Enchanting Mekong and Siem Reap

Sous Sdei and welcome to Cambodia. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for your included three-night stay in Siem Reap. Stay at the beautiful Shinta Mani or similar, a deluxe boutique property of world-class design that takes great care in honouring the environment and paying homage to the traditional and local aesthetics. In the evening, you’ll meet your Cambodian tour director to learn more about the days ahead.

Today, start with a visit to Angkor Thom, not a single temple such as the historic sites it neighbours, but rather one of the most remarkable royal cities of the Angkor Period and an architectural wonder. As the last capital of the Khmer Empire, it was a fortified city, home to priests, officials of the palace, military and buildings for administering the kingdom. Afterwards, visit the sacred Temple of Ta Prohm. In an incredible standoff between human creation and nature, the jungle's root systems have reclaimed this spiritual location now enshrouded in wild vegetation. The backdrop to many Hollywood scenes, the incredible Ta Prohm is both a cinematic and contemplative location. This afternoon is free time to visit the markets or try a DiscoverMORE tour.

This evening as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme, attend Phare, The Cambodian Circus, where a combination of acrobatics, music and dance tell a uniquely Cambodian story.

EmeraldPLUS
Phare Cambodian Circus performance: Experience Phare Circus, where theatre, music, dance and contemporary circus arts bring Cambodian stories to life. Performed by young artists from Phare Ponleu Selpak’s vocational training centre, each show explores the country’s history, folklore and contemporary life with energy and heart.

Included Excursion
Visit to Angkor Thom: Explore Angkor Thom, the last great capital of the Khmer Empire. Enter through its monumental gates and discover the Bayon Temple, renowned for its serene stone faces, alongside the Terrace of the Elephants. Ancient carvings and towering ruins reveal the scale and artistry of Cambodia’s imperial past.

Included Excursion
Visit to Ta Prohm Temple: Explore Ta Prohm, where ancient stone corridors and carved towers are entwined with towering tree roots. Built during the Khmer Empire, this atmospheric temple blends intricate architecture with the surrounding jungle, creating one of Angkor’s most evocative and distinctive settings.

DiscoverMORE
Evening – Local Fare at Phare Circus (extra expense)
Between Phare Boutique and the big top, you will discover Phare Café, an outdoor local ‘hawker market’ serving drinks, snacks and delicious Asian inspired meals. Start your evening entertainment dining at the Cambodian Street Food Festival. With your voucher grab a table and choose your dinner with drinks from a selection of Cambodian and other Asian specialty food stalls, all whilst enjoying the pre-show performances. By having dinner here you are further supporting the great work and mission of Phare’s social enterprise.
Activity Level: Easy, Duration: 1.5 hours

DiscoverMORE
Siem Reap Countryside by Vespa (extra expense)
Riding on the back of an iconic and elegant Vespa scooter, this is a tour like no other. This incredible tour will take you in style to the most authentic and fun experiences available in Siem Reap. You will be driven away from the tourists and into the Cambodian countryside where the splendour of these striking surroundings and its local people will let you discover a new side to Cambodia away from the temples. Exotic foods, drinks and experiences will let you experience Khmer life in the way the Khmer people do.
Activity Level: Active, Duration: 3 hours

DiscoverMORE
Gondola Boat ride at Bayon with drinks (extra expense)
On the moat of Angkor Thom, cruise the waters surrounding the ancient city wall in a private gondola paddle boat. Enjoy the scenery as you sip your sparkling wine and enjoy canapes on a 40-minute paddle out to the southwest corner of the wall. Enjoy the setting sun from your gondola boat before returning back to the South Gate of the city.
Activity Level: Moderate, Duration: 2.5 hours

Rise early and witness the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Afterwards walk through this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site known for its elaborate decorations and intricate carvings throughout. This afternoon, enjoy free time to explore Siem Reap, or join a DiscoverMORE excursion. Later, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy an immersive evening dinner at Satcha Handicraft Centre, accompanied by an Apsara dance performance.

EmeraldPLUS
Apsara dance performance and dinner show: Experience the grace of Cambodia’s classical Apsara dance, where elegant hand gestures, intricate costumes and live traditional music bring ancient stories to life. This captivating performance celebrates the artistry and enduring cultural heritage of the Khmer people.

