This magical river cruise along the Mekong River will take you through Vietnam and Cambodia, showing you the culture and local traditions of each country and the must-see sites along the way.Your adventure begins in bustling Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where you’ll get a taste of the culture first-hand with a Vietnamese cooking class and go on a fascinating excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extraordinary network of tunnels used extensively during the war. Immerse yourself in the everyday life of locals with visits to a family’s home for a cotton-weaving demonstration and a local workshop to see how rice wine and traditional candies are made. Continue your journey into Cambodia where you’ll visit the famous sites, such as the temple of Wat Hanchey, providing spectacular views, and take part in a traditional water blessing with local monks. Enjoy an ox cart ride around the Cambodian countryside and meet a local farmer to learn about his daily life. Siem Reap offers the magnificent Temples of Angkor—a display of architectural complexity and grandeur unlike anything else in the world. See the most famous temples here, such as Angkor Wat, honoring the Hindu god, Vishnu; and the Bayon temple, which features some 200 mysterious faces carved in its many towers. Enjoy an inspiring Aspara dance performance and other treasures of the city.Fly to Hanoi and explore the famous sites, such as the Old Quarter, where peddlers have traded goods for centuries on its 36 ancient streets. Next, a remarkable 2-night cruise along Ha Long Bay will show you its beautiful Limestone Islands. You’ll visit the Cua Van Floating Village and spectacular caves. In Sapa, Vietnam, known for its beautiful mountain scenery and rice fields, enjoy the unique cultural experience of visiting the villages of the Zay and Black Hmong ethnic groups to learn about their way of life. Then, continue to Hue, a historically royal city located in central Vietnam, offering the sprawling Imperial Citadel which encompasses the Imperial City with ornate palaces and shrines. Learn about Vietnam’s dynastic past with a visit to the tombs of the Nguyen Emperors. In Danang, go on an excursion to Hoi An for a cruise on the Thu Bon River and a walking tour through the Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has been largely preserved. The perfect ending to an unforgettable river cruise vacation!
City Highlights
Day 1 Arrive Ho Chi Minh City: welcome to VietnamDay 2 Ho Chi Minh City: walking tour of the city’s landmarks; visit the famous Rex Hotel for a drink, War Remnants Museum, and Ben Thanh Market; cooking classDay 3 Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi Tunnels excursionDay 4 Ho Chi Minh City (Embarkation): onboard welcome receptionDay 5 Vinh Long–Cu Lao Gieng: visit a local workshop and see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candy are made in Vinh Long; visit a sampan-making family and interact with a Catholic priest in Cu Lao GiengDay 6 Chau Doc–Long Khong A, Vietnam–Cambodian Border Crossing: visit a local fish farm and the religious sites at Sam Mountain in Chau Doc; walking tour of Long Khong A with cotton weaving demonstrationDay 7 Phnom Penh: sightseeing by private cyclo, including the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum; afternoon at leisure; show by children from local orphanageDay 8 Phnom Penh: visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing FieldsDay 9 Wat Hanchey–Angkor Ban: visit Wat Hanchey and partake in a traditional water blessing by local monks; walking tour through Angkor Ban village with school visitDay 10 Konpong Louang–Kampong Tralach: visit the silversmith village of Konpong Louang; ox cart ride through the countryside and visit a local farmer’s home in Kampong TralachDay 11 Siem Reap (Disembarkation): visit Angkor Wat & Banteay SreiDay 12 Siem Reap: visit Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm, and Les Artisans d’Angkor; Apsara dance performanceDay 13 Siem Reap–Hanoi: fly to HanoiDay 14 Hanoi: visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Museum, and Temple of Literature; lunch at Koto; electric cart ride through the Old Quarter; water puppets performanceDay 15 Hanoi–Ha Long Bay (Embarkation): drive to Ha Long Bay; visit Cua Van floating villageDay 16 Ha Long Bay: cruise the bay; visit Titop Island, Luon Cave, and Dark and Bright Cave; opportunity to explore by kayakDay 17 Ha Long Bay (Disembarkation)–Hanoi: visit Sung Sot Cave; drive to Hanoi Day 18 Hanoi–Sapa: drive to Sapa; visit a local marketDay 19 Sapa: visit Ta Van village, Lao Chai village, Silver Waterfall, and Heaven GateDay 20 Sapa: visit a weekly market and a Red Dao villageDay 21 Sapa–Hanoi–Hue: drive to Hanoi; fly to HueDay 22 Hue: visit the Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda and the tombs of the Nguyen EmperorsDay 23 Hue–Danang: drive to Danang; visit the Cham Museum and Monkey MountainDay 24 Danang: excursion to Hoi An including a cruise on the Thu Bon River and a walking tour of the Ancient Town Day 25 Danang: day at leisure Day 26 Danang: end of vacation
Meals
American breakfast daily16 lunches12 dinnersWhile on board the ship, enjoy complimentary wine with lunch & dinner and complimentary coffee, tea, soft drinks, local beer, and local spirits throughout the day.
PRODUCT_LINE: AVALON-WISA-2018