Charms of the Mekong with Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap, Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

Ho Chi Minh City, still affectionately referred to by locals as Saigon, is Vietnam's former capital. Once known as the “Paris of the Orient,” it is now an industrial, cultural and educational hub.

Always bustling, Ho Chi Minh City is a city of contrasts blending old and new, and east and west. In the morning, explore some of the city's most famous landmarks, including the former Presidential Palace, the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and the War Remnants Museum. In the afternoon, visit Cu Chi, an immense underground network built during the Vietnam War. (B/L)

Excursions:

• Morning city tour and Cu Chi Tunnels
• Afternoon Cu Chi

Transfer via motorcoach from Ho Chi Minh City to AmaDara at My Tho Port for your 7-night river cruise and then meet fellow travelers at a Welcome Dinner as the ship cruises to Cai Be. (L/D) * All cruise only guests should meet us at Sofitel Saigon Plaza at 11:30am in Ho Chi Minh City on Embarkation day to join the transfer to the ship in My Tho Port. We recommend that you fly into Ho Chi Minh at least one day prior to embarkation; please inquire about important arrival arrangements prior to your cruise.

Excursions:

• Morning visit Ben Thanh Market
• Transfer to My Tho
• Welcome Dinner

Take a local boat to Cai Be. You will have an opportunity to visit candy and rice paper making workshops, or you may also choose to add an active walking tour to the historic Kiet House followed by a visit to candy and rice paper workshops. Later in the day, journey to Sa Dec, a sprawling town on the Mekong Delta, where French writer Marguerite Duras spent part of her youth. You will visit the colorful market, Cao Dai Temple, home to the unique religion of Caodaism in Southern Vietnam. It is a fusion of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Confucianism. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Local boat ride
• Visit local workshops OR Local workshops and active walking tour to historic Kiet House
• Local boat ride to Sa Dec
• Visit to local market and temple

Enjoy a visit to Tan Chau, a small Mekong River town unspoiled by tourism. Be treated to an authentic experience on a traditional “xe-loi” (trishaw) ride around the town, with stops at silk-making and rattan mat workshops. You may also choose the trishaw ride with visits to craftsmen's workshops, followed by an active walking tour to “Evergreen Island.” As a third alternative, explore the stunning Mekong Delta on an intimate tour through Vietnam's Tra Su Forest and Sanctuary. Board a traditional sampan boat and glide through this diverse ecosystem that includes more than 70 species of birds, including the painted stork and oriental darter, and lush greenery encompassing majestic cajuput trees, lotuses, water lilies and a carpet of bright green moss in the rainy season that appears to glow as you gently drift through it. Later in the day, cruise from Vietnam to the Cambodian border en route to Phnom Penh. (B/L/D)

*Please Note: Tra Su Forest visit is capacity controlled.

**You will need this information for your visa applications: Exit Point from Vietnam: Vinh Xuong; Entry point to Cambodia: Phnom Penh

Excursions:

• Trishaw ride to craftsmen's workshops OR Trishaw ride to craftmen's workshops and active walking tour to Evergreen Island OR Tra Su Forest and Sanctuary*
• Border Crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia

This morning, you will visit the Royal Palace, the spectacular Silver Pagoda and National Museum, which has an outstanding collection of Khmer crafts. Alternatively, you may wish to shop for unique treasures at the bustling, yellow colored Central Market after you visit to Royal Palace. After lunch on board, the excursion takes you to Cambodia's infamous Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge's grim Tuol Sleng S21 detention center (Genocide Museum). After returning to the ship, enjoy Khmer folk dancing performed by local children in the Saigon Lounge. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Royal Palace and National Museum OR Royal Palace and Central Market
• Killing Fields and Genocide Museum

