Saigon to Angkor Wat in Style

Upon arrival to Ho Chi Minh City airport, you’ll be welcomed to Vietnam by your private English speaking guide and transferred to your accommodation in the city. Formally known as Saigon, modern Ho Chi Minh City is the commercial hub of Vietnam and now famous for its intriguing mix of modern and historic attractions, lively nightlife, and endless shopping opportunities. If you want to take in a panoramic view of the city visit the Saigon Skydeck, the glass-enclosed observation deck of the imposing Bitexco Financial Tower.

Today you’ll head out to explore the city’s many layers in the company of your private guide. Start in Cholon, the city’s sprawling Chinatown, where you’ll visit Jade Emperor Pagoda, a must-see with ornately carved figurines and panels of carved gilt. Continue to the Dong Khoi district, the colonial center of the city, taking in the impressive Notre Dame Cathedral, the elegant Opera House, and the beautifully preserved Central Post Office, designed by renowned French architect Gustav Eiffel. Should you wish a final stop can be included at the somber War Remnants Museum, which houses many exhibits from the ‘American War’, including some photo galleries which are quite graphic in nature.

The afternoon is free to relax back at the hotel or continue exploring the city at your leisure. In the evening you will be picked up for a part-nocturnal excursion, part street food adventure – a tour of the city and it’s nightlife on the back of vintage Vespa scooters. Taking you through Chinatown and central Districts 1 and 4, the tour includes stops at several bars and cafes, with all food and drink included.

Your Mekong River cruise begins today, with your private driver transferring you from your hotel to Ho Chi Minh Pier. Your boutique ship will be waiting in My Tho, about 45 miles south of the city. Hop aboard and get settled in your cabin before exploring the facilities on the ship. After departure you’ll enjoy a light lunch and drinks while sailing along the river. From the balcony you can gaze out at the colorful sunset before heading to the lounge for a briefing. A welcome dinner will be hosted this evening, with overnight near rural Cai Be.

Rise early for a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck to get invigorated for the day just as the sun begins to cast its glow. If you prefer to sleep in, lessons will be hosted every morning on the ship, so you’ll have another opportunity. Afterward, enjoy a group tour to the colorful floating market of Cai Be via traditional sampan. Enjoy the spectacular landscapes and stops to observe how a variety of products like rice paper, rice wine and coconut candy are made. This afternoon join a traditional sampan to tour and meet some of the locals in a village on Binh Island.

Your day begins with a fascinating excursion to the evergreen islands in the Mekong Delta which lie near the border of Cambodia where you’ll learn about the lives of the locals who reside in homes standing on high stilts, a centuries-old tradition here. Visit a fish farm made up of floating houses in the Tan Chau canal where the residents make their living by cultivating fish and travel by boat to Tan Chau pier. You’ll disembark to wander through the colorful local market with its many regional products before returning to the cruise ship for the evening.

After breakfast you will disembark the ship and be met a private guide for the transfer to your upscale accommodation in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and one of Asia’s most exciting and fastest-growing cities. Get settled into your room and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure. If you want to take a stroll, you’ll find a number of elegant colonial buildings and grand boulevards which saw Phnom Penh donned the “Paris of the East” during the 1920s. We highly recommend a visit to the Central Market, an astonishing piece of Art Deco architecture which contains vast hallways housing countless stalls selling all sorts of items.

This morning you will joined by a private guide to explore the city, first taking in the attractive Royal Palace, and then the neighboring Silver Pagoda, covered in approximately 5,000 silver tiles. Afterwards, you’ll explore the massive collection of Khmer sculptures and artifacts in the National Museum which were recovered from the ancient Angkor Empire. You will then learn more about the sober recent history of Cambodia, visiting the infamous Tuol Sleng prison and then the “Killing Fields” of Choeng Ek where over 17,000 civilians were killed and buried in the 1970s. These visits can be skipped should you prefer – please discuss locally with your guide. After the sightseeing you have the rest of the day at leisure.

This morning you will be transferred to the airport for a short domestic flight to Siem Reap. While best-known for the temples and ruins of Angkor, once the world’s largest and greatest pre-industrial city, Siem Reap also offers opportunities to explore museums, markets and buzzing nightlife. You’ll be met at the other end by another private guide and delivered to your comfortable hotel in the heart the city.

After some time to freshen up your guide will take you back out for your first visit to the Angkor Archaeological Park, starting with the delicately carved pink sandstone temple Banteay Srei. Move on to the South Gate of Angkor Thom before marveling at the Bayon, Baphoun, and Terrace of Elephants. Finish at the iconic jungle temple of Ta Prohm, which has been partially engulfed by roots and vines.

After an early breakfast you will head out to the great Tonle Sap Lake: the richest freshwater fishing ground in the world, and a Cambodian national treasure. A privately guided boat tour will introduce you to the communities that live around the margins of the lake, who adapt to the continual variation in water levels by building their homes on floating stilts. Take the opportunity to pause at the stilted houses to learn how a subsistence fishing family lives, before continuing by boat along the margins of the lake and then returning to shore, where you will find a picnic lunch has been prepared for you.

Continue from the lake you to the remote temple of Beng Mealea, approximately an hour outside of Siem Reap, which is often described as the blueprint for Angkor Wat. This 12^th Century temple was built under the rule of Suryavarman II, and now lies in an atmospheric state of semi-collapse. Return to Siem Reap in the late afternoon.

Wake early this morning to visit Angkor Wat, the mother of all temples. You will visit at dawn, seeing the sunrise rise of the temple and bathe it in the softest and best light of the day. Return to the hotel for a well-earned breakfast, then have the rest of the day to yourself. Spend the day enjoying your fine hotel or continue exploring Siem Reap and surrounds under your own steam. There is a huge wealth and variety of activities on offer – please speak to your consultant for ideas on how to make the most of this day.

Your memorable tour through Vietnam and Cambodia comes to an end today, with a private transfer to the airport in good time for your departing flight. If you’d like to explore more of Southeast Asia, chat with our travel experts who can help plan the ideal bespoke addition to your itinerary.