Compare Magnificient Mekong by Viking River Cruises vs Cambodia To Vietnam By Waterway Deluxe Tour In 15 Days by Realistic Asia

Day 1: Hanoi, Vietnam

Fly to Hanoi, former capital of French Indochina, then transfer to your hotel.* Check in for a 2-night stay, then relax or take a walk to stretch your legs and get acquainted with the city.

Day 2: Hanoi, Vietnam

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

After breakfast, take a tour of this unique, thousand-year-old Asian capital where old and new combine in a lush setting of parks and lakes. Visit the Museum of Ethnology, which includes a number of fascinating exhibits that bring Vietnam’s history and astonishingly diverse culture to life. Then tour the notorious “Hanoi Hilton,” the Hỏa Lò Prison where American POWs were held captive during the Vietnam War.

In the afternoon, visit Hanoi’s Temple of Literature. Founded in 1070 as Vietnam’s first university, this maze-like compound features inviting courtyards, gateways, pavilions, walkways, lakes and a museum. Continue on to the One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th-century monument that was rebuilt after being destroyed by the French in 1954. En route, pass some colonial landmarks such as the magnificent Opera House and St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Relax this afternoon before dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 3: Hanoi, Vietnam

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

In the morning, take a leisurely ride through Hanoi’s Old Quarter by “green” electric car. Enjoy some free time before your short afternoon flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Check in to your hotel for a 3-night stay; tonight’s dinner is accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance show.

Day 4: Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Begin your day with a visit to one of Angkor’s largest Khmer temples, Angkor Wat, built for King Suryavarman II in the 12th century AD. With its beautiful proportions and extensive, intricate bas-relief stone carvings, it is one of the most spectacular sights in Southeast Asia. Spend some time exploring the fortified city of Angkor Thom, which houses several of Angkor’s most popular sights such as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King with their dramatic bas-reliefs.

Today you also visit the mysterious Bayon Temple, known for its giant, stone-carved faces with their enigmatic smiles. Dine at a local restaurant and relax this evening.

Day 5: Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Today, ride to the spectacular 10th-century Hindu temple Banteay Srei (“Citadel of Women”) to see magnificent carvings of Shiva and Vishnu. Then, journey to Ta Prohm, one of the most popular of the Temples of Angkor. Unlike many other buildings, it has been left as it was discovered, with trees and large shrubs growing over the ruins.

After lunch on your own, visit a local village supported by Viking River Cruises, observe school children at work and find out how you can “adopt” a child to help support their education.

This evening enjoy dinner in a local restaurant followed by a Cambodian Circus show which uniquely blends together theater, music, dance, acrobatics, jugging and aerial acts.

Day 6: Kampong Cham, Cambodia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, check out of your Siem Reap hotel and begin your coach tour through the Cambodian countryside, which brings you to your ship in Kampong Cham, via the provincial capital of Kampong Thom. Due to its central location, this area is rapidly becoming an important hub for fishing and agriculture. It also has a rich archaeological heritage, to which the 200 temples, some of which predate the Khmer Empire, attest. This afternoon, board your ship. After you get settled in, meet the ship’s officers over a welcome cocktail.

Day 7: Kampong Cham, Cambodia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

This morning visit the Twin Holy Mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey with their many temples and pagodas, still used during traditional Khmer festivals. After, visit a Kampong Cham orphanage where students create beautiful paintings that are available to purchase. This afternoon the ship will set sail toward a silk-weaving village. Take a walk through the village and admire the rich silk fabrics.

Day 8: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

This morning’s excursion takes you through a Cambodian village. After, take a short ride to Udon Monastery for a tour and to receive a blessing by the monks. Then continue to the next village, famous for its silversmiths. Rejoin your ship and have lunch as we cruise into Phnom Penh.

Your afternoon is free to explore Phnom Penh’s historic riverfront area with its restaurants, art galleries and silk shops, or perhaps visit the distinctive Central Market or the “Russian Market” where you can buy jewelry, curios, clothes and souvenirs. You might prefer to visit more of the city’s wats (monastery temples): Wat Langka, Wat Botum, Wat Koh or Wat Ounalom, each with its own special character and purpose. Late this afternoon, there will be an onboard presentation about recent Cambodian history by a local expert. Dinner is served aboard the ship.

