Scenic River Cruises

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Ho Chi Minh City

   Vietnam

   

   Still whispered as Saigon by its ten million residents, Ho Chi Minh City pulses with an energy that outlasted every empire and every war. The French colonial grandeur of Notre-Dame Cathedral and Gustave Eiffel's Central Post Office stands in vivid counterpoint to the city's kinetic street life — an endless river of motorbikes, fragrant with pho broth and charcoal-grilled meats. Do not miss the Reunification Palace, a time capsule of Cold War modernism, or a dawn bowl of bánh mì from a sidewalk vendor. The dry season, November through April, offers the most comfortable conditions for exploration.

2. Day 2

   Cai Be

   Vietnam

   

   Cái Bè is a vibrant port town in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, known for its unique floating market and rich culinary heritage. Must-do experiences include sampling local delicacies like bánh xèo and exploring the bustling Cái Bè Floating Market. The best time to visit is during the dry season from December to April, when the weather is most pleasant for exploring this enchanting region.

3. Day 3

   Tan Chau

   Vietnam

   

   Tan Chau is a quietly enchanting border town on the upper Mekong Delta, where Vietnamese, Khmer, Cham, and Chinese cultural threads weave together in floating markets, silk-weaving workshops, and ornate riverside temples. River cruise guests typically arrive by sampan at dawn, when the town's covered market erupts with color and the legendary Tan Chau silk — hand-woven on traditional wooden looms — is spread out for trade. The cool dry season from November to February offers the most pleasant conditions for exploring this living crossroads of Southeast Asian civilization.

4. Day 4

   Phnom Penh

   Cambodia

   

   Phnom Penh rises from the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac rivers with a resilience that makes it one of Southeast Asia's most affecting capitals — a city that endured the Khmer Rouge's "Year Zero" and has re-emerged as a place of broad riverfront boulevards, excellent Khmer cuisine, and a cultural energy that feels earned rather than manufactured. The Royal Palace and its Silver Pagoda, housing a life-size gold Buddha studded with 9,584 diamonds, is the city's architectural centrepiece; the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former high school converted to a prison by the Khmer Rouge, is sobering but essential history. November through February offers the most comfortable climate for extended exploration.

5. Day 5

   Phnom Penh

   Cambodia

   

   Phnom Penh rises from the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac rivers with a resilience that makes it one of Southeast Asia's most affecting capitals — a city that endured the Khmer Rouge's "Year Zero" and has re-emerged as a place of broad riverfront boulevards, excellent Khmer cuisine, and a cultural energy that feels earned rather than manufactured. The Royal Palace and its Silver Pagoda, housing a life-size gold Buddha studded with 9,584 diamonds, is the city's architectural centrepiece; the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former high school converted to a prison by the Khmer Rouge, is sobering but essential history. November through February offers the most comfortable climate for extended exploration.

6. Day 6

   Kampong Cham

   Cambodia

   

   Kampong Cham unfolds along the Mekong's western bank in a languid rhythm far removed from Cambodia's tourist circuit — a provincial capital where saffron-robed monks cross bamboo bridges at dawn and French colonial villas drowse behind frangipani trees. The highlight is Wat Nokor, a twelfth-century Angkorian temple whose moss-covered sandstone galleries envelop a functioning Buddhist sanctuary in a haunting conversation between centuries. The nearby rubber plantations, a legacy of French Indochina, offer a window into the region's complex history. Kampong Cham is best visited November through February, when the dry season transforms the Mekong into a serene silver expanse.

7. Day 6

   Angkor Ban

   Cambodia

   

   Angkor Ban is a riverside Mekong village in Cambodia's Kampong Cham Province where unvarnished authenticity awaits the discerning river cruise traveler — a world away from tourist infrastructure, offering a rare glimpse into rural Khmer life unchanged by modernity. Ancient laterite temple ruins hide among the trees, while local craftspeople practice traditional silk weaving and pottery in family compounds that welcome visitors with quiet warmth. The dry season from November through April offers the most comfortable conditions for exploring the village lanes and surrounding countryside on foot or by bicycle. Phnom Penh is a half-day's river journey downstream.

