Compare Mekong Discovery (Southbound) by Avalon Waterways vs Best of Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand by Himalayan Glacier Adventure
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 8 days | 12 days |
| Price From | $ 4,429 | $ 4,499 |
| Price Per Day | $ 554 | $ 375 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | River cruise | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description | On this unique and inspiring Southeast Asia river cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam, you’ll be immersed in the cultures and ancient traditions as you sightsee and spend time with locals in interesting places along the mighty Mekong River.In the enchanting Cambodian countryside, go on an ox-cart ride amongst rice paddy fields and witness the daily lives of farmers. In a Silversmith Village, see craftsmen making silver artwork using ancient techniques. French influences are still apparent in the lovely capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Here you’ll tour the National Museum and Royal Palace with its striking Silver Pagoda and enjoy a song and dance performance by children at a local orphanage. On a hilltop at the site of the 8th-century temple of Wat Hanchey, take in the stunning views before walking through the rural village of Angkor Ban to visit with welcoming schoolchildren. Continue your river cruise into Vietnam where you’ll walk through a vibrant market as the locals are busy with their daily routine of buying and selling produce. See firsthand how handcrafted sampans are built at the home of a family in Cu Lao Gieng. Via sampan, cruise into Vinh Long and experience Vietnamese culture with a visit to a workshop to learn how rice wine and traditional candies are made. This once-in-a-lifetime Southeast Asia river cruise vacation is sure to create lasting memories! |
Friendly and fun-loving, exotic and tropical, cultured and historic, it’s hard not to fall in love with Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. On our 12-day tour of the 3 Southeast Asian nations, we experience diverse landscapes, stunning scenery, laid-back locals and delicious cuisine which are common threads throughout Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Our trip begins in Vietnam where we travel to quite a few cities and towns admiring its natural landscape and rich history. Our next stop is Cambodia, home of the very famous Angkor Wat temple. We end the tour in Thailand, the country that radiates a golden hue from its glittering temples and home to beautiful tropical beaches. |
Day 1: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to Cambodia. Your intimate Suite Ship® Awaits!
Get acquainted with the ship and relax before your welcome reception this evening.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO WAT HANCHEY
(Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 2: WAT HANCHEY–ANGKOR BAN
Water Blessings and Back-to-School Adventures
DISCOVERY Visit Wat Hanchey, a hilltop temple dating back to the 8th century. Climb or be driven to the top where you will enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area and partake in a traditional water blessing given by local monks.DISCOVERY After lunch, enjoy a Walking Tour through the rural village of Angkor Ban. Here, you will visit a traditional Khmer house and interact with children at a local school.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KAMPONG TRALACH(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
WAT-HANCHEY.jpg
Day 3: KAMPONG TRALACH–KONPONG LOUANG–PHNOM PENH
Calm in the Cambodian Countryside
DISCOVERY Your Guided Sightseeing starts in Kampong Tralach with an Ox-Cart Ride through the beautiful Cambodian countryside. Along the way, stop to meet a local farmer and learn about his daily life. At the silversmith village in Konpong Louang, see talented craftsmen use age-old techniques to turn pure silver into works of art.Sail to the capital city of Phnom Penh this afternoon.
PHNOM PENH
A Dark History or Market Dynamics
CLASSIC After lunch, a Visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing Fields provides a glimpse into the atrocities inflicted on the Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge regime, OR:
DISCOVERY Visit the lively Central Market with its unique Art Deco design by tuk-tuk.This evening, spend some free time exploring the city on your own. Perhaps follow the riverfront promenade to the historic Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC).
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 4: PHNOM PENH
The Royal Treatment
CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of the city by private cyclo with visits to the Royal Palace with the spectacular Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum featuring an outstanding display of Khmer artifacts.The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure. Just before dinner, children from a local orphanage will perform a show, featuring local song and dance.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIETNAM/CAMBODIA BORDER
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
PHNOM-PENH-ROYAL-PALACE.jpg
Day 5: BORDER CROSSING–CHAU DOC, VIETNAM
Good Morning Vietnam!
