From the Mekong Delta to the Temples of Angkor, Hanoi and Halon

( 5 Star )

Visit: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho - Cai Be - Vinh Long - Sa Dec - Chau Doc - Phnom Penh - Koh Chen - Kampong Tralach - Kampong Chhnang - Siem Reap - Angkor Temples

Overview
Itinerary
Inclusion / Exclusion
Dates Pricing

You'll begin your extraordinary vacation in Indochina with a discovery of Hanoï, the Vietnamese capital, and on an unforgettable cruise on the legendary Halong Bay among the fantastically formed islands, crags, and cliffs. Then, cast off on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure on the legendary river that begins in the mountains of Tibet and meanders through no less than six countries. The Mekong traces the authentic, profound, and mesmerizing history of Vietnam and Cambodia along its riverbanks.

Meet in Hanoi between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Lunch. In the afternoon, visit the outside of the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh's humble stilt house behind the mausoleum, and the unique One Pillar Pagoda Buddhist temple. We’ll also visit the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius. Enjoy a pedicab ride to see the Ngoc Son temple. We’ll have dinner in the city before spending the night at the four-star hotel.

We’ll leave early in the morning for Halong Bay (approx. 3.5 hours travel time). We’ll be welcomed aboard, enjoy a cocktail, and have lunch. Our cruise begins by discovering the thousands of various limestone islands dotting the emerald-colored bay. We’ll enjoy dinner on board this evening. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.

Rise early with us this morning and participate in a Tai Chi class on deck. We’ll continue our cruise through the bay, discovering more of its extraordinary scenery and visiting one of the largest caves. Brunch will be served before you disembark at 11:00 a.m. and begin your trip back to Hanoi. Before arriving, we’ll stop off at the Dinh Bang communal hall and taste a PHO soup. This evening, we’ll watch a traditional water puppetry show. We’ll have dinner in the city. We’ll have dinner in a restaurant and we'll spend the night at the 4*LS hotel in Hanoi.

You’ll catch a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Transfer to the city centre and lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a tour of the city to see the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Saigon Central Post Office. Next, we’ll head to Cholon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, to tour its hectic market and the Thien Hau temple. You’ll then be transferred to our ship. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll have dinner and spend the night on the ship, which will remain moored in central Ho Chi Minh City.

We’ll leave by coach for the Cu Chi tunnels, an immense network of underground tunnels that were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. After lunch, join us for a visit to the Museum of Vietnamese History. Our ship will begin to cruise toward the splendid Cho Gao canal. We’ll spend the night on board.

During our passage through the Cho Gao Canal, you’ll discover the daily life in Vietnam—organized around fishing, farming, and transport. In My Tho, we'll visit a bee farm and enjoy some honey tea and exotic fruit. We'll then take a ride in small sampans along the canal lined with mangrove palms. Enjoy lunch on board. Vinh Long is located in the middle of the Delta region, between two of the Mekong’s distributaries. We’ll discover a brick and pottery factory, a fruit-tree nursery, puffed riced, rice-paper wrappers, and rice alcohol.* we’ll spend the night on board.

Visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover on. After our excursion, enjoy some free time in SA Dec. We’ll return on board and cast off as you sit down to lunch. Our ship will begin to cruise to Cambodia. We’ll spend the night on board.

After breakfast and our arrival in Chau Doc, we’ll visit a local fish farm, the Ba Chua Xu Temple, and the Tay An Pagoda. We’ll enjoy lunch on board before arriving in Phnom Penh in the evening. Enjoy a brief tour of the area by "tuk-tuk," the easiest way to get around the city. We’ll have dinner on board and remain in port overnight.

We’ll enjoy a tour of the fabulous Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which is inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles. After, join us for a visit to the National Museum of Cambodia. We’ll have lunch in the city. In the afternoon, you can pay a visit to the Tuol Svay Prey School, a former detention, torture, and execution centre run by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war. Afterwards, enjoy some free time at the market. We’ll return to the ship and enjoy a performance of classical Khmer dancing and music. We’ll have dinner on board and remain in port overnight. The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please.

Once we arrive in Koh Chen, you can explore this small village where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work. Enjoy lunch on board. We’ll head to Kampong Tralach to visit the beautiful Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda, we need to cross the village of Kampong, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.

We’ll visit Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on Tonle Sap Lake. Fish farming is abundant here. The region is also known for its traditional pottery combining ancient knowledge with modern techniques—Chhnang itself means "pot." We'll also enjoy a tasting of regional products. Enjoy lunch on board. We’ll cruise to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Tonight, we’ll have our final cocktail and dinner on the ship. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.

Disembark, road(1) to Siem Reap and discovery of traditional villages Or Morning cruise(2) through Tonle Lake and disembark After, we'll visit the Angkor Wat temple: the epitome of Khmer architectural art and the most famous and imposing of all the monuments in Angkor (visitors must cover their shoulders and wear long pants or a long skirt). Enjoy a stroll through the Angkor Night Market. Dinner and overnight in hotel (Accommodations will be at either a 4-star or 5-star hotel according to the cruise you choose).