8. Day 6

   Silk Islands

   Cambodia

   

   The Silk Islands are a cluster of tranquil Mekong River isles near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, renowned for centuries-old Khmer silk weaving traditions and an unhurried village atmosphere that stands in vivid contrast to the nearby capital. Visiting a family-run loom workshop to witness the intricate *hol* ikat technique and tasting *samlor korko* prepared riverside are essential experiences. The dry season from November through March offers the most pleasant cruising conditions, with calm waters and cooler temperatures ideal for exploring the islands on foot.

9. Day 6

   Koh Dach Island, Phnom Penh

   Cambodia

   

   Koh Dach (Silk Island) is a Mekong River island near Phnom Penh, celebrated for centuries-old hand-loom silk weaving traditions kept alive by village women artisans. Must-dos include watching the ikat dyeing and weaving process, tasting authentic fish amok and prahok-flavored dishes, and exploring the island's palm-shaded lanes by bicycle. November through March offers the driest, most pleasant weather for Mekong river cruising.

10. Day 7

    Kampong Cham

    Cambodia

    

    Kampong Cham unfolds along the Mekong's western bank in a languid rhythm far removed from Cambodia's tourist circuit — a provincial capital where saffron-robed monks cross bamboo bridges at dawn and French colonial villas drowse behind frangipani trees. The highlight is Wat Nokor, a twelfth-century Angkorian temple whose moss-covered sandstone galleries envelop a functioning Buddhist sanctuary in a haunting conversation between centuries. The nearby rubber plantations, a legacy of French Indochina, offer a window into the region's complex history. Kampong Cham is best visited November through February, when the dry season transforms the Mekong into a serene silver expanse.

11. Day 8

    Siem Reap

    Cambodia

    

    Siem Reap, the gateway city to the ancient Khmer empire's greatest achievement, is the essential staging post for exploring Angkor — the twelfth-century temple complex whose scale and ambition remain without parallel in human history. Angkor Wat at sunrise, its towers mirrored in the lily-covered moat, is one of the world's most transcendent spectacles; Angkor Thom's enigmatic Bayon, with its serene stone faces emerging from the jungle canopy, is another. The city's Old Market quarter offers silk workshops, street food vendors, and celebrated restaurants serving amok — fish steamed in coconut and lemongrass. November through April brings the driest, most comfortable conditions.

12. Day 9

    Tan Chau

    Vietnam

    

    Tan Chau is a quietly enchanting border town on the upper Mekong Delta, where Vietnamese, Khmer, Cham, and Chinese cultural threads weave together in floating markets, silk-weaving workshops, and ornate riverside temples. River cruise guests typically arrive by sampan at dawn, when the town's covered market erupts with color and the legendary Tan Chau silk — hand-woven on traditional wooden looms — is spread out for trade. The cool dry season from November to February offers the most pleasant conditions for exploring this living crossroads of Southeast Asian civilization.

13. Day 9

    Siem Reap

    Cambodia

    

    Siem Reap, the gateway city to the ancient Khmer empire's greatest achievement, is the essential staging post for exploring Angkor — the twelfth-century temple complex whose scale and ambition remain without parallel in human history. Angkor Wat at sunrise, its towers mirrored in the lily-covered moat, is one of the world's most transcendent spectacles; Angkor Thom's enigmatic Bayon, with its serene stone faces emerging from the jungle canopy, is another. The city's Old Market quarter offers silk workshops, street food vendors, and celebrated restaurants serving amok — fish steamed in coconut and lemongrass. November through April brings the driest, most comfortable conditions.

14. Day 10

    Siem Reap

    Cambodia

    

    Siem Reap, the gateway city to the ancient Khmer empire's greatest achievement, is the essential staging post for exploring Angkor — the twelfth-century temple complex whose scale and ambition remain without parallel in human history. Angkor Wat at sunrise, its towers mirrored in the lily-covered moat, is one of the world's most transcendent spectacles; Angkor Thom's enigmatic Bayon, with its serene stone faces emerging from the jungle canopy, is another. The city's Old Market quarter offers silk workshops, street food vendors, and celebrated restaurants serving amok — fish steamed in coconut and lemongrass. November through April brings the driest, most comfortable conditions.

