Compare Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River (Southbound) by Avalon Waterways
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 13 days |
| Price From | $ 5,859 |
| Price Per Day | $ 451 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | River cruise |
| Lodging Level | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | |
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | No |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
| Description | 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 the most fascinating places along the mighty Mekong River.Your adventure begins in fascinating Siem Reap, Cambodia, where you’ll get up close to the phenomenal Temples of Angkor with an intricacy and architectural grandeur unmatched in the world. Visit famous Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and the splendid Bayon temple featuring some 200 mysterious faces carved in its many towers. Enjoy an inspiring Aspara dance performance and tour the other gems of the city before embarking on your river cruise.In the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, tour the National Museum and Royal Palace with its striking Silver Pagoda. 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 cruise into Vietnam and visit a vibrant market, the home of a local family making handcrafted sampans, and a workshop to learn how rice wine and traditional candies are made.This memorable Southeast Asia river cruise vacation concludes in the bustling Ho Chi Minh City which combines historic architecture with modern skyscrapers. See the famous landmarks and try your hand in the kitchen—Vietnamese-style, with a cooking class. Go back in time with an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels where you’ll have an opportunity to walk through a section of the immense underground tunnel system used extensively during the Vietnam War. |
Day 1: SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
Temples & Traditions
Welcome to Siem Reap, home to the Temples of Angkor, considered by many to be the most spectacular architectural ruins on Earth! Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.
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Day 2: SIEM REAP
Tranquil Temples and Joyful Dances
CLASSIC Explore the temples by tuk-tuk. Start at the best preserved and most famous of all the temples: Angkor Wat. Featuring five trademark towers, it is the symbol of Cambodia. Then, continue your Guided Excursion to visit Angkor Thom, where you will explore Bayon Temple with its 200 striking faces carved in 54 towers and impressive bas relief sculptures.Enjoy some time at your leisure this afternoon to explore Siem Reap’s shops for local artisan crafts.
DISCOVERY This evening, enjoy dinner and a private Apsara Dance Performance brings ancient Khmer culture to life through music, song, and dance.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 3: SIEM REAP
Root-Covered Ruins and Native Noodles
CLASSIC Continue your Sightseeing Tour of the Angkor temples at Ta Prohm. Tree roots cover the ruin walls, allowing you to experience the temple with the same wonder as early explorers. Then visit Banteay Srei, a unique temple built on a small scale from red sandstone, which can be carved like wood. En route, stop at a village famous for making Khmer noodles by hand. Be sure to sample some of the freshly prepared noodles!Spend the afternoon at your leisure.
(Breakfast)
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Day 4: SIEM REAP–PHNOM PENH (EMBARKATION)
Your Suite Ship® Awaits!
Fly to Phnom Penh and transfer to the port where your ship’s crew will be waiting to welcome you onboard. Get acquainted with the ship and relax before your welcome reception this evening.
Please note: Flight schedules are constantly changing which may require a scenic overland transfer to Phnom Penh.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO WAT HANCHEY
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 5: WAT HANCHEY–ANGKOR BAN
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 KAMPONG TRALACH
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 6: KAMPONG TRALACH–KONPONG LOUANG–PHNOM PENH
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, a Visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing Fields provides a glimpse into the atrocities inflicted on the Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge regime, OR:
DISCOVERY Visit the lively Central Market with its unique Art Deco design by tuk-tuk.This evening, spend some free time exploring the city on your own. Perhaps follow the riverfront promenade to the historic Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC).
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 7: PHNOM PENH
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.
Just before dinner, children from a local orphanage will perform a show, featuring local song and dance.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIETNAM/CAMBODIA BORDER
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 8: BORDER CROSSING–CHAU DOC, VIETNAM
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
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 9: LONG KHANH A–CU LAO GIENG
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
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 10: VINH LONG
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.
AFTERNOON CRUISE TO HO CHI MINH CITY
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 11: HO CHI MINH CITY (DISEMBARKATION)
Motorbikes, Monuments, and Mouth-watering Cuisine
CLASSIC Take a Walking Tour of Ho Chi Minh City’s historic landmarks, including a stop at the Rex Hotel for a refreshing drink at the rooftop bar where the U.S. Military held the infamous “Five O’clock Follies” during the war. Then, visit the War Remnants Museum and bustling Ben Thanh Market.DISCOVERY For lunch, participate in a hands-on Vietnamese Cooking Class. Learn to prepare several local dishes and how to recreate them at home. Last, but not least, sample your delicious creations!
Enjoy time at your leisure this afternoon and evening for independent exploration. Maybe stop for a drink at the famous rooftop bar at the Caravelle Hotel.
(Breakfast,Lunch)
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Day 12: HO CHI MINH CITY. EXCURSION TO CU CHI TUNNELS
Secret Passageways and Underground Hideouts
CLASSIC Drive out of the city for a Guided Visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels—an extraordinary network of tunnels more than 120 miles in length—used as a hideout and secret village by the Viet Cong. Explore these tunnels and learn what life was like living in these cramped spaces.Explore the city further during free time this afternoon.
This evening, join your traveling companions for a special dinner in a local restaurant.
(Breakfast,Dinner)
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Day 13: HO CHI MINH CITY
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
(Breakfast)
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