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Travelmarvel

Discover Vietnam and Cambodia

Trip Code: VTM17
17 Days
40 Meals
2 Countries
  • Travel & Accommodation
  • Map & Itinerary
  • Similar Trips

Trip Inclusions

  • Seven nights in premium accommodation
  • Seven-night Mekong River cruise aboard the RV Apsara, featuring all suites with twin balconies
  • Two-night Ha Long Bay cruise on the Bhaya Classic
  • Services of a Travelmarvel Tour Leader and expert English-speaking local guides
  • 40 meals: 16 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 12 dinners, plus select international wine and local beer included with lunch and dinner on board your Mekong River cruise
  • Relax at the stylish Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas
  • Receive a traditional Buddhist blessing by monks in Oudong
  • Witness the sunset over the magnificent Angkor Wat temples

Map & Itinerary

Trip Notes

  • Itinerary and inclusions subject to change
  • Disruptions to cruising and touring may occur due to operational issues, including high or low water levels, and unforeseen weather conditions
  • Some port stops may have physical conditions which prevent some guests from going ashore
  • Prices include transfers, port charges, tipping and flight within Vietnam & Cambodia
  • Flights should arrive in Hanoi before 4pm
  • Prices are for land/cruise and internal flights between Vietnam and Cambodia as specified only
Asia Map 2024-2026 VTM17

Designed exclusively for our guests

Insider Experience

Enjoy an included special or unique excursion or event

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Listen to a private Hat Xam performance and engage with the artists.

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Delight in a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hanoi in the heart of the city.


On arrival in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, be met at the airport and transferred to the five-star Movenpick Hotel Hanoi, only a short walk from the Old Quarter. Enjoy your Insider Experience tonight then relish your multicourse Vietnamese Welcome Dinner.

Stay: Two Nights, Movenpick Hotel Hanoi

Daily :
  • Dinner

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Weave through Hanoi's Old Quarter on a cyclo adventure.

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Feast on a soulful Vietnamese lunch hosted by a KOTO, a social enterprise.


Embark on a guided sightseeing tour of Hanoi, taking in the most famous historical and cultural sites. Visit Ba Dinh Square, one of the largest squares in Vietnam with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex. Nearby is the iconic One Pillar Pagoda built on a single pillar of stone in the middle of a lotus pond. Continue to the Temple of Literature, a beautiful example of Vietnamese architecture and the first university in Vietnam. Afterwards, an Insider Experience awaits. The afternoon and evening are at leisure or perhaps choose from one of our select experiences.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Board the Bhaya Classic for an incredible two-night cruise on World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay.


Set off early to Tuan Chau before boarding Bhaya Classic, your home for two nights. Meet your crew and set sail among thousands of limestone islets. Feast on a Vietnamese multicourse lunch as you soak in the breathtaking views of the magical bay. Then it's time to kayak around the Tung Sau area. Surrounded by cascading mountains that extend out from the jewel-coloured waters of the bay, this place is an isolated region of water in Ha Long Bay used for pearl farming. Catch the sunset on board as you cruise towards anchor for the night. Enjoy dinner before doing some squid fishing, sipping cocktails or relaxing in your cabin.

Stay: Two Nights, Ha Long Bay, Bhaya Classic

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
View of classic junk on Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Start your day with a Tai Chi lesson on the Sun Deck surrounded by the beauty of Ha Long Bay. Following breakfast, board rowing boats to visit the Luon Cave area, listen to the ancient folklore and enjoy close views of the magnificent limestone karsts. Visit Cua Van Floating Village in the heart of Ha Long Bay, by kayak or traditional rowing boat. Enjoy lunch on board while cruising to Trinh Nu. Spend time relaxing at the private beach or visit one of the finest sunlight caves with stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Later gather for a sumptuous dinner.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Unwind during an indulgent stay at the Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas.


Explore Sung Sot Cave, the 10,000-square-metre cave threaded by a 500-metre paved passageway, before cruising to Tuan Chau, where you will disembark. Travel to Hanoi airport for your included flight to Siem Reap. For dinner, perhaps choose from one of our select experience dining options.

Stay: Three Nights, Siem Reap, Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Visit Opportunities of Development thru Art (ODA), which supports underprivileged children, and a OneTomorrow partner.

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Watch an Apsara dance and music performance and experience local Khmer culture.


Explore Siem Reap this morning at your own pace or choose from one of our Select Experience options.

Later discover Ta Prohm temple, commonly referred to as the Tomb Raider temple having featured in the movie starring Angelina Jolie. The temple and its atmospheric surrounds have been left to slowly return to nature, with the overgrown jungle and vast root systems creating a unique sight throughout the ruins. After an Insider Experience this evening, savour local flavours during a tantalising Khmer dinner.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Ta Prohm Monk, Cambodia

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Witness the sunset over the magnificent Angkor Wat temple complex.

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Watch a mesmerising performance at Cambodia's Phare Circus.


Set off early to explore some of the breathtaking architecture and sites of the World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park. Delve into the history and significance of Angkor Wat as you explore inside the vast temple complex. Continue to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital built in the 12th century and then head to the intriguing Bayon Temple, with its carved stone smiling faces. Stop at the Terrace of Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Daily :
  • Breakfast

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Explore the agricultural island of Koh Pen Island by tuk tuk.


Travel to Kampong Cham to join your Mekong River cruise. . The RV Apsara will be your beautiful home for the next seven nights.

Settle in and familiarise yourself with your suite or relax up on the Sun Deck and watch the life along the river unfold. Later, an Insider Experience awaits. This evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner on board as you begin cruising towards Vietnam.

Stay: Seven Nights: Mekong River, RV Apsara

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Start your day with a tour of Angkor Ban by foot. Nicknamed the 'Lucky Village', Angkor Ban is one of the few rural villages in Cambodia that escaped destruction from the Khmer Rouge regime. Stroll through town and witness traditional wooden stilted houses, some over a century old.

Return to your ship and continue sailing along the lush banks of the Mekong River to Oknha Tey (Oknha Tei), or Silk Island. Disembark and discover the town well known locally for its delicate silk weaving.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Visit a Buddhist monastery where you will have the opportunity to partake in a Buddhist blessing.


Begin your morning with an excursion by road to Oudong, Cambodia's former royal capital for a special Insider Experience. En route back to Phnom Penh take a leisurely walk to explore the village of Koh Chen. Here, you will have the chance to visit open-air home copperware workshops.

Return to the ship and enjoy a free afternoon in fascinating Phnom Penh or enhance your time by choosing one of our select experience options.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Start the morning today with a sobering excursion to the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Learn about Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime as well as the resilience of the Cambodian people. Spend a moment to pay your respects at the Memorial Stupa, a monument erected in memory of the thousands of people who lost their lives.

After lunch, visit the Royal Palace built in 1866, delight in its white and gold Khmer architecture. Head inside the glorious Silver Pagoda - named after its floors, which are designed with 5,000 silver tiles. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. You may wish to head to the Russian Market for souvenirs, the Central Market where you can try the local delicacy of fried tarantula and crickets, or simply stay on board and enjoy the facilities and service.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Relax on board as your ship cruises to the Vietnamese border. While border formalities are carried out enjoy the onboard presentations and demonstrations. Cross into Vietnam and cruise onto the riverside town of Tan Chau.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Woman rowing float on the Mekong River, Vietnam

Travel along the tributaries around Tan Chau by a small boat, then go ashore for a rickshaw tour. Weave through rambling laneways past shops and friendly locals who are always eager to say hello and visit local silk and rattan weaving workshops.

Later, step back in time during a visit to Vinh Hoa, also known as Evergreen Island. Take the opportunity to see traditional Vietnamese farming, then head back to the ship and continue cruising towards the quaint town of Sa Dec.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Take a boat ride to Sa Dec pass floating fish farms before exploring the colourful market on foot. Continue past crumbling waterside mansions to the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le who inspired the French writer Marguerite Duras' novel L'Amant (The Lover).

Return to the ship and sit down to a delicious lunch while you cruise towards Cai Be. After lunch, a local boat takes you to the river-land town of Cai Be. Go ashore to visit the local cathedral and a rice paper and coconut candy manufacturer. Tonight, enjoy your special Farewell Dinner on board as you cruise towards your final stop My Tho.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Relax in comfort and soak in the Saigon River views from your well-appointed room at Le Meridien Saigon.


Disembark at My Tho and journey by road to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Gain a first-hand look at the history of the Vietnam-American War and learn about the network of underground tunnels carved out by hand. Continue to Ho Chi Minh City, a bustling metropolis formerly known as Saigon and your home for the next two nights. This evening for dinner, choose from one of our select experience dining options.

Stay: Two Nights, Ho Chi Minh City, Le Meridien Saigon

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

INSIDER EXPERIENCE

Step out on an early morning guided walk to watch the busy streets come to life and gain a deeper understanding of what drives this urban centre.


Begin with your Insider Experience. The afternoon has been left for you to explore Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace or choose from one of our Select Experience options. Tonight, gather for a sumptuous Farewell Dinner.

Daily :
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Ho Chi Minh City Skyline at night, Vietnam

Your journey comes to an end after breakfast with a transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your onward flight.

Daily :
  • Breakfast

We loved cruising on a smaller and more intimate ship. There were fewer guests to deal with when disembarking etc. The included hotels were excellent, well located and good value.