Included Excursion
Sunrise visit to Angkor Wat: Watch dawn break over Angkor Wat, as the temple’s iconic towers emerge against the changing sky. Explore the world’s largest religious monument, where detailed bas-reliefs and grand galleries reveal the artistry and spiritual legacy of the Khmer Empire.

DiscoverMORE
Banteay Srei Temple and APOPO (extra expense)
This afternoon travel to the “gem” of the Angkor area, the pretty temple of Banteay Srei. The so- called “Citadel of the Women” was built between the 11th and 13th century and remains the best preserved temple in Cambodia. It displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art as this small temple is noted for its truly remarkable fine bas-reliefs, depicting Hindu god Shiva. Banteay Srei is unique in that it is constructed of pink sandstone, which is seen nowhere else in Angkor. Continue on to the APOPO visitor centre for an exclusive tour of this fascinating and life-saving organization. Spend up to an hour learning about the devastating impact of explosives that lie buried in the Cambodian countryside and get first-hand experience about this creative solution to the problem.
Activity Level: Active, Duration: 3 hours

DiscoverMORE
Tonle Sap and Lotus Textiles (extra expense)
Tonle Sap is the largest lake in Southeast Asia as well as a UNESCO Biosphere site due to its ecology and endangered flora and fauna. The lake is of extreme importance to Cambodians who live on it and earn their living from fishing. The uniqueness of this lake lies in the fact that the water feeding it changes directions twice annually. As a result, the lake bottoms out during the dry season but can then swell by over 10 meters in the rainy season. You will have the unique opportunity to visit some of the local floating villages located on the lake and experience the lifestyle of these inhabitants. Before returning to your hotel, visit a local Cambodian handicraft factory, Samato Lotus Textiles to see how many products can be made from the flower of the Lotus.
Activity Level: Active, Duration: 3.5 hours

DiscoverMORE
Khmer Village Cooking Class (extra expense)
Uncover the secrets of Khmer cuisine with a hands-on Siem Reap cooking class. Join a chef to prepare the meal step by step, from buying the ingredients at a local market, to cooking them up in a traditional village kitchen. Taste delicious dishes and embrace the local culture throughout the experience.
Activity Level: Moderate, Duration: 3 hours

DiscoverMORE
Senteurs d’Angkor Workshop (extra expense)
Visit this Botanical garden to learn all about Cambodia’s herbs, spices and fruits and see locals at work in workshops dedicated to the preservation of the arts and crafts of Cambodia. Through the different workshop stations, be guided by the scents and flavours of Cambodia as local artisans make by hand soap with coconut oil, natural cosmetics, subtly scented balms, aromatic candles and also their packaging called “smok” and “krebei riel” boxes. Try your hand at making your own lip balm and packaging to take home as a keepsake.
Activity Level: Easy,  Duration: 3.5 hours

Today, leave Siem Reap and venture to the town of Peam Chi Korng to embark your Emerald Cruises award-winning Star-Ship Emerald Harmony. En route, stop in Kampong Kdei and see the impressive Angkor Bridge, before having lunch at a local restaurant. On arrival, you’ll be welcomed by your captain and crew. Later you’ll set sail for Angkor Ban while enjoying your first dinner on board.

In historic Angkor Ban, visit the rural wooden houses that survived the Khmer Rouge. In the village, you’ll learn how to pray in a Buddhist pagoda and receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the resident monks, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience.

Afterwards, set sail for Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Known as the ‘Pearl of Asia,’ this city was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. Later, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy an evening remork ride through Phnom Penh, admiring the glittering city lights.

Included Excursion
Walk around the historical village of Angkor Ban: Stroll through Angkor Ban, one of Cambodia’s best-preserved traditional villages. Wooden stilt houses, shady gardens and quiet lanes offer a glimpse of rural life, while encounters with local residents reveal enduring customs and the warm community spirit of the Khmer countryside.

EmeraldPLUS
A traditional Buddhist Monk blessing: Receive a traditional blessing from a Buddhist monk in a local pagoda. Learn how to pray and take part in a meaningful ceremony that supports the resident monks’ daily meal, gaining a respectful insight into Cambodian spiritual traditions.

EmeraldPLUS
Phnom Penh by night on a remork (Tuk-Tuk) tour: See Phnom Penh after dark from a traditional remork, Cambodia’s tuk-tuk. Travel through lively streets and past illuminated landmarks, taking in the capital’s changing rhythm as markets, cafés and evening gatherings bring the city to life.

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.

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.

