Explore the rich cultural diversity of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos on this 20 day trip. Highlights include seven nights on the luxurious RV AmaLotus cruising along the Mekong and a five-night Upper Mekong cruise in Laos aboard the Mekong Sun.
Day 1. Arrive Hanoi, Freedom of Choice Touring
On arrival in Hanoi, be met and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon, perhaps visit a Vietnamese home in Le Mat village, enjoy a foot massage at your hotel or visit the 500 year-old village of Bat Trang for a tour. This evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner.
Day 2. Hanoi, Dine Around Dinner
Start your day with a city tour of Hanoi, then take a rickshaw ride in the Old Quarter. Tonight, enjoy front row seats at a water puppet show, then dine at the Ly Club, Hanoi Press Club, Nineteen 11, Madame Hien or Sen Restaurant.
Day 3. Hanoi, Ha Long Bay
After breakfast, travel to World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay and board a luxurious wooden junk. Set sail to discover Ha Long Bay’s magnificent scenery. Enjoy time on Titop Island, then continue to the Bat Cave area and visit the bay’s largest floating fishing village.
Day 4. Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, Saigon, Freedom of Choice Touring
Wake this morning surrounded by beauty. Enjoy breakfast as your junk returns to land. Disembark and transfer to the airport in Hanoi to fly to Saigon. This afternoon, perhaps enjoy a tour of the city and a cyclo ride; visit an artist’s home; or go touring by motorbike. Tonight, enjoy dinner at Xu Restaurant with Luke Nguyen’s menu and matching wines.
Day 5. Cu Chi Tunnels, Tay Ninh, Saigon, Dine Around Dinner
This morning visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the war. Then drive to Tay Ninh and visit the Tay Ninh Holy See, a temple of the Cao Dai faith. This evening enjoy hawker-style dishes at Quan An Ngon; Mediterranean cuisine at Carmague; Vietnamese cuisine at Temple Club; Cantonese specialities at Li Bai; or Vietnamese fine dining at Hoang Yen.
Day 6. Embark Ship, Mekong River Cruise
After a morning at leisure, transfer to My Tho Port to embark your river ship for your eight day Mekong River cruise. This evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner.
Day 7. Cai Be, Vinh Long
A local boat will take you to Cai Be today, an intriguing river-land town. Visit the floating markets then go ashore to visit the French Gothic Cathedral as well as the colourful port area, which is filled with colonial buildings and delightful flower gardens. Tour a local rice paper manufacturer and learn how rice paper is made, then enjoy lunch on board as your ship cruises towards Vinh Long. On arrival here, enjoy a boat ride and explore the bustling markets where you’ll see an array of aquatic life being sold.
Day 8. Sa Dec, Tan Chau
In the morning, enjoy a boat ride past floating markets to Sa Dec, the city where the French writer Marguerite Duras met her Vietnamese lover, Huynh Thuy Le. Here, a tour takes you to Huynh Thuy Le’s old house as well as Thien Hau Pagoda and the beautiful Fujian Temple. Following lunch back on board, cruise to the peaceful town of Tan Chau. On arrival, take a walk through town.
Day 9. Tan Chau, Border Crossing
This morning, travel by small boat over the tributaries, via an evergreen island, to a floating fish farm. Later, go ashore for a tour of Tan Chau by rickshaw. The rest of today is then spent on board. This afternoon, perhaps attend a fruit-carving demonstration while the border formalities are carried out as you cross into Cambodia.
Day 10. Phnom Penh
On arrival in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, a tour will take you to visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda as well as the National Museum of Cambodia, home to one of the world’s largest collections of Khmer art. After lunch, take an excursion to the infamous Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Tonight, perhaps step out to take a stroll around the city.
Day 11. Chong Koh, Oudong, Kampong Tralach
Enjoy a walk around the village of Chong Koh then cruise to Prek K’dam. Here, disembark for a tour of Oudong, the former royal capital of Cambodia. Continue to Kampong Tralach for a visit to Wat Kapong Tralach Pleu before an ox-cart ride takes you through rice fields and a small village back to your ship.