Day 9: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, disembark in Cambodia’s lovely waterfront capital and explore the city in style, in a cyclo. This mode of transportation provides many Cambodians with a source of income and visitors with a speedy and enjoyable way to move around. See the magnificent Royal Palace with its spectacular Silver Pagoda, built in the 19th century by the French, but inspired by the centuries-old architecture of the Khmer. Then take a tour of the National Museum of Cambodia, which houses treasures of Khmer art and craftsmanship and also displays art that predates the mighty empire.

After lunch, join an excursion to the sobering memorial in the Tuol Sleng detention center, a former high school in which thousands of victims of the Khmer Rouge died, and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, or explore the city’s maze of small alleys, markets and busy streets on your own. Tonight’s dinner is accompanied by a folkloric performance.

Day 10: Mekong River

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Sail down the Mekong, one of the world’s great rivers, toward the Vietnamese border. The Mekong is truly the “Mother River of Southeast Asia,” sustaining civilizations through the centuries. Pass by some of the Mekong rice fields. The Khmer Empire was founded on a rice surplus, and rice is still the main staple of Vietnamese cuisine.

Day 11: Tân Châu, Vietnam

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today you will have a rare glimpse of rural life as it has been lived for ages. Begin your morning with a ride on a traditional rickshaw in Tân Châu. Observe the making of floor mats from sedge and slippers from uzu. Afterward, visit the floating fish farm by wooden sampan, then take a boat ride to Vinh Hoa, known as “Evergreen Island.” Here you can take a short walk to see various methods of traditional Vietnamese farming and the crafts and other daily activities of local people firsthand.

Set sail in the afternoon, observing daily life along the way. This evening, enjoy a screening of the film l’Amant (The Lover), which will prepare you for tomorrow’s visit to Sa Ðéc.

Day 12 :Sa Ðéc, Vietnam

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

This morning, board a sampan to explore the backwaters and canals of the Delta. Small factories line the river channels; get a glimpse of industry in the region with a visit to a brick factory. Stop in Sa Ðéc and see the house of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the protagonist in best-selling author Marguerite Duras’s autobiographical novel, l’Amant (The Lover). After lunch, visit the colorful floating market of Cái Bè; see local workers producing rice noodles, coconut candy and a host of other handmade products. This evening, attend an onboard screening of the 2002 film The Quiet American, based on Graham Greene’s novel set in 1952 Saigon.

Day 13: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Bid farewell to your ship this morning as your cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam comes to an end. Disembark in Mỹ Tho, a busy river port not far from the capital of South Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. On your way to Ho Chi Minh City, you'll tour the Cu Chi tunnels, mysterious, once-secret tunnels used as supply routes, hospitals and living quarters by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. These subterranean passageways outside Ho Chi Minh City are a tiny part of a huge network that extends through much of Vietnam. Upon arrival in the city, check in to your hotel for a 2-night stay, then spend the rest of the day at leisure, getting acquainted with Ho Chi Minh at your own pace. See some of the historic French colonial architecture and soak up some of the city’s youthful energy. Tonight’s dinner is in a local restaurant.

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

After breakfast, begin another tour of this bustling metropolis with a visit to its historic center. Take a stroll along Dong Khoi Street, the main shopping boulevard in the old colonial heart. See the grand City Hall, Reunification Palace, the old Opera House with its soaring arched entryway, the Chinatown area and a lacquer factory. Complete your morning tour at Ben Thành Market.

The rest of your afternoon is free. Explore the city’s neighbourhoods or do a bit of last-minute shopping at the local markets before this evening’s festive final dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, continue your Southeast Asia adventure with a 3-night stay in Bangkok, Thailand’s exciting capital.

