Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival
You'll arrive in Hanoi today where airport transfer and hotel check-in will take care of getting settled. This is your chance to shake off the travel and get oriented to the city.
- Day 2
Hanoi
A guided tour takes you through historic Hanoi starting with Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, cottage, and the One Pillar Pagoda. You'll also see the Presidential Palace, Hanoi Hilton, and Temple of Literature. Lunch happens at Koto, a non-profit supporting street children. Later, an electric-cart ride winds through the Old Quarter's 36 ancient streets, and the evening includes water puppet theatre before dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (At Koto, a non-profit restaurant and hospitality program that teaches local street children restaurant skills), Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Cottage
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Presidential Palace
- Visit Hanoi Hilton
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Lunch at Koto restaurant
- Electric-cart ride through Old Quarter
- Hanoi Water Puppet Theatre performance
Landmarks Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Presidential Palace Hanoi Hilton Temple of Literature Hanoi Old Quarter - Day 3
Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
The drive south takes you through rural countryside to Hon Gai, where you'll board a cruise exploring Ha Long Bay's UNESCO-listed limestone caves and rock formations. You'll visit secluded islands during the day and return to the hotel for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (At the hotel)
Included Activities
- Cruise Excursion to Ha Long Bay
- Exploration of limestone caves
- Visit to secluded islands
Landmarks Ha Long Bay 
- Day 4
Ha Long Bay to Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, you'll drive back to Hanoi and catch a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. The airline provides breakfast before departure.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 5
Ho Chi Minh City
A walking tour covers Ho Chi Minh City's historic sites including the Rex Hotel's rooftop bar and War Remnants Museum. You'll check out Ben Thanh Market, then take a hands-on Vietnamese cooking class for lunch where you prepare and eat local dishes. Free time follows before a welcome dinner with other travelers.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Special welcome dinner at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Walking Tour of Ho Chi Minh City historic landmarks
- Visit to Rex Hotel rooftop bar
- Visit to War Remnants Museum
- Time at Ben Thanh Market
- Welcome dinner at local restaurant
Optional Activities
- Hands-on Vietnamese Cooking Class with lunch
Landmarks Rex Hotel War Remnants Museum Ben Thanh Market - Day 6
Ho Chi Minh City
A guided visit to Cu Chi Tunnels shows you the 120+ mile network the Viet Cong used during the war. You'll walk through the tunnels and learn what daily life was like in these tight spaces. The afternoon and evening are yours to explore the city or check out the Caravelle Hotel rooftop bar.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided Visit to Cu Chi Tunnels
Optional Activities
- Drink at Caravelle Hotel rooftop bar
Landmarks Cu Chi Tunnels Caravelle Hotel - Day 7
Ho Chi Minh City
You'll transfer to the Saigon River port and board the Avalon Waterways Suite Ship. After getting settled, there's time to relax before the welcome reception and dinner. Your river cruise toward Vinh Long begins this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Welcome dinner)
Included Activities
- Cruise ship embarkation
- Welcome reception
- Ship orientation
- Day 8
Vinh Long
A sampan takes you to local workshops in Vinh Long where rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candy are made. In the afternoon, another sampan and motor cart trip visits Cu Lao Gieng Island. You'll see a boat-building workshop, a home where traditional conical hats are made, and one of Vietnam's oldest Catholic churches. The ship cruises toward Chau Doc by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sampan ride to local workshops
- Visit rice paper production workshop
- Visit rice wine production workshop
- Visit traditional candy production workshop
- Guided Excursion to Cu Lao Gieng Island
- Visit sampan boat-building workshop
- Visit Vietnamese conical hat (Non la) making family home
- Visit historic Catholic church
Landmarks Cu Lao Gieng Island - Day 9
Chau Doc
You start with a guided walk through Chau Doc's local market, then take a river excursion on the Mekong backwaters seeing floating homes and markets. After lunch, a sampan brings you to Long Khanh A village for a cotton-weaving demonstration. Later, the ship crosses into Cambodia at the border gates heading toward Phnom Penh.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Walk through Chau Doc local market
- River Excursion on Mekong backwaters
- Cotton-Weaving Demonstration in Long Khanh A village
Landmarks Mekong River Long Khanh A 
- Day 10
Phnom Penh
A private cyclo tour takes you through Cambodia's capital to see the Royal Palace with its Silver Pagoda and the National Museum's Khmer artifacts. The rest of the day is free. Before dinner, local orphanage children perform traditional songs and dances.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- City Tour by private cyclo
- Visit Royal Palace
- Visit Silver Pagoda
- Visit National Museum
- Local orphanage performance
Landmarks Royal Palace Silver Pagoda National Museum of Cambodia - Day 11
Phnom Penh
The morning offers a choice: visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Killing Fields with a guide, or explore Central Market by tuk-tuk to see its Art Deco design. After lunch, you'll leave Phnom Penh with leisure time on the ship as it heads toward Wat Hanchey.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Guided Visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Killing Fields
- Visit Central Market by tuk-tuk
Landmarks Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum Central Market - Day 12
Wat Hanchey
Wat Hanchey, an 8th-century hilltop temple, is next on the agenda. Climb or take a ride to the top for views and participate in a water blessing with local monks. After lunch, walk through rural Angkor Ban village, visit a traditional Khmer house, and interact with kids at the local school. The ship cruises to Konpong Louang by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Hanchey temple
- Traditional water blessing from monks
- Walking Tour through Angkor Ban village
- Visit traditional Khmer house
- School visit and interaction with children
Landmarks Wat Hanchey Angkor Ban - Day 13
Konpong Louang
You'll see silversmith techniques in Konpong Louang where craftsmen create pure silver artwork using traditional methods. Next, an ox cart ride through the Cambodian countryside lets you meet a local farmer and learn about daily life. Afternoon brings scenic cruising on the Tonle River before heading back to Phnom Penh.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing at silversmith village
- Ox cart ride through Cambodian countryside
- Meeting with local farmer
- Scenic cruising on Tonle River
Landmarks Konpong Louang Tonle River - Day 14
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
A flight takes you to Siem Reap, home of the Temples of Angkor. After lunch, tuk-tuk sightseeing starts with Angkor Wat and its five towers. You'll then explore Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple with its 200 carved faces and impressive sculptures. The evening is free to explore Siem Reap or catch the sunset at Angkor Wat.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Sightseeing Tour by tuk-tuk
- Visit Angkor Wat
- Visit Angkor Thom
- Visit Bayon Temple
Landmarks Angkor Wat Angkor Thom Bayon Temple 
- Day 15
Siem Reap
More guided temple exploration takes you to Ta Prohm where tree roots cover ancient walls, then to red sandstone Banteay Srei temple. You'll visit a village making hand-crafted Khmer noodles and sample fresh dishes. A free afternoon lets you explore on your own before dinner and a private Apsara Dance Performance showing ancient Khmer culture.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (With private Apsara Dance Performance)
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing of Ta Prohm
- Visit Banteay Srei
- Visit local village Khmer noodle workshop
- Sample freshly prepared noodles
- Dinner
- Private Apsara Dance Performance
Landmarks Ta Prohm Banteay Srei 
- Day 16
Siem Reap to Bangkok
You'll fly to Bangkok this morning and transfer to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is yours to settle in and explore at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 17
Bangkok
Guided sightseeing begins with a boat ride through Bangkok's klongs (canals) to the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Next is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, housing a 49-foot-high, 151-foot-long statue and over 1,000 other Buddha images. You'll have the rest of the day free.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing boat ride on Bangkok klongs
- Visit Grand Palace
- Visit Temple of the Emerald Buddha
- Visit Temple of the Reclining Buddha
Landmarks Grand Palace Temple of the Emerald Buddha Temple of the Reclining Buddha - Day 18
Bangkok
The entire day is yours to explore Bangkok however you'd like. Take a tuk-tuk, walk the streets, visit markets, or just relax at a café.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 19
Departure
Your trip wraps up after breakfast this morning. You'll head to the airport for departure.
- Meals
- Breakfast