Day 12. Kampong Chhnang, Tonle Sap
Enjoy a boat excursion into the wetlands near Kampong Chhnang this morning. Then return to your ship and cast off towards the Tonle Sap Lake. Absorb the tranquillity of the lake before a Farewell Dinner on board.
Day 13. Disembark Cruise, Siem Reap, Dine Around Dinner
Today, pass floating fishing villages on a boat ride to port. Once ashore, head to your hotel in Siem Reap. Later, travel to the 10th century temple of Then Banteay Srei, then visit Ta Prohm, famous for its intertwined trees. On your return to Siem Reap, visit an orphanage before dinner at L’Angelo, Alliance Café, Viroth’s Restaurant, Champey or the Kanell Restaurant.
Day 14. Siem Reap, Angkor
After free time, head to World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park. Visit the last capital of the Khmer empire, Angkor Thom, where you’ll see the 12th century temple, Bayon, as well as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. This afternoon visit Angkor Wat, said to be the world’s largest single religious monument. Tonight, enjoy a Khmer meal and an Apsara dance performance.
Day 15. Siem Reap, Freedom of Choice Touring, Luang Prabang, Embark Ship, Upper Mekong River Cruise
This morning, perhaps visit the Wat Preah Phrom Rath Temple, take a tuk-tuk ride to the Senteurs d’Angkor workshops, ride an elephant, enjoy a tethered balloon ride or embark on a quad bike adventure. Afterwards, fly to World Heritage-listed Luang Prabang in Laos and transfer to your river ship. This afternoon, walk up Phou Si Hill for sunset views over the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Then perhaps stroll along the Mekong promenade or visit the night market of the local Hmong minority, before a Welcome Dinner on board.
Day 16. Luang Prabang
Early this morning, perhaps step out to observe monks collecting alms in the streets of Luang Prabang. After breakfast, a city tour includes the Buddhist temple of Wat Xieng Thong, known as Luang Prabang’s most beautiful temple. You’ll also visit the Wat Khili and the Wat Sene temples. After lunch, set off cruising along the beautiful Upper Mekong.
Day 17. Pak Ou Caves
After breakfast, step ashore to explore the incredible Pak Ou Caves, famous for the thousands of small Buddha statues set inside the caverns. Later, relax on board your ship or enjoy a short walk through the jungle to visit a Laotian village. Here, you’ll see how the local liqueur, Lao-Lao, is traditionally distilled. Before returning to your Mekong vessel, you may spot elephants. Back on board, enjoy a few more daylight hours cruising the Upper Mekong River.
Day 18. Tha Deua
Today your ship will head south to the ferry crossing at Tha Deua, which connects the Luang Prabang Province with the Sayaboury Province. The cruising today offers possibly the most impressive scenery of the journey. Watch as hills covered with tropical vegetation and awe-inspiring rock formations drift by and the river alternates between fast currents and slower flowing sections. This afternoon, visit a local village school for an insight into local life. Due to sudden drops in water level, on some days it may be necessary to make this excursion in a local Lao slow boat. Enjoy dinner as you cruise back upstream.
Day 19. Kuang Si Falls, Tha Pan, Luang Prabang
Take in the lovely views and watch for fishermen onshore as you continue cruising during breakfast. Disembark and travel by coach to the village of Tha Pan, where you can observe how the local communities live in Northern Laos. Then continue to the famous Kuang Si Falls, possibly the most picturesque waterfalls in the country. After returning to your ship, cruise back to Luang Prabang. This evening, take part in a Farewell Dinner followed by a traditional Lao Baci-friendship ceremony.
Day 20. Luang Prabang, Disembark Cruise
Farewell the lovely crew of the Mekong Sun after breakfast as you disembark and transfer to the airport.
