We Love —
- Touring southern Vietnam with a trip to HCMC, soaking up the city's culture and fascinating history, and tucking into divine street food!
- Cruising the Mekong Delta, discovering river communities and roaming markets as the waterways wind towards Cambodia's border.
- Marvelling at the incredible sight of Angkor Wat temples as they emerge from the jungle, a playground for cheeky monkeys.
New Voyage Privé —
Carefully selected by our experts especially for you
A tour to discover South Vietnam and Cambodia differently. You will sail on the Mekong River and sleep two nights on board a typical South-East Asian boat, a sampan, before reaching Pnom Penh by speed boat. Ready for a change of scenery?
Your Itinerary In Brief —
Brief Itinerary:
Day 1: Saigon arrival
Day 2: Saigon
Day 3: Saigon – Cai Be – Sa Dec – overnight at Song Xanh cruise
Day 4: Sadec – Long Xuyen – Chau Doc – overnight at Song Xanh cruise
Day 5: Chau Doc – speed boat to Phnom Penh
Day 6: Phnom Penh – City Tour
Day 7: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap by road
Day 8: Siem Reap – Famous Angkor temples by tuk tuk
Day 9: Siem Reap
Day 10: Siem Reap
Day 11: Siem Reap – flight to Phnom Penh
Day 12: Phnom Penh - Departure
Extension to Koh Rong 3 nights & 1 night Phnom Penh:
Day 11: Siem Reap – flight Sihanoukville – Koh Rong
Day 12: Koh Rong
Day 13: Koh Rong
Day 14: Koh Rong – Phnom Penh
Day 15: Phnom Penh – departure
A note about your guides: during the Mekong Delta cruise, there is a local-speaking guide on the boat. No guide is provided for transfers from Saigon to Cai Be on Day 3. Your guides are otherwise as mentioned in the programme (no guide for free days).
Your Itinerary In Detail —
Day 1: Arrival in Saigon
Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, your guide and driver will meet you and drive you to your hotel in the city centre (Note: the check-in time is from 14:00).
Free time at your leisure and overnight in Saigon.
DAY 2: SAIGON (breakfast)
Begin your day with breakfast at the hotel. The rest of the day is at your own leisure to head out and explore or opt to add Cu Chi Tunnels and City Highlights full-day tour (optional and for an additional fee).
Optional Tour: Cu Chi tunnels and City Highlights
Details: Private tour with lunch – minimum of two people
Duration: Full day (08.00-17.00)
Inclusion: Transportation, tour guide, entrance fee, interaction fee, coffee, a set-menu lunch, and two bottles of mineral water per person on transportation
Known as an immense network of 220km of connecting underground tunnels divided into 3 levels at 6 meters, 8 meters and 10 meters deep underground, the famous Cu Thi Tunnels were occupied by more than 10,000 people during the war. This zigzag tunnel system served to link different villages (some tunnels pass under rivers) and played a definitive role in the Vietnamese victory in the Vietnam War. Tour the vast network of underground passageways to gain an insight into the tunnels’ history, life in the tunnels as well as the tenacity and resourcefulness of the Vietnamese during combat.
Back to Ho Chi Minh City to visit the War Remnants Museum which presents a partial yet vivid view of the American War through Vietnamese eyes as it contains fascinating remnants and photographs of the past, including US armoured vehicles, artillery, bombs, and infantry weapons (please note that some of the displays are very graphic and sensitive).
Then, wind your way through a street market to see how people bargain for fresh vegetables, seafood, and other local food. Take the opportunity to see the colourful blossoms and interact with the vendors. Stop at some stalls to try some favourite Saigonese snacks and desserts such as sponge cakes and sweet soups. Chill out at a historic coffee shop which used to be a hidden place for Viet Cong to store money, gold, and even weapons during the Vietnam War. Tour around the house and engage in an informative conversation with the representative to get insight into the troubled yet remarkable history of this country.
DAY 3: SAIGON - CAI BE - SA DEC - SONG XANH CRUISE (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
At 8:00 am, your driver will pick-up you up at your hotel and take you to Cai Be. Your journey starts from Phu An Jetty at 10:00 am. Begin with a bicycle ride around this remote countryside area, ending up at Le Longanier Restaurant. Lunch is served in this exquisite colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river.
