Legend of Mekong 9 days

Welcome to Saigon, Vietnam’s modern metropolis! Enjoy an orientation tour through the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City en route to your hotel. Have lunch at a downtown restaurant of your choice, then set out on a guided city tour.

In the afternoon, visit key attractions such as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office, and Ben Thanh Market. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Meals: D

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

Today, travel outside Saigon to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels are an underground labyrinth of passageways used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War (referred to locally as the “American War”) for protection against American air raids. Those who wish to do so can crawl through selected sections of the tunnels to gain a better understanding of what life was like for Vietnamese soldiers during wartime.

Next, visit the beautiful Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh and attend the noon prayer service. This large, colourful complex is home to Caodaism, a syncretic religion founded in the 1920s that combines elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam to promote peace.

Enjoy lunch in Tay Ninh before returning to Saigon in the late afternoon.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon

After breakfast, leave Saigon and travel to the Mekong River Delta. Arrive in Cai Be at around 11:00 AM and begin your exploration of the delta with a private boat cruise to visit Cai Be Floating Market, passing by a beautiful cathedral along the way.

Continue to local cottage industries and home-based workshops to see how rice paper, rice cookies, and coconut candies are made, as well as how longan fruit is dried. Cruise along some of the Mekong’s countless branches and creeks, and visit local orchards and an ancient house over 170 years old, built by the French.

Then, cross the Tien Giang River, one of the two major branches of the Mekong, by motorboat to visit some of the river islands and explore the countryside by bicycle. Your driver will be waiting for you on the other side of the river for a 45-minute drive to Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta. Can Tho is a bustling city with a lively waterfront and a colourful mix of narrow backstreets that offer plenty of opportunities for exploration.

The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Meals: B, L

Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho

Wake up early and leave the hotel to visit the famous Cai Rang Floating Market by motorboat. Experience daily life in the Mekong River Delta as vendors from across the region gather to sell fresh fruit, local delicacies, and handmade goods.

Continue exploring the region with a visit to local cottage industries, where you can see people making coconut candies and rice paper. Then, continue to Chau Doc, where an excursion up Sam Mountain at sunset offers sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. You will also visit Lady Xu Temple and Thoai Ngoc Hau Temple, time permitting.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel in Chau Doc

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and travel by speedboat along the Mekong River to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The journey takes approximately four and a half hours, including visa formalities. Visas can be obtained at the Vietnam–Cambodia border and cost $32, including the processing fee. Your guide will meet you at the dock in Phnom Penh and transfer you to your hotel.

Despite its turbulent recent history, Phnom Penh retains an undeniable charm, with its wide, tree-lined boulevards and faded colonial mansions. After lunch at a downtown restaurant, enjoy a leisurely tour of the Russian Market and put your bargaining skills to the test.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

Spend the day exploring Cambodia’s vibrant capital, Phnom Penh. Begin by learning about the Khmer Rouge and Cambodia’s recent history on a guided tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the notorious Choeung Ek “Killing Fields”.

Enjoy lunch at a downtown restaurant before concluding the day with a cyclo ride along Sihanouk Boulevard to visit the National Museum and the Royal Palace, home to the royal family and the magnificent Silver Pagoda.

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel

After breakfast, fly to Siem Reap, the main gateway to Angkor Archaeological Park. Upon arrival, meet your driver and begin your tour with a visit to the Angkor National Museum for a brief introduction to the region’s history. The modern museum showcases artefacts from the Golden Era of the Khmer Empire, using multimedia technology to bring this fascinating historical period to life. Enjoy a guided tour of the museum to gain a deeper understanding of Angkor’s rich heritage.

In the late afternoon, drive to the Angkor Archaeological Complex to watch the sunset from Phnom Krohm Mountain, as the golden light illuminates the surrounding jungle dotted with temples.

Alternative transportation options:

• You can also choose to travel by speedboat along the Mekong River from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The best time to travel by river is from September to December.

• We do not recommend travelling by road from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, as the journey takes approximately 6–7 hours and road conditions may be challenging.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Enjoy a full day exploring the mysterious temples of Angkor. Wake up before dawn and take a tuk-tuk ride to visit Ta Prohm, the temple entwined with jungle vegetation. Sunrise is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric times to visit the temples, as the ancient sandstone blocks glow orange in the early morning light.

Return to the hotel for breakfast before setting out again on a full-day temple tour.

Begin with a visit to the magnificent Angkor Wat, the largest Khmer temple and one of the finest examples of Angkorian art and architecture. Continue to the imposing South Gate of Angkor Thom, topped with four serenely smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara. Next, visit Bayon Temple, the Elephant Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Meals: B

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Enjoy free time today for some last-minute shopping or sightseeing before transferring to Siem Reap International Airport for your departure flight home.

Meals: B

Accommodation: N/A