EMERALD WATERWAYS
16 Days | Highlights of Vietnam & Cambodia
Southbound

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HANOI TO SIEM REAP

We invite you to join us on a journey to our new and exciting destination of Southeast Asia with diversity and color this land will bring your senses to life. With exclusive charters on board one of Asia's newest and most luxurious ships, the Mekong Navigator, we bring you the best of these countries in the style and comfort that Emerald Waterways. Southeast Asia is a rich and vibrant land full of beautiful landscapes, lively people, excellent food, deep culture and poignant history. Emerald Waterways will ensure you not only experience the highlights of this incredible destination but also meet the people and uncover some of the hidden wonders that make this place so special.

Day 1 | Hanoi, Vietnam. Xin Chao. welcome to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam! With large boulevards, tree lined lakes and French inspired architecture Hanoi is blessed with a charming atmosphere. You will be met by an Emerald Waterways representative and be transferred to your hotel. This evening have a tour briefing and welcome dinner. Two Night Stay: Silk Path Hotel or similar. (D)

Day 2 | Hanoi. This morning visit historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (view from outside), see Ho Chi Minh’s former home, then the iconic One Pillar Pagoda. Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, then take a walking tour through Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter. (B,L)
EmeraldPLUS — Stop for lunch at KOTO restaurant, a unique restaurant that trains disadvantaged street children.
EmeraldPLUS — Attend a traditional Water Puppets performance and after the show go backstage to meet the puppeteers.

Day 3 | Hanoi. Halong Bay. Travel to Halong Bay and board your luxurious traditional style junk for a two night cruise. Halong Bay is known for its stunning scenery where thousands of limestone pillars rise dramatically out of the emerald water. Cruise through the bays and islets of this magnificent region. Visit a fishing village to discover more about the main livelihood of the locals in the area. Two Night Stay: Bhaya Classic Junk or similar. (B,L,D)

Day 4 | Halong Bay Cruise. After breakfast visit an islet to explore one of the many caves with their impressive stalagmite and stalactite formations. After lunch visit Cat Ba Island, the largest island in Halong Bay which mainly consists of National Park. Tour the town and explore the verdant isle with a local guide. (B,L,D)

Day 5 | Halong Bay. Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh City. Cruise to an island with beautiful beaches and panoramic lookouts before sailing back to the mainland. Transfer to Hanoi for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. More commonly known as Saigon, it is a city with a turbulent and colorful past, although today it is the country’s commercial center. Two Night Stay: Grand Hotel or similar. (B,L,D)

Day 6 | Ho Chi Minh City. Cu Chi Tunnels. This morning travel to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels. Join a Vietnamese Veteran and learn of the wars, strategies, atrocities and the resourcefulness of the Vietnamese which eventually led to the defeat of their enemies. Your guide will relate fascinating stories from first-hand experience to allow a real insight into the Vietnam War. This afternoon be guided on a city tour seeing Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office, bustling Dong Khoi Street, Opera House, City Hall and the War Remnants Museum. (B)
EmeraldPLUS — Travel to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels.
Discover More — Evening Street Food Walking Tour.

Day 7 | Ho Chi Minh City. My Tho. Embark. Transfer to My Tho in the Mekong Delta. From here we will begin our journey upstream aboard the luxurious RV Mekong Navigator. Meet your Cruise Director and crew followed by a welcome reception. This evening enjoy a Vietnamese “Mekong Delta” Theme Dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 8 | Cai Be. Sa Dec. Board traditional sampans and sail through Cai Be's floating market, a fascinating and iconic scene of the Mekong Delta. Pass the city’s attractive French gothic cathedral, tour the historic Anh Kiet House, then visit a traditional rice factory. After lunch reboard our sampans and observe daily routines of the villagers before stopping at a local brick factory. Upon arrival to Sa Dec, visit the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired Marguerite Duras' novel, L'Amant (The Lover), and take a walk through the town's market. (B,L,D)

Day 9 | Tan Chau. Vietnam/Cambodia border crossing. Board a sampan and sail to a Cao Dai temple, then board a Vietnamese tuk-tuk for a ride to a mat weaving workshop. Cruise to a floating fish farm, then visit a local village on Evergreen Island. Reboard the ship and cruise to the border. Sous Sdei and welcome to Cambodia! Please note we are unable to dock until the customs office is open tomorrow. (B,L,D)

Day 10 | Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh was once known as the “Pearl of Asia”, but it was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. Today it is an inspiring and buzzing centre of hope and opportunity. (B,L,D)
EmeraldPLUS — Meet our cyclo drivers for a city tour of Phnom Penh. Journey to the magnificent Royal Palace complex and the National Museum housing Angkorian and pre-Angkorian artifacts.
EmeraldPLUS — Enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Children’s Group. The performance includes Apsara, Cambodia’s national dance as well as local traditional folk dances.

Day 11 | Phnom Penh. Visit the Killing Fields, which is a disconcerting reminder of the recent atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime. Continue to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former school that was converted to the main prison and torture headquarters of the Khmer Rouge and is a chilling reminder of the brutal history.
EmeraldPLUS — A traditional shadow puppet show will be performed before dinner.

Day 12 | Tonle Sap River. Kampong Chhnang. Sail up the narrow Tonle Sap River which provides a rare, up-close glimpse of rural river life in Cambodia. Cruise past floating villages at Kampong Chhnang where we can see locals working, shopping and playing on the river. During high water, a visit to the silk weaving village of Prek Bang Kong will be substituted. (B,L,D)

Day 13 | Wat Hanchey. Kampong Cham. Wat Hanchey is an ancient hilltop pagoda which is the home to Buddhist Monks and offers views of the Mekong River and receive a traditional Buddhist Water Blessing from the monastery’s resident monks. Visit Phnom Pros (man hill) and Phnom Srei (woman hill), the reclining Buddha, and the preaching Buddha. Our final visit is to the 12th century, Angkorian-period complex of Wat Nokor Bachey. Return to the ship and gather for a farewell reception and Royal Cambodian Theme Dinner. (B,L,D)
EmeraldPLUS — Receive a traditional Buddhist Water Blessing from the monastery’s resident monks.

Day 14 | Kampong Cham. Siem Reap. Disembark Bid farewell to the RV Mekong Navigator and her crew. Transfer from Kampong Cham to Siem Reap, the gateway to the magnificent Temples of Angkor. Two Night Stay: Shinta Mani Resort or similar. (B)
Discover More — Uncover the outer lying temples, either Bantey Srei or Beng Mealea, take a Cambodian cooking class, or Explore the Roluos temple group.

Day 15 | Angkor Temples. Start the day at the famous Angkor Wat, known for its elaborate decorations and intricate carvings throughout. Continue to the unique Ta Prohm temple which is overgrown by jungle trees. In the afternoon, visit the impressive Bayon Temple, containing 54 towers each with four faces. Finish at the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King known for their intricate bas-reliefs. This evening enjoy a sumptuous farewell banquet.
EmeraldPLUS — Finish the night at the incredible Phare Cambodian Circus, a spectacle of acrobatics, theatre and music. Phare is an NGO founded by Cambodian refugees to assist disadvantaged young people by teaching them performing arts. (B,L,D)

Day 16 | Siem Reap. Transfer to Siem Reap airport for your onward flight. (B)

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents. *Please Note: The Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers are subject to extreme variations in water levels throughout the year. Every effort is made to provide the routing and inclusions stated however depending on water levels prevalent at the time of sailing, this itinerary may be amended or modified. This may include having to tour via coach with hotel stays if the water level dictates.

SOUTHBOUND ITINERARY 16 DAYS | HANOI TO SIEM REAP