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Arrive | Depart | ||||||
27th27 | MarMar | 202424 | Hanoi, Vietnam, embark on the Emerald Harmony | ||||
Xin Chao and welcome to Hanoi! On arrival, you will be met by your Emerald Cruises representative and transferred to your hotel, situated in downtown Hanoi, for your two-night stay.Relax at the hotel, explore the city, or wander Hanoi’s romantic West Lake. This evening meet your tour director for your welcome briefing. | |||||||
28th28 | MarMar | 202424 | Hanoi, Vietnam | ||||
Today you will enjoy a full-day city tour of Hanoi, including its main sights. Enjoy the view from outside ‘Uncle Ho’s’ mausoleum, considered the father of modern Vietnam, and continue to the small but iconic One Pillar Pagoda and to the Temple of Literature. The Temple of Literature was Vietnam’s first university and it was established to educate Vietnam's royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years and its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascinating glimpse into the country’s past. As part of EmeraldPLUS, you will enjoy lunch at KOTO (Know One Teach One), a unique restaurant set up to train and educate disadvantaged children.After lunch, you’ll visit Hanoi’s Old Quarter also known as the ‘36 streets’. Take a walking tour through charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake, and stop at Ngoc Son temple. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It is a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities. Later, enjoy a traditional water puppet show, a unique North Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of historical significance.EmeraldPLUSLunch at KOTO RestaurantIncluded ExcursionA full-day city tour of HanoiIncluded ExcursionA traditional water puppet show | |||||||
29th29 | MarMar | 202424 | Hanoi, Vietnam | ||||
This morning after breakfast, leave Hanoi and travel to Halong Bay where you will board your traditional-style junk boat. Cruise through the bays and islets enjoying the stunning scenery of this magnificent region. Enjoy the tours offered on board, learn more about the main livelihood of the locals in the area or simply choose to relax. Towards the end of the day, the boat anchors for the night in the Trinh Nu area among the karst formations, and dinner will be served on board.Included ExcursionA Halong Bay cruise | |||||||
29th29 | MarMar | 202424 | Ha Long Bay, Vietnam | ||||
A visit to the north is not complete without a trip to Halong Bay, where placid waters give way to more than 3,000 limestone karsts and wind-sculpted limestone formations that jut from foggy lagoons. Dotting the bay are tiny islands bordered by white sandy coves and hidden caves, adding to the majestic landscape of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adding to this naturalist’s dream is the biodiversity of islets, grottos, and Cat Ba Island National Park. The bay, however, shows tourism’s impact: the clearing of mangrove forests to make way for jetties and piers, marine life threatened by game fishing, and garbage from passenger boats and fishing villages washed up on the shores.Beyond its geological uniqueness are activities like hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, or exploring one of the many floating villages where fishermen bring in their daily catch. The downside to all this allure is the large number of unlicensed boats it draws to the bay each day.Boat trips out onto the bay are the main tourism stock in trade farther north, but a more multifaceted side of the area can be experienced at Cat Ba Island. The largest island in Halong Bay, Cat Ba is very much its own entity. Its national park offers incredible biodiversity, with more than a thousand species of plants having been recorded here. Animal life is slightly thinner on the ground, but alert visitors may spy inhabitants such as the endangered golden-headed langur, wild boar, deer, civets, and several species of squirrel. Trekking through the wilderness is a highlight with a number of fascinating trails to follow.Cat Ba Island has also become a firm favorite with the adventure sports set. Indeed, along with Railay Beach in Thailand, it is recognized as one of the top spots in the region for rock climbing. Other outdoor pursuits include sailing and kayaking around the karsts. Although Halong Bay has arguably been tainted by over-exposure, Bai Tu Long Bay farther east toward China, retains all the majesty of Vietnam’s premier bucket-list natural attraction but sees a fraction of the traffic of its immediate neighbor to the west. Here, visitors will find islands of substantial size with deserted beaches and untamed jungle. Halong Bay's 3,000 islands of dolomite and limestone cover a 1,500-square-km (580-square-mile) area, extending across the Gulf of Tonkin nearly to the Chinese border. According to legend, this breathtaking land- and seascape was formed by a giant dragon that came barreling out of the mountains toward the ocean—hence the name (Halong translates into "descent of the dragon"). Geologists are more likely to attribute the formations to sedimentary