15. Day 10

    Sa Dec

    Vietnam

    

    Sa Đéc, a sleepy town of French colonial villas and temple-filled alleyways on a branch of the Mekong Delta, is renowned as the birthplace of Marguerite Duras and the flowering capital of Vietnam. The town's nurseries supply orchids, bonsai, and chrysanthemums to florists across the country, perfuming the riverside air. The restored Huỳnh Thủy Lê House — where Duras's colonial-era love story unfolded — offers a haunting window into the delta's past. Vendors ply the waterways in flat-bottomed boats piled with tropical fruit. November through April brings the dry season's golden light and gentle breezes.

16. Day 11

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Vietnam

    

    Still whispered as Saigon by its ten million residents, Ho Chi Minh City pulses with an energy that outlasted every empire and every war. The French colonial grandeur of Notre-Dame Cathedral and Gustave Eiffel's Central Post Office stands in vivid counterpoint to the city's kinetic street life — an endless river of motorbikes, fragrant with pho broth and charcoal-grilled meats. Do not miss the Reunification Palace, a time capsule of Cold War modernism, or a dawn bowl of bánh mì from a sidewalk vendor. The dry season, November through April, offers the most comfortable conditions for exploration.

17. Day 11

    Siem Reap

    Cambodia

    

    Siem Reap, the gateway city to the ancient Khmer empire's greatest achievement, is the essential staging post for exploring Angkor — the twelfth-century temple complex whose scale and ambition remain without parallel in human history. Angkor Wat at sunrise, its towers mirrored in the lily-covered moat, is one of the world's most transcendent spectacles; Angkor Thom's enigmatic Bayon, with its serene stone faces emerging from the jungle canopy, is another. The city's Old Market quarter offers silk workshops, street food vendors, and celebrated restaurants serving amok — fish steamed in coconut and lemongrass. November through April brings the driest, most comfortable conditions.

Cabin Categories

Deluxe Suite

Suite

344 sq ftMax 2A

These spacious Suites at 32m²/344ft² are located on the Jewel, Sapphire and Diamond Decks. Each have a private full-length balcony, walk in wardrobe and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSafeHair Dryer+1

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Deluxe Suite

Suite

344 sq ftMax 2B

These spacious Suites at 32m²/344ft² are located on the Jewel, Sapphire and Diamond Decks. Each have a private full-length balcony, walk in wardrobe and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSafeHair Dryer+1

View Details ›

Deluxe Suite

Suite

344 sq ftMax 2BB

These spacious Suites at 32m²/344ft² are located on the Jewel, Sapphire and Diamond Decks. Each have a private full-length balcony, walk in wardrobe and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSafeHair Dryer+1

View Details ›

Deluxe Suite

Suite

344 sq ftMax 2BA

These spacious Suites at 32m²/344ft² are located on the Jewel, Sapphire and Diamond Decks. Each have a private full-length balcony, walk in wardrobe and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSafeHair Dryer+1

View Details ›

Deluxe Suite

Suite

344 sq ftMax 2CA

These spacious Suites at 32m²/344ft² are located on the Jewel, Sapphire and Diamond Decks. Each have a private full-length balcony, walk in wardrobe and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSafeHair Dryer+1

View Details ›

Deluxe Suite

Suite

344 sq ftMax 2C

These spacious Suites at 32m²/344ft² are located on the Jewel, Sapphire and Diamond Decks. Each have a private full-length balcony, walk in wardrobe and elegant en-suite bathrooms featuring a large vanity basin with a separate toilet and shower.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSafeHair Dryer+1

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Grand Deluxe Suite

Suite

430 sq ftMax 2RD

These eight suites on the Diamond Deck are the ultimate in luxury at 40m²/430ft² with more space, impeccable service and thoughtful touches. Enjoy an outdoor balcony, separate lounge and dining area, extra-large walk in wardrobe and a luxurious oversized bathroom.

King or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableSuite Benefits+3

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Royal Panorama Suite

Suite

861 sq ftMax 2RS

At 80m²/861ft², this is the largest suite on the Mekong river. Being up forward on the Diamond Deck, enjoy fantastic views of the passing scenery from your private terrace with outdoor Jacuzzi and day bed. Both Suites have a separate lounge and dining area, walk-in dressing room and a luxurious oversized bathroom offering a separate bathtub, toilet and shower.

King or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaDining AreaShowerWhirlpool BathToiletries Provided+6

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