DISCOVERY Take a Village Walk through the Chau Doc market and absorb the atmosphere as locals are busy buying and selling fish, meat, and produce. After lunch, embark on a Guided Excursion down the backwaters of the Mekong. Along the way, see traditional floating homes, speedboat merchants, religious sites, a market selling dried goods, and more.EVENING CRUISE TO LONG KHANH A
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
CHAU-DOC-MARKET.jpg
Day 6: LONG KHANH A–CU LAO GIENG
Cotton Weaving, Conical Hats, and Handcrafted Sampans
DISCOVERY This morning, a sampan brings you to the village of Long Khanh A, for a Cotton-Weaving Demonstration of this well-preserved tradition.DISCOVERY This afternoon, enjoy scenes of daily life on Cu Lao Gieng Island via sampan and local motor cart. Your Guided Excursion starts with a stop at one of Vietnam’s oldest Catholic churches. Then, visit the home of a local family that makes Vietnamese conical hats, or “Non la,” from materials available to them such as palm leaves and bamboo. These iconic hats are primarily used as protection from the sun and rain but you may also see them used as a basket to carry home goods from the market. Lastly, visit a local workshop where a skilled family hand-crafts sampan boats.EVENING CRUISE TO VINH LONG
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
CU-LAO-GIENG-HAT-MAKING.jpg
Day 7: VINH LONG
Sweets and Rice Treats
DISCOVERY Board a sampan this morning to Visit a Local Workshop in Vinh Long where you will see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candies are made.This afternoon, enjoy time on board the ship as we sail to exciting Ho Chi Minh City.
AFTERNOON CRUISE TO HO CHI MINH CITY
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 8: HO CHI MINH CITY (DISEMBARKATION)
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
(Breakfast)
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Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi
Upon arrival at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International airport, a company representative will pick you up from the airport and drive you to your hotel in Hanoi Central which will take almost an hour. You can spend the rest of the day in leisure. Overnight at your hotel in Hanoi.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Lan Vien (ROH))
Day 2: Hanoi City tour
This full day tour takes us around Hanoi’s most interesting sights; including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his Stilts House, Presidential Palace and One Pillar Pagoda. The next stop is the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam. Then we drive to peaceful West Lake with lovers street Thanh Nien, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. In the afternoon, we visit one of the city’s museums, either the History Museum or the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. Later we will tour the Old Quarter, also known as the 36 streets and guilds. Today we also tour Hoan Kiem Lake – the Lake of the Restored Sword and Ngoc Son Temple. We end today’s tour with a visit to the unique Water Puppet Show in Thang Long Theater.
Note: Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Mondays, Fridays and every afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Lan Vien (ROH))
Day 3: Hanoi to Halong Bay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Cruise (Huong Hai Sealife (Suite))
After early breakfast we begin our four hours drive through the beautiful country side to Halong bay. We set out on our cruise from Bai Tu Long Bay area. During the cruise, we get to enjoy the beautiful islands, namely Tea pot, Mat Quy –Monster Face, Yen Ngua, Man’s Head, Tortoise and many others. Today we also have a bit of fun outside our ship and explore Hang Sung Sot, one of the largest and most famous cave in the entire Halong Bay. We continue cruising through limestone islands and stop at Ti Top Island where we can enjoy swimming or walking up to the summit and admiring a fantastic view of the Halong Bay. In the evening, you will attend the chef’s cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking. Later you can relax or try squid fishing. Overnight on board.
Day 4: Halong Bay to Hanoi then fly to Saigon (Brunch)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Grand Luxury Wing)
There will be a Tai Chi session on the sundeck early in the morning. After breakfast we can enjoy the tranquil lagoon at Luon cave by a traditional rowing boat or by kayaking. Drive back to Ha Long city from where your driver will take you to the airport from where you will fly to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.