limestone that formed here between 300 and 500 million years ago, in the Paleozoic Era. Over millions of years water receded and exposed the limestone to wind, rain, and tidal erosion.Today the limestone formations are exposed to hordes of tourists—but don't let that discourage you. Hundreds of fishing trawlers and tour boats share space on these crystal waters, yet there seems to be room for everyone. Most people use the main population center, Halong City, as a base from which to venture into the bay. Although it's now officially one municipality, Halong City was, until 1996, two separate towns: Bai Chay is now Halong City West, where Halong Road winds its way around the coast and past the lifeless central beach; Hon Gai is the grimier Halong City East, where a coal transportation depot dominates the center of town and covers nearby roads and buildings with a sooty film. Locals still refer to the towns by their old names, but they are now inexorably lassoed together by a bridge. Boat trips through Halong Bay are the main attraction. Little of the majesty of this region can be found in the city, so head out onto the water and start exploring. Countless 10- and 30-foot fishing boats have been converted into Halong Bay's formidable tourist-boat fleet. Hotels or travel agencies in Halong City or Hanoi can arrange boat trips for you (often they are part of organized tours from Hanoi). It is still possible to go down to the wharf and bargain yourself onto a boat for the day, but you are likely to be charged (sometimes significantly) more than you would pay for a prebooked tour, so this is not advised. Self-sufficient travelers have fallen victim to the old bait-and-switch: they've arranged a next-day boat tour with local fishermen, only to be told in no uncertain terms the following morning that they could not board their chosen boat, but they could take a different one for quite a bit more money. You may have no choice in the end. Usually travel agencies, however, have their tried-and-true favorites. | |||||||
30th30 | MarMar | 202424 | Ha Long Bay, Vietnam | ||||
A visit to the north is not complete without a trip to Halong Bay, where placid waters give way to more than 3,000 limestone karsts and wind-sculpted limestone formations that jut from foggy lagoons. Dotting the bay are tiny islands bordered by white sandy coves and hidden caves, adding to the majestic landscape of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adding to this naturalist’s dream is the biodiversity of islets, grottos, and Cat Ba Island National Park. The bay, however, shows tourism’s impact: the clearing of mangrove forests to make way for jetties and piers, marine life threatened by game fishing, and garbage from passenger boats and fishing villages washed up on the shores.Beyond its geological uniqueness are activities like hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, or exploring one of the many floating villages where fishermen bring in their daily catch. The downside to all this allure is the large number of unlicensed boats it draws to the bay each day.Boat trips out onto the bay are the main tourism stock in trade farther north, but a more multifaceted side of the area can be experienced at Cat Ba Island. The largest island in Halong Bay, Cat Ba is very much its own entity. Its national park offers incredible biodiversity, with more than a thousand species of plants having been recorded here. Animal life is slightly thinner on the ground, but alert visitors may spy inhabitants such as the endangered golden-headed langur, wild boar, deer, civets, and several species of squirrel. Trekking through the wilderness is a highlight with a number of fascinating trails to follow.Cat Ba Island has also become a firm favorite with the adventure sports set. Indeed, along with Railay Beach in Thailand, it is recognized as one of the top spots in the region for rock climbing. Other outdoor pursuits include sailing and kayaking around the karsts. Although Halong Bay has arguably been tainted by over-exposure, Bai Tu Long Bay farther east toward China, retains all the majesty of Vietnam’s premier bucket-list natural attraction but sees a fraction of the traffic of its immediate neighbor to the west. Here, visitors will find islands of substantial size with deserted beaches and untamed jungle. Halong Bay's 3,000 islands of dolomite and limestone cover a 1,500-square-km (580-square-mile) area, extending across the Gulf of Tonkin nearly to the Chinese border. According to legend, this breathtaking land- and seascape was formed by a giant dragon that came barreling out of the mountains toward the ocean—hence the name (Halong translates into "descent of the dragon"). Geologists are more likely to attribute the formations to sedimentary limestone that formed here between 300 and 500 million years ago, in the Paleozoic Era. Over millions of years water receded and exposed the limestone to wind, rain, and tidal erosion.Today the limestone formations are exposed to hordes of tourists—but don't let that discourage you. Hundreds of fishing trawlers and tour boats share space on