Wonders of Indochina and the Mekong

Xin Chao and welcome to Ho Chi Minh City! On arrival, you will be met by your Emerald Cruises representative and transferred to your hotel, situated in downtown District 1, for a two-night stay. After checking in, you will be free to explore the city before meeting your tour director for your welcome briefing and dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

Drive north of Ho Chi Minh City to the Cu Chi Tunnels, watching the city skyline fade into the distance as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and scenes typical to southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours walking around Cu Chi’s legendary grounds with a local guide. Upon your return to Ho Chi Minh City, enjoy a traditional Pho (noodle soup) lunch with the remainder of the afternoon and evening yours to enjoy at leisure. Or venture out on one of our DiscoverMORE excursions. (B/L)

• Included Excursion Cu Chi Tunnels
• DiscoverMORE An evening Saigon Street Food walking tour (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE One Night in Saigon (extra expense)

After checkout, enjoy a guided city tour, visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera House and Town Hall. Then, visit the Reunification Palace before transferring to the port where you will board your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship, Emerald Harmony. You’ll be welcomed on board by your captain and crew before setting sail down the Saigon River to Cho Gao canal where you will anchor for the night. This evening, enjoy your first dinner on board with your fellow travellers. Your Cruise Director will conduct a port talk to review the activities and itinerary for the days ahead. (B/L/D)

• Included Excursion An orientation tour of Ho Chi Minh City

This morning, sail through the bustling Cho Gao, one of the major arterial canals of Vietnam connecting Tien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City. Today makes a fascinating morning watching the heavy commercial traffic navigate this important waterway, which can see upwards of 1,800 vessels transit each day. This afternoon, once on the Mekong River, you’ll visit Tan My Floating community, followed by a ride through the local plantations to visit a mushroom farm, a fruit farm with sampling and a honey farm with local sweets. You’ll then return to Emerald Harmony to sail onwards to Sa Ðéc, a hidden gem on the Mekong Delta. (B/L/D)

• Included Excursion Visit Thoi Binh hamlet and its farming and fishing communities, untouched by tourism

After a short sampan ride to Sa Ðéc, enjoy a walking tour around town with a stop at the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired Marguerite Duras’ celebrated novel, L’Amant, and a walk through the town’s central market to peruse its varied produce.

Return to Emerald Harmony by sampan and sail to My An Hung Island. Recognised as a cultural and historical destination, this small Mekong Delta village specialises in cultivating red-hot chilli and peppers. As part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy some local folk singing during your visit. (B/L/D)

• EmeraldPLUS Listen to some local folk singing in My An Hung
• Included Excursion A visit to My An Hung village and its Monkey Bridge

Known as ‘Mango Island,’ Cu Lao Gieng is a small, scenic island untouched by tourism, located along the upper Mekong River. Travel by local motorcycle rickshaw through the island’s villages to visit families who work in a variety of local industries including Mango farming, different types of boat building and a factory making incense sticks for temples.

The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure on board, or alternatively, partake in a DiscoverMORE excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in An Long. As part of our EmeraldPLUS experience, you’ll delight in a traditional Lion Dance performance on board. (B/L/D)

• EmeraldPLUS A Lion Dance performance on board
• Included Excursion See the local industries in Gieng Island
• DiscoverMORE A visit to Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in Tram Chim National Park (extra expense)

Embark on a sampan ride to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village, giving you a glimpse into the lives of the local farming community. Reboard your sampan and return to Tan Chau and as part of our EmeraldPLUS experience, visit the local Cao Dai Temple. Cao Dai is a syncretic, monotheistic religion established in Tây Ninh, southern Vietnam, in 1926. At the temple, learn more about this fascinating and complex religion. Afterwards, ride in a Xe Loi (local form of cyclo) back to your sampan before returning to Emerald Harmony. Back on board your Star-Ship, you’ll sail to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. (B/L/D)

• EmeraldPLUS A visit to a local Cao Dai Temple and Xe Loi ride, unique to the Mekong Delta
• Included Excursion A visit to Evergreen Island

This morning, you’ll awake in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Known as the ‘Pearl of Asia,’ the city was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. Today, you’ll learn about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of Cambodia’s history. A short drive will take you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek, where you’ll have the opportunity to stroll through the fields, visit the memorial and understand more about this country’s sombre chapter.

Afterwards, visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as ‘S-21’), a former school converted to the Khmer Rouge’s main prison and torture HQ. Spend the afternoon as you please, either exploring our DiscoverMORE excursions, visiting the Central Market located in the heart of Phnom Penh, or simply relaxing on board Emerald Harmony.

