HANOI
Meet at the Lamblot restaurant between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Lunch. In the afternoon, visit the outside of the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s humble stilt house behind the mausoleum, and the unique One Pillar Pagoda Buddhist temple. We’ll also visit the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius. Enjoy a pedicab ride to see the local “Embassy Row” with its French colonial-style architecture. This evening, we’ll watch a traditional water puppetry show. We’ll have dinner in the city before spending the night at the four-star hotel.
HANOI – HALONG BAY
We’ll leave early in the morning for Halong Bay (approx. 3.5 hours travel time). We’ll be welcomed aboard a junk, enjoy a cocktail, and have lunch. Our cruise begins by discovering the thousands of various limestone islands dotting the emerald-colored bay. We’ll enjoy dinner on board this evening.
Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
DAY 3
HALONG BAY – HANOI – HUÉ
Rise early with us this morning and participate in a Tai Chi class on deck. We’ll continue our cruise through the bay, discovering more of its extraordinary scenery and visiting one of the largest caves. Brunch will be served before you disembark at 11:00 a.m. and begin your trip back to Hanoi. Before arriving, we’ll stop off at the Dinh Bang communal hall and taste a PHO soup. You’ll take a flight to Hue. On arrival, you’ll be transferred to your hotel for check-in. We’ll have dinner and spend the night at the hotel in Hue
DAY 4
HUÉ
This morning, we’ll set off to visit the tombs of Khai Dinh and Tu Duc, as well as the Tu Hieu Pagoda. After lunch, we’ll visit Imperial City. This citadel was built between 1805 and 1832 and is an outstanding example of the eastern feudal capital. We’ll also visit the Dong Ba Market. We’ll have dinner and spend the night at the hotel.
HUÉ – DA NANG – HOI AN
You’ll be transferred by boat on the Perfume River to the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, instantly recognizable by its seven octagonal tiers. We’ll also visit the village of Kim Long. After lunch, we’ll leave for Da Nang and a visit to the Museum of Cham Sculpture, which has the largest collection of Cham art in the world. On our way back, we’ll stop off at Vietnam’s most picturesque beach, China Beach, named by American troops who visited during the Vietnam War for a little R&R. Once we arrive in Hoi An, we’ll have dinner and spend the night at a four-star hotel.
DAY 6
HOI AN – MY SON
We’ll visit My Son, a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples constructed between the 4th and 14th century AD. After our tour, we’ll return to Hoi An for lunch and a visit to the city. The Ancient Town is exceptionally well-preserved and its buildings and street plan reflect the influences that have combined to produce this unique heritage site. Enjoy a tour on foot of the Fujian Assembly Hall, the Chuc Thanh Pagoda, and the Japanese bridge. We’ll have dinner and spend the night at the hotel.
DAY 7
HOI AN – HO-CHI-MINH CITY
You’ll take a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Transfer to the city center and lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a tour of the city to see the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Saigon Central Post Office. Next, we’ll head to Cholon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, to tour its hectic market and the Thien Hau temple. You’ll then be transferred to our ship. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We’ll have dinner and spend the night on the ship, which will remain moored in central Ho Chi Minh City.
DAY 8
HO CHI MINH CITY
We’ll leave by coach for the Cu Chi tunnels, an immense network of underground tunnels that were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. After lunch, join us for a visit to the Museum of Vietnamese History. Our ship will begin to cruise toward the splendid Cho Gao canal. We’ll spend the night on board.
DAY 9
CHAO GAO – MY THO – VINH LONG – CAI BE
During our passage through the Cho Gao Canal, you’ll discover the daily life in Vietnam—organized around fishing, farming, and transport. In My Tho, we’ll visit a bee farm and enjoy some honey tea and exotic fruit. We’ll then take a ride in small sampans along the canal lined with mangrove palms. We’ll enjoy lunch on board. Vinh Long is located in the middle of the Delta region, between two of the Mekong distributaries. We’ll discover a brick and pottery factory, a fruit-tree nursery, puffed rice, rice-paper wrappers, and rice alcohol.* We’ll spend the night on board.
DAY 10
SA DEC
Visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man on who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover on. After our excursion, enjoy some free time in Sa Dec. We’ll return on board and cast off as you sit down to lunch. Our ship will begin to cruise to Cambodia. We’ll spend the night on board.
DAY 11
CHAU DOC – PHNOM PENH
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning. After our arrival in Chau Doc, we’ll visit a local fish farm, the Ba Chua Xu Temple, and the Tay An Pagoda. We’ll enjoy lunch on board before arriving in Phnom Penh in the evening. Enjoy a brief tour of the area by “tuk-tuk,” the easiest way to get around the city. We’ll have dinner on board and remain in port overnight.
DAY 12
PHNOM PENH
We’ll enjoy a tour of the fabulous Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which is inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles. After, join us for a visit to the National Museum of Cambodia. We’ll have lunch in the city. In the afternoon, you can pay a visit to the Tuol Svay Prey School, former detention, torture, and execution center run by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war. Afterward, enjoy some free time at the market. We’ll return to the ship and enjoy a performance of classical Khmer dancing and music. We’ll have dinner on board and remain in port overnight. The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please.
DAY 13
KOH CHEN – KAMPONG TRALACH
Once we arrive in Koh Chen, you can explore this small village where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work. After lunch on board, we’ll head to Kampong Tralach to visit the beautiful Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda, we need to cross the village of Kampong Tralach in ox carts, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
DAY 14
KAMPONG CHHNANG – TONLE SAP LAKE
We’ll visit Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on Tonle Sap Lake. Fish farming is abundant here. The region is also known for its traditional pottery combining ancient knowledge with modern techniques—Chhnang itself means “pot.” We’ll also enjoy a tasting of regional products. After lunch on board, we’ll cruise to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Tonight, we’ll have our farewell cocktail and dinner. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
DAY 15
SIEM REAP – ANGKOR TEMPLES
We’ll spend the morning cruising the river before disembarking and having lunch on shore. After, we’ll visit the Angkor Wat temple: the epitome of Khmer architectural art and the most famous and imposing of all the monuments in Angkor. Enjoy a stroll through the Angkor Night Market. Dinner and overnight in the hotel (Accommodations will be at either a 4-star or 5-star hotel according to the cruise you choose).
DAY 16
SIEM REAP – ANGKOR TEMPLES
This morning, we’ll visit the mysterious Beng Mealea temple, whose ruins were once utterly consumed by the jungle. The temple was built in the 12th century and used the same floor plan as Angkor Wat. We’ll have lunch in the city. We’ll visit the Senteurs d’Angkor, a local business with a diverse collection of silk and carvings, as well as a superb range of traditional beauty products and spices, all made locally. We’ll also visit a silk farm to learn about the complex process of creating luxurious fabric. We’ll end the day with Phare, the Cambodian circus, and spend the night at the hotel.
DAY 17
SIEM REAP – ANGKOR TEMPLES
This morning, we’ll tour Ta Prohm, a Cambodian temple dedicated to the family of Jayavarman VII. We’ll then explore Angkor Thom. Stroll through the grounds of the former Royal Palace and discover the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch will be served at the hotel.
We’ll bid you farewell at approximately 2:00 p.m. Please do not book your flight before 5:00 p.m.
TONLE SAP LAKE – HO CHI MINH CITY – MY THO – CAI BE – VINH LONG – SA DEC – CHAU DOC – PHNOM PENH – KOH CHEN – KAMPONG TRALACH – KAMPONG CHHNANG — SIEM REAP – ANGKOR
This 7-day pre-cruise program lets you discover the capital, Hanoi, as well as thousand-year-old pagodas, lakes, and historical monuments. Set out on an unforgettable cruise on the legendary Halong Bay among the fantastically formed islands, crags, and cliffs. You will also visit the essential sites in two Vietnamese provinces formerly known as Annam and Tonkin.
THE CROISIEUROPE DIFFERENCE
- All meals included
- Refined local cuisine
- Headsets are included for excursions
- Official welcome from the captain and crew
- Tour leader or cruise director on board
- Onboard activities and/or lectures
- Travel assistance and repatriation insurance
- All port fees included
HIGHLIGHTS
- EXTENDED STAY INCLUDES:
- The fortified Imperial City in Hue
- The My Son temples
- In Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house and mausoleum
- Cruise on Halong Bay, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- EXCURSIONS INCLUDED:
- Discover three historic cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap
- Unique and unforgettable cruise along the Cho Gao Canal
- Tour six major temples in Angkor
- Meet local inhabitants and discover their daily life in Koh Chen and My Tho
and then 