After lunch, start your leisurely cruise on the Delta’s beautiful waterways, with stops along the way to explore local cottage industries that provide a living for the river communities. Before arriving at Sa Dec, visit a traditional brick factory where everything is made by hand. Arriving at Sa Dec, step ashore and stroll to the outdoor market. Visit the Kien An Cung, ancient Chinese architecture has played an important part in the Chinese community in Dong Thap for nearly a hundred years. Dinner is served on board. Enjoy your first night on board the Song Xanh on the Mekong River.
Day 4 : Sa Dec - Long Xuyen - Chau Doc (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Breakfast is served on board while you cruise towards Long Xuyen along a narrow canal, passing several scenic monkey bridges. After enjoying lunch on board, arrive in Long Xuyen to visit Tiger Island, the birthplace of Vietnam’s second president. Return to the sampan for dinner and resume your cruise towards Chau Doc. Your boat sails until approximately 10:00 pm before anchoring for the night. Overnight on board.
DAY 5: CHAU DOC/ SPEED BOAT TO PHNOM PENH (breakfast)
Early breakfast is served on board. Close to the border with Cambodia, Chau Doc is the gateway to Phnom Penh. Known throughout Vietnam for its pagodas and temples, Chau Doc is also famous for the Tra Su Bird Sanctuary, a superb eucalyptus mangrove. Disembark at Victoria Chau Doc private pier at approximately 06:45 am & take the speed boat (without guide) to Phnom Penh (duration:5h). Upon your arrival in Phnom Penh, you will be welcomed by your driver and your guide, then taken to the hotel. Free time at your hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 6: PHNOM PENH (breakfast)
Spend a half-day exploring the charming city of Phnom Penh which boasts a rich blend of Khmer and colonial architecture. Start your day with a visit to the Royal Palace, hosting the official residence of the royal family within parts of the massive palace compound, partially opened to the public. Wind your way to the nearby Silver Pagoda that boats many national treasures including many golden and jewelled Buddha statues. Take your time to learn about the turbulent Khmer Rouge years with the visit to Tuol Sleng, a high school turned interrogation prison known as S-21 during the Khmer Rouge era and now a museum. End your day with going shopping at Tuol Tumpoung market. Overnight at Phnom Penh.
DAY 7: PHNOM PENH/ SIEM REAP BY ROAD - 6 HOURS - (breakfast)
After breakfast, your driver will pick you up at your hotel at 7:30 am and take you to Giant Ibis bus office. Take the tourist bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. This bus route gives you different views of Cambodia along the way! You will have a few stops for breaks and lunch (not included) during the trip. Upon arrival in Siem Reap after about 6 hours, your driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel (please check your name on a signboard before getting in the car). Enjoy free time to settle into your hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 8: SIEM REAP – FAMOUS ANGKOR TEMPLES BY TUK TUK (breakfast)
At 08:30, you take a tuk-tuk on the less travelled roads. Cross the jungle, passing local villages and local shops. It's a very special day of moving because you will explore some of the most beautiful temples in 'Angkor.
- The ancient capital of Angkor Thom (in the 12th century)
- See the southern entrance, Temple of Bayon, unique for its 54 towers decorated with more than 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara
- The royal enclosure, Phimeanakas
- The Elephant Terrace and the Leper King's Terrace
- Ta Prohm, perhaps most popularly known as The Tomb Raider temple. This beautiful temple is overgrown with fig trees, giving it a haunting yet exotic atmosphere.
In the afternoon, visit the famous temple Angkor Wat, a World Heritage Site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendour. Angkor Wat is the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, running along the walls of the outer gallery and telling stories of Hindu mythology. View the sunset from Angkor Wat temple. Overnight at Siem Reap.
