| | | | | Arrive | Depart |
| 8th08 | FebFeb | 202626 | 2 nights accommodation before your cruise | | |
| 10th10 | FebFeb | 202626 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, embark on the RV Apsara | | |
| Romantically referred to by the French as the Pearl of the Orient, Ho Chi Minh City today is a super-charged city of sensory overload. Motorbikes zoom day and night along the wide boulevards, through the narrow back alleys and past vendors pushing handcarts hawking goods of all descriptions. Still called Saigon by most residents, this is Vietnam's largest city and the engine driving the country's current economic resurgence, but despite its frenetic pace, it's a friendlier place than Hanoi and locals will tell you the food—simple, tasty, and incorporating many fresh herbs—is infinitely better than in the capital.This is a city full of surprises. The madness of the city's traffic—witness the oddball things that are transported on the back of motorcycles—is countered by tranquil pagodas, peaceful parks, quirky coffee shops, and whole neighborhoods hidden down tiny alleyways, although some of these quiet spots can be difficult to track down. Life in Ho Chi Minh City is lived in public: on the back of motorcycles, on the sidewalks, and in the parks. Even when its residents are at home, they're still on display. With many living rooms opening onto the street, grandmothers napping, babies being rocked, and food being prepared, are all in full view of passersby.Icons of the past endure in the midst of the city’s headlong rush into capitalism. The Hotel Continental, immortalized in Graham Greene's The Quiet American, continues to stand on the corner of old Indochina's most famous thoroughfare, the rue Catinat, known to American G.I.s during the Vietnam War as Tu Do (Freedom) Street and renamed Dong Khoi (Uprising) Street by the Communists. The city still has its ornate opera house and its old French city hall, the Hôtel de Ville. The broad colonial boulevards leading to the Saigon River and the gracious stucco villas are other remnants of the French colonial presence. Grisly reminders of the more recent past can be seen at the city's war-related museums. Residents, however, prefer to look forward rather than back and are often perplexed by tourists' fascination with a war that ended 40 years ago.The Chinese influence on the country is still very much in evidence in the Cholon district, the city's Chinatown, but the modern office towers and international hotels that mark the skyline symbolize Vietnam's fixation on the future. Begin with your Insider Experience then return to your hotel for breakfast. Drive to My Tho and board the RV Apsara, your boutique river ship and home for the next seven nights. Exuding a true Asian ambience, the ship offers twin balconies with every suite to ensure a unique and scenic perspective on your Mekong River cruise. Set sail from My Tho and soak in the scenery as you cruise towards Cai Be where you anchor overnight. Settle in and familiarise yourself with your suite or relax up on the Sun Deck and watch life along the river. Tonight, enjoy your special Welcome Dinner on board with your fellow travellers. |
| 11th11 | FebFeb | 202626 | Cái Bè, Vietnam | | |
| Early risers can witness the sunrise from the Sun Deck and enjoy coffee and freshly baked pastries in the Saigon Lounge. Keep an eye open for the wholesalers pedalling their tropical fruits and vegetables at the floating market. Board your small tender boat, a traditional sampan, for your first excursion on the banks of the Mekong. See the colonial port filled with crumbling colonial buildings and flowering gardens. Step ashore to visit the French Catholic cathedral, the tallest church in the Mekong Delta with its impressive bell tower. Afterwards, visit a rice paper and coconut candy manufacturer and learn how these tasty Vietnamese favourites are made. Head back to the ship and sit down to lunch while cruising to the quaint town of Sa Dec. Upon arrival, explore Sa Dec by foot and meet some sellers at the market. Continue past crumbling waterside mansions to the home of Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired the French writer Marguerite Duras’ novel ‘The Lover’. Hear the stories of this Vietnamese-Chinese tragic love story retold by your local guide. Return to the ship to unwind or relax with a rejuvenating treatment from the spa as the sun sets the RV Apsara sets sail for Tan Chau. Dine in the restaurant and later spend time in the lounge enjoying the evening entertainment or sip on a late-night cocktail. |
| 12th12 | FebFeb | 202626 | Tân Châu, Vietnam | | |
| Transfer to a small boat for a cruise along the tiny tributaries that snake around Tan Chau, the last stop before the border. Step ashore for a rickshaw tour and weave through rambling laneways past shops and friendly locals and stop to visit a local silk and rattan weaving workshop. Later, step back in time during a visit to Vinh Hoa, also known as Evergreen Island. Take the opportunity to see traditional Vietnamese farming, where the land is ploughed by water buffalo, and where you will see authentic rural Mekong life. Appreciate some down time and watch the scenery of the Mekong River pass as the RV Apsara spends the afternoon cruising towards the Cambodian border. While border formalities are carried, out sit down and enjoy the onboard activities and presentations. Cross into Cambodia and cruise overnight towards the capital Phnom Penh. |
| 13th13 | FebFeb | 202626 | Phnom Penh, Cambodia | | |
| Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s busy capital, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market. Start the day with a sobering excursion to the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Learn about the brutal 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 and admire its Khmer architecture. Head inside the 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 snacks or relax on board. |
| 14th14 | FebFeb | 202626 | Phnom Penh, Cambodia | | |
| Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s busy capital, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market. Begin your morning with an excursion by road to Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital from the early 17th until the 19th century. While here, enjoy your memorable Insider Experience. En route back to Phnom Penh, take a leisurely walk to explore Koh Chen, a village specialising in the manufacture of copperware. Here you’ll visit some small family workshops and have the opportunity to buy some souvenirs. Enjoy a free afternoon or choose one of our select experience options. |
| 15th15 | FebFeb | 202626 | Oknha Tey Village, Cambodia | | |
| Rise early as you cruise towards Oknha Tey, or Silk Island, renowned for its silk manufacturing traditions preserved over centuries. Travel by tuk tuk, pass rice fields and get a glimpse into rural life. Stroll amongst the stilt houses and gain insight into the traditional silk weaving process. Watch as the village women create the beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms. Enjoy lunch on board as you sail towards Angkor Ban. In the afternoon take a dip in the pool, take in the passing scenery from the Sun Deck. |
| 16th16 | FebFeb | 202626 | Angkor Ban, Cambodia | | |
| Start your day with a tour of Angkor Ban by foot. Nicknamed the 'Lucky Village', Angkor Ban is one of the few rural villages that escaped destruction from the Khmer Rouge. Stroll through town and see traditional wooden houses, some over a century old, and a Khmer-style pagoda surrounded by stupas dedicated to Buddha. This afternoon, your cruise docks at its final location, Kampong Cham. After lunch, jump in a tuk tuk for your Insider Experience. This evening, savour a final dinner on board and reminisce about your Mekong River cruise. |
| 17th17 | FebFeb | 202626 | Kampong Cham, Cambodia, disembark the RV Apsara | | |
| Bid farewell to the crew and disembark the RV Apsara. Travel to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat, passing through picturesque countryside and remote villages. Take a break before heading to the jungle temple of Ta Prohm, commonly referred to as the Tomb Raider Temple having featured in the movie starring Angelina Jolie. En route to the hotel enjoy your Insider Experiences. |
| 17th17 | FebFeb | 202626 | 2 nights accommodation following your cruise, staying in Siem Reap | | |
| 19th19 | FebFeb | 202626 | Check out of accommodation | | |
