Wonders of Vietnam & Cambodia during the Green Season

Depart the USA on your transpacific flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Xin Chao and welcome to Ho Chi Minh City! On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel, situated in downtown District 1, for a two-night stay. After checking in, you will be free to explore the city before meeting your tour director for your welcome briefing and dinner at a local restaurant. Meals: D

Drive away from Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi Tunnels, watching the city skyline fade into the distance as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and scenes typical to southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours walking around Cu Chi’s rugged grounds with a local guide. Upon your return to Ho Chi Minh City, enjoy a Pho lunch with remainder of the afternoon and evening yours to enjoy at leisure or venture out on one of our DiscoverMORE excursions. Meals: B, L DiscoverMORE: An evening Saigon Street Food walking tour (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: One Night in Saigon (extra expense)

After checkout, enjoy a tour of the city, visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera House and Town Hall. Then, visit the Reunification Palace before transferring to the port where you will board your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship, Emerald Harmony. You’ll be welcomed on board by your captain and crew before setting sail after lunch down the Saigon River to Cho Gao canal where you will anchor for the night. This evening, enjoy your first dinner on board with your fellow travelers. Your Cruise Director will conduct a port talk to review the activities and itinerary for the days ahead. Meals: B, L, D EmeraldPLUS: Phare Cambodian Circus performance DiscoverMORE: Vespa tour of Siem Reap (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: A visit to Banteay Srei (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: A visit to Tonlé Sap (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: A culinary tour of Cambodia (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: Senteurs d’Angkor Workshop (extra expense)

The Cho Gao canal is one of Vietnam’s major arterial canals, connecting Tien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll find it fascinating to watch the heavy commercial traffic navigate this important waterway, which sees upwards of 1,800 vessels transit each day. During your morning of relaxation on board, soak up the ever-changing passing scenery, enjoy a refreshing dip in the infinity pool, or indulge in a spa treatment (at additional cost). This afternoon, you’ll visit the Tan My Floating community followed by a ride through the local ‘Delta plantations’, visiting a mushroom farm, a fruit farm with sampling and a honey farm with local sweets before returning to Emerald Harmony to sail onwards to Sa Ðéc, a hidden gem on the Mekong Delta. Meals: B, L, D

After a short ride on a sampan to Sa Dec enjoy a walking tour around town with a stop at the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant, and enjoy a walk through the central market to peruse its varied produce. Return to Emerald Harmony by sampan and sail to My An Hung Island. Recognized as a cultural and historical destination, this small village in rural Vietnam specializes in red-hot chili and peppers. As part of our EmeraldPLUS program, enjoy some local folk singing during the visit. Meals: B, L, D EmeraldPLUS: Listen to some local folk singing in My An Hung

Known as ‘Mango Island,’ Cu Lao Gieng is a small, scenic island untouched by tourism, located along the upper Mekong River. Travel by local motorcycle rickshaw through the island’s villages to visit families who work in various local industries, including mango farming, boat construction and production of temple incense sticks. This afternoon sail to An Long. Meals: B, L, D

Today is yours to enjoy your free time on board or, if you prefer, partake in a DiscoverMORE optional excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in An Long. As part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, you can enjoy a traditional Lion Dance performance on board. Meals: B, L, D EmeraldPLUS: A Lion Dance performance on board DiscoverMORE: A visit to Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in Tram Chim National Park (extra expense)

In Tan Chau, embark on a sampan ride to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village, affording a glimpse into the ‘Delta farming community’. Reboard your sampan returning to Tan Chau and as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, visit a local Cao Dai temple. Cao Dai is a syncretic, monotheistic religion established in Tây Ninh, southern Vietnam, in 1926. At the temple, learn more about this fascinating and complex religion. Afterwards, ride in a Xe Loi (local form of cyclo) back to your sampan before reboarding Emerald Harmony. You’ll then cruise to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Meals: B, L, D EmeraldPLUS: A visit to a local Cao Dai Temple and Xe Loi ride,