This evening, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy a remork (local Tuk-Tuk) tour through Phnom Penh to admire the city lights. (B/L/D)

• EmeraldPLUS Phnom Penh by night on a remork (Tuk-Tuk) tour
• Included Excursion Killing Fields at Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
• DiscoverMORE A silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE Craft Beer Adventure by remork (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE Samai Distillery (extra expense)

Located north of Phnom Penh, Oudong was the former royal capital of Cambodia until it relocated to Phnom Penh in 1866. Start your day with a visit to the Oudong Monastery and Temples. Important remnants here include the burial sites of Khmer kings as well as religious artefacts dating back more than a century. In Oudong Monastery’s main temple, receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the resident monks, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience. In the afternoon, you’ll visit the majestic Royal Palace, with its French-inspired gardens and Silver Pagoda. Back on board, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation. Afterwards, make the short sail to Prek K’Dam, gliding past Phnom Penh illuminated at night. (B/L/D)

• EmeraldPLUS A traditional Buddhist Monk blessing
• EmeraldPLUS Cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation
• Included Excursion A visit to the Royal Palace

Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning and continue by road to Siem Reap for your included three-night stay. Your hotel is a deluxe boutique property of world-class design that takes great care in honouring the environment and paying homage to the traditional and local aesthetics. This evening as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme, attend Phare, The Cambodian Circus, where a combination of acrobatics, music and dance tell a uniquely Cambodian story. Take advantage of our DiscoverMORE dinner at the circus to further support Phare’s work. (B/L)

• EmeraldPLUS Phare Cambodian Circus performance
• DiscoverMORE Evening – Local Fare at Phare Circus (extra expense)

Today, start with a visit to Angkor Thom, not a single temple such as the historic sites it neighbours, but rather one of the most remarkable royal cities of the Angkor Period and an architectural wonder. As the last capital of the Khmer Empire, it was a fortified city, home to priests, officials of the palace, military and buildings for administering the kingdom. Afterwards, visit the sacred Temple of Ta Prohm. In an incredible standoff between human creation and nature, the jungle's root systems have reclaimed this spiritual location now enshrouded in wild vegetation. The backdrop to many Hollywood scenes, the incredible Ta Prohm is both a cinematic and contemplative location. This evening is free to visit ‘Pub Street’ or try a DiscoverMORE option. (B/L)

• Included Excursion Visit to Angkor Thom
• Included Excursion Visit to Ta Prohm Temple
• DiscoverMORE Evening – Sunset Drinks Gondola Boat at Bayon (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE Evening - Cambodian Street Food Discovery Tour (extra expense)

Witness a mesmerising sunrise over Angkor Wat. Afterwards, walk through this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, renowned for its intricate carvings. This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to explore the town, or join a DiscoverMORE excursion. Later, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy an immersive evening and farewell dinner at Satcha Handicraft Centre, accompanied by an Apsara dance performance. (B/D)

• EmeraldPLUS Apsara dance performance and dinner show
• Included Excursion Sunrise visit to Angkor Wat
• DiscoverMORE Siem Reap Countryside by Vespa (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE Banteay Srei Temple and APOPO (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE Tonlé Sap (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE Khmer Cooking Class (extra expense)
• DiscoverMORE Senteurs d’Angkor Workshop (extra expense)

After breakfast, transfer to the Siem Reap Airport to catch your onward flight to Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. Enjoy a three-night Special Stay. Later walk to the top of Luang Prabang’s highest mountain, Mount Phousi and watch the sunset over this historical town. (B/D)

Today visit the city’s main sites including Wat Xieng Thong, one of the most important and oldest temples in Laos, Wat Mai, the city’s largest temple and the former Royal Palace, now converted into the National Museum. Later, enjoy a 2-hour cruise along the Mekong River to explore the Pak Ou Caves (locally called Tam Ting) flooded with thousands of gold Buddha statue buried within a limestone cliff. This well-known attraction is a must-see in Laos. When returning by road, stop at a village to partake in a local game with the villagers. Tonight is yours at leisure leaving you with free time to shop in the well-known night market for those gifts to take back home. (B/L)

A truly beautiful and empowering moment awaits upon the streets of Luang Prabang. Rise early to attend the morning ritual and admire the silent movements of the local monks as they collect their daily alms. Afterwards return to the hotel for breakfast before heading out for the day. Travel to Kuang Si waterfalls, a set of picturesque, tiered waterfalls and swimming holes set amongst the dense jungle before returning to Luang Prabang for lunch.

Later this afternoon as part of your EmeraldPLUS program immerse yourself in local spirituality during a traditional Baci ceremony and pay respects to ancient traditions of Laos. The Baci is performed in celebration of an important event such as weddings, births, or for welcoming guests and is a means of expressing good will and good luck to others. The Lao believe that each person has 32 spirits which constitute their spiritual essence and the Baci is the ritual used to call back any escaped spirits into the body. During the Baci, special flower trays and food treats are prepared which you then touch while a Buddhist mantra is chanted. After the chanting is completed, cotton threads are tied around your wrist whilst you receive an individual blessing.

This evening enjoy your delicious farewell dinner and relive the memories together from your journey. (B/L/D)

• EmeraldPLUS Baci Ceremony

Bid farewell to Laos and join your included flight to Bangkok, Thailand, where your journey ends on arrival.

This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above. (B)