Embark on a 10-day cruise aboard the Scenic Spirit from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap. Experience a nine-night journey through the Mekong River region, offering a balanced and insightful look into the diverse cultures of southern Vietnam and Cambodia. Gain a clearer understanding of Vietnam’s historical layers in the Mekong Delta, shaped by colonial influence, before exploring Phnom Penh’s energetic streets. Continue along the river to encounter life in traditional Cambodian villages, where local customs and community life remain central. The journey concludes in Siem Reap, a gateway to ancient heritage and modern Cambodian identity. This cruise provides a steady pace and a grounded perspective on a region rich in contrasts and daily rhythms.
Highlights
Explore Cai Be’s vibrant markets and local cottage industries
Wander Sa Dec’s bustling wet market and Huynh Thuy Le’s home
Visit Tan Chau’s colorful Cao Dai temple and floating fish farms
Discover Chau Doc’s temples and tranquil Vinh Te canal by sampan
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
Welcome to Vietnam. Begin your journey with a comfortable, air-conditioned transfer to the Caravelle Hotel Saigon, ideally situated in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. At 12:00, meet your Tour Director for a briefing and to drop off your luggage and passport. Then, join your fellow guests for a group lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to My Tho.
Upon arrival in My Tho, board the Scenic Spirit and enjoy a welcome cocktail reception hosted by your Cruise Director. Explore the ship’s amenities and settle into your private suite. Following a chef-prepared welcome dinner, your personal butler remains on call to deliver your preferred pillows or a nightcap. The day concludes with a peaceful four-hour sail, anchoring overnight near Cai Be.
Please ensure your flight arrives in Ho Chi Minh City before 08:00 AM.
Begin your day with a gourmet breakfast, including champagne, before setting out to explore Cai Be.
Freechoice: Choose to travel via sampan to Tan Phong, a small island located near Cai Be town that is rich in alluvial soil suitable for tropical fruit orchards all year round. With a total area of more than 1,000 hectares, surrounded by silted sandbanks, canals and a mild temperature, Tan Phong has long been a friendly destination for eco-tourism. On arrival, try a hands-on experience at a workshop specialised in weaving water hyacinth into artistic crafts. Board a motorised buggy for a ride through endless fruit orchards, stopping to enjoy the tropical fruits and interact with a farm owner. Reboard the sampan and cruise to Cái Bè town to discover the local cottage industry where families make rice-paper and sweets from pop-corn, pop-rice and coconut.
Alternatively take a sampan from the Scenic Spirit to savor a delicious afternoon tea at the Le Longanier, a French colonial house restaurant, where staff will welcome you with tea, coffee and a range of local fruit and snacks for your tasting. You can dive into a local experience with a band playing music and performing traditional Vietnamese songs.
If you would prefer to enjoy the comforts of your ship, the highly skilled bar team is ready to welcome you to a hands-on cocktail/mocktail making class featuring fresh local ingredients.
After your morning activity, head back to the ship for lunch whilst sailing to Sa Dec. Relax and soak in the beauty of the scenery, visit the on-board library to read up on future ports, or head to the Scenic Spirit lounge to unwind with fellow guests over a glass of wine.
Board your sampan once again to explore the lively wet market where you can meet the sellers and marvel at their wares, including live fish, frogs and even snakes. This two-hour exploration will take you deep into the local lifestyle. You can also see the grand home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, a Chinese merchant who inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant. Your expert guide will reveal the secrets behind this passionate tale of tragic love.
After returning to the ship, you can have time to take an evening dip in the pool overlooking the Mekong as the sun sets. Before dinner, experience a fantastically themed dinner on board the Spirit along with a lion dance performed by locals on the expansive Sundeck. The ship will set sail after your arrival back on board for the 6-hour journey to Tan Chau.
You may want to start with some exercise in the on-board gym, try stretching at the early morning yoga class or relax in the sauna. Then set off to discover the areas surrounding Tan Chau.
Freechoice: You could leave the city life behind at Tra Su Bird Sanctuary in Tra Su Forest. Travel by sampan through endless tranquil waterways, flanked by mangroves and lush greenery. This eco reserve spans 850 hectares and is an ecological haven for fauna and flora, home to more than 100 species of waterbirds.
Or experience a traditional way of life on Evergreen Island, joining local farmers for a morning of discovery. Back in Tan Chau, ride in a xe loi, a three-wheeled bicycle rickshaw that was introduced by the French in the 19th century and is a common form of transportation in rural Vietnam. Visit the recently renovated, brightly colored Cao Dai temple. Caodaism is a new religion, established in 1926 in the southern Vietnamese city of Tây Ninh, and brings together beliefs and practices from Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism. Here, you can learn more about the mix of ideas that form the basis of this fascinating religion.