Today, you’ll awake in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Known as the ‘Pearl of Asia,’ this city was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. This morning, learn about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of Cambodia’s history. A short drive takes you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek, where you can walk through the fields and visit the memorial, understanding more about the country’s somber chapter. Afterwards, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (infamously known as ‘S-21’), a former school converted to the Khmer Rouge’s main prison and torture HQ. Spend the afternoon at leisure, exploring our DiscoverMORE excursions, visiting the vibrant Central Market, or relaxing on board. Later, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, you’ll enjoy an evening remork (local Tuk-Tuk) ride through Phnom Penh, admiring the city lights. Meals: B, L, D EmeraldPLUS: Phnom Penh by night on a remork (Tuk-Tuk) tour DiscoverMORE: A silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: Craft Beer Adventure by remork (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: Samai Rum Distillery visit (extra expense)

In the morning visit the majestic Royal Palace with its gardens and Silver Pagoda. Once back on board, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, you’ll enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organization. After lunch set sail from Phnom Penh and enjoy an afternoon of relaxed sailing as you cruise further up the Mekong River to Angkor Ban. Meals: B, L, D EmeraldPLUS: Cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organization

In Angkor Ban, explore its historical rural wooden houses which survived the Khmer Rouge and visit a classroom that teaches English to the local students, after their regular school lessons. In the village temple learn how to pray in a Buddhist pagoda and you’ll receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the temple’s resident monks as part of your EmeraldPLUS excursion. Afterwards set sail to your final destination, Peam Chi Korng located further upstream on the Mekong River. Meals: B, L, D EmeraldPLUS: A tradtional Buddhist Monk blessing

Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning and continue by road to Siem Reap for your included three-night stay. Stay at the beautiful Shinta Mani, a deluxe boutique property of world-class design that takes great care in honoring the environment and paying homage to the traditional and local aesthetics. This evening as part of your EmeraldPLUS program, attend Phare, The Cambodian Circus, where a combination of acrobatics, music and dance tell a uniquely Cambodian story. Take advantage of our DiscoverMORE dinner at the circus to further support Phare’s work. Meals: B, L EmeraldPLUS: Phare Cambodian Circus performance DiscoverMORE: Evening – Local Fare at Phare Circus (extra expense)

Today, start with a visit to Angkor Thom, not a single temple such as the historic sites it neighbors, but rather one of the most remarkable royal cities of the Angkor Period and an architectural wonder. As the last capital of the Khmer Empire, it was a fortified city, home to priests, officials of the palace, military and buildings for administering the kingdom. Afterwards, visit the sacred Temple of Ta Prohm. In an incredible standoff between human creation and nature, the jungle’s root systems have reclaimed this spiritual location now enshrouded in wild vegetation. The backdrop to many Hollywood scenes, the incredible Ta Prohm is both a cinematic and contemplative location. This evening is free to visit ‘Pub Street’ or try a DiscoverMORE option this evening. Meals: B, L DiscoverMORE: Sunset Drinks Gondola Boat at Bayon (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: Cambodian Street Food Discovery Tour (extra expense)

Witness a mesmerizing sunrise over Angkor Wat. Afterwards, walk through this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, renowned for its intricate carvings. This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to explore the town, or join a DiscoverMORE excursion. Later, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy an immersive evening and farewell dinner at Satcha Handicraft Centre, accompanied by an Apsara dance performance. Meals: B, D EmeraldPLUS: Apsara dance performance and dinner show DiscoverMORE: Siem Reap Countryside by Vespa (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: Banteay Srei Temple and APOPO (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: A visit to Tonlé Sap (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: Khmer Cooking Class (extra expense) DiscoverMORE: Senteurs d’Angkor Workshop (extra expense)

After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to the Siem Reap airport to catch your onward or homebound flight. Return home with memories of life enriching experiences of your amazing adventure through Cambodia and Vietnam. Meal: B