Essential Vietnam & Cambodia By World Journeys

Essential Vietnam & Cambodia By World Journeys

20 Days /19 Nights from $9,775 Price Per Person

Sales from 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

**Day 1 : Hanoi**
Upon your arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

**Day 2 : Hanoi**
Today enjoy a full day tour exploring the charming city of Hanoi, often referred as the Paris of the East, with its yellow ochre colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes.

Visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, built to house the preserved body of beloved Vietminh leader Ho Chi Minh. Later stop at the One Pillar Pagoda, a famous Buddhist temple. Learn more about Ho Chi Minh’s life as you visit his house where some of his belongings are on display.

You will also visit the picturesque Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university built in the late 11th century. In the afternoon you will explore the fascinating Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays) which displays an extensive collection of costumes and traditional artefacts.

Drive back to central Hanoi for a fun cyclo tour through famed Old Quarter and its charming restaurants and stores. Finish your day by watching an entertaining water puppet performance – a uniquely northern Vietnamese show that has originated in the flooded rice fields.

**Day 3 : Hanoi > Halong Bay**
This morning you will depart Hanoi and be driven to Halong Bay with a local guide. Make a stop en route for refreshment or snacks before arriving in Halong Bay for your one-night cruise. Enjoy a delicious lunch on board while you admire the view. Later in the afternoon visit the mysterious Tien Ong Cave and important archaeological site. Continue to explore Cua Van area before returning to your boat. You can join a cooking demonstration before a delicious dinner onboard.

**Day 4 : Halong Bay > Hanoi > Danang > Hoi An**
Early morning you can enjoy a refreshing Tai Chi demonstration before starting your day. You will be taken to a natural white sandy stretch nearby for a relaxing time. You can also climb up to a hill top to have a last view from above over before returning to your boat and cruising back to Halong city.

After disembarking your will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight to Danang. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in Hoi An.

**Day 5 : Hoi An**
Today explore Hoi An as part of a half-day tour. The city was an important trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries and today is a World Heritage town, recognised for its well-preserved buildings, distinctive cuisine and vibrant streets. Stroll through the old merchant houses followed by visit to the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge; the Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregations with its intricate woodcarvings and the colourful market stalls.

You will also have opportunity to learn about silk lanterns and the tradition behind this colourful handicraft. Chat with a local handicraftsman for a brief introduction to the history, shape, and colour of the lanterns as well as the stages of production. Try creating your own lantern and take it home as a souvenir.

**Day 6 : Hoi An**
Enjoy your day at leisure.

**Day 7 : Hoi An > Danang > Saigon**
Relax at your hotel before check out. You will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel.

**Day 8 : Saigon**
Spend the day exploring Saigon’s highlights. With over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes, Saigon is truly a city that never sleeps. Despite its modernity, Saigon maintains a strong link to the past and our walking tour takes in some of the city’s most historic landmarks. Transfer to Dong Khoi Street downtown to visit some of the beautiful French colonial-era buildings from the late 19th and early 20th century. Appreciate the splendidly restored exteriors of the Saigon Opera House and the Notre Dame Cathedral. A short drive away is the former Presidential Palace and the elegant City Hall. Experience Saigon’s famed street coffee culture while your guide provides insights into daily life in Saigon.

Afternoon visit to the War Remnants Museum for a vivid perspective of the American War through the eyes of the Vietnamese. (Please note that some of the displays are very graphic.)

You then drive to Chinatown to visit the beautiful Thien Hau Pagoda, built by the Cantonese community in the early 19th century to honour the Goddess of the Sea. Continue your visit to FITO, the first museum of traditional medicine in Vietnam, before returning to your hotel.

**Day 9: Saigon > Cu Chi Tunnels > Saigon**
After breakfast, you will be driven northwest to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an immense network of connecting underground tunnels started in 1948 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from the French air and ground sweeps. The tunnels also served as operation quarters, communication and supply routes, and housed hospitals, food and weapons caches. Touring the underground compounds will provide a better understanding of the history of the tunnels, the hardship of life in the tunnels and the Vietnamese resilience during combat. Return to Saigon after the tour.

**Days 10: Saigon > My Tho > Mekong river cruise**
This morning you will be pick up and transferred to a hotel nearby to enjoy a heartfelt welcome before you start your river cruise. Enjoy a second coffee this morning before the bus transfer departs towards My Tho to embark on your Mekong Delta cruise. For the next 7 nights you will explore places rarely visited with fantastic historical heritage sites and includes a complete discovery of life and culture in Vietnam and Cambodia. You have the opportunity to visit smaller islands and towns along the way.