these crystal waters, yet there seems to be room for everyone. Most people use the main population center, Halong City, as a base from which to venture into the bay. Although it's now officially one municipality, Halong City was, until 1996, two separate towns: Bai Chay is now Halong City West, where Halong Road winds its way around the coast and past the lifeless central beach; Hon Gai is the grimier Halong City East, where a coal transportation depot dominates the center of town and covers nearby roads and buildings with a sooty film. Locals still refer to the towns by their old names, but they are now inexorably lassoed together by a bridge. Boat trips through Halong Bay are the main attraction. Little of the majesty of this region can be found in the city, so head out onto the water and start exploring. Countless 10- and 30-foot fishing boats have been converted into Halong Bay's formidable tourist-boat fleet. Hotels or travel agencies in Halong City or Hanoi can arrange boat trips for you (often they are part of organized tours from Hanoi). It is still possible to go down to the wharf and bargain yourself onto a boat for the day, but you are likely to be charged (sometimes significantly) more than you would pay for a prebooked tour, so this is not advised. Self-sufficient travelers have fallen victim to the old bait-and-switch: they've arranged a next-day boat tour with local fishermen, only to be told in no uncertain terms the following morning that they could not board their chosen boat, but they could take a different one for quite a bit more money. You may have no choice in the end. Usually travel agencies, however, have their tried-and-true favorites. Today, continue sailing further into the region’s more untouched areas towards Lan Ha Bay. From a smaller boat, enjoy swimming on quiet beaches and kayaking in Ho Ba Ham Lake. Then visit Cua Van fishing village by rowing boat. Return to your traditional junk boat after full day of exploration. Tonight, try squid fishing.Included ExcursionA private boat tour to local beaches and activities on Halong Bay | |||||||
31st31 | MarMar | 202424 | Ha Long Bay, Vietnam | ||||
A visit to the north is not complete without a trip to Halong Bay, where placid waters give way to more than 3,000 limestone karsts and wind-sculpted limestone formations that jut from foggy lagoons. Dotting the bay are tiny islands bordered by white sandy coves and hidden caves, adding to the majestic landscape of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adding to this naturalist’s dream is the biodiversity of islets, grottos, and Cat Ba Island National Park. The bay, however, shows tourism’s impact: the clearing of mangrove forests to make way for jetties and piers, marine life threatened by game fishing, and garbage from passenger boats and fishing villages washed up on the shores.Beyond its geological uniqueness are activities like hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, or exploring one of the many floating villages where fishermen bring in their daily catch. The downside to all this allure is the large number of unlicensed boats it draws to the bay each day.Boat trips out onto the bay are the main tourism stock in trade farther north, but a more multifaceted side of the area can be experienced at Cat Ba Island. The largest island in Halong Bay, Cat Ba is very much its own entity. Its national park offers incredible biodiversity, with more than a thousand species of plants having been recorded here. Animal life is slightly thinner on the ground, but alert visitors may spy inhabitants such as the endangered golden-headed langur, wild boar, deer, civets, and several species of squirrel. Trekking through the wilderness is a highlight with a number of fascinating trails to follow.Cat Ba Island has also become a firm favorite with the adventure sports set. Indeed, along with Railay Beach in Thailand, it is recognized as one of the top spots in the region for rock climbing. Other outdoor pursuits include sailing and kayaking around the karsts. Although Halong Bay has arguably been tainted by over-exposure, Bai Tu Long Bay farther east toward China, retains all the majesty of Vietnam’s premier bucket-list natural attraction but sees a fraction of the traffic of its immediate neighbor to the west. Here, visitors will find islands of substantial size with deserted beaches and untamed jungle. Halong Bay's 3,000 islands of dolomite and limestone cover a 1,500-square-km (580-square-mile) area, extending across the Gulf of Tonkin nearly to the Chinese border. According to legend, this breathtaking land- and seascape was formed by a giant dragon that came barreling out of the mountains toward the ocean—hence the name (Halong translates into "descent of the dragon"). Geologists are more likely to attribute the formations to sedimentary limestone that formed here between 300 and 500 million years ago, in the Paleozoic Era. Over millions of years water receded and exposed the limestone to wind, rain, and tidal erosion.Today the limestone formations are exposed to hordes of tourists—but don't let that discourage