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Embark on an adventurous journey through Vietnam and Cambodia aboard the charming M.V. Mekong. Cruise the great Mekong River and visit Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital; Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), with its classical French architecture; the remote villages of the Mekong Delta; Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia; and the remarkable Khmer temples of Angkor.
Day 1 and 2 San Francisco/Hanoi, Vietnam
Depart San Francisco on an overnight flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, transfer to the lovely French colonial Sofitel Metropole Hotel.
Day 3 Hanoi
Tour the exquisitely preserved 11th-century Confucius Temple of Literature. Explore the Museum of Ethnology, led by the museum director, to learn about Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner with traditional music and dance.
(B,L,D)
Day 4 Hanoi
Visit Ba Dinh Square, where Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence from France in 1945, and see the former revolutionary leader’s modest "House on Stilts." Stroll through Hanoi’s Old Quarter with a local historian, and enjoy a demonstration on Vietnamese musical instruments. This evening, take a cyclo (motorized rickshaw) ride to a private performance of water puppet theater—a colorful Vietnamese art.
(B,L)
Day 5 Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, fly to bustling Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s commercial hub. Visit the History Museum, the former Presidential Palace, and Notre Dame Cathedral.
Caravelle Hotel
(B,L,D)
Day 6 Ho Chi Minh City
Visit the Tunnels of Cu Chi, a vast underground network of tunnels that hid and protected thousands of Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. Return to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch and a tour of the Thien Hau Pagoda and War Remnants Museum.
(B,L)
Day 7 Ho Chi Minh City/My Tho
Embark the Mekong and journey up the Mekong River to a region of remote villages. View verdant rice fields, water buffalo, lush orchards, and colorful fishing boats. At My Tho, visit the Vinh Trang Buddhist temple and cross the river by canoe to Con Phung.
M.V. Mekong
(B,L,D)
Day 8 Cai Be
In Cai Be, board small boats to explore the town’s busy floating market. Visit the port area with its French colonial buildings, historic churches, and flower gardens. Later, cruise the waterways of the Mekong Delta.
(B,L,D)
Day 9 Chau Doc
Explore Chau Doc’s French colonial town center, then travel by coach to Nui Sam mountain with its Buddhist shrines and views of surrounding rice paddy plains. This afternoon, cross into Cambodia and cruise toward Phnom Penh.
(B,L,D)
Day 10 Phnom Penh, Cambodia/Kâmpóng Cham
While cruising through Phnom Penh and up the Mekong, keep an eye out for river dolphins. Visit Angkor Kaoh, a typical Khmer village with an interesting temple and silk-weaving center, and Angkor Ban, a village famous for its Mekong racing boats. This evening, arrive at the rural port town of Kâmpóng Cham.
(B,L,D)
Day 11 Kâmpóng Cham
Today, visit Kâmpóng Cham’s Wat Nokor and the temple in the heart of its courtyard. Also explore the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, and enjoy a speedboat trip to the hilltop pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey.
(B,L,D)
Day 12 Phnom Penh
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, visit the National Museum and the Royal Palace. Later, explore the spectacular Silver Pagoda, one of the few places where artifacts were preserved by the Khmer Rouge.
(B,L,D)
Day 13 Kompong Chhnang/Tonle Sap
Depart Phnom Penh and cruise up the Tonle Sap River to Kompong Chhnang. See how Cambodians cultivate fish and live in "floating houses" on the Tonle Sap, an important example of wetland development and home to a profusion of birdlife.
(B,L)
Day 14 Siem Reap/Angkor
Disembark the Mekong and travel by boat to Siem Reap to discover the many magnificent temples of the Angkor complex. Once the seat of power of the Khmer Empire, Angkor is acknowledged as the most exquisite example of ancient architecture in Southeast Asia. Visit Ta Prohm, an ancient Buddhist monastery overgrown with jungle vegetation. Later, explore Angkor Wat, widely regarded as the crowning achievement of classical Khmer art and architecture.
Grand Hotel d’Angkor
(B,L)
Day 15 Angkor
This morning, visit the fortified city of Angkor Thom, including stops at the Bayon, with its massive carved faces, and the Terraces of the Leper King and the Elephants. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner and a Khmer dance performance.
(B,D)
Day 16 Angkor/Bangkok, Thailand
This morning, visit the restored Preah Khan, which, like Ta Prohm, was built by Jayavarman VII in the 12th century. This afternoon, fly to Bangkok.
Amari Airport Hotel
(B,L)
Day 17 Bangkok/San Francisco
Depart Bangkok and cross the International Date Line, arriving home the same day.
(B)
The new Mekong re-creates the atmosphere and character of the original colonial-era steamers of the 1920s and affords its guests the luxury of peaceful cruising through Vietnam and Cambodia. Fully air-conditioned, the Mekong offers 32 generously sized staterooms, each with private facilities. The spacious dining room accommodates all 64 guests at one seating to enjoy the regional specialties prepared by the onboard chef. With ample lounge space for lectures and a sundeck for socializing, the Mekong is the perfect vessel from which to explore the riches of Vietnam and Cambodia.
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