Majestic Mekong Cruise

Xin Chao and welcome to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, you will be met by your Emerald Cruises representative and transferred to the Grand Hotel 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 after lunch 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.

Please book your flight to arrive into Ho Chi Minh City prior to 08:30 AM. (L/D)

The Cho Gao canal is one of the major arterial canals of Vietnam connecting Tien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City. Today is a fascinating day watching the heavy commercial traffic navigate this important waterway which can see upwards of 1,800 vessels transit each day. Enjoy watching the scenery pass you by from your balcony or sundeck, enjoy a swim in the resort style infinity pool or maybe try an optional extra spa treatment during your day of relaxation onboard. (B/L/D)

This morning, you’ll visit the 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 sweet before returning to Emerald Harmony to sail onwards to Sa Ðéc, a hidden gem on the Mekong Delta.

• Included Excursion Visit the Thoi Binh hamlet and its farming and fishing communities, untouched by tourism (B/L/D)

After a short ride on a sampan to Sa Dec enjoy a walking tour around town with stops at the Chinese Congregational House in Kien An Cung, the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le (currently under renovation), 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. As part of our

• EmeraldPLUS programme, enjoy some local folk singing during the visit.
• EmeraldPLUS Listen to some local folk singing in My An Hung
• Included Excursion A visit to the Chinese Congregational House and the bustling Sa Dec Markets
• Included Excursion A visit to My An Hung village and its Monkey Bridge (B/L/D)

On Gieng Island where the afternoon you can travel through the island’s villages to visit families who work in a variety of local industries including boat building of different types and creating incense sticks for temples. Also visit Vietnam’s oldest church.

The afternoon 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 in An Long.
• 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) (B/L/D)

Embark on a sampan to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village to get a glimpse into the lives of the local farming community. Reboard your sampan to travel back to Tan Chau and as part of our

• EmeraldPLUS programme, 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. Afterwards ride in a Xe Loi (local form of cyclo) from the temple back to your sampan to then visit a Mekong fish farm before returning to Emerald Harmony.

Back on board your luxury Star-Ship, cruise to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Whilst at the border, as part of our

• EmeraldPLUS programme, you’ll be delighted by a traditional Lion Dance performance on board. Tonight, celebrate crossing the border with a Cambodian-style family dinner.
• EmeraldPLUS A visit to a local Cao Dai Temple
• EmeraldPLUS A Lion Dance performance on board
• Included Excursion A visit to Evergreen Island
• Included Excursion Experience a Xe Loi ride, unique to the Mekong Delta (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 memorial 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. Spend the afternoon as you please exploring our DiscoverMORE excursions or simply relaxing on board Emerald Harmony. In the evening, as part of your

• EmeraldPLUS programme you will have a chance to experience an evening remork (local Tuk-Tuk) ride through Phnom Penh to enjoy the city lights.
• 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) (B/L/D)

In the morning visit the majestic Royal Palace with its gardens and Silver Pagoda, followed a shopping excursion to the very art deco style Central Market located in the heart of the city. After lunch set sail from Phnom Penh and enjoy an afternoon of relaxed sailing as you cruise further up the Mekong River to Angkor Ban.

• Included Excursion A visit to the Royal Palace and Central Market (B/L/D)

In Angkor Ban, explore its historical rural wooden houses which survived the Khmer Rouge and visit a classroom that teaches English to the local students, after their regular school lessons. In the village temple learn how to pray in a Buddhist pagoda and you’ll receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the temple’s resident monks as part of your

• EmeraldPLUS excursion. Afterwards set sail to your final destination, Peam Chi Korng located further upstream on the Mekong River. This evening, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children's Organisation before attending your farewell dinner onboard.
• EmeraldPLUS A traditional Buddhist Monk blessing
• EmeraldPLUS Cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation
• Included Excursion Walk around the historical village of Angkor Ban (B/L/D)

Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning and transfer back to Phnom Penh airport for your onward flight. Please book your flight to depart out of Phnom Penh after 10:00 AM.

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)