you. Hundreds of fishing trawlers and tour boats share space on these crystal waters, yet there seems to be room for everyone. Most people use the main population center, Halong City, as a base from which to venture into the bay. Although it's now officially one municipality, Halong City was, until 1996, two separate towns: Bai Chay is now Halong City West, where Halong Road winds its way around the coast and past the lifeless central beach; Hon Gai is the grimier Halong City East, where a coal transportation depot dominates the center of town and covers nearby roads and buildings with a sooty film. Locals still refer to the towns by their old names, but they are now inexorably lassoed together by a bridge. Boat trips through Halong Bay are the main attraction. Little of the majesty of this region can be found in the city, so head out onto the water and start exploring. Countless 10- and 30-foot fishing boats have been converted into Halong Bay's formidable tourist-boat fleet. Hotels or travel agencies in Halong City or Hanoi can arrange boat trips for you (often they are part of organized tours from Hanoi). It is still possible to go down to the wharf and bargain yourself onto a boat for the day, but you are likely to be charged (sometimes significantly) more than you would pay for a prebooked tour, so this is not advised. Self-sufficient travelers have fallen victim to the old bait-and-switch: they've arranged a next-day boat tour with local fishermen, only to be told in no uncertain terms the following morning that they could not board their chosen boat, but they could take a different one for quite a bit more money. You may have no choice in the end. Usually travel agencies, however, have their tried-and-true favorites. Enjoy the sunrise and breakfast before beginning your cruise back through the magnificent rock formations, visiting Sung Sot Cave before arriving back at port. Bid farewell as you transfer to Hanoi airport, with a stop en-route for a light lunch at a local restaurant.At the airport in Hanoi, board your flight to Danang (Hoi An). Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for your included three-night stay, where you can relax for the rest of the evening. | |||||||
31st31 | MarMar | 202424 | Hanoi, Vietnam | ||||
31st31 | MarMar | 202424 | Hoi An, Vietnam | ||||
1st01 | AprApr | 202424 | Hoi An, Vietnam | ||||
Today, start with our EmeraldPLUS visit to the Reaching Out Project. Reaching Out is an NGO established in 2000, which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to learn skills and gain meaningful employment. Visit the workshop and get a glimpse of how this NGO helps them to integrate fully with their communities and lead independent and fulfilling lives.In the afternoon, enjoy a half day tour of Hoi An and see the old merchant’s houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge (currently undergoing renovations, views may be restricted) and the Assembly Hall of the Chinese Congregation.EmeraldPLUSA visit to Reaching Out NGOIncluded ExcursionA walking tour of Hoi An | |||||||
2nd02 | AprApr | 202424 | Hoi An, Vietnam | ||||
Enjoy a day of leisure to explore Hoi An and its surroundings. Perhaps take the time to explore the Old Town, or take a cyclo to An Bang Beach. The choice is yours.DiscoverMOREA Vietnamese cooking class at Red Bridge Cooking School (extra expense)DiscoverMOREA visit to My Son (extra expense)DiscoverMOREHoi An Rural Life - Bikes, Basket Boats, Farms & Fields (extra expense) | |||||||
3rd03 | AprApr | 202424 | Hoi An, Vietnam | ||||
Leave Hoi An for Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. You will drive through Danang before crossing the Pass of Ocean Clouds and dropping down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co.In Hue, you will visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. As part of your EmeraldPLUS, take a cyclo (bicycle style rickshaw) from Dai Noi ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax. Then later, join a boat trip to visit Thien Mu Pagoda.This evening, experience a royal dinner with traditional costumes.EmeraldPLUSA cyclo ride through Dai NoiA boat tour on the Perfume River to Thien Mu PagodaEmeraldPLUSA traditional Vietnamese royal dinner at a local restaurantIncluded ExcursionA visit to the Imperial Citadel | |||||||
3rd03 | AprApr | 202424 | Hue, Vietnam | ||||
4th04 | AprApr | 202424 | Hue, Vietnam | ||||
Today, transfer to Hue airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. You will have the afternoon to explore the city on your own before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant. | |||||||
4th04 | AprApr | 202424 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | ||||
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. | |||||||
5th05 | AprApr | 202424 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | ||||