Today, you’ll learn about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of Cambodia’s history. A short drive takes you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek, where you can stroll through the fields and visit the memorial, understanding more about the country’s sombre chapter. Afterwards, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (infamously known as ‘S-21’), a former school converted to the Khmer Rouge’s main prison and torture headquarters. Spend the afternoon as you please, either joining one of our Emerald DiscoverMORE excursions, visiting the Central Market located at in the heart of Phnom Penh, or simply relaxing on board Emerald Harmony.

This evening, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, you’ll enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation.

Included Excursion
Killing Fields at Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum: Visit the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum for a respectful insight into Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge era. Reflect among the memorials at Choeung Ek, then explore the former S-21 prison, bearing witness to those who suffered during this devastating period.

EmeraldPLUS
Cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation: Enjoy an engaging performance by young Cambodian artists, where traditional music and dance share stories of the country’s cultural heritage. Colourful costumes, graceful movements and live melodies create an uplifting celebration of Cambodia’s enduring artistic traditions.

DiscoverMORE
A silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei (extra expense)
Board a ferry boat and cross the Mekong River to Koh Oknha Tei Island. Travel by tuk-tuk through the local villages and learn about the farmers lives with a stop at a villager’s house for some local fruit tasting. Continue to Chamka Snae Silk Craft where you can witness the entire process of silk creation, through the life cycle of the silkworm, to the harvesting of the silk cocoons and the creation of beautiful silk weavings on wooden hand looms. Best of all, you may find a lovely handmade souvenir of what you saw being created.
Activity Level: Moderate, Duration: 2.5 hours

DiscoverMORE
Craft Beer Adventure by remork (extra expense)
Travelling around Phnom Penh by local remork, visit a couple of local breweries to enjoy a tour of their facilities, and of course, some samples of their craft and local pub grub. Try tasting boards of some of Cambodia’s best–selling craft beers to determine which is your favourite to try again! The tour includes lively visits to an underground brewery, cosy beer gardens, personal brewery tours with the brewers, when available, giving you the opportunity to mix with the locals and expats at their favourite hangouts.
Activity Level: Moderate, Duration: 2.5 hours

DiscoverMORE
Samai Distillery (extra expense)
Embark on an immersive journey through the art of rum-making at Samai, Cambodia’s first premium rum distillery. Delve into the meticulous process behind creating handcrafted local rums, each one a testament to the unique flavour profiles and character derived from Cambodia’s rich terroir and natural resources. Engage your senses as you explore the raw materials, savour signature rum tastings, and uncover the secrets of crafting creative rum cocktails. Elevate your experience and skills with a hands-on bartending techniques training session led by an expert mixologist, where you’ll create your own cocktails. Then, immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the free-flow bar, accompanied by Latin music and a selection of cold cuts, as you soak in the ambiance before returning to the ship.
Activity Level: Moderate, Duration: 2.5 hours

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.

This morning, you’ll visit the majestic Royal Palace with its French-inspired gardens and Silver Pagoda.

After returning on board and enjoying a Cambodian Street Fair lunch, enjoy a relaxed afternoon of cruising as you move onwards to the Cambodian and Vietnam border. Upon entering Vietnam, you’ll cruise to Tan Chau.

Later this evening, for your EmeraldPLUS experience, you’ll delight in a traditional Lion Dance performance on board.

Included Excursion
Visit to the Royal Palace: Explore Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace, the ceremonial residence of Cambodia’s monarchy. Admire its ornate Khmer architecture, gilded roofs and elegant courtyards, then visit the Silver Pagoda, home to treasured Buddhist artworks. This striking complex offers a vivid introduction to Cambodia’s royal traditions and spiritual heritage.

EmeraldPLUS
Lion Dance on board: Enjoy a traditional lion dance performed by young artists from rural Vietnam. Colourful lions, dragons and unicorns move to the rhythmic sound of drums, cymbals and gongs in a vibrant performance believed to ward off evil spirits and welcome good fortune.

In Tan Chau, embark on a sampan ride to Evergreen Island for a walk through a Mekong Delta farming village. Reboard your sampan to travel back to Tan Chau for a visit a local Cao Dai Temple. Cao Dai is a syncretic, monotheistic religion established in Tây Ninh, Southern Vietnam, in 1926. At the temple, you can learn more about the hybrid of philosophies that form the basis of this fascinating and complex religion. Afterwards, take a ride in a Xe Loi, a local form of Cyclo, unique to the Mekong Delta, back to your sampan and return to Emerald Harmony.

