• Touring the awe-inspiring stone complexes of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, the world’s largest religious monument.
• Drifting past a parade of brightly hued pagodas, wats, and Buddhist temples. 
• Encountering everyday but still-exotic life on and in the river: fishing boats, sampans, floating markets, children swimming, women doing their laundry.
• Visiting the cities of Hanoi and Saigon, Vietnam, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to witness their progress following the turmoil of war in the 1960s and 1970s.
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Mekong River Delta and Cambodia Cruise in 1 Week

While most of the Mekong River tours are at least two weeks in length, there are some tours that are around eight days. These tours include stops that are only on the Mekong River and are usually between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap.

Day 1, My Tho: Head out on your river cruise from Ho Chi Minh’s river port city of My Tho

Day 2, Sa Dec: Spend the day cruising along Mekong River’s canals as you make your way to a local market and visit the ancient house with a romantic history that was the base for the book L’Indochine

Day 3, Chau Doc: Make your own adventure in the village of Chau Doc by either bike riding or exploring the local market before heading back to the ship to make sail for Cambodia.

Day 4, Phnom Penh: Take in the culturally diverse city of Phnom Penh on cyclos and visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda before heading out of the city to learn about the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge Regime

Day 5, Tonle River: Visit a local silver making village and experience Mekong River life as you take in the sights and sounds of the river

Day 6, Kratie: In the morning, trek around Angkor Ban before sailing down the Cambodian countryside to the colonial town of Kratie for the night.

Day 7, Dolphin Grounds: Switch from your boat to a bus to visit the Dolphin Grounds in a national park and visit the quirky Monkey Temple to end the day

Day 8, Siem Reap: Pull into your final stop at Siem Reap in the afternoon after heading out early to visit Kampong Thom, a nearby province chalk full of Angkorian sites

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Vietnam and Mekong River Cruise in 2 Weeks

Many of the Mekong River cruises that are longer than 14 days include cities outside of the Mekong River area, like Hanoi and Bangkok. These tours are for travelers with a little extra time and who wish to see as much of this region as they can while they are in the area.

Day 1-3, Hanoi: Explore the Vietnam capital where old meets new in sprawling parks, historical museums, and towering buildings before taking a short flight to Siem Reap

Day 4-5, Angkor Wat and Siem Reap: Head out early to discover the world’s largest religious complex and investigate the culturally rich city of Siem Reap

Day 6-7, Kampong Cham: Take some time to enjoy your embarkment city of Kampong Cham before departing on your cruise

Day 8-9, Phnom Penh: Arrive in Phnom Penh in the evening after visiting the countryside around Phnom Penh. Set out early the next day on a cyclo tour to explore Cambodia’s French-influenced capital city

Day 10, Mekong River: Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of Southeast Asia’s largest river as you sail down the Mekong to your next destination

Day 11, Tan Chau: Take a break from the boat and experience the local Mekong River village of Tan Chau. Take a ride on a village rickshaw and visit the floating markets to experience everyday life of the village

Day 12, Sa Dec: Make a switch to a smaller boat to explore the backwaters of the Mekong and see the factories that hug the river. In the afternoon, head over to Cai Be to experience their world-famous floating markets.

Day 13-15, Ho Chi Minh City: Get your land legs back by disembarking from your cruise in Ho Chi Minh City. Take your last two days to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels formerly used by the Viet Cong, take a stroll around the city’s historic neighborhoods, and visit many of Ho Chi Minh’s rooftop bars and restaurants.

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Mekong River Adventure Itinerary

The Mekong River is a prime destination for adventure seekers. Destinations offer the opportunity for travelers to hike to pagodas, bike ride in the villages, and experience local transportation such as rickshaws and ox carts.

Day 1-2, Siem Reap: Arrive in Siem Reap for your cruise. Head out early the next day to explore the sprawling Temples of Angkor.

Day 3, Siem Reap: Spend your second day in Siem Reap riding in a tuk tuk to discover more Angkorian temples.

Day 4, Siem Reap: Embark on your Mekong River cruise

Day 5, Cruising: Get ready for a busy day of riding an ox cart through the rice paddy fields and visiting local farmers and silversmiths before heading into Phnom Penh for the night

Day 6, Phnom Penh: Visit the historic Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and Killing Fields to learn about the Khmer Rouge Regime

Day 7, Wat Hanchey-Angkor Ban: Continue cruising down the river with stops at the 8th century temple of Wat Hanchey and a walking tour of Angkor Ban

Day 8, Border and Chau Doc: Cross over into Vietnam and head into the backwaters to visit floating markets and villages

Day 9, Long Khong A-Cu Lao Gieng: Take a sampan, or small boat, to learn about the local cotton production and take a motor cart ride up to one of Vietnam’s oldest churches to visit with a Vietnamese priest

Day 10, Ben Tre: Tour Ben Tre to further learn about how local rice wine and cotton candy are made in the area. Head back to the main boat to make your way to Ho Chi Minh City

Day 11-13, Explore the massive city of Ho Chi Minh City: Visit the War Remnants Museum, shop in Ben Thanh Market, and take an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels outside of the city.

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