NB: The itinerary refers to lower water season cruise (mid-November to end-August). Please enquire about high water season cruise (end-August to mid-November)

**Day 11:Tan Phong Island (Cai Be) > Binh Thanh Island > Gieng Island**

Early wake up to embrace the stunning dawn scenery, a time when the Delta’s inhabitants have already been active for hours. You can energise yourself with a daily morning Tai Chi class before indulging in a tasty breakfast buffet. Later you will board a local boat and stop at Cai Be before heading out to Tan Phong, a smaller island in the middle of the huge Mekong River. During the visit to a workshop in the town of Cai Be, guests have the opportunity to observe the production of distinct products of the Mekong Delta such as rice paper, rice cookies, rice wine and coconut candies.

After the workshop, continue to Tan Phong Island to visit a local family and their fruit garden. A funny buggy ride through the island let us have a glimpse of the local day to day life as it unfolds. Stop at another family’s house where they specialised in the weaving of water hyacinth plants into artistic crafts – all by hand.

Optional culinary experience: After a short buggy ride through lush fruit orchards, you can join a local family as a cooking apprentice to master the art of traditional Jackfruit Leaf Cakes. From picking fresh leaves and extracting their juice to shaping and steaming the cakes in their natural casings, you’ll experience every step of the process. And since the secret to great cuisine often lies in the sauce, you’ll also learn to prepare a perfect coconut dipping cream before savouring your creation with hot ginger tea.

Later relax and enjoy some time on your private balcony or at the bar as we continue our voyage upstream. In the afternoon, arrive at the Sa Dec region and anchor near one of the larger islands in the Mekong known as Binh Thanh. This island is home to several communities that sustain themselves by cultivating water hyacinths. Strolling through the village, you’ll gain profound insights into local life and witness the complete traditional mat-making process. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to meet a local elderly couple who have spent their entire lives on this island. They enjoy engaging in conversations with foreign visitors.

Before dinner, join a presentation about life on the Mekong Delta as the ship sails toward our mooring spot for the night near Gieng Island.

**Day 12: Gieng Island > Evergreen Island > Phnom Penh**

After our morning Tai Chi session and a delightful breakfast, embark on an exploration revealing a vibrant kaleidoscope of the diverse activities bringing the Mekong Delta to life.

Gieng Island, also known locally as Mango Island, is perfect to stroll through under the shade of flourishing mango groves that shape the island’s landscape. A visit to a small incense workshop introduces us to the careful process of crafting these fragrance incense sticks by hand. Another local highlight is a traditional boat-building workshop, where generations of families assemble wooden vessels that are essential to life along the river. Before departing, we surely are going to taste some of these delicious and freshly picked mangoes with a local tea in the courtyard of a century-old local home. This is the moment when we all understand the rhythms and resilience of life on the Mekong – so simple, so joyful.

Optional culinary experience: Conclude your morning excursion with a culinary twist: Prepare with a local family an authentic “Banh In”, a soft, sweet treat made from glutinous rice flour and sugar. Always served with jasmine tea, the ‘Banh In’ is popular during Vietnamese national festivals such as Tet.

After lunch, board a traditional sampan toward Evergreen Island, a fertile pocket of the delta known for its small-scale farms and seasonal crops. Upon arrival, spend time with a local farming family and gain insight into their daily routine. You’re invited to step into the shoes of your hosts and share in their daily work. Depending on the season, you will help prepare seedlings, plant new crops, or assist with the harvest; a rare opportunity to share the delta daily life from the inside. Much of what’s grown here is later used by our onboard chef, tying your culinary experience onboard directly to the land.

After having discovered Mekong delta’s bustling rhythm, you will head towards the border. Once in Cambodia, an overnight sail takes us to the country’s capital.

**Day 13: Phnom Penh**

Welcome to Phnom Penh, a city once renowned as the “Paris of the East.” Despite its rapid development, it has retained much of its rustic charm and elegance. Phnom Penh is a remarkable city with a history and culture that spans centuries, still palpable at every street corner. Our full-day sightseeing tour begins right after breakfast, allowing you to explore the city’s highlights and history. Back on board, join a captivating testimony held in the lounge of the ship. You will hear about the dark chapter in Cambodia’s history during the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. You will have the opportunity to engage with Mr. Sum Rithy who endured the Khmer imprisonment and later taking an active part in the Khmer Rouge tribunal.

Later, after the talk and to cap off this eventful day, you can indulge in a delightful open-air barbecue and gala dinner accompanied by a classic Apsara dance performance. Afterward, feel free to explore the city and its nightlife on your own, with its lively river promenade and colourful bars and cafes.

