Cruising on the Mekong River

This cruise offers a fabulous opportunity to sail down one of the world's great rivers.

This cruise takes in places which cannot be reached by road and offers a greater insights and experiences than any other way of exploring this fascinating region of southern Vietnam and Cambodia.

A visa is required for entry to both countries.

A sample itinerary is shown on this page, but there are many more options - staying longer in the gateway cities, changing hotels, adding on a beach holiday, or whatever suits you as an individual. Please call our Tailor Made team on 0845 226 2475 (+ 44 1756 693609 from outside UK) to discuss the possibilities.

Important Note: The day-to-day itinerary on the Mekong River is subject to change due to local conditions.

Reverse Direction Cruises: The R.V. Mekong also offers a 7 night cruise in the downstream direction operating from Siem Reap to Saigon

Check availability of this cruise

Call us to check availability:
UK: 0845 226 2475
Overseas: +44 1756 693609

Check availability of this cruise

Call us to check availability:
UK: 0845 226 2475
Overseas: +44 1756 693609

Itinerary
DAY 1	Leave London Heathrow around midday by Thai International flight via Bangkok to Saigon.
DAY 2	On arrival in Saigon you will be met and transferred to the Majestic Hotel for overnight.
DAY 3	This morning transfer to the Renaissance Hotel for the group transfer to My Tho for embarkation on the R.V. Mekong for the seven night cruise. Sightseeing begins in My Tho, the hub of the Delta, with a visit to the Vinh Trang Buddhist temple before crossing the river to visit either Unicorn or Phoenix Island, planted with exotic fruit trees. Explore these island backwaters by local canoe. Return to the R.V. Mekong later in the afternoon and cruise on to Cai Be for overnight mooring.
DAY 4	Cai Be is known for its Floating market, where motorboats and sampans converge from the surrounding delta area. Visit the market in the early morning with a walk ashore to visit some of the town’s old churches and the colourful port area with its French colonial buildings and delightful flower gardens. Cruise in the afternoon to Chau Doc.
DAY 5	Chau Doc is an important trading centre close to the Cambodian border, with a mixed Chinese, Cham and Khmer population. Many elegant buildings remain from French colonial days. Take a brief look at the town this morning before travelling to nearby Nui Sam Mountain with its Buddhist shrines. From here there is an excellent view of the surrounding rice plains and distant hills. In the afternoon cross the border to enter Cambodia and cruise towards Phnom Penh, sailing overnight.
DAY 6	Pass through Phnom Penh in the early morning stopping mid-morning for a walk through a typical Khmer village (Angkor Kaoh), visiting the village wat and silk weaving workshops. Continue upriver and moor at the village of Angkor Ban, famous for its Mekong racing boats. Arrive at Kampong Cham this evening where we moor overnight.
DAY 7	Journey by bus to the 12th century Angkorian temple of Wat Nokor. This colourful temple is unique in Cambodia as a modern wat set within the ruins of an ancient temple. Continue to the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, where there are many pagodas and shrines on the hilltops. Return to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon travel by speedboats for a journey upriver to the hilltop pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Dated from the 8th century, these ancient brick structures characterise the architecture of the Chenla Empire, which pre-dated the glories of Angkor. Depart Kampong Cham and moor for the night slightly downstream at a village.
DAY 8	Continue cruising downstream on the Mekong to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, where sightseeing will include the Royal Palace with its beautiful Silver Pagoda and the National Museum. Return to the ship for lunch. Afternoon excursion by coach to the Killing Fields, a sobering reminder of Cambodia’s modern history.
DAY 9	Sail up the Tonle River, a tributary of the Mekong to Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s great lake, nearly 100 miles in length, gateway to the mighty Khmer temples of Angkor. Pass Kampong Chhanan, a busy rural port town with bustling markets, where the river narrows and one can view the rich tapestry of Cambodian rural life. Make a short visit here before continuing upstream to Tonle Sap. There is a great stillness and tranquillity on the Tonle lake and here bird life is more apparent and in the midst of the lake one cannot even see the shores. Moor overnight.
DAY 10	Early disembarkation for the three and a half hour speedboat transfer across Tonle Sap, a thrilling experience as one planes across 145km of flat water to Siem Reap. On arrival transfer to the La Residence D’Angkor Hotel for two nights. The Khmer civilisation once dominated the whole of present Cambodia and also extended into what is now Thailand. The many ruins near Siem Reap are testimony to the scale of their architectural achievements. In the afternoon visit Angkor Wat, the 12th century temple which has become a symbol of Cambodia.
DAY 11	Today, a further full day of sightseeing at the temples of Angkor, including Angkor Thom, containing the Bayon, an awesome 50-tower temple intricately carved with episodes from Hindu mythology, and the fascinating temple of Ta Prohm.
DAY 12	At leisure. In the afternoon transfer to the airport for the Bangkok Airways flight to Bangkok to connect with the Thai International overnight flight to London Heathrow.
DAY 13	Arrive London Heathrow early this morning.

This tour is operated by Bales Worldwide, ABTA V7047, ATOL 2882.