Majestic Mekong River Cruise

Xin Chao and welcome to Ho Chi Minh City. Please arrive by 9.30am at the Grand Hotel Saigon. Today, embark on your Emerald Waterways award-winning river cruise Star-Ship and be welcomed by your Captain and crew. After lunch on board, set sail to My Tho in the Mekong Delta, and this evening, enjoy your first dinner on board with your fellow travellers. Your Tour Director will also conduct a port talk to review the activities and itinerary for the days ahead. Please book your flight to arrive into Ho Chi Minh City prior to 08:30 AM.

This morning you will be taken to the village of Ðat Dua, where you will learn how coconut candy and other local sweets are made, along with a fruit workshop. Enjoy a ride through the fruit plantations to Tan Long Pagoda on a Lambro before returning to Emerald Harmony to sail onwards to Sa Dec, a hidden gem on the Mekong Delta.

Included Excursion A visit to a workshop in Ðat Dua and a visit to Tan Long Pagoda (B/L/D)

Visit Sa Dec on a walking tour, with stops at the Chinese Congregational House in Kien An Cung, the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant, and enjoy a walk through the 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 village in rural Vietnam specialises in red-hot chilli and peppers. Enjoy some local folk singing during the visit.

EmeraldPLUS A visit to My Ang Hung village

Included Excursion A visit to the Chinese Congregational House and the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le (B/L/D)

The morning is yours to enjoy your free time on board or, if you prefer, partake in a DiscoverMORE optional excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary. Covering a total area of 7,313 hectares, Tram Chim National Park, located in Tam Nong, is currently one of Vietnam’s eight most important bird sanctuaries. With a system of swamps, grass plots and natural canals, the park is an ideal habitat for 191 species of plants, 150 species of freshwater fish, and nearly 231 species of water birds. Some of these are listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of rare and threatened species.

In the afternoon, embark on a journey to Long Khanh Island, visit a local family to learn about scarf-weaving and visit the Hoa Hao Buddhist Pagoda. Return to Emerald Harmony where, later this evening, you’ll be delighted by a traditional Lion Dance performance on board.

EmeraldPLUS A Lion Dance performance on board

DiscoverMORE A visit to Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in Tram Chim National Park (extra expense)

Included Excursion A visit to a local scarf-weaving workshop and Hoa Hao Buddhist Pagoda on Long Khanh Island (B/L/D)

In Tan Chau, as part of EmeraldPLUS, visit the recently renovated Cao Dai temple. The religion of Cao Dai is a syncretic, monotheistic religion established in southern Vietnam in the city of Tây Ninh in 1926. Here, you will learn more about the mix of ideas that form the basis of this fascinating religion.

After a Xe Loi ride, embark one of our sampans to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village to get a glimpse into the lives of the local farming community. Stop at a local fish farm enroute back to the ship. Back on board your luxury Star-Ship, cruise to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Tonight, celebrate crossing the border with a Cambodian-style family dinner.

EmeraldPLUS A visit to Cao Dai temple, a religion unique to the Mekong Delta

Included Excursion A visit to Evergreen Island and Tan Chau (B/L/D)

Wake up in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. The city, known as the “Pearl of Asia”, was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. This morning, you will learn more about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of the country's history. A short drive will take you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. Here you will have the opportunity to walk through the fields, visit the small museum and learn about this sad historic chapter.

Afterwards visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S-21). This is a former school that was converted to the main prison and torture headquarters of the Khmer Rouge. The afternoon is yours to continue exploring, experience one of four DiscoverMORE options or to simply relax on board your Star-Ship. In the evening, you will have a chance to experience an evening remork (or Tuk-Tuk) ride through Phnom Penh to enjoy the city lights.

EmeraldPLUS Phnom Penh by night on a remork (Tuk-Tuk) tour

Included Excursion A visit to the Killing Fields & Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

DiscoverMORE A silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE A visit to the silversmith village of Kho Chen (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE Enjoy a craft beer adventure by remork in Phnom Penh (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE Savour High Tea and cocktail at Raffles Le Royal (extra expense) (B/L/D)

Located north of Phnom Penh, Oudong was the former royal capital of Cambodia up until it moved to Phnom Penh in 1866. Important remnants on the temple sight include the burial sites of Khmer kings as well as religious artefacts dating back more than a hundred years. In the main temple of the Oudong Monastery, receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the temple's resident monks as part of your EmeraldPLUS excursion.

In the afternoon, you will visit the majestic Royal Palace with its gardens and the central market located in the heart of the city. This evening, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children's Organisation.

EmeraldPLUS A traditional Buddhist Monk blessing

EmeraldPLUS A cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children's Organisation

Included Excursion A visit to Oudong Monastery

Included Excursion A visit to the Royal Palace and central market (B/L/D)

Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning after breakfast and transfer to the airport to catch your onward or homebound flight. Please book your departure flight for after 2:00pm. Please book your flight to depart out of Phnom Penh after 02:00 PM. 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. Please refer to our terms and conditions. (B)