Day 1 Welcome To Cambodia - Siem Reap Arrival

Your Vietnam adventure begins with your arrival in Siem Reap. Your private driver will meet you at the airport, holding a signboard with your name. He will escort you to your accommodation right in the heart of the city. You can easily explore the city at your own pace or relax at the hotel after the flight.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 2 Explore The Magnificent Angkor Wat (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel and start your sightseeing tour of the Angkor complex. Start your exploration with the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone. Continue your sightseeing to the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares.

We will stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards, and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple. Then visit the famous jungle-covered temple of Ta Prohm. Here the enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man’s creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 3 Travel From Siem Reap To Phnom Penh (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel and get ready for your transfer to Phnom Penh. In the afternoon you will visit the Royal Palace, which is currently a residence of His Majesty, the King of Cambodia, and the royal family. The palace looks like a small town of royal dynasties. Continue to Silver Pagoda, which serves less as a functioning temple than a repository for cultural treasures such as 90 kg golden Buddha encrusted with 2086 diamonds. Finally visit Wat Phnom Temple, one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh It was built in 1373 on an artificial hill by the wealthy widow Daun Chi Penh.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 4 Explore Phnom Penh (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel, then visit Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 prison). This former school was used as a prison by Pol Pot’s security forces. More than 17,000 people held at S-21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeng Ek to be executed. Drive to visit the “Killing Fields” of Choeng Ek (15 km south of Phnom Penh) to see and learn more about this extermination camp.

Then visit Russian Market (Toul Tumpong Market). Here you can find everything: clothing, a large selection of Buddha images and woodcarvings, betel-nut boxes, silk, silver jewelry, and classic musical instrument.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 5 Phnom Penh - Travel To Chau Doc By Speed Boat (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel, and meet your driver around 11 am, who will take you to the port to embark on the speedboat.

At 12:00 pm, the speed boat will depart from Sisowath Quay – Kh Daun Penh (International floating port) to Chau Doc. You would cross the border between Cambodia and Vietnam and arrive at Chau Doc around 17:30. Our driver will meet you and take you to the hotel, where you can relax after the trip.

Overnight in Chau Doc.

Day 6 Chau Doc - Cruise To Cai Be (B/L/D)

06:00 AM Have breakfast at the hotel and check out the room. You will take a bus to Cai Be where you will board your cruise boat and have some rest in your cabin. The boat will cruise through the branches and canals of the Mekong river, you could enjoy the amazing view of the surrounding landscapes and the diverse life of local people in the Mekong Delta. Have lunch on the boat.

In the afternoon you will have guided land excursions around small villages surrounded by rice fields and orchards. You could watch the locals build their boats or how food is processed in local family workshops.

Then you will get back on the boat and have free time, to enjoy the sunset on the top deck. The dinner would be served on the boat.

Overnight on a boat.

Day 7 Can Tho - Cai Rang Floating Market - Ho Chi Minh (B/L)

Get up early as the cruise starts with the sunrise, just when the Mekong Delta comes back to life, breakfast will be served at 6:30 am. Check out your cabin and get to your next destination – Cai Rang by sampan.

Cai Rang Floating Market is the biggest and most colorful floating market in the Mekong Delta region. In the very early morning, the river becomes a busy commercial site where hundreds of boats packed with fruits, vegetables, and plants line along the river and are ready for trading. Sellers will hang samples of what they are selling on the top of a long pole on their boats so the buyers can see their products from a distance. Enjoy your shopping and then visit the workshop where a local family produces noodles.

Afterward, you will be transferred to Ho Chi Minh, check-in at the hotel, and have some free time for rest.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 8 Explore The Mysterious Cu Chi Tunnels (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel and depart for Cu Chi tunnels. The trip will take approximately one and a half hours drive. Upon arrival, you will have a short introduction followed by an introductory video about how the tunnels were constructed, and how the people survived in the harsh conditions of wartime.