The itinerary above is operated by Huong Hai Sealife and thus may be altered depending on the weather without prior notice.
Day 5: Saigon: Chu Chi tunnels, city tour
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Grand Luxury Wing)
Today we visit the famous Chu Chi tunnels in the morning. This network of tunnels, which stretched for over 200km, became legendary during the 1960s. Next, drive back to Saigon and visit several landmarks of the city which is by far Vietnam’s most modern city. Observe some of the best examples of French colonial architecture represented in the forms of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office. We will also tour The Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until April 30, 1975 and The War Remnants Museum which has a wealth of images from the wars. End today’s tour with a visit to the bustling Ben Thanh Market, a fantastic place for bargains of every kind!
Day 6: Cruise Cai Be floating market then drive to Can Tho
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Victoria Can Tho (Superior))
After breakfast we drive through the Mekong Delta to the town of Cai Be which is well-known for its floating market. Next, enjoy a cruise along the waterways and canals labyrinth before stopping at the home of a Bonsai gardener for a sumptuous Delta lunch, including the popular meal of ‘Elephant ear fish’. We continue exploring the tributaries and canals of the delta throughout the afternoon before leaving for Can Tho city for a good night’s sleep.
Day 7: Can Tho to Cai Rang floating market, My Tho then drive back to Saigon
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Grand Luxury Wing)
After breakfast we take a boat to Jin In and explore the floating market of Cai Rang which is another exciting floating market in the Mekong Delta. Later, drive to My Tho where we visit Vinh Trang Pagoda which is one of the best-known temples in the region before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 8: Fly to Siem Reap, tour Angkor Wat
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Tara Angkor Hotel (Superior))
After arriving at Siem Reap, Cambodia, we begin our tour of Cambodia’s 12th century capital of Angkor Thom. We begin by visiting South Gate which has huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean. Bayon Temple is known for its unique 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara. We also visit the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon, we visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor, Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Next, enjoy a wonderful sunset from the Phnom Bakheng Hills. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 9: Siem Reap: Angkor Complex
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel (Tara Angkor Hotel (Superior))
Today, we visit the 10th century temple of Banteay Srei Temple regarded as one of the crown jewels of classical Khmer Art. Then, we will continue our visit to Banteay Samre, which was built in the third quarter of the 12th century. In the afternoon, we will visit the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, then see Srah Srang (“The Royal Baths”) which was once used for ritual bathing. Then it’s off to Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Ta Keo (constructed in the late 10th and early 11th century) and Ta Prohm (one of the area’s most beautiful temples). Overnight in Seam Reap.
Day 10: Boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake then fly to Bangkok,Thailand
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel (Centre Point Pratunam)
After breakfast, we will take a boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake to visit floating villages (complete with schools, restaurants, and hospitals), and then visit the school known as “Les Artisans d’Angkor.” We will then transfer to Siem Reap international airport for our flight to Bangkok. Overnight in Bangkok.
Day 11: Bangkok: city sightseeing
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel (Centre Point Pratunam)
Today we tour Bangkok’s most prominent landmarks beginning with Pak Klong Talad, a bustling around the clock market. Then we take a short Tuk Tuk ride to Saranrom Royal Garden where we can relax and learn about a variety of Thai plants. Next, visit the Royal Regalia Museum and admire beautiful jewelry, which used to be ornaments of the royal officers and consorts. Our next stop is the temple of The Emerald Buddha held by all Thais as the symbol of national independence. In the afternoon, we take a long-tailed boat along the Chao Phraya River and get acquainted with the local lifestyle. We pass through the Grand Palace and pay a brief visit to the Royal Barge Museum which houses ceremonial King’s Barges decorated with multi-color glasses, gilt and stuccos. Our boat ride ends at Wat Arun, the temple of Dawn. Overnight in Bangkok.
Day 12: Final Departure
Meals: Breakfast
We have no activities planned for today. A representative of the company will transfer you to Suvarnabhumi Airport for your onward flight.