**Day 14: Phnom Penh > Kampong Laeang > Kampong Luong**
Before the sun peeks over the horizon, the cruiser sets sail, entering the Tonle River. The Tonle River is a natural wonder of Cambodia, and the scenery on both sides of the river is a true gem. Discover the rural Cambodian countryside of Kampong Tralach. Journey along picturesque rice paddies aboard an ox-pulled cart, reaching a small village where you can learn about a local NGO school and library project or visit the ancient 300-year-old temple and Buddha shrine. As you sail upstream, lunch is served, and the crew showcases afterwards various traditional Khmer fashions worn by locals during special occasions.

The tour this morning leads to Kampong Laeang, an unknown hamlet situated just across from the famous pottery town of Kampong Chhnang. Once ashore, we embark on tuk-tuks to travel the heart of rural Cambodian life.

Optional culinary experience: The culinary-themed excursion offers the possibility to participate in a cooking demonstration at a local household in the village. Together with the locals, guests prepare the quite famous snack called “Nom Kruak” which is a kind of cake made from white or brown rice. Originally cooked only on one side, the Khmer invented Nom Kruak and cooked it on both sides. This dish is a tasty pre-dinner snack often consumed by locals.

Once back onboard, sail toward Kampong Luong, where you will anchor for the night.

**Day 15: Kampong Luong > Prek Bangkong > Angkor Ban**
Today your first stop is Kampong Luong, a renowned Silver Smith Village. Here, 400 families breathe life into silver, copper, and brass, crafting art pieces and jewelry. A short stroll on the island reveals their hard labour. Continue with a visit to Wat Prang, the Royal Buddhist Temple. This sacred site offers a moment of reflection on the king’s legacy, intertwining both history and spirituality. Engage with the monks and laymen, learning about their daily lives, rituals, and personal stories.

Back on board, enjoy a funny but also interesting fashion show about local Cambodian attire. At the confluence of the Tonle and Mekong Rivers lies the small village of Prek Bangkong, known for its silk weaving community. This village was also the former residence of the Royal family before they moved to the Royal Palace.

**Day 16: Angkor Ban > Kampong Cham**

Early risers may like to join the daily offered Tai Chi session on the sun deck before breakfast. Today’s morning excursion will let you explore the village of Angkor Ban.

Angkor Ban features a monastery with an adjacent, enchanting local village. You’ll have the chance to meet monks during their morning class and engage in friendly conversations with the villagers. As we stroll through the village, we understand the local way of life in various aspects, collecting wonderful memories of Cambodia’s rustic lifestyle. The village offers great photographic moments whilst interacting with the local community.

Optional culinary experience: In addition to a shorter visit to the Angkor Ban village, the culinary excursion group extends their excursion to pass by the house of Mr B, who used to work as a young chef aboard the ship ‘Jayavarman’. After he got married, he moved to his wife’s home village. Together with his “mom-in-law” and the “chef” in the household (his wife), we prepare and cook a century-old soup recipe called “Samlor Korko”. The soup is kind of a fish soup made with many vegetables, spices, herbs, and roasted rice, accompanied by a duck egg omelette.

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

**Day 17 : Kampong Cham > Siem Reap**
Enjoy your final breakfast aboard our floating sanctuary. We disembark the cruise and transfer by bus to Siem Reap, which takes approximately 4 hours. Your guide will share interesting insights about Cambodia and the region we pass through. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel.

**Day 18 : Siem Reap**
Depart early for Ta Prohm, where the magnificent tree roots have merged over the centuries with the temple’s huge stone blocks, and travel by tuk tuk through the forest to Banteay Kdei. In the afternoon, depart for Angkor Thom to visit its centrepiece, the Bayon Temple. Continue to the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper before heading to Angkor Wat, claimed to be the largest religious building in the world.

**Day 19 : Siem Reap**
Enjoy your day at leisure to relax or explore the city’s vibrant streets.

**Day 20 : Siem Reap**
After breakfast you will be transferred to Siem Reap airport where arrangements conclude.

Tailor-made and cruise journey: This itinerary can be tailor-made, with the number of days, places visited, and activities varied to suit you.

Inclusions

• • 11 nights’ accommodation
  • 1 night onboard a traditional junk in Halong Bay
  • 7 nights onboard Jayavarman in a Superior Cabin on the Mekong River
  • 19 breakfasts, 8 lunches, and 8 dinners
  • Meet & Greet at all airports
  • Economy class flights Hanoi > Danang > Saigon
  • Private or shared transfers as per the itinerary
  • English-speaking local guides
  • Private sightseeing as per the itinerary
  • Shared sightseeing onboard the cruise
  • Entrance fees as per the itinerary