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. Drive away from Ho Chi Minh City, watching the city skyline fade into the distance as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and other scenes typical to southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours walking around Cu Chi’s rugged grounds with a local guide. Hear how the residents constructed an intricate underground network of tunnels during the French and American wars. Hear incredible tales about the unusual foods the residents ate to survive and much more. Once above ground, see other ingenious items used by the residents to defend themselves such as bamboo traps and camouflaged pits.Upon your return to Ho Chi Minh City, the afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure.This evening choose between two DiscoverMORE options to experience the night life of HCMC.Included ExcursionA tour of the Cu Chi TunnelsDiscoverMOREEvening - Saigon street food tour (extra expense)DiscoverMOREEvening – One night in Saigon (extra expense) | |||||||
6th06 | AprApr | 202424 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | ||||
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 checkout, enjoy a tour of the city, visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera House and Town Hall. Then, visit the Reunification Palace before transferring to the port, where you will board your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship, Emerald Harmony. You’ll be welcomed on board by your captain and crew before setting sail towards My Tho in the Mekong Delta.This evening, enjoy your first dinner on board with your fellow travellers. Your Cruise Director will conduct a port talk to review the activities and itinerary for the days ahead.Included ExcursionAn orientation tour of Ho Chi Minh City | |||||||
7th07 | AprApr | 202424 | Ben Tre, Vietnam | ||||
This morning you will be taken to the Thoi Binh hamlet, a peaceful island on the Mekong Delta near Ben Tre. The Mekong Delta has always been known for its natural beauty of rice paddies, fruit orchards, coconut palm trees, the mangroves along the riverbanks, tiny creeks meandering around the wetland delta and especially the hospitality of locals in remote villages away from the hustle and bustle of big cities.Thoi Binh hamlet has been untouched by tourism over the past decades and this excursion would introduce to you the lifestyle of the locals’ fruit plantations and farms of the Mekong Delta.Return to Emerald Harmony and sail onwards to Sa Dec, a hidden gem along the river. | |||||||
7th07 | AprApr | 202424 | Thoi Binh, Vietnam | ||||
8th08 | AprApr | 202424 | Sa Déc, Vietnam | ||||
Visit Sa Dec on a walking tour, with stops at the Chinese Congregational House in Kien An Cung, and see outside the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le who inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant, and enjoy a walk through the central market to peruse its varied produce. Return to Emerald Harmony by sampan and sail to My An Hung Island. Recognised as a cultural and historical destination, this small village in rural Vietnam specialises in red-hot chilli and peppers. Enjoy some local folk singing during the visit.EmeraldPLUSA visit to My Ang Hung village | |||||||
8th08 | AprApr | 202424 | My An Hung, Vietnam | ||||
9th09 | AprApr | 202424 | Long An, Vietnam | ||||
The morning is yours to enjoy your free time on board or, if you prefer, partake in a DiscoverMORE optional excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary. Covering a total area of 7,313 hectares, Tram Chim National Park, located in Tam Nong, is currently one of Vietnam’s eight most important bird sanctuaries. With a system of swamps, grass plots and natural canals, the park is an ideal habitat for 191 species of plants, 150 species of freshwater fish, and nearly 231 species of water birds. Some of these are listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of rare and threatened species.In the afternoon, embark on a journey to Long Khanh Island, visit a local family to learn about scarf-weaving and visit the Hoa Hao Buddhist Pagoda.Return to Emerald Harmony where, later this evening, you’ll be delighted by a traditional Lion Dance performance on board.EmeraldPLUSA Lion Dance performance on boardDiscoverMOREA visit to Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in Tram Chim National Park (extra expense)Included ExcursionA visit to a local scarf-weaving workshop and Hoa Hao Buddhist Pagoda on Long Khanh Island | |||||||
9th09 | AprApr | 202424 | Long Khánh, Vietnam | ||||
10th10 | AprApr | 202424 | Tân Châu, Vietnam | ||||
In Tan Chau, as part of EmeraldPLUS, visit the recently renovated Cao Dai temple. The religion of Cao Dai is a syncretic, monotheistic religion established in southern Vietnam in the city of Tây Ninh in 1926. Here, you will learn more about the mix of ideas that form the basis of this fascinating religion. After a Xe Loi ride, embark one of our sampans to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village to get a glimpse into the lives of the local farming community. Stop at a local fish farm enroute back to the ship.Back on board your luxury Star-Ship, cruise to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.Tonight, celebrate crossing the border with a Cambodian-style family dinner.EmeraldPLUSA visit to Cao Dai temple, a religion unique to the Mekong DeltaIncluded ExcursionA visit to Evergreen Island and Tan Chau | |||||||
