Victoria Mekong Cruise | Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap 8 days 7 nights

Be picked up at ÊMM Hotel at 157 Pasteur Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. Depart for the Mekong Delta via coach and drive towards Can Tho, the heart of the Mekong Delta. Stop at the rustic, riverside town of Cai Be where lunch is served at the elegant Le Longanier Restaurant set amidst lush fruit trees by the river.

Board the Victoria Mekong Cruise at Victoria Can Tho Pier at 04:00 PM. Familiarize yourself with the ship while she sets sail towards Long Xuyen and watch the sunset over the Hau River. Enjoy a traditional Southern Vietnamese folk music performance known as “Đờn Ca Tài Tử” with a cocktail in hand. 

As day turns into night, sit down to a welcome dinner to officially welcome you onboard your Victoria Mekong Cruise, accompanied by the entertainment activities onboard.

Overnight near Long Xuyen.

After breakfast, tender ashore to visit the authentic Long Xuyen Floating Market and the An Giang Museum, with fascinating exhibits on Kinh, Chinese, Khmer, and Cham cultures in the region. During lunch, the ship sails on before anchoring near Tiger Island. 

Head ashore by sampan and explore Tiger Island by 3-wheeled “xe loi,” visiting cottage industries such as plant pot and incense making. Visit a site locally known as “Mr. Tiger’s Temple” and hear the story that won the island its name. 

Return on board in time for the cocktail competition and the evening’s entertainment as the ship continues cruising to Vam Nao where we anchor and overnight.  

Wake up to another leisurely breakfast in Phu Tan, the provincial capital of An Giang in the Mekong Delta. Tender ashore to visit a craft village famed for handmaking Ca Rang clay stoves. Used for hundreds of years by the southern Vietnamese, these stoves have a unique design which allows them to block the wind, retain heat, and keep ash from dispersing.

Enjoy lunch onboard as we cruise towards the village of Tan Chau where we’ll travel by local rickshaw to visit the local market and colorful temple, which is the spiritual center for local residents. Return to the ship in time for a traditional Vietnamese lion dance, followed by dinner and the evening’s entertainment.

Overnight in Tan Chau.

Enjoy early morning scenery on the Sky deck while the ship begins cruising towards the Vietnam – Cambodia border. After a leisurely breakfast in the Claypot restaurant, select from the many onboard activities including a ship’s tour, mini-golf tournament, or simply enjoy the scenery as we cross the border between Vietnam and Cambodia and sail on towards Phnom Penh.

We arrive late afternoon in the charming capital of Phnom Penh, once known as the “Pearl of the Orient” for its French colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards, and scenic river walk. Before dinner, enjoy an interesting pre-dinner lecture about Cambodia as well as learning some basic Khmer phrases. 

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

This morning, hop on a three-wheeled cyclo and be driven to the majestic Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda complex. Admire the elaborately constructed palace buildings, some of the 5,000 silver floor tiles that give the Silver Pagoda its name, as well as spectacular gold and bejeweled Buddha statues that are considered national treasures. Walk to the nearby National Museum, a beautiful sandstone building that showcases the world’s largest collection of Khmer art.

Set off for lunch afterward before driving to Choeung Ek, one of the mass grave sites of the Killing Fields where the Khmer Rouge executed over a million men, women, and children between 1975 and 1979. Today, Choeung Ek is a memorial with a Buddhist stupa filled with skulls and bones to honor the victims. Finish off the afternoon in style at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, sipping on a signature cocktail at the famed Elephant Bar.

Return to the ship and take in a lively performance of Khmer Apsara dancing with the opportunity to meet the performers afterward.

After breakfast, go on a walking tour of the village of Koh Chen where the highlight is meeting a local copper and silversmith. Afterward, travel by coach to Oudong, the ancient capital of Cambodia with a stop at the fascinating Vipassana Dhura Meditation Center. 

After having lunch on board, travel by three-wheeled tuk-tuk to Silk Island where you will learn about the process of silk weaving, from worm to loom, with the chance to observe local families weaving the iconic Cambodian krama.

This morning, explore the village of Angkor Ban with its wooden stilt houses and local vibe. Enjoy lunch on board as the Victoria Mekong sails to Wat Hanchey. 

Walk up the steps to this 7th-century hilltop temple built under the Chenla Empire, and take in gorgeous panoramic views over the Mekong River.

Disembark from the ship at Kampong Cham and travel through the lush Cambodian countryside. Upon arrival in Siem Reap, the gateway to the mystical Angkor Complex, sit down to a final lunch where the cruise program ends.