Sailing Vietnam & Cambodia’s Mekong River

Arrive in Siem Reap and settle into our outstanding hotel, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, located near the iconic Angkor Wat.

Rise early to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. This 12th-century Khmer temple, one of the world’s largest religious monuments, is adorned with elaborate bas-reliefs and sculptures. Ride a tuk-tuk, or motorized rickshaw, to the walled city of Angkor Thom. Discover the shrines of Ta Prohm and the temple of Banteay Srei. Visit a workshop where local youth are trained in age-old Khmer arts. Enjoy traditional Cambodian music and dance at a beautifully-lit private dinner at one of Angkor’s temples.

Drive to the bustling town of Steung Trang and embark the Jahan, your riverboat home for the next 7 nights. Step out onto your balcony to watch as we set sail on a journey along the Mekong River.

Stroll through Angkor Ban, a village with some of the oldest remaining traditional Khmer-style wooden homes, and visit Wat Angkor Ban, a living testament to the region’s spiritual heritage. Local monks will join you on board The Jahan for a special blessing. Later, in the serene village of Prek Bang Kong, visit a family-run silk-weaving workshop to see this centuries-old craft brought to life.

In Kampong Tralach, ride a traditional oxcart through emerald rice paddies to the Green School, a unique educational institution founded in 2016 that offers free instruction in English, Khmer and computer literacy to children from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. The school’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty while fostering community development, with a strong emphasis on environmental education and local stewardship. National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has helped build an English-language library here, and the students are always eager to practice their English and share stories with visitors. Later, cruise up the Tonle Sap River to Kampong Leaeng, stopping at homes where artisans shape pottery by hand, and visiting a local farm to learn how palm sugar is harvested and processed.

Explore the Cambodian capital by cyclo (bicycle taxi), and visit the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia. Learn about the reign of the Khmer Rouge on a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This evening, enjoy an apsara dance performance.

Take in views of everyday life along the river, attend talks by our experts, and join our chefs to learn how to cook regional dishes. Cross the border into Vietnam.

After cruising along the man-made Tan Chau Canal, board local boats in Chau Doc—an aquaculture hub on the Bassac, the southern branch of the Mekong Delta—to visit a basa catfish farm and weave through lively riverside markets. In town, ride trishaws to the bustling market, brimming with colorful tropical fruits and local delicacies. In the afternoon, relax on board and enjoy engaging presentations as you sail deeper into the Mekong Delta.

Take a local boat to experience rural life in the Mekong Delta. See the floating market of Cai Be, step into a rice “factory” to watch rice-based candies being made, and cruise among floating markets and fish farms. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner aboard the Jahan.

Disembark in My Tho and visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, originally built in 1850. Then journey to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and on arrival, visit the landmarks of Saigon including a visit to the Bitexco Tower, post office, and the Reunification Palace followed by lunch. Continue to the Park Hyatt Hotel to check in. Early this evening meet with a local expert on Vietnam’s modern development, and then enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

The morning of Day 12, visit the Cu Chi tunnel, part of a huge network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Consider visiting the War Remnants Museum, which gives a strong view of the war through the eyes of the Vietnamese. The rest of the afternoon and lunch are at leisure. In the evening, take in a performance of water puppetry—a distinctive Vietnamese folk art, practiced here for over 300 years. Dinner is at leisure. Choose to depart the evening of Day 12, or depart on Day 13.

Arrive in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam and settle into the Park Hyatt Hotel.

This morning meet with a local expert on Vietnam’s modern development, followed by a tour of Saigon’s landmarks, including the Bitexco Tower, post office, and the Reunification Palace, headquarters of the South Vietnamese government during the Vietnam War. Lunch is at leisure. A visit to the War Remnants Museum is offered in the afternoon. In the evening we take in a performance of water puppetry—a  distinctive Vietnamese folk art, practiced here for over 300 years—then enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

This morning, visit the Cu Chi tunnel, part of a huge network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Those who wish may tour the War Remnants Museum, which gives a strong view of the war through the eyes of the Vietnamese. After lunch, drive to My Tho and stop at the great Vinh Trang pagoda, originally built in 1850. Continue to the Mekong River, embark Jahan for the start of the seven-night sail on the Mekong. Have welcome drinks and dinner aboard ship.

