Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River with Hanoi & Ha Long Bay (Southbound) 2025 - 16 Day River Cruise Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

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Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River with Hanoi & Ha Long Bay (Southbound) 2025

16 Day River Cruise Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh



Tour Description:

On this inspiring Southeast Asia river cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia, you’ll be immersed in the cultures and ancient traditions as you sightsee and spend time with locals in the most fascinating places along the mighty Mekong River.

The best way to experience Vietnamese culture is with a tour of its fascinating capital of Hanoi. Go on a cyclo ride through the ancient streets of the Old Quarter and enjoy a water puppet performance. Travel through the peaceful countryside to Ha Long Bay, where you’ll cruise by its breathtaking limestone islands. Next, in Siem Reap, Cambodia, visit famous Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and the phenomenal Temples of Angkor with an intricacy and architectural grandeur unmatched in the world. Enjoy an inspiring Aspara dance performance before embarking on your river cruise. Go on an ox-cart ride amongst rice paddy fields and witness the daily lives of farmers. In the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, tour the National Museum and Royal Palace with its striking Silver Pagoda.

On a hilltop at the site of the 8th-century temple of Wat Hanchey, take in the stunning views before walking through the rural village of Angkor Ban to visit with welcoming schoolchildren. Continue your cruise into Vietnam and visit a vibrant market, the home of a local family making handcrafted sampans, and a workshop to learn how rice wine and traditional candies are made.

This memorable Southeast Asia river cruise vacation ends in Ho Chi Minh City, where you’ll see the famous landmarks and try your hand in the kitchen—Vietnamese-style, with a cooking class. On an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels, walk through a section of the immense underground tunnel system used during the Vietnam War.

Map for Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River with Hanoi & Ha Long Bay (Southbound) 2025 - 16 Day River Cruise Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh
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Dates & Pricing

Thursday 20 Feb 25 — Saturday 08 Mar 25Starting at $7,719Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 06 Mar 25 — Saturday 22 Mar 25Starting at $7,489Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 20 Mar 25 — Saturday 05 Apr 25Starting at $7,219Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 03 Apr 25 — Saturday 19 Apr 25Starting at $6,559Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 17 Apr 25 — Saturday 03 May 25Starting at $6,559Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 07 Aug 25 — Saturday 23 Aug 25Starting at $5,379Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 21 Aug 25 — Saturday 06 Sep 25Starting at $6,059Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 04 Sep 25 — Saturday 20 Sep 25Starting at $6,329Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 18 Sep 25 — Saturday 04 Oct 25Starting at $6,329Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 02 Oct 25 — Saturday 18 Oct 25Starting at $6,559Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 16 Oct 25 — Saturday 01 Nov 25Starting at $7,559Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 13 Nov 25 — Saturday 29 Nov 25Starting at $7,719Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Thursday 27 Nov 25 — Saturday 13 Dec 25Starting at $7,719Check Mark Icon SPECIALGet a Quote
Check Mark Icon Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.


Destination & Sightseeing

Day 1 Arrive Hanoi: Welcome to Vietnam
Day 2 Hanoi: Visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Museum, and Temple of Literature; lunch at a local restaurant; take a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter; water puppets performance
Day 3 Hanoi–Ha Long Bay: Cruise on Ha Long Bay
Day 4 Ha Long Bay–Siem Reap: Fly to Siem Reap
Day 5 Siem Reap: Visit Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Bayon Temple; Apsara dance performance
Day 6 Siem Reap: Visit Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei, and a noodle-making village
Day 7 Siem Reap–Phnom Penh (Embarkation): Fly to Phnom Penh; onboard welcome reception
Day 8 Wat Hanchey–Angkor Ban: Visit Wat Hanchey and partake in a traditional water blessing by local monks; walking tour in Angkor Ban with school visit
Day 9 Kampong Tralach–Konpong Louang–Phnom Penh: Ox cart ride through the countryside and visit a local farmer’s home in Kampong Tralach; visit the silversmith village of Konpong Louang; visit the Tuol Sleng Museum and one of the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh, or visit the lively central market
Day 10 Phnom Penh: Sightseeing by private cyclo, including the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum; show by children from local orphanage
Day 11 Border Crossing–Chau Doc: Visit a local market and the religious sites at Sam Mountain in Chau Doc
Day 12 Long Khanh A–Cu Lao Gieng: Walking tour of Long Khanh A with cotton-weaving demonstration; interact with sampan-making and conical hat making families in Cu Lao Gieng
Day 13 Vinh Long: Visit a local garden and a local workshop to see how rice wine and traditional candy are made
Day 14 Ho Chi Minh City (Disembarkation): Walking tour; visit the famous Rex Hotel for a drink, War Remnants Museum, and Ben Thanh Market; cooking class and lunch
Day 15 Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi Tunnels excursion
Day 16 Ho Chi Minh City: End of vacation

