Wonders of Vietnam and Cambodia

Make your way to London Heathrow for your flight to Vietnam.

Be transferred to the five-star Movenpick Hotel Hanoi, only a short walk from the Old Quarter. Tonight, an Insider Experience kicks off your holiday before dining on a multicourse Vietnamese dinner in the hotel.

Take a guided tour of Hanoi, observing the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, historic Ba Dinh Square, the iconic One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, a beautiful example of Vietnamese architecture and the first university in Vietnam. Afterwards, join an Insider Experience. The afternoon and evening are at leisure or choose from one of our select experiences.

Travel to Tuan Chau to board Bhaya Classic where you will begin your Insider Experience. Set sail among thousands of limestone islets while feasting on a delicious lunch as you soak in the views of Ha Long Bay. Then it’s time to kayak around the Tung Sau area. Catch the sunset on board as you cruise towards anchor for the night. Enjoy dinner before doing some squid fishing, sipping cocktails or relaxing in your cabin.

Board rowing boats to visit the Luon Cave area and enjoy close views of the magnificent limestone karsts. Later, visit the Cua Van Floating Culture Centre, located in a unique fishing village. Enjoy lunch on board while cruising to Trinh Nu. Spend time relaxing at the private beach or visit one of the finest sunlight caves with stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Later, gather for a sumptuous dinner.

Explore Sung Sot Cave before farewelling your crew and transferring to Hanoi airport where you will board a flight to Da Nang. Continue by road to your hotel in the charming World Heritage-listed Hoi An and enjoy dinner.

Today is spent on an immersive Insider Experience. Enjoy a free evening or choose from one of our Select Experience dining options.

Enjoy a day at leisure to explore. Perhaps enjoy a Select Experience option.

See stunning Lang Co Beach and traverse Hai Van Pass. Arrive in Hue, the former imperial capital situated on the banks of the picturesque Perfume River. Stroll through the Citadel and admire the palaces and monuments of this imperial city. Later, join your Insider Experience before dining on local specialties for dinner.

Rise early for your Insider Experience before a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the bustling metropolis formerly known as Saigon. A delicious dinner awaits you tonight.

Discover the military history of the area. Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, built by the Viet Cong during the war. Learn more about the construction of the underground passageways and take the opportunity to crawl through a section to understand firsthand what it was like for the soldiers who lived and fought here. The afternoon and evening have been left free for you to explore at your own pace or choose from one of our Select Experience touring and dining options.

Begin with your Insider Experience then return to the hotel for breakfast. Drive to My Tho and board your river ship where all suites enjoy twin balconies to soak in the scenery. Set sail towards Cai Be where you anchor overnight. Tonight, enjoy dinner prepared by your onboard chef.

Explore Cai Be and its surrounds by tender boat as you view local life on the river and along its banks. Go ashore to see the French Gothic cathedral, the tallest church in the Mekong Delta with its impressive bell tower, and visit manufacturers of rice paper and coconut candy to learn how they’re made. Head back to the ship and sit down to a delicious lunch whilst cruising to Sa Dec. Afterwards, take a boat ride to the charming town of Sa Dec for a guided tour. Stroll through the colourful markets and continue by foot to the home of Huynh Thuy Le, once the lover of French writer Marguerite Duras, who penned her best-selling novel ‘The Lover’ about their affair. Back on board unwind or relax your body with a rejuvenating treatment from the spa. As the sun sets, the RV Apsara sets sail for Tan Chau. Enjoy dinner and later head up to the Saigon Lounge for evening entertainment or a cocktail.

Transfer to a small boat for a journey along the tiny tributaries that snake around Tan Chau. Embark on a rickshaw tour and weave through the tiny laneways of this sleepy town almost untouched by tourism. Home to one of the largest silk-weaving centres in Vietnam, you can observe how silk is woven in the local workshops. After lunch, take a small boat to discover rural life on Evergreen Island. Observe the traditional Vietnamese farming techniques, where the land is ploughed by water buffalo and where you can see authentic rural Mekong life. Later appreciate some down time and watch the scenery of the Mekong River pass as the RV Apsara spends the afternoon cruising towards the Cambodian border. While border formalities are carried out sit down and enjoy the onboard activities and presentations. Cross into Cambodia and cruise overnight towards the capital Phnom Penh.

Today learn of the atrocities inflicted upon Cambodians during Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Explore the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, where you’ll find the Memorial Stupa, a glass monument erected in memory of the thousands of Cambodians who lost their lives. After lunch on board, visit the spectacular Royal Palace, delighting in its dazzling white and gold architecture. Then head to the glorious Silver Pagoda, set on the southern side of the palace complex. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. You may wish to head to the local markets for souvenirs or perhaps to taste the local delicacy of fried tarantula. Alternatively, relax on board and enjoy the facilities and service.

Travel by coach to Oudong, the former capital of Cambodia, for your memorable Insider Experience. Afterwards, you will visit Koh Chen and explore the open-air copperware workshops. Return to the ship and enjoy a free afternoon in Phnom Penh, or perhaps enhance your time by choosing one of Travelmarvel’s Select Experiences.

Rise early as your ship glides along the lush banks of the Mekong to Oknha Tey, or Silk Island, renowned for its silk manufacturing traditions, preserved over centuries. Travel by tuk tuk, pass rice fields and get a glimpse into rural life. Stroll amongst the stilt houses and gain an insight into the traditional silk-weaving process. Watch as the village women create the beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms. Return to your river ship and enjoy lunch on board as the ship sets sail for Angkor Ban. In the afternoon, as you cruise up the Mekong River, enjoy time at leisure. Have a dip in the pool or sit and read a book on the Sun Deck while soaking in the scenery.

Start your morning with a guided walk of Angkor Ban, a village nicknamed the ‘Lucky Village’ which is awash with stories of Cambodia's cultural history, and one of the few traditional villages that survived the Khmer Rouge regime. Stroll through town, see traditional stilted houses and a Khmer-style pagoda. After lunch, your cruise docks at its final location Kampong Cham, where you can enjoy your Insider Experience. This evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner on board with your fellow travellers as you reminisce about your Mekong River cruise adventure.

Transfer to Siem Reap the gateway to Angkor Wat, passing through picturesque countryside and remote villages. Later, discover the atmospheric Ta Prohm temple, where the jungle grows within the temple walls, and then enjoy your Insider Experiences.

Explore Angkor Archaeological Park and visit the Bayon temple with its carved stone smiling faces. Later this afternoon, continue to explore Siem Reap at your own pace or choose from one of our Select Experience options. Cap off your visit to Siem Reap and celebrate your unforgettable journey with Insider Experiences.

Your journey ends this morning after breakfast with a transfer to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport for your onward flight back to the UK.

Arrive back in London today.