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The Heart of Cambodia & Vietnam with Bangkok (Northbound) 2024
21 Day River Cruise Bangkok to Hanoi
Tour Description:
This inspiring Southeast Asia river cruise vacation begins in vibrant Bangkok, Thailand. A boat ride on the klongs, Bangkok’s famous canals, is the perfect way to start your sightseeing. Continue at the Grand Palace featuring the Temple of the Emerald Buddha followed by the Temple of the Reclining Buddha—the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in the city. Fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and enjoy a walking tour of the famous landmarks of the city and try your hand in the kitchen with a Vietnamese cooking class. Go on an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels, the unbelievable network of tunnels used extensively during the war. Next, board your ship and begin your cruise along the mighty Mekong River. As you cruise through Vietnam, you’ll stop in the villages for interactions with locals, such as a visit to the home of a skilled family who make handcrafted sampans for a living. In Cambodia, visit the capital city of Phnom Penh, with the magnificent Royal Palace featuring its striking Silver Pagoda and the National Museum. Take in the stunning views at the 8th-century temple of Wat Hanchey before walking through the rural village of Angkor Ban to visit with welcoming schoolchildren. Continue your river cruise adventure to Siem Reap, where you’ll see the magnificent Temples of Angkor. The famous temples here, such as Angkor Wat and the Bayon temple, featuring some 200 mysterious faces carved in its many towers, are a display of intricacy and architectural grandeur unmatched in the world. Disembark your cruise ship and fly to Hanoi, where you’ll explore the famous Old Quarter with peddlers trading goods among its 36 ancient streets. From here, travel to Ha Long Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin, where you’ll be amazed at the more than 3,000 limestone islands of varying shapes. Enjoy a 2-night cruise along the bay with visits to the Cua Van Floating Village, fascinating caves, and a chance to swim at Ti Top Island. The beautiful scenery, ornate temples, and interactions with locals make this Southeast Asia river cruise vacation one you won’t soon forget!
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Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & Sightseeing| Day 1 Bangkok: | Welcome to Thailand |
| Day 2 Bangkok: | Boat ride on klongs; visit the Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha |
| Day 3 Bangkok: | Day at leisure |
| Day 4 Bangkok–Ho Chi Minh City: | Fly to Ho Chi Minh City |
| Day 5 Ho Chi Minh City: | Walking tour; visit the famous Rex Hotel for a drink, War Remnants Museum, and Ben Thanh Market; cooking class |
| Day 6 Ho Chi Minh City: | Cu Chi Tunnels excursion |
| Day 7 Ho Chi Minh City (Embarkation): | Onboard welcome reception |
| Day 8 Vinh Long–Cu Lao Gieng: | Visit a local workshop to see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candy are made in Vinh Long; interact with sampan-making and conical hat making families in Cu Lao Gieng |
| Day 9 Chau Doc–Long Khanh A–Cambodian Border Crossing: | Visit a local market and the religious sites at Sam Mountain in Chau Doc; walking tour of Long Khanh A with cotton-weaving demonstration |
| Day 10 Phnom Penh: | Sightseeing by private cyclo, including the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum; afternoon at leisure; show by children from a local orphanage |
| Day 11 Phnom Penh: | Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and visit one of the Cambodian Killing Fields, or visit the lively central market |
| Day 12 Wat Hanchey–Angkor Ban: | Visit Wat Hanchey and partake in a traditional water blessing by local monks; walking tour in Angkor Ban with school visit |
| Day 13 Konpong Louang–Kampong Tralach: | Visit the silversmith village of Konpong Louang; ox cart ride through the countryside, and visit a local farmer’s home in Kampong Tralach |
| Day 14 Phnom Penh (Disembarkation)–Siem Reap: | Fly to Siem Reap; visit Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Bayon Temple |
| Day 15 Siem Reap: | Visit Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei, and a noodle-making village; Apsara dance performance |
| Day 16 Siem Reap–Hanoi: | Fly to Hanoi |
| Day 17 Hanoi: | Visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, and Temple of Literature; lunch at Koto; electric cart ride through the Old Quarter; water puppets performance |
| Day 18 Hanoi–Ha Long Bay (Embarkation): | Drive to Ha Long Bay; visit Cua Van floating village |
| Day 19 Ha Long Bay: | Cruise the bay; visit Ti Top Island, Luon Cave, and Dark and Bright Cave; opportunity to explore by kayak |
| Day 20 Ha Long Bay (Disembarkation)–Hanoi: | Visit Sung Sot Cave; drive to Hanoi |
| Day 21 Hanoi: | End of vacation |
ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1
BANGKOK, THAILAND Welcome to Thailand!
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Day 2
BANGKOK Timeless Temples of Thailand
This morning, your Guided Sightseeing begins with a boat ride on the klongs, Bangkok’s famous canals. Stop at the stunning Grand Palace featuring the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Also, Visit the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok. It houses more than 1,000 Buddha images, including the 49-foot-high and 151-foot-long massive Reclining Buddha.
