Mekong Discovery
8 Day River Cruise
On this unique and inspiring Southeast Asia river cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam, you’ll be immersed in the cultures and ancient traditions as you sightsee and spend time with locals in interesting places along the mighty Mekong River.
In the enchanting Cambodian countryside, go on an ox cart ride amongst rice paddy fields and witness the daily lives of farmers. In a Silversmith Village, see craftsmen making silver artwork using ancient techniques. French influences are still apparent in the lovely capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Here you’ll tour the National Museum and Royal Palace with its striking Silver Pagoda and enjoy a song and dance performance by children at a local orphanage. On a hilltop at the site of the 8th-century temple of Wat Hanchey, take in the stunning views before walking through the rural village of Angkor Ban to visit with welcoming schoolchildren.
Continue your river cruise into Vietnam where you’ll walk through a colorful market as the locals are busy with their daily routine of buying and selling produce. See firsthand how handcrafted sampans are built at the home of a family in Cu Lao Gieng. Via sampan, cruise into Vinh Long and experience Vietnamese culture with a visit to a workshop to learn how rice wine and traditional candies are made. This once-in-a-lifetime Southeast Asia river cruise vacation is sure to create lasting memories!
Countries: Cambodia, Vietnam
River(s): Mekong
Pricing
River cruise starting at $3,819* CAD per person, based on double occupancy
8 Days – Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City (reverse itinerary available)
Your stateroom includes
- Comfort Collection BedsSM, featuring premium mattress covers
- Wall-to-wall, 14-foot-wide panoramic window that opens to transform the living space into a large Open–Air Balcony®
- Comfortable sitting area with couch & chair
- Large private bathroom featuring full shower with rain shower head
- Premium L’Occitane bath amenities
- Spacious closets with shelves for ample storage
- Minibar with complimentary local beer, soft drinks & water
- In-room safe
- Individual climate control
Onboard amenities
- Complimentary Wi-Fi in the lounges (when signal available)
- Panoramic windows throughout
- Locally inspired design & décor
- Friendly, English-speaking crew & Cruise Director
- Air-conditioned Panorama Lounge
- Covered open-air observation lounge
- Bar serving premium spirits, wine & complimentary coffee, tea, soft drinks, and local beer/spirits throughout the day
Dining
- Spacious, open-seating dining room
- Delectable regional & Western cuisine with all onboard meals
- Seasonal recipes featuring the freshest local ingredients
- Vegetarian options available with all meals
- Daily early-riser coffee & tea
- Daily à la carte breakfast
- Daily à la carte lunch showcasing local specialties severed by our Head Chef
- Four-course à la carte dinners with choice of salads, soups, entrées, dessert or cheese
- Complimentary wine, local beer/spirits, soft drinks, coffee & tea at lunch & dinner
Excursions
- CLASSIC – Your local expert is ready to guide you through the history and heritage of local destinations. You’ll marvel at the legends, lore, and spectacular architecture of iconic and historic sites.
- DISCOVERY – We’ve found inspiring and interactive activities to speak to your interests – from cooking classes, to painting workshops – to immerse yourself in each culture you explore.
- ACTIVE – Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go!
Day
Day 1
Location(s)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
Description
Welcome to Cambodia. Your intimate Suite Ship® Awaits!
Get acquainted with the ship and relax before your welcome reception this evening.
Afternoon/Evening Cruise to Wat Hanchey
Day 2
Wat Hanchey – Angkor Ban
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Water Blessings and Back-to-School Adventures
Discovery – Visit Wat Hanchey, a hilltop temple dating back to the 8th century. Climb or be driven to the top where you will enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area and partake in a traditional water blessing given by local monks.
Discovery – After lunch, enjoy a Walking Tour through the rural village of Angkor Ban. Here, you will visit a traditional Khmer house and interact with children at a local school.
Evening/Overnight Cruise to Konpong Louang
Day 3
Kampong Tralach – Konpong Louang – Phnom Penh
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Calm in the Cambodian Countryside
Discovery – Your Guided Sightseeing starts in Kampong Tralach with an Ox-Cart Ride through the beautiful Cambodian countryside. Along the way, stop to meet a local farmer and learn about his daily life. At the silversmith village in Konpong Louang see talented craftsmen use age-old techniques to turn pure silver into works of art.
Sail to the capital city of Phnom Penh this afternoon.
PHNOM PENH
A Dark History or Market Dynamics
Classic – After lunch, join a Guided a Visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing Fields for a glimpse into the atrocities inflicted on the Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge regime, OR:
Discovery – Visit the lively Central Market by tuk-tuk to see its unique Art Deco design.
This evening, spend some free time to explore the city on your own. Perhaps follow the riverfront promenade to the historic Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC).
Overnight Docking in Phnom Penh
Day 4
Phnom Penh
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The Royal Treatment
Classic – Join a Guided Tour of the city by private cyclo with visits to the Royal Palace with the spectacular Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum, featuring an outstanding display of Khmer artifacts.
The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure, Consider a Guided Optional Tour of a local brewery with free flowing local beer!
Just before dinner, children from a local orphanage will perform a show, featuring local song and dance.
Evening/Overnight Cruise to Vietnam/Cambodia Border
Day 5
Chau Doc, Vietnam
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Good Morning Vietnam!
Discovery – Take a Village Walk through the Chau Doc market, and absorb the atmosphere as locals are busy buying and selling fish, meat, and produce. After lunch, embark on a Guided Excursion down the backwaters of the Mekong. Along the way, see traditional floating homes, speedboat merchants, religious sites, a market selling dried goods, and more.
Evening Cruise to Long Khanh A
Day 6
Long Khanh A – Cu Lao Gieng Island
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cotton Weaving, Conical Hats, and Handcrafted Sampans
Discovery – This morning, a sampan brings you to the village of Long Khanh A, for a Cotton-Weaving Demonstration of this well-preserved tradition.
Discovery – This afternoon, enjoy scenes of daily life on Cu Lao Gieng Island via sampan and local motor cart. Your Guided Excursion starts with a stop at one of Vietnam’s oldest Catholic churches. Then, visit the home of a local family that makes Vietnamese conical hats, or “Non la,” from materials available to them such as palm leaves and bamboo. These iconic hats are primarily used as protection from the sun and rain but you may also see them used as a basket to carry home goods from the market. Lastly, visit a local workshop where a skilled family hand-crafts sampan boats.
Evening Cruise to Vinh Long
Day 7
Vinh Long
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sweets and Rice Treats
Discovery – Board a sampan this morning to visit a Local Workshop in Vinh Long where you will see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candies are made.
This afternoon, enjoy time on board the ship as we sail to exciting Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 8
Ho Chi Minh City
Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Reverse Itinerary
This trip also runs in reverse from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh.
Interested in the itinerary above? Click on the “START PLANNING” button below and reference “Mekong Discovery” in the form, or give us a call at 587.997.5969 to book.
An adventure designed specifically for you
Let us work with you to tailor a journey based on your travel style and interests. We can use the existing itinerary above as a foundation, or build one from scratch to create your ideal vacation. Connect with us to start the conversation.
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*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change and availability.