Visit Oudong, Cambodia's former royal capital from the early 17th century until 1866. Today, Oudong is a place of pilgrimage for Cambodians. While here, be treated to a memorable Buddhist Blessing Ceremony at a monastery. You may walk around Oudong's monastery or take an active walking tour to see panoramic views of the Oudong plain. Later in the day, experience Phnom Penh via a tuk tuk ride and be enchanted by the city's French Colonial architecture and tree-lined boulevards set amidst monumental Angkorian architecture. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Buddhist Blessing Ceremony
• Tuk tuk tour

In the morning, set sail for Oknhatey Village. Oknhatey is the “Silk Island,” located on the lush banks of the Mekong River and known for its rich tradition of silk weaving. While here, you will visit a local elementary school and observe the traditional silk weaving, an art that has been preserved for centuries. Your cruise continues to sail to Angkor Ban. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Visit a Silk Village and local school

Go on a walking tour of Angkor Ban, one of the few villages in Cambodia that was not destroyed under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Here people still live in their traditional wooden abodes and keep their old cultural traditions alive. Hundreds of wooden houses stand intact on stilts, shaded with banana trees, among the hustle and bustle of the daily agricultural on-going of the local villagers. After visiting here, the ship sets sail for Kampong Cham, where you will go on an afternoon excursion to Wat Nokor, perhaps the most treasured monument within the ancient complex of Banteay Prey Nokor. Fusing the Old-World with the “new,” this centuries-old temple now boasts a contemporary pagoda within its walls, delighting guests with colorful depictions of the Buddha's life. Alternatively, visit the Twin Mountains, known as Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei (the male and female mountains). Cap the day off with a festive Farewell Dinner on board. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Walking tour
• Wat Nokor OR Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei “Twin Mountains” visit

Disembark in Kampong Cham and transfer by motorcoach to Siem Reap, gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former capital of the Khmer empire. You'll visit nearby Ta Prohm, known as the “Kingdom of the Trees,” for the way in which the temple stones have become intertwined with thick forest vegetation. (B/D)

Excursions:

• Transfer to Siem Reap
• Motor coach transfer to Siem Reap
• Ta Prohm Temple

Begin your morning exploration of the temple complex at Angkor Wat, the most iconic of all Angkorian temples, built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century to honor the Hindu god, Vishnu. An afternoon excursion takes you to see the fascinating jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, Banteay Srei, which means “Citadel of Women,” as it has been said that the carving is too fine to have been done by the hand of man. During the evening, be treated to a special “Apsara Dancing Show” at your hotel, featuring local Cambodian/Khmer folk dancers. (B/D)

Excursions:

• Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei

After breakfast, you will have a guided sightseeing tour of Angkor Thom meaning “the great city” and the last capital of the Khmer Empire. This is home to Bayon Temple, best known for its gigantic smiling stone faces, as well as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Later in the day, take a short flight to Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. (B)

Excursions:

• Angkor Thom
• Flight to Hanoi

From ancient temples to French Colonial architecture and modern-day skyscrapers, along with beautiful parks and lakes, Hanoi is an eclectic and lively city. A morning sightseeing tour will showcase some of Hanoi's most famous historic and cultural sites, including The Temple of Literature and Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest temples in Vietnam. You will also visit the infamous prison that American POWs sarcastically dubbed the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War. In the afternoon, experience an authentic rickshaw ride (known as a “cyclo”) in the Old Quarter, followed by a traditional Water Puppet Show. (B)

Excursions:

• City tour and rickshaw ride
• Water puppet show

Take a scenic drive from Hanoi to one of Vietnam's most renowned locations, Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Board an elegantly appointed ship designed with all the modern conveniences to ensure smooth sailing for an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience. The backdrop of the bay's magnificent scenery and dramatic limestone cliffs and rock formations provide you with the perfect setting for a memorable sojourn. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Motor coach transfer to Ha Long Bay
• Bay excursion
• Overnight cruise

Spend the morning sailing across the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay with more than 2,000 small islands rising from the water like a dragon's back. Later in the morning, disembark the ship and transfer back to Hanoi where you can enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. (B/L)

Excursions:

• Transfer to Hanoi

Bid farewell to Vietnam and prepare for your homeward flight (B)