DAY 9-10: SIEM REAP – FREE TIME (breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel, and enjoy free time to explore the city on your own or take an optional guided tour as listed below. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Option 1: Banteay Srei & Beng Mealea – The Lost Temple of Angkor
Duration: 08:30AM – 17:30
Inclusion: Private transfer, tour guide, one day Angkor pass, set menu lunch, bottle of water in the car
Today, get away from the crowds and set off to encounter the magnificent ruins of the Angkor complex. Start the day with a transfer to Banteay Srei “The citadel of women”, the only major temple that was not built by a monarch. Originally constructed in the 10th Century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, this red sandstone temple is one of Angkor’s most significant structures as its walls are decorated with elaborate carvings which have been remarkably well preserved.
In the afternoon, enjoy a pleasant drive to through the lush countryside area to the sprawling jungle temple of Beng Mealea, a Hindu temple with some carvings depicting Buddhist motifs. The temple is largely unrestored with trees and vegetation thriving through its towers and courtyards and many of its stones lying in great heaps, giving it an enchanting atmosphere. Off the usual tourist track, this remote temple provides a fascinating opportunity to discover an Angkor ruin temple, surrounded by dense jungle, allowing you to stay away from the crowds.
Option 2: Phnom Kulen & Real life story from a Pol Pot Survivor
Duration: 08:30AM – 17:00
Inclusion: Private transfer, tour guide, entrance fee, encounter fee, set menu lunch, bottle of water in the car
Depart from downtown Siem Reap for an exciting 1.5-hour drive, passing through the countryside area. Considered to be the most sacred mountain in Cambodia, Phnom Kulen Mountain is supposed to be the birthplace of the ancient Khmer Empire. Highlights include the Preah Ang Thom Pagoda with its giant reclining Buddha and hundreds of carved lingas in the “Valley of the Lingas” or “River of the Lingas”.
During the period from 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge tried to force the residents from the cities to work on communal farms in the countryside. As a part of the Angkor complex exploration, you will be taken towards a private house, nestled away in a rural village to have an incredible opportunity to meet and talk with a local Khmer villager for an insight into the survival and overcoming life before and after the Pol Pot Regime.
During this experience, you will take tea and local Khmer cake while listening to some personal stories moving, and sometimes it’s hard to ever imagine, the overall message is a strong belief of joy and liberty that the local people have for their lives in the country. Your guide will facilitate chats with him, allowing you to understand an incredibly powerful story, a fight for survival, peace, and happiness. On the way driving back to hotel, we stop at a street-side market to savour real Cambodian snacks, carefully selected for cleanliness and standards as the local people do, including grasshoppers, spiders, cockroaches, or crickets.
DAY 11: SIEM REAP / FLIGHT TO PHNOM PENH (breakfast)
Breakfast at your hotel and have another half-day free in Siem Reap. In the afternoon, the driver will take you to the airport for your flight to Phnom Penh. After landing, you will meet your driver for the transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 12: PHNOM PENH/ DEPARTURE (breakfast)
Tuck into your final breakfast at your hotel, followed by free time until the transfer byy our driver to Phnom Penh airport for your return flight. Check-out time at 12:00.
EXTENSION TO KOH RONG 3 NIGHTS & 1 NIGHT PHNOM PENH
DAY 11: SIEM REAP/ FLIGHT SIHANOUKVILLE/ KOH RONG (breakfast)
Breakfast at your hotel. At 9h30, your driver will take you to Siem Reap airport for a flight to Sihanoukville. Upon your arrival, you will be picked up and enjoy a private transfer to Sihanoukville boat pier where you will take the speed boat (shared service) to Koh Rong (45 minutes). Enjoy the rest of the day at this ultimate beach resort. Overnight on Koh Rong Island.
DAY 12-13: KOH RONG – FREE TIME (breakfast)
Breakfast served at the hotel, you will have a completely free day to relax at the beach or at the swimming pool. Overnight on Koh Rong Island.
DAY 14: KOH RONG/ SIHANOUKVILLE/ PHNOM PENH (breakfast)
Breakfast at hotel and you will board a morning-scheduled speedboat from Koh Rong Island to Sihanoukville, from where your driver meets and transfers you to Phnom Penh (4 hours by road). Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 15: PHNOM PENH/ DEPARTURE (breakfast)
Breakfast at hotel, free time until transfer by your driver to Phnom Penh airport for your return flight. Check-out time at 12:00.