For your third choice, board a speedboat to visit Chau Doc, a major city in the Mekong Delta, and Tay An temple. Set at the foot of Sam Mountain, this elaborate temple is a mixture of Indian and Islamic architecture. Afterwards, board another sampan to visit Vinh Te canal and view life along the riverfront of Chau Doc, before stopping at a family-operated fish farm on your way back to Scenic Spirit.
After lunch upon your arrival back on board, enjoy sailing to the Vietnamese and Cambodian border. Some down time is a great way to relax and what better way to do that than heading to the Wellness Center or Beauty Salon for a bit of pampering.
After clearing the border crossing procedure, the morning is at your leisure. Attend an on-board demonstration, enjoy some solitude in the library and observation lounge, or soak in the scenery from your private balcony whilst sailing upstream from the Vietnamese border to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
Even the most developing countries have a standard of luxury and opulence. You can experience this this afternoon after arriving in Phnom Penh at the Royal Palace with the famous Silver Pagoda within, on your included visit to this must-see attraction.
Sunset Drinks
Later this evening, revel in Phnom Penh by City Lights tour. Witness the nightlife of the capital before stopping at a local rum distillery for your exclusive Scenic Sunset Drinks experience, including a private tour and tasting.
After breakfast, it will be time to head out and explore the city.
Freechoice:
You can choose to journey to the infamous Killing Fields and take a tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed inside a former prison. These sites are a sobering reminder of the terrors unleashed by the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. This moving tour will give you a deeper insight into the tumultuous history of Cambodia and the resilience of its people.
Passionate foodies may like to choose a hands-on cooking class. Take a trip to the bustling market with a local chef to purchase your ingredients, then head back to the kitchen to cook your own lunch, testing out the styles and flavors of Cambodian cuisine.
Alternatively, travel by remok, a local style of tuk tuk, to explore the French architecture and history of Phnom Penh. Finish the tour with shopping at the Central Market, famed for its unique Art Deco design and bright yellow facade.
At the conclusion of your tour, return to Scenic Spirit for lunch. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Later this evening before dinner enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organization.
Board a bus this morning for the short drive to the ancient capital of Cambodia, Oudong. Here, experience the life of the monks and nuns who reside at the peaceful monastery. If you are lucky, you may be able to partake in one of the many festivals and traditional rituals often held here.
Return to Scenic Spirit for lunch before setting sail towards Oknha Tey, dedicated to the art of silk weaving. Travel by tuk tuk to the farm and learn about the process of silk production.
Sunset Drinks
Get an outfit ready for an evening of style with a Sundowner cocktail reception on the sundeck against the backdrop of Phnom Penh’s stunning scenery as the ships departs to Angkor Ban.
With travelling throughout South-East Asia comes the heat and what better way to cool down than socialising with a fresh cocktail and dipping your toes in the pool during your morning sail towards Angkor Ban. Learn the many ways to wear a krama, the traditional Cambodian scarf.
After lunch, call at Angkor Ban, a small settlement where time stands still. Explore its historic wooden houses, which date back over 100 years and survived the destruction of the Khmer Rouge. You can also visit a local school that teaches English to the students alongside their regular lessons. Back on board, learn the many ways to wear a krama, the traditional Cambodian scarf, as the ship sails towards Kampong Cham and Wat Hanchey.
Day 9: Wat Hanchey | Kampong Cham
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Meet the novice monks at Wat Hanchey, an ancient hilltop pagoda and monastery. Walk (or drive) to the top and soak in some of the best elevated views of the cruise.
Enrich
Receive a traditional blessing from a monk and learn how to pray in a Buddhist pagoda before partaking in an alms ceremony, which contributes to the daily meal of the resident monks.
Sail back to Kampong Cham.
Freechoice:
This afternoon, explore Kampong Cham and its surrounds. Choose to learn about local folklore at Phnom Pros, a mountaintop pagoda that has long been part of a traditional legend. Tragically, in more modern times, the site was used as a Killing Field by the Khmer Rouge. The temple now features a Buddha Garden and is home to a local troop of monkeys. Afterwards, visit Wat Nokor Bachey, a unique architectural experiment that blends an Angkorian era temple with a new temple built inside it.
Alternatively, explore Kampong Cham’s history and industry with a drive past shop houses, remnants of the French colonial era, and the large Central market. Visit a local rubber plantation established by the French before stopping at a village known for growing betel nut, an important part of Cambodian culture.
Your third option today is a visit to Kho Penh Village. Located on Pen (Bamboo) Island, it’s only accessible by local remork after crossing by bamboo bridge or ferry from Kampong Cham. This remote village gives you a fascinating insight into the simple, rural lifestyle of farmers in Cambodia.