10th10 | AprApr | 202424 | Cruising | ||||
11th11 | AprApr | 202424 | Phnom Penh, Cambodia | ||||
Wake up in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The city, known as the “Pearl of Asia”, was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. This morning, you will learn more about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of the country’s history. A short drive will take you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. Here you will have the opportunity to walk through the fields, visit the small museum and learn about this sad historic chapter. Afterwards visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S-21). This is a former school that was converted to the main prison and torture headquarters of the Khmer Rouge. The afternoon is yours to continue exploring, experience one of two DiscoverMORE options or to simply relax on board your Star-Ship. In the evening, you will have a chance to experience an evening remork (or Tuk-Tuk) ride through Phnom Penh to enjoy the city lights.EmeraldPLUSPhnom Penh by night on a remork (Tuk-Tuk) tourIncluded ExcursionA visit to the Killing Fields & Toul Sleng Genocide MuseumDiscoverMOREA silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei (extra expense)DiscoverMOREEnjoy a craft beer adventure by remork in Phnom Penh (extra expense) | |||||||
12th12 | AprApr | 202424 | Phnom Penh, Cambodia | ||||
Located north of Phnom Penh, Oudong was the former royal capital of Cambodia up until it moved to Phnom Penh in 1866. Important remnants on the temple sight include the burial sites of Khmer kings as well as religious artefacts dating back more than a hundred years. In the main temple of the Oudong Monastery, receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the temple’s resident monks as part of your EmeraldPLUS excursion. In the afternoon, you will visit the majestic Royal Palace with its gardens and the central market located in the heart of the city.This evening, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation before setting sail past the lights of Phnom Penh to Koh Khsach Krao.EmeraldPLUSA traditional Buddhist Monk blessingEmeraldPLUSA cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s OrganisationIncluded ExcursionA visit to Oudong MonasteryIncluded ExcursionA visit to the Royal Palace and central market | |||||||
12th12 | AprApr | 202424 | Oudong, Cambodia | ||||
12th12 | AprApr | 202424 | Koh Khsach Krao, Cambodia | ||||
13th13 | AprApr | 202424 | Koh Khsach Krao, Cambodia | ||||
Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning and continue by road to Siem Reap for your included three-night stay. En-route to Siem Reap, stop in the spider village of Skol, Kampong Kdei and see the impressive Angkor Bridge.This evening, witness the incredible Cambodian Circus, Phare, a spectacle of acrobatics, theatre and music. Phare is an NGO founded by Cambodian refugees to assist disadvantaged young people by teaching them performing arts.EmeraldPLUSThe Cambodian Circus, Phare | |||||||
13th13 | AprApr | 202424 | Siem Reap, Cambodia | ||||
14th14 | AprApr | 202424 | Siem Reap, Cambodia | ||||
Today, start with a visit to Angkor Thom. As the last capital of the Khmer Empire, it was a fortified city, home to priests, officials of the palace and military, as well as buildings for administering the kingdom.Afterwards, visit the sacred Temple of Ta Prohm, still overgrown by jungle trees, it has been the backdrop for many Hollywood movies.This afternoon and evening is at your leisure or undertake a DiscoverMORE option.Included ExcursionA visit to Angkor ThomIncluded ExcursionA visit to Ta Prohm TempleDiscoverMOREAfternoon - A Vespa tour of Siem Reap (extra expense)DiscoverMOREEvening – Drinks and Canapes in the Rice Field (extra expense)DiscoverMOREEvening - Sunset Gondola Boat Ride at Bayan (extra expense)DiscoverMOREEvening - Cambodian Street Food Discovery Tour (extra expense) | |||||||
15th15 | AprApr | 202424 | Siem Reap, Cambodia | ||||
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 is free for you to explore more, to go shopping or to relax at your hotel. And, in the evening, you’ll enjoy your farewell dinner at Satcha Cambodian Handicraft Incubation Center, accompanied by an Apsara dance performance.Included ExcursionA sunrise visit to Angkor WatDiscoverMOREA visit to Banteay Srei (extra expense)DiscoverMOREA visit to Tonlé Sap (extra expense)DiscoverMOREA culinary tour of Cambodia (extra expense) | |||||||
16th16 | AprApr | 202424 | Siem Reap, Cambodia, disembark the Emerald Harmony | ||||
After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your onward or homebound flight.This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions. |
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
A private balcony with drop-down window is perfect for enjoying the ever-changing views. Reaching 273ft² (25.4m²), relax and unwind in your opulent en-suite bathroom, complete with toiletries, and sleep soundly in your queen-size or twin hotel-style bed.
