Mysteries of Angkor Wat & the Mekong River - 2018

Board an overnight flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.

You’ll cross the International Date Line today, meaning that you’ll arrive in Vietnam on Day 3. Or, depart earlier for your pre-trip extension to Halong Bay.

Upon your arrival in Hanoi, you'll transfer to the hotel, check into your hotel upon arrival, and gather for a Welcome Briefing by your Adventure Leader this afternoon.

Today, you'll explore this timeless yet modern city during a tour, including visits to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Square for a photo stop, as well as the Presidential Palace and One Pillar Pagoda. Cultural Discovery: A vegetarian lunch is included at a local monastery, followed by a visit to the Temple of Literature, home of the Confucian Imperial Academy, university for the country's elite from 1076 until 1779. Join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner tonight.

Following breakfast on Day 5, you'll transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap, site of your Angkor Wat tour — where you’ll check into your hotel just steps away from the remarkable Angkor Wat complex. This remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest religious monument in the world, and we'll explore it in depth while we're here. Dinner is included at a local restaurant this evening.

Embark on a tour of the Angkor complex today, spending half a day meandering through the centuries-old terraces, pathways, and temples of this sprawling complex. Lunch is included in a local restaurant. Cultural Discovery: In the afternoon, get a glimpse into local life during visits to a Cambodian dance school and silk farm.
If you like, you may join an optional (and captivating) Angkor Gondola Tour, which includes dinner.

In the morning, set off on another exploration of the Angkor complex, including a tour of Angkor Wat and Prasat Kravan. Lunch is included at a restaurant in Siem Reap, followed by an afternoon and evening at leisure. 

You’ll transfer to Kampong Cham today, where you’ll embark the deluxe RV Tonle Pandaw and set sail on your 7-night Mekong River cruise. Begin to fall under the spell of this storied river as you cruise past beautiful scenery and charming villages. Feel free to book a mountain bike onboard — your crew can advise of the best bike routes. 

There are a number of activities today to showcase the many splendors of this region. Cultural Discoveries: You'll enjoy a cooking demonstration, which will introduce you to the flavors of the local cuisine, as well as a lecture on life on the Mekong. You'll then venture out to explore the charming French colonial town of Kratie, as well as getting a chance to see the local wildlife: specifically, the distinctive Mekong dolphin. 

Our discovery of this exotic destination continues as we visit the Monkey Temple today. This is a chance to delve even deeper into the culture and history of this land, and to learn about the culture and spiritual heritage of Cambodia. Visit the village of Angkor Ban, and get to know more about the locals here. 

Fascinating Phnom Penh comes alive in the best way possible on Day 11 of your Southeast Asian tour. Cultural Discoveries: You'll you hop aboard a cyclo — a Cambodian rickshaw — to travel like the locals as you visit the Royal Palace and National Museum. In the afternoon, you’ll venture to the sobering Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge regime killed and buried more than one million people, and then tour the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, once a high school that became the site of Pol Pot’s notorious prison. Later, enjoy a traditional Cambodian shadow play and Apsara dance performance; then, join your Adventure Leader on a trip to the local bar on the banks of the river in the Cambodian capital.  

On Day 12, we'll sail on the Tonle Sap and come ashore to interact with local villagers. One village is renowned for its silver making, so we'll get a firsthand look at this age-old process as we chat with the artisans who create it. 

We re-enter Vietnam today, and begin discovering another side of this nation.  We'll have some time to settle in to our new surroundings, admiring the scenery and enjoying a lecture entitled Vietnam Past & Today.

Your next stop on your Southeast Asian tour is the town of Chau Doc. Cruise aboard a sampan through canals and backwaters, with a visit to a local market to experience the pulse of everyday life here. Cultural Discovery: We'll also visit the Cham tribal village — yet another opportunity to interact with locals -- as well as a fish farm to pick up some insights on the local economy. The afternoon takes you to Cai Be; we will visit the ancient house featured in the movie The Lover, which based on the book by novelist Marguerite Duras.

Arrive in My Tho today and disembark the RV Tonle Pandaw, leaving river life behind to visit Vietnam’s most vibrant city — Ho Chi Minh City. A panoramic city tour of Saigon (as the locals call it) takes you to the Opera House, the Old Saigon Post Office, and Notre Dame Cathedral followed by lunch. Then, get acquainted with an ancient art form during a water puppetry show.

Day 16 of your Southeast Asia tour begins with a visit to the Reunification Palace, a former presidential residence that was of great importance during the Vietnam War. It is now a museum. The rest of the day is yours at leisure to enjoy more of Saigon — the ancient pagodas, bustling markets, and gourmet restaurants — at your own pace. If you like, you may join an optional tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels used by the Viet Cong, with lunch included. Unforgettable Moment: Savor a home-hosted Farewell Dinner at a former US Ambassador’s Residence. You’ll enjoy a cocktail reception followed by delicious, authentic Vietnamese dinner, all while listening to live music.

After breakfast this morning, you'll transfer to the airport for your return flight home. Or, continue your Southeast Asian tour journey with an optional extension to Luang Prabang, Laos, and Chiang Mai, Thailand.