Important information about your tour and visits: The hotels, which comply with local standards, are indicative and may be changed locally for hotels of a similar category. The tour programme is subject to changes due to compelling reasons such as delayed flights, weather conditions or other cases of force majeure. The order of visits is also subject to change.
Your Hotels —
HAND-PICKED JUST FOR YOU
Maximum room capacity
During the tour, you will stay in the following specially selected hotels:
- Ho Chi Minh City: Deluxe Room - Paragon Hotel 4* (or similar)
- Mekong Delta: ROH Cabin - Song Xanh Cruise (or similar) on a sampan, a traditional South East Asian boat
- Siem Reap: Superior Room - Tara Angkor Hotel 4* (or similar)
- Phnom Penh: Deluxe Room - Paulo Wai Apartment & Hotel 4* (or similar)
- Koh Rong: Deluxe Room with Sea View - Secret Garden 4* (or similar)
Hotels listed in the program, in case of unavailability of these, accommodation in hotels of similar category.
Please note: Sanitary measures may be subject to change in line with government recommendations. Consequently, they may affect access to certain amenities.
Your Dining Choices
You will enjoy your meals according to the itinerary. Please note that due to the current health situation, restaurants and buffets may be limited in number of seats, accessible only by reservation or presentation of the "health pass". While the majority of restaurants are currently open, please note that this may change depending on the health situation and government recommendations.
Your Journey to Ho Chi Minh City —
Flights:
You may choose from Economy, Premium or Business class flights on sectors that they operate, at the next stage of the booking process. The flights included are with either a scheduled or no-frills airline and are subject to live availability and prices can change. You can choose your preferred departure times during the booking process. Please select your flight options carefully as departure and arrival airports may differ.
Transfers:
Tour transport and inter-hotel transfers are included as per your itinerary.
Your Destinations —
Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon, is a symbol of the Vietnam War, witnessed at the War Remnants Museum, the Cu Chi tunnels and the Independence Palace. Take a tour of the local market "Ben Thanh", where there is a multitude of stalls, and be amazed by the nature of the Zoo & Botanical Garden, a reserve that protects elephants, tigers and very rare orchids.
Phnom Penh
Cambodia’s lively capital boasts a mix of colonial buildings, grand temples, and a rich history, making it a great first stop on your trip to Cambodia. To explore the history of this city, once called the ‘Pearl of the East’, head to the Royal Palace of Cambodia, the royal residence of the king of Cambodia, or the National Museum.
If you’re craving a temple visit, discover Wat Phnom, a Buddhist temple built in 1372 surrounded by picturesque gardens. Climb the grand staircase, crowned by lions and mythical creatures, and pay a visit to the shine of Daun Penh, the female founder of the temple. Elsewhere, the Killing Fields are a popular tourist draw in the nearby village of Choeung Ek. Though a harrowing experience, a walk through this mass grave of victims of the Khmer Rouge brings visitors closer to Cambodia’s more recent history.
End your days exploring the vibrant bars and restaurants of the city centre, encompassing grand hotel bars and local street food vendors, where you can get a true taste of the city with traditional Cambodian curries, pork and rice, and fresh seafood all on the menu.
Siem Reap
A bustling resort in northwestern Cambodia, Siem Reap has been beckoning travellers for decades, in part thanks to its proximity to breathtaking Angkor, once the capital city of the Khmer Empire. However, crowds are still drawn to the city centre, which boasts a mix of French colonial and Chinese architecture, as well as lively restaurants, popular backpacking hotels, and local markets.
No trip to the city would be complete without exploring the ruins of Angkor, a historic city that thrived between the 9th and 15th centuries. Now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, visitors can wander among the decorative sandstone buildings, which number over one thousand! The most famous of all sights at Angkor is Angkor Wat, an immense temple and the largest religious monument in the world. If you can, catch a sunrise or sunset at the temple, before returning to Siem Reap to explore its street food scene - make sure to try the classic sour fish soup, and brace yourself for a sip of the traditional rice wine!