Then, spend your time exploring the remaining area and tunnel systems, which included the living areas, kitchens, and bedrooms side by side with other martial facilities like storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, and command centers. All this was to help people living inside the tunnels meet their basic needs. Besides, there are many hidden trap doors and dangerous traps within the maze-like tunnels for security purposes during the war. Afterward, special tea and cassava (guerilla food during the war) will be served. Then you will return to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 9 Ho Chi Minh - Travel To Hoi An (B) - flight included

Relish the remaining moment in Ho Chi Minh before your private driver escorts you to the airport to take the flight to Da Nang. When you arrive at Da Nang Airport, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation in Hoi An. The rest of the time is free at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 10 Hoi An Leisure (B)

Have a free day to explore Hoi An at your own pace. The best way to explore this charming town is to rent a bicycle at the hotel and cycle around the town towards the riverside or the beach. At the beach, you will find many small cafes where you could relax with a fresh fruit drink after swimming. The water in the sea is warm and calm.

You could visit a tailor-shop which could make you and your loved ones a new piece of clothes, bag or shoes overnight.

In the evening we recommend you to walk around the Old Town area, which looks charming when the shops light their lanterns. You and would really feel like being in a fairy-tale. And don’t skip the colorful performances organized on the street in the evening.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 11 Hoi An - Travel To Hanoi (B) - flight included

Relish the remaining moment in Hoi An before your private driver escorts you to Da Nang airport to take the flight to Hanoi. When you arrive at Noi Bai Airport, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation in the Old Quarter. The rest of the time is free at leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 12 Ba Vi Eco Tour (B/L)

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel then our experienced English-speaking guide escorts you on the trip to Ba Vi, a countryside located on the outskirt of Hanoi.

Arrive at Ri village, enjoy the welcome drink and snacks and meet your first host - Mr. Duoc, who is a Vietnam War veteran and tea-farm owner. Listen to the stories of Mr. Duoc's life during the war while enjoying the drink and then visit his tea plantation. You will learn how to pick the best tea leaves to make the most wonderful beverage in Vietnam. Carry on with the tea production at his small workshop, where most of the work is manual.

Then have a short drive to Moc village, where you will meet your next host Mrs. Chin, who will teach you how to cook local Vietnamese dishes. Later have the meals you made for lunch in a beautiful tropical garden.

Have a short break after lunch, and join Mrs. Chin for a walk around the village. You will visit some local families to understand the rural lifestyle and learn how tofu, conical hats, and other local products are made. Then have a cycling trip through beautiful paddy fields. Wrap up your countryside tour with traditional feet soak in warm water with herbs, following the traditional recipes of the Muong ethnic minority. It will relax you (and your feet) after cycling around the village. Later, enjoy a transfer from Ba Vi back to your accommodation.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 13 Cruising To The Spectacular Halong Bay (B/L/D)- shared cruise

In the morning, check out of the hotel, and get picked up by the Cruise team. Take the most scenic route to reach Halong Bay, taking you across the Red River Delta with emerald green rice paddies stretching for as far as the eyes can see.

On arrival at the pier, you will board the cruise and enjoy the fantastic views of limestone rocks and the karst grottoes. Have an utterly delicious seafood lunch and enjoy the time at the sundeck exploring the Bay.

The cruise will stop in a secret place where you will spend time kayaking or swimming, so you can explore the karst grottoes closer. Towards the evening, you will return to the boat for an early dinner, followed by some time at leisure. You can optionally attend the activities taking part on the boat or just relax.

Overnight on cruise.

Note: In case of bad weather (the boat is not allowed to push off or not allowed to overnight in the sea), the Ha Long bay tour could be canceled without notice. We will consider other replacement tours or a refund based on the specific circumstances.

Day 14 Wake Up With The Dragon In The Bay - Back To Hanoi (B/L)

Rise early today to view the sunrise at the wonder of nature with breakfast served in the dining room. A Tai Chi class on the sun deck will awake your mind and muscles.

Then head off to visit the limestone cave full of stalagmites and stalactites. After your exploration return to the boat to check out and enjoy the brunch while the cruise is sailing back to the harbor. Later you will be transferred to your accommodation in Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 15 Time To Say Goodbye - Hanoi Departure (B)

Relish a healthy breakfast on the final day of your trip to Cambodia and Vietnam. Complete the hotel check-out formalities, after which you can visit the local markets to buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Later your private driver will transfer you to the airport to take your flight back home.

Trip Ends.