Providing excellent value for money, they are bigger than the average standard staterooms. Enjoy your time on-board in your home-away-from-home, with everything you could possibly need. Emerald Staterooms have porthole river views perfect for seeing the picturesque landscape pass by.
Beautifully appointed with a private balcony, these luxurious suites reach 398ft² (37m²) and host a separate bedroom and lounge. Guests staying in these suites can enjoy the opulent surrounds of the en-suite bathroom, as well as breakfast, canapés and after-dinner treats.
Reaching a colossal 452ft² (42m²), there are just two of these spectacular suites on-board Emerald Harmony, boasting a separate bedroom and lounge area. In addition you’ll enjoy a private 323ft² (30m²) terrace with Jacuzzi. You’ll also be entitled to four laundered items per day, pre-dinner canapés in your suite and an invite to dine at the Captain’s Table.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
With open seating and elegant design, Reflections Restaurant sets the benchmark in on board dining across our luxury yacht and fleet of boutique Star-Ships. Here, savour delightful chef-prepared meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with dishes inspired by local flavours and a few favourites you may recognise from home.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
On our Emerald Harmony Star-Ship, we have introduced the Lotus Lounge, where dark wooden tones and muted colours relax you as you sail towards your next destination. Located at the front of the Vista Deck, nibbles and snacks will be available here throughout the day, as well as teas and coffees. Watch the endless horizons unfold as you sip your favourite drink and nibble something delicious.
Enjoy a regional beer, glass of wine, cocktail or mocktail in the Asian-inspired surrounds of the Horizon Bar & Lounge. Dark wooden interior and indigenous plants create an authentic environment. And, of course, delicious teas and coffees are always available.
Our bar tenders are experts when it comes to mixing up delicious cocktails, and we’ve sourced the best local and international wines and beers, all complimentary with lunch and dinner. Also available are a delicious selection of mocktails, created using local flavours, like lemongrass and tamarind.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
Return flights including luggage allowance | |||
Overseas Transfers | |||
20 nights cruising on the Mekong | |||
Return airport transfers | |||
Wine, beer & soft drinks with lunch & dinner | |||
Gratuities Included | |||
One complimentary shore excursion in every port | |||
Bikes for passenger use | |||
Free Wi-Fi included | |||
Port Taxes and Fees | |||
ABTA and ATOL Protection* |
Date 27th Mar 2024 |
Nts 20 |
Please Call for Availability |
Date 27th Mar 2024 |
Nts 20 |
Please Call for Availability |
Oceanview | Balcony | Suite | |
(All prices are £GBP per person) | |||
Wed 24th Apr 202424 Apr 24 | Please call for availability |
Fusion Cruises when selling travel arrangements is a trading name of The Midcounties Co-operative Ltd. Fusion Cruises is an Accredited Body Member of Midcounties Co-operative Travel Consortium. (ABTA:P6652, ATOL:6053).
Book with Confidence. We are a Member of ABTA which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct.
Some of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme but ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services offered on this website. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each holiday and travel service offered before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk