An Ageless Adventure Through The Mekong – 9 Days

You leave Saigon today to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels are an underground labyrinth of passageways used by the Viet Cong as protection against American air raids during the Vietnam War (or “American War” as it is referred to here). Crawl through sections of the tunnels to gain a better understanding of what life was like for Vietnamese soldiers during the war. Following that, you will go to Tay Ninh’s beautiful Cao Dai Temple and participate in the noontime prayer service. Caodaism, a hybrid religion founded in the 1920s that combines elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam to promote peace, is housed in this large and colorful compound. Lunch in Tay Ninh, then back to Saigon in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon.

After breakfast, depart Saigon for the Mekong River Delta. Arrive in Cai Be around 11:00 a.m. and begin your delta tour with a private cruise to the Cai Be floating market, passing by a beautiful cathedral. Proceed to local cottage industries, home factories to see how rice paste, rice cookies and coconut candies are made, along with the longan fruit drying process. Sail along the Mekong’s numerous branches and creeks, stopping to visit local orchards and traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves.

Then, by motorized boat, cross the Tien Giang River, one of the two large “arms” of the Mekong, to visit some fluvial islands and explore the countryside. Your driver will be waiting on the other side of the river to take you on a 45-minute journey to Can Tho, the largest city on the Mekong, a buzzing town with a lively waterfront and a colorful mix of narrow back streets that make for rewarding exploration. You have the rest of the day free.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho.

Get up early and leave the hotel by motor boat to visit the famous Cai Rang floating market. Experience the daily life of the Mekong River Delta as vendors from around the region gather to sell fresh fruits, local delicacies and handmade goods. Proceed your discovery of the region with a tour of the cottage industries to see people making coconut candies and rice paper. Continue on to Chau Doc, where a sunset hike up Sam Mountain offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. If time allows, you can also visit Lady Xu and Thoai Ngoc Hau Temple.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Chau Doc.

After breakfast, check-out the hotel then travel by speedboat up the Mekong to Cambodia’s capital: Phnom Penh. The entire journey takes about four and a half hours (including visa formalities). Visas are easily obtained and inexpensive at the border between Vietnam and Cambodia (including the processing fee). Your guide will meet you at the dock in Phnom Penh and take you to the hotel.

Despite its turbulent recent past, Phnom Penh’s wide tree-lined boulevards and faded colonial mansions have an undeniable charm. After lunch at a downtown restaurant, take a leisurely tour to visit the Russian Market and try out your best bargaining skills.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Phnom Penh.

Spend the day touring the vibrant capital city of Cambodia. Begin by taking a guided tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the infamous Choeung Ek “Killing Fields” to learn about the Khmer Rouge and Cambodia’s recent, bloody history. The answer is yes.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh.

Fly to Siem Reap, the main entry point to the Angkor Archaeological Park, after breakfast. Meet your driver upon arrival and begin your tour at the Angkor National Museum for a brief history lesson. The modern museum depicts the Khmer Empire’s Golden Era through the use of multimedia technology to depict this fascinating historical period. A guided tour of the museum allows you to see Angkor at its best.

Drive to the Angkor Archeological Complex in the late afternoon to watch the sunset from Phnom Krohm Mountain, which gilds the surrounding temple-dotted jungle in golden light.

• You can also take a speedboat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap up the Mekong (best time to travel by river ferry is from September to December).
• Because of the improved condition of National Road 6, a drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is now also recommended. Driving from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap or vice versa takes about 5 hours.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

Spend the entire day exploring the mystical and ancient Angkor Temples. Following an early breakfast at the hotel, you depart for Angkor Thom’s imposing South Gate, which is topped with the four serenely smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara. Next, visit Bayon temple, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Leaving Angkor Thom through the North Gate, you travel to Preah Khan (Sacred Sword), one of Angkor’s largest temples built by Jayavarman VII in the 12th century.

Following a delicious lunch of traditional Khmer cuisine, proceed to the mystical, jungle-entwined Ta Prohm temple, followed by the most famous Khmer temple: Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat, the largest temple and finest example of Angkorian art and architecture, was built as a Hindu monument before being dedicated to Buddha.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

Today is free for last-minute shopping or sightseeing before heading to Siem Reap International Airport to catch your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: N/A.