Visit of the Senteurs d'Angkor (closed on Sundays), a local business with a diverse collection of silk and carvings, as well as a superb range of traditional beauty products and spices, all made locally. We’ll end the day with Phare, the Cambodian circus, and spend the night at the hotel.

This morning, we’ll tour Ta Prohm, a Cambodian temple dedicated to the family of Jayavarman VII. We’ll then explore Angkor Thom. Stroll through the grounds of the former Royal Palace and discover the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch will be served at the hotel. We’ll bid you farewell at approximately 2:00 p.m. Please do not book your flight before 5:00 p.m.

Inclusion

FOR DEPARTURES FROM JANUARY TO MAY 2024: Your cruise in the cabin category of your choice - double-occupancy accommodations in a first-class hotel - all meals - drinks at all meals (1 soft drink or 1 beer* or 1 mineral water + 1 tea or coffee per person for each meal) - unlimited tea, coffee and mineral water during the cruise - visits and excursions mentioned in the program - the services of an English-speaking local tour guides and onboard GGTS tour director - the GGTS agent in Siem Reap - travel assistance and repatriation insurance - tips (excluding tips for crew members on board the ship).

Tips: To make your vacation worry-free, the equivalent of AUD 85 per passenger will be given to service providers for your destination country as tips. We feel this amount is appropriate in consideration of local customs and practice.

FOR DEPARTURES FROM AUGUST TO DECEMBER 2024: Your cruise in the cabin category of your choice - double-occupancy accommodations in a first-class hotel - all meals - onboard drinks included (except for drinks from our special lists) - drinks at all meals in siem Reap (1 soft drink or 1 beer* or 1 mineral water + 1 tea or coffee per person for each meal) - visits and excursions mentioned in the program - the services of an English-speaking local tour guides and onboard GGTS tour director - the GGTS agent in Siem Reap - travel assistance and repatriation insurance - tips.

Tips: To ensure our customers more pleasant stay, we've included AUD 85 per passenger for tips which will be entirely paid to the personnel from the countries to be visited and AUD 109 per passenger for crew members. This amount was determined while taking into consideration the local customs and etiquette.

Exclusion

FOR DEPARTURES FROM JANUARY TO MAY 2024: International flights and their taxes - transfers - Cambodian and Vietnamese visas - cancellation and baggage insurance - tips for crew members on board the ship (for informational purposes, daily tips per passenger amount to AUD 11) - drinks other than those mentioned.

FOR DEPARTURES FROM AUGUST TO DECEMBER 2024: International flights and their taxes - transfers - Cambodian and Vietnamese visas - cancellation and baggage insurance - drinks on board from our special lists - drinks other than those mentioned.

Note

*Price based on double occupancy

Several ships available for this cruise are RV Indochine, RV Indochine II and RV Lan Diep.

Accommodation available for Pre and Post Cruise on request.

For other amazing cruise itineraries and destinations, please contact our Destination specialists.

Non-EU nationals are requested to consult their embassy or consulate.

Useful Information:
FLIGHTS
On the flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (or the opposite direction), the free baggage allowance is 20kg per person. Beyond this weight, a supplement will be requested by the airline at the check-in counter.

HEALTH FORMALITIES
Vaccines are not mandatory for this trip. However, it is advisable to be up to date with all vaccinations (tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, and typhoid fever). Your doctor will prescribe an antimalarial drug if necessary. Mosquito repellent is strongly recommended.

WEATHER
The dry season lasts from December to April, but the air remains humid (temperature: 77° to 95°F). The rainy season, from May to November, can present very strong but brief storms that generally take place at the end of the afternoon.

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
"Pchum Ben" in September
"Water and Moon Festival" in November
During these days, some sites can be closed without warning.

Additional Information: (Below Extensions available on request)
THE ROYAL CITIES in 7 DAYS
PRE-CRUISE PROGRAM AVAILABLE starting with 2 participants
The 7-day pre-cruise program lets you discover the essential sites in two Vietnamese provinces formerly known as Annam and Tonkin. Visit the capitol, Hanoi, as well as thousand-year-old pagodas, lakes and historical monuments. Set out on an unforgettable cruise on the legendary Halong Bay among the fantastically formed islands, crags, and cliffs.

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

EXTENDED STAY INCLUDES:
- Hanoi, historic heart of the nation
- Tour of the old quarter of the city in a "tuk-tuk"
- Cruise on Halong Bay, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
EXCURSIONS INCLUDED:
- Discover three historic cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap
- Unique and unforgettable cruise along the Cho Gao Canal
- Tour six major temples in Angkor
- Meet local inhabitants and discover their daily life in Koh Chen and My Tho

THE GGTS DIFFERENCE

All meals included
Refined local cuisine
Headsets are included for excursions
Official welcome from the captain and crew
Tour leader or cruise director on board
Onboard activities and/or lectures
Travel assistance and repatriation insurance
All port fees included

Tour Category

Cruises

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