Your journey begins in Siem Reap, where early mornings and ancient
architecture promise to be the perfect combination. Angkor Wat is sure to fascinate, as is
Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. Then your journey along the majestic Mekong introduces Phnom
Penh and invites you to a family-owned silk-producing factory and a scarf-weaving workshop in
Long Khanh Island. Continue cruising to amazing and historic ports of call before leaving your
Star-Ship at Ho Chi Minh City. A two-night hotel stay is the perfect way to end your adventure in
Cambodia and Vietnam.
Day
1 Depart The USA
Today you’ll depart the USA on your transpacific flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Day
2 Arrival Siem Reap
Sous Sdei and Welcome to Cambodia. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Siem Reap, your home for the next three nights. In the evening, meet your Tour Manager to learn more about the days ahead.
Day
3 Siem Reap
Today, start with a visit to the Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire. The fortified city enclosing residences of priest, officials of the palace and military, as well as buildings for administering the kingdom. The city of Angkor Thom consists of a square of 1.9 miles long on each side, a laterite wall 26 feet in height around the city encloses an area of 360 acres.
After the tour, visit the sacred temple of Ta Prohm, which is overgrown by jungle trees and it has been the backdrop of Hollywood movies. This evening, witness the incredible Phare Cambodian Circus, 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.
Meals: B, L
EmeraldPLUS
Cambodian Circus performance
DiscoverMORE
Vespa tour of Siem Reap (additional expense)
Day
4 Siem Reap
Rise early and embark on a fascinating journey to Angkor Wat. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its elaborate decorations and intricate carvings throughout. Enjoy a sun rise views and take the opportunity to capture quintessential pictures of Angkor Wat. Return to the hotel and enjoy the day at leisure. This evening, enjoy a gala evening dinner together with a performance.
Meals: B, D
DiscoverMORE
Visit to Banteay Srei or visit Tonle Sap or Culinary Cambodia tour (additional expense)
Day
5 Siem Reap – Prek’kdam – Embarkation
Today, leave Siem Reap and venture to the town of Prek’kdam to embark on your Emerald Waterways award-winning river cruise Star-Ship. On route to the ship, stop in Kampong Kdei and see the impressive Angkor Bridge and have lunch at a local restaurant. Arrive in Prek’kdam and be welcomed by your Captain and crew. Later, set sail to Kampong Tralach and enjoy your first dinner onboard with your fellow travelers.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
6 Kampong Tralach – Phnom Penh
Start your day with an ox cart ride to Wat Kampong Tralach to visit the Oudong Temples. Located North of Phnom Penh, Oudong is the former royal capital of Cambodia up until it moved to Phnom Penh in the 1800s. 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 one of the Oudong Temple there was a known large Buddha statue which was damaged during skirmishes with the Khmer Rouge which had the hill as one of their last strongholds. Receive a traditional Buddhist Blessing from the temple resident monks as part of EmeraldPLUS. The afternoon is yours to continue exploring or simply relax on board.
Meals: B, L, D
EmeraldPLUS
Oxcart ride and traditional Buddhist
Monk blessing
DiscoverMORE
Silk farm tour or silversmith village
(additional expense)
Day
7 Phnom Penh
Wake up in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The city was once known as the “Pearl of
Asia”, but it was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer
Rouge in 1975. This morning, learn more about the Khmer
Rouge and the darkest days of Cambodian history. A short
drive will take you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek,
where you have the opportunity to walk through the fields
and learn about this sad chapter in history.
Afterwards, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S-21),
a former school that was converted to the main prison and
torture headquarters of the Khmer Rouge. In the afternoon,
you have the opportunity to visit the majestic Royal Palace
with its gardens and central market located in the heart of
the city. This evening, experience a tuk-tuk ride through
Phnom Penh.
Meals: B, L, D
EmeraldPLUS
Evening tuk-tuk ride through Phnom Penh
DiscoverMORE
Champey Academy of Arts (additional expense)
Day
8 Phnom Penh – Cambodia / Vietnam Border Crossing – Hong Ngu
Today’s EmeraldPLUS excursion is a unique visit to a family-owned Lanh My A silk-producing
factory. Learn about the long, complicated, silk-making
process and see what the real Lanh My A silk feels like.
The silk product is created with dyes made from the mac
nua fruit, a type of wood tree, originally coming from Tan
Chau silk village about 100 years ago.
The excursion continues as you board a sampan to Evergreen Island for
a walk through a local village, getting a glimpse into the
lives of the local farming community.
This afternoon, visit Long Khanh Island, known for its scarf-weaving, grapefruit
gardens and Hoa Hao Buddhist pagoda. This evening,
experience local flavor as a Lion Dance performance takes
place onboard the vessel.
Meals: B, L, D
EmeraldPLUS
Visit a family-owned My A silk-producing factory and Lion Dance performance onboard
Day
9 Hong Ngu – An Long – My An Hung
Rela onboard this morning, or join the DiscoverMORE tour
to the Ramsar Bird Sanctuary. This afternoon, enjoy a
visit to My An Hung village as part of our EmeraldPLUS
program. Wander through coconut farms, meet the locals
and learn about life in the village.
Meals: B, L, D
EmeraldPLUS
Visit to My An Hung village
DiscoverMORE
Ramsar Bird Sanctuary (additional expense)
Day
10 Sa Dec – Cai Be
Upon arrival in Sa Dec, visit
the Chinese congregational house in Kien An Cung.
Afterwards, visit the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who
inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel, L’Amant, and take
a walk through the central market in town.
After lunch onboard, arrive in Cai Be via sampan and visit a coconut
candy workshop followed by performances of traditional
music and fruit tasting.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
11 My Tho – Ho Chi Minh City
Sit back and relax
with a full day of sailing along the magnificent Mekong
River. As the ship departs early this morning, watch as
life along the Mekong awakens for another day. Begin
crossing the Cho Gao Canal before meeting the Mekong
Delta, known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam. Enjoy the
ever-changing vistas from the pool area, the Sun Deck or
lounge as you cruise past mangroves, floating markets,
fish farms, narrow canals, busy barges and fishing boats.
This evening, views of the city lights welcome you to Ho
Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) as the vessel docks in the
heart of the city.
Meals: B, L, D
Day
12 Disembarkation - Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, bid farewell to your luxury Star-Ship and enjoy a
guided tour of Ho Chi Minh, starting with a visit to the city’s
most iconic building: Reunification Hall. Formerly called
the Presidential Palace, images of the building were seen
around the world on April 30, 1975 when tanks stormed
the gates as Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese.
Then, stroll through the city’s colonial quarter and admire the
beautiful architecture of the Opera House, City Hall and
the old Saigon Post Office. Listen to the stories about the
glory days of French Indochina and how that era continues
to influence aspects of modern Vietnamese culture. Upon
your return to the hotel, the remainder of the day is at
leisure.
Meals: B, L
DiscoverMORE
Evening Saigon street food tour
(additional expense)
Day
13 Ho Chi Minh City
Drive away from Ho Chi Minh
City, as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and
other scenes of 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. The tour concludes at the hotel with the
afternoon left free of planned activities.
Meals: B, D
Day
14 & 15 Ho Chi Minh City Farewell
Transfer from your hotel to the airport and return home with memories
of life enriching experiences of your amazing adventure.
Meal: B