A fascinating, rewarding and multilayered adventure.
Two of the most beautiful, historic and friendly places in all of Asia, dynamic Vietnam and pastoral Cambodia are intriguing studies in contrast. Each possesses its own unique charm and social traditions, its own tragic history and complex past. In many ways, a visit here is less about the sights you see than it is about the people you meet and the experiences you have along the way.
Ho Chi Minh City offers a heady mixture of old and new while Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, surprises visitors with its charm. As the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, the Mekong teems with colorful floating villages and mementos of its French Colonial past. Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s thriving capital, is fast-forwarding to the future yet retains a provincial intimacy. And colorful Siem Reap provides the gateway to the vast UNESCO-designated jungle temple complex of Angkor Wat.
Day to Day
DAY 1: HO CHI MINH CITY
A Uniworld representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the tranquil Park Hyatt Saigon hotel.
DAY 2: HO CHI MINH CITY
FEATURED EXCURSION: Dynamic Ho Chi Minh City
Known as Saigon for centuries, the city boasts incredible French Colonial architecture—including a post office designed by Gustav Eiffel—and the mid-20th-century Reunification Palace. A Welcome Dinner with complimentary wine at a beautiful restaurant caps the day.
DAY 3: HO CHI MINH CITY, TRANSFER TO MY THO (EMBARK)
FEATURED EXCURSION: Vestiges of War - Cu Chi Tunnels
Entering the Cu Chi tunnels, which stretch to the Cambodian border, is an adventure. Join your ship in My Tho and kick off your Mekong River voyage with a Welcome Reception and dinner.
DAY 4: CAI BE, VINH LONG
FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Village life on the Mekong
In the Mekong Delta, residents live, work and shop on the water, and villages like Cai Be and Vinh Long are home to busy little family-run factories and historic colonial houses. Catch a trishaw for a ride through town and listen to the stories of village elders who have seen so many changes in Vietnam.
DAY 5: SA DEC, GIENG ISLAND, CRUISING THE MEKONG RIVER
FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Sampans and colonial romance
Oar-powered sampans, the traditional flat-bottomed boats of Vietnam, fill the narrow canals and inlets of the delta, carrying passengers—including you—to bustling waterfront markets. See how they’re built, observe the daily lives of the locals, and discover scenes made famous by Marguerite Duras’ novel The Lover. Also visit the small island of Gieng, where you will be very surprised to see such an architecturally impressive Catholic cathedral, built shortly after the one in Saigon.
DAY 6: TAN CHAU, EVERGREEN ISLAND, CRUISING THE MEKONG RIVER
FEATURED EXCURSION: Daily life on the great delta
Did you know that Vietnam has its own religion? Learn the meaning of every color used in the Cao Dai temple in Tan Chau; later, feed the fish at a fish farm, meet the farmers of Evergreen Island, enjoy a rickshaw ride, and relax onboard the ship as it sets sail for the Cambodian border.
DAY 7: PHNOM PENH
FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Cambodia's capital - Phnom Penh
Wide boulevards, saffron-robed monks, French Colonial architecture and traditional Khmer pagodas—Phnom Penh is a feast for the eyes, as you’ll see on a cyclo tour. You'll also visit the Royal Palace’s Throne Hall and Silver Pagoda—which contains jewel-encrusted Buddhas and a floor completely tiled with pure silver—and the National Museum, where priceless artifacts from Angkor Wat are displayed.
DAY 8: PHNOM PENH, CRUISING THE MEKONG RIVER
FEATURED EXCURSIONS: The Killing Fields - tragedy and reconciliation in Cambodia
Six thousand photographs of the dead line the walls of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a moving and revealing tribute to the nation’s grievous experience under the Khmer Rouge. Cambodians don’t live in the past, however, as a visit to the silk weavers on a Mekong island demonstrates.
DAY 9: ANGKOR BAN, WAT HANCHEY
FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Cambodia's vibrant cultural life
Visit a local school and villagers in their homes before strolling through an eighth-century temple where monks will bestow an unforgettable water blessing upon you.
DAY 10: KAMPONG CHAM (DISEMBARK), TRANSFER TO SIEM REAP
FEATURED EXCURSION: Gateway to Angkor Wat
Disembark and transfer to Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat. Have lunch at a local restaurant before checking into the elegant Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort, then hop on a remork for a tour of the city. French Colonial and Chinese-style buildings line shady streets, and visitors from all over the world throng colorful open-air markets.
DAY 11: SIEM REAPP
FEATURED EXCURSION: Amazing Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom
Angkor Wat is the most recognizable landmark in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. The vast complex was the heart of the ancient Khmer Empire, which ruled this region between the 9th and 12th centuries. Your expedition encompasses the south gate of Angkor Thom (the royal city, which has vanished); Bayon, with its enormous carved heads; Baphuon Temple; the Terrace of the Elephants; and the moss-covered Terrace of the Leper King.
Note: Order of sightseeing may change on Days 11 and 12. Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.
DAY 12: SIEM REAP
FEATURED EXCURSION: Jungle temples Banteay Srei and Ta Prohm, Apsara show and dinner
Explore Banteay Srei—whose exquisite red sandstone carvings are considered the pinnacle of artistic achievement at Angkor—as well as partially restored Banteay Samré and the temple of Ta Prohm, which has been overtaken by the jungle; tentacle-like tree roots spill over millennia-old roofs, enveloping the entire structure. Cap off your day with dinner and a traditional Apsara dance performance.
DAY 13: SIEM REAP, FLY TO HANOI
Enjoy free time in Siem Reap before your flight to Hanoi. Then check into the elegant and serene InterContinental Hanoi Westlake Hotel.
DAY 14: HANOI
FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Atmospheric Hanoi
Parisian elegance infuses Hanoi’s boulevards, which are lined with handsome colonial buildings. Take in a traditional water puppet show and a complex honoring Ho Chi Minh, founder of modern Vietnam, that contains his residence, a museum devoted to his life, and the famous One Pillar Pagoda, which has been built and rebuilt since 1049. You can see another aspect of Vietnam’s history if you step into one of the dank cells at the notorious “Hanoi Hilton.” Your Southeast Asian adventure ends with a Farewell Dinner with complimentary wine and live entertainment at one of Hanoi’s most charming establishments.
DAY 15: DEPART HANOI (VIETNAM)
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or continue your tour with optional extensions.