Included Excursion
A visit to Evergreen Island: Explore Evergreen Island, where peaceful waterways and lush landscapes reveal the rhythms of Mekong Delta life. Wander through rural lanes and meet local residents, discovering everyday traditions shaped by the island’s close connection to the river.

Included Excursion
Local Cao Dai Temple and Xe Loi ride: Visit a local Cao Dai Temple to discover the distinctive beliefs and vivid symbolism of this Vietnamese faith. Then ride by xe lôi, a traditional form of transport unique to the Mekong Delta, along rural lanes framed by everyday village life and verdant landscapes.

This morning, sail to Gieng Island. Locally known as ‘Mango Island,’ Cu Lao Gieng is a small, picturesque island untouched by tourism, located along the upper Mekong River. Travel by local motorcycle rickshaw through the island’s villages to visit families who work in various local industries, including mango farming, various types of boat construction and a factory that produces temple incense sticks.

Afterwards, reboard Emerald Harmony and sail to My An Hung Island.

Included Excursion
Local industries on Gieng Island: Discover the local industries of Gieng Island, where skilled artisans preserve traditional livelihoods passed down through generations. Visit family-run workshops to see the work behind handmade crafts and local produce, gaining an engaging insight into the island’s resourceful community and enduring traditions.

Recognised as a cultural and historical destination, this small Delta village specialises in cultivating red-hot chilli. As part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy local folk singing, wander through coconut farms and immerse yourself in traditional village life.

Return to Emerald Harmony and, after lunch on board, you’ll arrive in Sa Ðéc, a delightful old provincial city in the heart of the Mekong Delta. Enjoy a walking tour around town with a visit to the home of local resident, Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant (‘The Lover,’), and the town’s bustling central market to peruse its varied produce.

Included Excursion
Mr. Huynh Thuy Le and bustling Sa Ðéc: Discover the lively Mekong town of Sa Ðéc, where colourful market stalls and riverside streets reveal everyday local life. Visit the former home of Huynh Thuy Le, whose romance with French novelist Marguerite Duras inspired The Lover, and explore its blend of Chinese, French and Vietnamese architectural influences.

Included Excursion
My An Hung Village: Step into everyday life in My An Hung, a rural village in the Mekong Delta. Discover traditional Vietnamese customs through local crafts and cultural performances, meet residents and experience the warmth of a community where time-honoured traditions remain part of daily life.

EmeraldPLUS
Listen to local folk singing in My An Hung: In My An Hung, listen to local folk singing that brings the village’s cultural traditions to life. The gentle melodies and shared performance offer a warm insight into the community’s heritage and everyday spirit.

After a relaxing morning cruising, this afternoon you’ll visit Tan My Floating community in Ben Tre.  Take a ride on a buggy through the local plantations to visit a mushroom farm, a fruit farm with sampling and a honey farm with local sweets. Later, you’ll reboard Emerald Harmony before sailing on to My Tho.

Included Excursion
Visit the Thoi Binh hamlet and its authentic farming and fishing communities: Discover Thoi Binh hamlet, where farming and fishing shape the rhythm of daily life. Meet local residents and gain an insight into the traditional practices that sustain this Mekong Delta community, surrounded by peaceful waterways and rural landscapes.

From My Tho, you’ll enter the Cho Gao Canal, considered one of Vietnam’s major arterial canals that connects the Mekong Delta’s Tien Giang Province with Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll find it fascinating to watch the heavy commercial traffic navigate this important waterway, which sees upwards of 1,800 vessels transit each day. During your day of relaxation on board, soak up the everchanging passing scenery, enjoy a dip in the infinity pool, or indulge in a spa treatment (at additional cost). Tonight, you’ll dock in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, where you can admire the city lights; due to Vietnamese customs regulations, you'll not be permitted to venture ashore.

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.

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.

After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to Ho Chi Minh City airport to catch your onward or homebound flight.

Emerald Cruises transfers are only available for flights departing out of Ho Chi Minh City after 12:00 PM.

Rivers and waterways are subject to variations in water levels. While every effort is made to adhere to the planned itinerary, changes in river conditions, ad hoc local government regulations or local festivities may require journey modifications. These will be made based on the advice of local authorities or for safety reasons. Hotels are indicative and are subject to change.

Please note: Preview itinerary subject to change.