Board a sampan and glide along the tropical canals of the Mekong Delta to experience the rhythms of rural life. In Cai Be, visit a rice workshop to see traditional sweets being made. On Binh Thanh Island, set out with local guides to watch farmers produce rattan mats and visit a village temple.

After cruising along the man-made Tan Chau Canal, board local boats in Chau Doc—an aquaculture hub on the Bassac, the southern branch of the Mekong Delta—to visit a basa catfish farm and weave through lively riverside markets. In town, ride trishaws to the bustling market, brimming with colorful tropical fruits and local delicacies. In the afternoon, relax on board and enjoy presentations as you sail toward Cambodia.

Explore the Cambodian capital by cyclo (bicycle taxi) and visit the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia. Learn about the reign of the Khmer Rouge on a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This evening, enjoy an apsara dance performance.

This morning, cruise the Tonle Sap River. In the afternoon, drive a short way from the town of Kampong Chhnang to a village where pottery is still made for sale to local residents by traditional methods. See how the pots are made and learn about the uses of the palm tree, complete with a taste of palm sugar if so inclined. Then ride local boats along the Tonle Sap for a glimpse into a unique way of life: seeing the floating houses and shops that line the riverbanks here.

Visit a village where artisans make traditional pottery and board local boats to see the clustered houses and shops that float in midstream. At Kampong Tralach, take an oxcart ride through rice paddies to a local school.

Explore the community of Angkor Ban, with many old-style houses built on stilts—some of them very tall. There’s a chance to walk through town and meet the friendly local residents. There is a fine pagoda along the riverside and views of the fields across the river that runs into the Mekong. Stop at the bustling town of Kampong Cham and visit remarkable Wat Nokor, where a well preserved 11th-century temple forms the heart of a contemporary pagoda that remains in active use. The reliefs on the old temple are exceptional, as are the decorations of the more modern one.  Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner aboard the Jahan.

Disembark The Jahan at Steung Trang for the drive to Siem Reap, where lunch is available upon arrival to the hotel. Spend the next three nights at the outstanding Raffles Grand hotel d’Angkor located near Angkor Wat. The luxurious rooms are styled with Cambodian furnishings and look out on either the pool or lush temple and lotus gardens. Siem Reap is the gateway to the great temple complex of Angkor, and this afternoon visit the evocative temple Ta Prohm. The jungle has been allowed to continue growing here, framing the structures with the twisted roots and branches of ceiba and fig trees, giving you an idea of what archaeologists encountered when they began their work in the area. Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant.

Begin early in order to get to Angkor Wat in time for sunrise. This visionary 12th-century temple, the world’s largest religious monument, represents the apogee of Khmer art and architecture. Crowned by five towers, with elaborate bas-reliefs and a profusion of statues that dramatically depict complex religious tales, along with some 2,000 carved apsaras (beautiful female spirits), Angkor Wat is enthralling. Return to the hotel for a late breakfast. In the afternoon, visit Les Artisans d’Angkor to see how local artisans preserve age-old Khmer arts. Venture out some distance from the central sites to the fine temple of Banteay Srei, known for its exceptional carvings. Tonight, we have a very special treat: a private dinner by candlelight at one of Angkor’s temples, complete with Cambodian music and dance. The effect of seeing the temple gently illuminated and taking in the age-old performing arts is magical and is bound to stand out as a highlight of your travels.

This morning, take tuk-tuks (motorized taxis) to the great remains of Angkor Thom, seeing the Bayon Temple, known for its dozens of serene stone faces of King Jayavarman VII, and the Terrace of the Elephants. The afternoon is free to explore further, shop or just relax. If you should wish to depart this evening, your rooms are reserved until departure.

Transfer to the airport for flights home.