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius. After lunch in town (between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.), take a pedi-cab ride. Have a tour of the local "Embassy Row" with its French colonial-style architecture. This evening, watch a traditional water puppetry show and have dinner in the city. You’ll check into a 5-star hotel.
Leave early in the morning for Halong Bay (approx. 3.5 hours travel time). You’ll be welcomed on board, enjoy a cocktail and have lunch. You'll begin your cruise to discover the thousands of various limestone islands dotting the emerald-colored bay. You’ll enjoy dinner on board this evening. Your ship will remain anchored overnight.
Rise early in the morning and participate in a Tai Chi class on deck. Continue your cruise through the bay, discovering more of its extraordinary scenery and visiting one of the largest caves. This morning, brunch is served on board. Disembark at 11:00 and return to Hanoi. Before arriving, stop off at the Dinh Bang communal hall, one of the largest and finest communal houses in Vietnam. Once you arrive in Hanoi, check into the Movenpick Hotel (or similar accommodations). Finish up your day with a traditional water puppetry show, have dinner in the city, and spend the night at the hotel.
You'll fly to Ho Chi Minh City. You will tour the city: Reunification palace, Notre Dame cathedral and Central Post office. Lunch in a local restaurant. Visit Cholon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, including its hectic market. After comfortably settling into your cabins, you’ll be introduced by your crew at a welcome cocktail and have dinner. Remain in port overnight.
Leave by coach for the Cu Chi tunnels, an immense network of underground tunnels that were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches. Lunch will be served on board then visit to the Museum of Vietnamese History. Then return on board and head for Chao Gao Canal. Enjoy dinner and an evening on board. Have dinner on board this evening.
Continue your cruise toMy Tho along the magnificent Chao Gao Canal. Visit of a bee farm and enjoy some honey tea and exotic fruit. Lunch. Discover a brick and pottery factory as well as a traditional factory producing puffed riced, rice-paper wrappers used to make nems, and rice alcohol. Night on board.
Visit of Sa Dec and discovery of the local market and visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover on. Return on board your ship and have lunch. Sailing towards Cambodia. Night on board.
Breakfast on board. Located on the border between Cambodia and Vietnam, the prosperous city of Chau Doc has developed around fish and fish farming. Pay a visit to the Ba Chua Xu Temple and the Tay An Pagoda. Lunch on board. Arrival in the evening in Phnom Penh. Dinner on board. Remain in port overnight.
Enjoy a tour of the fabulous Royal Palace, one of the most impressive examples of Cambodian architecture, and its Silver Pagoda. Onward to visit the National Museum. After lunch in town, you can pay a visit to the Tuol Svay Prey School, a former detention, torture, and execution center run by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war. Afterwards, enjoy some free time at the market. As you get back on board, you will enjoy an Apsara dance show. Dinner and overnight on board, in the port of Phnom Penh. Free evening.
Day 10: Koh Chen | Kampong Tralach | Kampong Chhnang
Visit of Koh Chen, a small village where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work. Lunch.Visit of the beautiful Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda you need to cross the village of Kampong Tralach in ox carts, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. Your ship will remain anchored overnight.
Visit of Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap. Here they also have many fish farms. The region is best known for its fine traditional pottery which is a major source of revenue for the entire country. Tasting of some local products. Lunch. then continue our cruise to lake Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in southeast Asia which forms the heart of the hydraulic system of the Mekong. Cocktail and gala dinner tonight. Your ship will remain anchored overnight.
Spend the morning cruising. Disembarkation, and lunch. Visit of the famous temple of Angkor Wat, masterpiece of Khmer architecture. This is the most famous and most imposing of all the monuments in Angkor. Enjoy a stroll through the Angkor Night Market. Dinner and overnight in hotel (Accommodations will be at either a 4-star or 5-star hotel according to the cruise you choose).
Visit of the temple at Ta Prohm. Today nature has taken over the site and the result is stunning: trees spring out from the temple buildings and thick roots now cover the temple. This afternoon explore Angkor Thom, have a wander in the heart of the ancient Royal palace where the sanctuary of Phimeanakas is located, then you visit the terrace of the Elephants and the terrace of the Leper King. Lunch. Visit of the temple at Banteay Srei, which means "the citadel of women”. Dinner. Then, enjoy a show with Phare, the Cambodian circus. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 14: Siem Reap
1 Breakfast
Visit of the "Senteurs d'Angkor” (or perfume workshop), where they make candles, soaps and prepare spices. Afterwards, we visit the workshops of the "Artisans d'Angkor”, where young Cambodians are trained in the art of traditional wood carving and stonework based on long-standing Khmer craftwork traditions. Lunch in the hotel. Please do not book your flight before 5p.m.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$5,282
Rates are dynamic and fluctuate based on capacity. Contact us for a specific quote.
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Main Deck
8 outside-facing cabins on the main deck equipped with two low beds that can be moved together; ample storage space; private bathroom with shower; air-conditioning; safe; hair dryer; and dresser.
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Upper Deck
18 outside-facing cabins on the upper deck equipped with two low beds that can be moved together; ample storage space; private bathroom with shower; air-conditioning; safe; hair dryer; and dresser.
Notes
20% discount on children between 2-10 years
30% discount for 3rd person in triple cabin
Initial deposit is 30%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure by Bank transfer or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
1 day ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
3 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
4 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