The remainder of the day is at your leisure.
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BreakfastLunch
BreakfastLunchDay 3
BANGKOK Bold Colors of Bangkok
Enjoy a full day at your leisure.
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Breakfast
BreakfastDay 4
BANGKOK–HO CHI MINH CITY Saigon Bound
Today, fly to Ho Chi Minh City, still known as Saigon to many. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.
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Breakfast
BreakfastDay 5
HO CHI MINH CITY Motorbikes, Monuments, and Mouthwatering Cuisine
CLASSIC Take a Walking Tour of Ho Chi Minh City’s historic landmarks including a stop at the Rex Hotel for a refreshing drink at the rooftop bar where the U.S. Military held the infamous “Five O’Clock Follies” during the war. Then visit the War Remnants Museum and bustling Ben Thanh Market.
DISCOVERY For lunch, participate in a hands-on Vietnamese Cooking Class. Learn to prepare several local dishes and how to recreate them at home. Last, but not least, sample your delicious creations!
Explore the city further during free time this afternoon.
This evening join your traveling companions for a special welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch
DinnerDay 6
HO CHI MINH CITY. EXCURSION TO CU CHI TUNNELS Secret Passageways and Underground Hideouts
CLASSIC Drive out of the city for a Guided Visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels—an extraordinary network of tunnels more than 120 miles in length—used as a hideout and secret village by the Viet Cong.
Enjoy free time this afternoon and evening. Consider stopping for a drink at the famous rooftop bar at the Caravelle Hotel.
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Breakfast
BreakfastDay 7
HO CHI MINH CITY (EMBARKATION) Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding
Transfer to the port on the Saigon River for embarkation. Get acquainted with the ship and relax before your welcome reception this evening.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO VINH LONG
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Day 8
VINH LONG–CU LAO GIENG Sweets, Sampans, and Sun Hats
DISCOVERY Board a sampan this morning to visit a local workshop in Vinh Long where you will see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candies are made.
DISCOVERY This afternoon, enjoy scenes of daily life on Cu Lao Gieng Island via sampan and local motor cart. Your Guided Excursion starts at a local workshop, where a skilled family hand-crafts sampan boats. Then, visit the home of a local family that makes Vietnamese conical hats, or “Non la,” from materials such as palm leaves and bamboo. These iconic hats are primarily used as protection from the sun and rain but you may also see them used as a basket to carry home goods from the market. Lastly, stop at one of Vietnam’s oldest Catholic churches.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO CHAU DOC
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 9
CHAU DOC–LONG KHANH A–BORDER CROSSING, CAMBODIA Colorful markets, Charming Locals, and Cotton Weavers
DISCOVERY In Chau Doc, take a Guided Walk through the local market and absorb the atmosphere as locals are busy buying and selling fish, meat, and produce. Then embark on a River Excursion down the backwaters of the Mekong. Along the way, see traditional floating homes, speedboat merchants, religious sites, a market selling dried goods, and more.
DISCOVERY After lunch, take a Sampan Ride to the village of Long Khanh A for a Cotton-Weaving Demonstration in this well-preserved artisan tradition.
Return to the ship and head for the Cambodian border.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO PHNOM PENH
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 10
PHNOM PENH The Royal Treatment
CLASSIC Take a City Tour by private cyclo to visit the Royal Palace with the spectacular Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum featuring an outstanding display of Khmer artifacts.
The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy the city at your leisure.
Just before dinner, children from a local orphanage will perform a show, featuring local song and dance.
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 11
PHNOM PENH A Dark History and Bright Markets
CLASSIC This morning, a Guided Visit of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing Fields offers a glimpse into the atrocities inflicted on the Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge regime, OR:
DISCOVERY Visit the lively Central Market by tuk-tuk to see its unique Art Deco design.
After lunch, depart Phnom Penh and enjoy some time at leisure on the ship.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO WAT HANCHEY
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 12
WAT HANCHEY–ANGKOR BAN Water Blessings and Back-to-School Adventures
DISCOVERY Visit Wat Hanchey, a hilltop temple dating back to the 8th century. Climb or be driven to the top where you will enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area and partake in a traditional water blessing given by local monks.
DISCOVERY After lunch, enjoy a Walking Tour through the rural village of Angkor Ban. Here, you will visit a traditional Khmer house and interact with children at a local school.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KONPONG LOUANG
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 13
KONPONG LOUANG–KAMPONG TRALACH Calm in the Cambodian Countryside
DISCOVERY Start your Guided Sightseeing at the silversmith village in Konpong Louang. Here, see talented craftsmen use age-old techniques to turn pure silver into works of art. In Kampong Tralach, board an ox cart for a ride through the beautiful Cambodian countryside. Along the way, stop to meet a local farmer and learn about his daily life.