Back on board, you can have time to relax and overlook the gorgeous sunset of the Cambodian skyline before your engaging farewell dinner with the crew.
Day 10: Mekong Cruise | Siem Reap | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Today, journey to Siem Reap via stops at Kampong Tom and the Angkorian bridge in Kampong Kdei. It is time to bid farewell to your fellow travellers and Scenic team as you get ready to depart Cambodia for your homeland or extended travels. Transfer to the airport and leave with a full camera and stunning memories to treasure.
Please book your flight to depart out of Siem Reap after 06:00 PM.
This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. Disruptions to cruising and alteration to itinerary arrangements may occur.
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.
$10,490
Please confirm embark/disembark locations before reserving flights, as this itinerary operates in reverse on alternating departures.
Rates are subject to change without notice. Book early to get the best rate.
Select a Date
Deluxe Suite (C)
32m2/344ft2 - These spacious Suites are located on the Jewel, Sapphire, and Diamond Decks. Each has a private full-length balcony, walk-in wardrobe, and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.
Select a Date
Deluxe Suite (CA)
32m2/344ft2 - These spacious Suites are located on the Jewel, Sapphire, and Diamond Decks. Each has a private full-length balcony, walk-in wardrobe, and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.
Select a Date
Deluxe Suite (BA)
32m2/344ft2 - These spacious Suites are located on the Jewel, Sapphire, and Diamond Decks. Each has a private full-length balcony, walk-in wardrobe, and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.
Select a Date
Deluxe Suite (BB)
32m2/344ft2 - These spacious Suites are located on the Jewel, Sapphire, and Diamond Decks. Each has a private full-length balcony, walk-in wardrobe, and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.
Select a Date
Deluxe Suite (B)
32m2/344ft2 - These spacious Suites are located on the Jewel, Sapphire, and Diamond Decks. Each has a private full-length balcony, walk-in wardrobe, and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.
Select a Date
Deluxe Suite (A)
32m2/344ft2 - These spacious Suites are located on the Jewel, Sapphire, and Diamond Decks. Each has a private full-length balcony, walk-in wardrobe, and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.
Select a Date
Grand Deluxe Suite (RD)
40m2/430ft2 - These eight suites on the Diamond Deck are the ultimate in luxury with more space, impeccable service and thoughtful touches. Enjoy an outdoor balcony, separate lounge and dining area, extra-large walk in wardrobe and a luxurious oversized bathroom.
Select a Date
Royal Panorama Suite
80m2/861ft2 - This is the largest suite on the Mekong river. Being up forward on the Diamond Deck, enjoy fantastic views of the passing scenery from your private terrace with an outdoor Jacuzzi and day bed. Both Suites have a separate lounge and dining area, walk-in dressing room, and a luxurious oversized bathroom offering a separate bathtub, toilet, and shower.
Initial deposit is Varies on itinerary, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure by Visa or Mastercard. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
For full cancellation policy details, please contact us for a quote.
Included
9 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches, 9 Dinners
8 Nights Accommodations
Accommodations as listed
Ground transportation as listed
Activities as listed
Meals as listed
Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Wifi
Porterage
Port taxes and charges
All tipping and gratuities
Complimentary beverages
Excluded
Travel Insurance
Personal Expenses
Flight costs (please request a quote)
Additional excursions during free time
Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
Select drinks including a very small number of rare, fine and vintage wines, champagnes and spirits are not included in the package and may be available at an additional charge
Passport or Visa fees
All travel invoice risks. We strongly recommend you to take out comprehensive travel insurance with a reputable insurance company to cover you against risks associated with your tour. Including cover for loss of luggage, medical expense, and cost and expenses incurred due to cancellations, delays, or other disruptions
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Everything is streamlined so far. It seems that tour is property planned and there would be no surprises.
Apjeet Singh Button
2 hours ago
Erin seemed to know all about Galapagos locations and travel
Ted Farber
18 hours ago
Working with a company that is in USA and had english speaking helpers.
tamara helland
20 hours ago
Replied quickly
Could understand person clearly.
Dianne
4 days ago
He gave us honest information about different options we were considering, and he made everything happen in our shortened timeframe. We would be happy to work with him again!
Sarah Wilce
6 days ago
Everything is streamlined so far. It seems that tour is property planned and there would be no surprises.
Apjeet Singh Button
2 hours ago
Erin seemed to know all about Galapagos locations and travel
Ted Farber
18 hours ago
Working with a company that is in USA and had english speaking helpers.
tamara helland
20 hours ago
Replied quickly
Could understand person clearly.
Dianne
4 days ago
He gave us honest information about different options we were considering, and he made everything happen in our shortened timeframe. We would be happy to work with him again!
Sarah Wilce
6 days ago
Everything is streamlined so far. It seems that tour is property planned and there would be no surprises.
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