8-Day Majestic Mekong Cruise

Upon arrival you will be transferred to the Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh. Later you will be transferred to Prek K’Dam to embark your Emerald Cruises award-winning Star-Ship. On arrival, you’ll be welcomed by your captain and crew. Later, set sail for Kampong Tralach whilst you enjoy your first dinner on board with your fellow guests.

Please book your flight to arrive into Phnom Penh prior to 01:00 PM.

Prek Kdam is a quaint riverside village located on the banks of the Tonle Sap River, known for its vibrant boat culture and picturesque landscapes. As a key transport hub for goods and passengers travelling to and from the bustling capital, Phnom Penh, the village offers visitors a glimpse into daily Cambodian life. Strolling along the riverfront, you’ll encounter local fishermen, bustling markets, and charming wooden houses. The area is also home to beautiful pagodas and lush greenery, making it a peaceful retreat for those looking to escape the city. Prek Kdam is a delightful destination where one can experience the serene rhythm of rural Cambodian life.

Begin the day with an Ox Cart ride in Kampong Tralach to a local temple before driving to Oudong. Oudong was Cambodia’s former royal capital until it relocated to Phnom Penh in 1866. In Oudong Monastery’s main temple, receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the resident monks, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience.

Return to Emerald Harmony and sail to Phnom Penh. Spend the afternoon at leisure, either experiencing one of our DiscoverMORE excursions, visiting the Central Market, or relaxing on board. After dinner, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy Phnom Penh by night on a remork (local Tuk-Tuk) tour.

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A traditional Buddhist Monk blessing

EmeraldPLUS
Phnom Penh by night on a remork (Tuk-Tuk) tour

DiscoverMORE
A silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE
Craft Beer Adventure by remork (extra expense)

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.

Oudong, once the royal capital of Cambodia, is a historical gem nestled about 40 kilometres north of Phnom Penh. This serene town is known for its impressive temples and stupa-covered hills, offering a glimpse into the country’s royal heritage. Visitors can explore the ancient capital’s stunning pagodas, including the prominent Wat Udong, which boasts beautiful architecture and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The area is rich in history, with many archaeological sites that reflect the legacy of the Khmer Empire. With its tranquil atmosphere and cultural significance, Oudong is a captivating destination for those looking to delve deeper into Cambodia’s past.

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 memorial 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.

Back on-board Emerald Harmony, enjoy a Cambodian Street Fair lunch, before visiting the majestic Royal Palace with its French-inspired gardens, followed by a shopping trip at the Central Market located in the heart of the city. This evening, as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation, before setting sail to the border.

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Cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation

Included Excursion
Killing Fields at Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Included Excursion
A visit to the Royal Palace and Central Market

Cross the border then sail to Tan Chau. Relax on board this morning or join our DiscoverMORE tour of Tra Su Bird Sanctuary.

This afternoon, embark on a sampan to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village to get a glimpse into the lives of the local farming community.  Reboard your sampan to travel back to Tan Chau and as part of our EmeraldPLUS, programme, 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. Afterwards ride in a Xe Loi (local form of cyclo) from the temple back to your sampan before returning to Emerald Harmony.

This evening as part of our EmeraldPLUS, programme, you’ll be delighted by a traditional Lion Dance performance on board.

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A visit to a local Cao Dai Temple

EmeraldPLUS
A Lion Dance performance on board

Included Excursion
A visit to Evergreen Island

Included Excursion
Experience a Xe Loi ride, unique to the Mekong Delta

DiscoverMORE
A visit to Tra Su Bird Sanctuary (extra expense)

Tân Châu, a charming town located along the banks of the Mekong River, offers a unique blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty. Known for its traditional wooden houses and vibrant markets, Tân Châu provides visitors with an authentic glimpse into local life. The town is famous for its floating markets, where traders sell fresh fruits and handmade goods from their boats, creating a lively and colourful atmosphere. Nearby, visitors can explore lush orchards and scenic river landscapes, ideal for leisurely boat trips and cycling adventures. With its warm hospitality and tranquil surroundings, Tân Châu is a delightful destination for those seeking to experience the heart of the Mekong Delta.

On Gieng Island you can travel through the island’s villages to visit families who work in a variety of local industries including boat building of different types and creating incense sticks for temples. Also visit Vietnam’s oldest church.

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. As part of our EmeraldPLUS excursion enjoy some local folk singing during the visit, wander through coconut farms, meet the locals and learn about life in the village.

EmeraldPLUS
Listen to some local folk singing in My An Hung

Included Excursion
See the local industries in Gieng Island

Included Excursion
A visit to My An Hung village and its Monkey Bridge

Mỹ An Hưng is a quaint village nestled in the Mekong Delta, where life unfolds at a gentle pace. Surrounded by lush greenery and winding waterways, the village offers a serene atmosphere perfect for relaxation. Visitors can explore local markets filled with fresh produce and handcrafted goods, immersing themselves in the authentic charm of rural Vietnamese life. The stunning landscapes and rich agricultural heritage create a picturesque setting, while the warm hospitality of the locals enhances the experience. For those seeking an escape from the everyday hustle, Mỹ An Hưng is a delightful destination full of tranquility and charm.

After a short ride on a sampan to Sa Dec, enjoy a walking tour around town. Stops include 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, after lunch on board, you’ll arrive in Cai Be. Travelling via sampan, visit a coconut candy workshop to learn how coconut candy and other local sweets are made, then then tour Tan Phong islet by electric buggy, visiting a fruit garden to try the diverse fruits of the Mekong and a water hyacinth weaving workshop.

Cái Bè, nestled in the picturesque Mekong Delta, is a vibrant town renowned for its lively floating markets and scenic waterways. The Cái Bè Floating Market is a highlight, where local farmers sell fresh produce and handcrafted goods directly from their boats, offering visitors an authentic taste of daily life in the delta. Surrounding the town are lush orchards and tranquil rice paddies, perfect for cycling and exploring the serene countryside. With its rich cultural heritage and warm hospitality, Cái Bè invites travellers to experience the enchanting rhythms of rural Vietnam, making it a delightful stop on any Mekong Delta adventure.

After sailing from My Tho leave the Mekong Delta and enter the Cho Gao Canal.  This canal is considered one of Vietnam's major arterial canals that connects Tien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City. Today is a fascinating day watching the heavy commercial traffic navigate this important waterway which can see upwards of 1,800 vessels transit each day. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the ever-changing vistas from the pool, to enjoy a treatment in the Wellness Area (additional expense), or to read a book and chat with new friends. Cruise past mangroves, narrow canals, fish farms, busy cargo barges and local fishing boats alike. Tonight, dock in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City with views of the city lights. (Due to customs regulations, you will not be able to go ashore this evening)

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.

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.