This afternoon, enjoy scenic cruising on the Tonle River.
EVENING CRUISE TO PHNOM PENH
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 14
PHNOM PENH (DISEMBARKATION)–SIEM REAP A Pilgrimage of Inspirational Beauty
Fly to Siem Reap, home to the Temples of Angkor, considered by many to be the most spectacular architectural ruins on Earth!
CLASSIC After lunch, begin your Sightseeing Tour by tuk-tuk to explore the temples. Start at the best preserved and most famous of all the temples: Angkor Wat. Featuring five trademark towers, it is the symbol of Cambodia. Then, visit Angkor Thom, where you will explore Bayon Temple with its 200 striking faces carved in 54 towers and impressive bas-relief sculptures.
The evening is yours to explore charming Siem Reap, stay to witness the sunset at Angkor Wat, or consider a Guided Optional Excursion to the Cambodian circus.
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Day 15
SIEM REAP Roots Carved in Stone and Celebrated in Dance
CLASSIC Continue your Guided Sightseeing of the Angkor Temples at Ta Prohm. Tree roots cover the ruin walls, allowing you to experience the temple with the same wonder as early explorers. Then visit Banteay Srei, a unique temple built on a small scale from red sandstone, which can be carved like wood. En route stop at a local village famous for making Khmer noodles by hand.
Spend the afternoon at your leisure. You may choose a Guided Optional Excursion to further explore Siem Reap, or visit the temple complex by tuk-tuk.
DISCOVERY This evening, a private Apsara Dance Performance brings ancient Khmer culture to life through music, song, and dance.
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Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast DinnerDay 16
SIEM REAP–HANOI Hanoi Bound
Today, transfer to the airport and fly to Hanoi. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for the night.
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Breakfast
BreakfastDay 17
HANOI Historic Hanoi and Water Puppets
CLASSIC First, join a Guided Visit of the mausoleum and the humble cottage from which “Uncle Ho” ruled Vietnam until his death in 1969. Next, see iconic sites, including One Pillar Pagoda, the Presidential Palace, and the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.” Lastly, visit the 900-year-old Temple of Literature, Hanoi’s first university.
Enjoy lunch at Koto, a non-profit restaurant and hospitality program that teaches local children restaurant skills for stable employment opportunities.
CLASSIC After lunch, enjoy an Electric-Ride through the fascinating Old Quarter—with its 36 ancient streets where merchants trade as they have for centuries.
DISCOVERY An early dinner this evening is followed by a fascinating Live Performance of Hanoi’s renowned water puppets, a traditional 11th-century art form.
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 18
HANOI–HA LONG BAY Island Shapes and a Floating Village
Travel from Hanoi through the fertile countryside to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bay is dotted with more than 3,000 limestone islands carved into fanciful shapes. Board the luxurious Paradise Elegance for a 2-Night Cruise on the bay.
DISCOVERY Visit the Cua Van Floating Village, home to more than 700 people—by bamboo raft, OR:
ACTIVE Take a Kayak Ride to visit Cua Van Village.
Enjoy scenic sailing for the remainder of the day before anchoring for the night.
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 19
HA LONG BAY Caves, Kayaks, and Scenic Climbs
DISCOVERY Visit Ti Top Island for a Guided Excursion to take a swim, or climb 400 steps to the top for stunning views. You can also visit Luon Cave by boat, and explore Dark & Bright Cave by bamboo raft, OR:
ACTIVE Explore Luon Cave and Dark & Bright Cave by Kayak Ride.
After a day of exploring, consider a spa treatment or simply relax for happy hour prior to dinner!
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BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 20
HA LONG BAY–HANOI Surprising and Amazing Beauty
This morning, relax onboard your ship, or visit Sung Sot Cave, considered one of the most beautiful in the area with its magnificent formations. Afterwards, return to Hanoi and check in to your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours to spend at your leisure.
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Breakfast
BreakfastDay 21
HANOI Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
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Breakfast
Breakfast Accommodations
Accommodations| Bangkok | Ho Chi Minh City | Siem Reap | Hanoi | Ha Long Bay |
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Deluxe
4 Sukhumvit Road Soi 2 Bangkok Thailand
Step into a 5-star urban oasis graced with luxury amenities that pamper and inspire, with multilingual associates providing signature Marriott service at every moment. Unwind with indulgent spa treatments, lounge in a designer chaise by the palm-tree-framed tile pool or invigorate in our hotel's modern fitness center.
Deluxe
4 Sukhumvit Road Soi 2 Bangkok Thailand
Step into a 5-star urban oasis graced with luxury amenities that pamper and inspire, with multilingual associates providing signature Marriott service at every moment. Unwind with indulgent spa treatments, lounge in a designer chaise by the palm-tree-framed tile pool or invigorate in our hotel's modern fitness center.
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