ITINERARY

Day 1
HANOI, VIETNAM Welcome to Vietnam! HANOI-CITY-VIEW.jpg

Day 2
HANOI Historic Hanoi This morning, your Guided Sightseeing takes a look at the life of Ho Chi Minh, the father of modern Vietnam. First, visit the mausoleum and the humble cottage from which “Uncle Ho” ruled Vietnam until his death in 1969. Next on the agenda: One Pillar Pagoda, the Presidential Palace, and the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.” Also visit the ancient Temple of Literature, over 900 years old and Hanoi’s first university. Lunch is at Koto, a non-profit restaurant and hospitality program that trains local street children in restaurant skills they can use to find a job and build a stable life. After lunch, enjoy an electric cart ride through the fascinating Old Quarter, with 36 ancient streets where peddlers trade as they have for centuries. An early dinner this evening is followed by a fascinating performance of Hanoi’s renowned water puppets, a traditional art form dating back to the 11th century. HANOI-ONE-PILLAR-PAGODA.jpg
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Day 3
HANOI–HA LONG BAY Tunnels, Caves, and Islands Travel from Hanoi through the fertile countryside to Hon Gai, gateway to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, the bay is dotted with more than 3,000 limestone islands carved into fanciful shapes by the action of the water. Tunnels, caves, and weirdly shaped outcroppings with imaginative names can be found on many of the small islets sprinkled across the bay. Board a Cruise Excursion to explore the caves and admire the beauty and scale of this bay before stopping at one of the many secluded islands. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening. HA-LONG-BAY.jpg
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Day 4
HA LONG BAY–HANOI–SIEM REAP Hanoi Bound This morning, drive to Hanoi and board your flight for Siem Reap. SIEM-REAP-ANGKOR-WAT.jpg
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Day 5
SIEM REAP Tranquil Temples and Joyful Dances CLASSIC Explore the temples by tuk-tuk. Start at the best preserved and most famous of all the temples: Angkor Wat. Featuring five trademark towers, it is the symbol of Cambodia. Then, continue your Guided Excursion to visit Angkor Thom, where you will explore Bayon Temple with its 200 striking faces carved in 54 towers and impressive bas relief sculptures. Enjoy some time at your leisure this afternoon to explore Siem Reap’s shops for local artisan crafts. DISCOVERY This evening, enjoy dinner and a private Apsara Dance Performance brings ancient Khmer culture to life through music, song, and dance. SIEM-REAP-ASPARA-DANCERS.jpg
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Day 6
SIEM REAP Root-Covered Ruins and Native Noodles CLASSIC Continue your Sightseeing Tour of the Angkor temples at Ta Prohm. Tree roots cover the ruin walls, allowing you to experience the temple with the same wonder as early explorers. Then visit Banteay Srei, a unique temple built on a small scale from red sandstone, which can be carved like wood. En route, stop at a village famous for making Khmer noodles by hand. Be sure to sample some of the freshly prepared noodles! Spend the afternoon at your leisure. SIEM-REAP-ANGKOR-WAT-TEMPLE.jpg
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Day 7
SIEM REAP–PHNOM PENH (EMBARKATION) Your Suite Ship® Awaits! Fly to Phnom Penh and transfer to the port where your ship’s crew will be waiting to welcome you onboard. Get acquainted with the ship and relax before your welcome reception this evening. Please note: Flight schedules are constantly changing which may require a scenic overland transfer to Phnom Penh. AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO WAT HANCHEY PHNOM-PENH-WELCOME.jpg

Day 8
WAT HANCHEY–ANGKOR BAN Water Blessings and Back-to-School Adventures DISCOVERY Visit Wat Hanchey, a hilltop temple dating back to the 8th century. Climb or be driven to the top where you will enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area and partake in a traditional water blessing given by local monks. DISCOVERY After lunch, enjoy a Walking Tour through the rural village of Angkor Ban. Here, you will visit a traditional Khmer house and interact with children at a local school. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KAMPONG TRALACH WAT-HANCHEY.jpg
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Day 9
KAMPONG TRALACH–KONPONG LOUANG–PHNOM PENH Calm in the Cambodian Countryside DISCOVERY Your Guided Sightseeing starts in Kampong Tralach with an Ox-Cart Ride through the beautiful Cambodian countryside. Along the way, stop to meet a local farmer and learn about his daily life. At the silversmith village in Konpong Louang, see talented craftsmen use age-old techniques to turn pure silver into works of art. Sail to the capital city of Phnom Penh this afternoon. PHNOM PENH A Dark History or Market Dynamics CLASSIC After lunch, a Visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing Fields provides a glimpse into the atrocities inflicted on the Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge regime, OR: DISCOVERY Visit the lively Central Market with its unique Art Deco design by tuk-tuk. This evening, spend some free time exploring the city on your own. Perhaps follow the riverfront promenade to the historic Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC). KAMPONG-TRALACH-OX-CART.jpg

Day 10
PHNOM PENH The Royal Treatment CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of the city by private cyclo with visits to the Royal Palace with the spectacular Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum featuring an outstanding display of Khmer artifacts. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure. Just before dinner, children from a local orphanage will perform a show, featuring local song and dance. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIETNAM/CAMBODIA BORDER PHNOM-PENH-ROYAL-PALACE.jpg
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Day 11
BORDER CROSSING–CHAU DOC, VIETNAM Good Morning, Vietnam! DISCOVERY Take a Village Walk through the Chau Doc market and absorb the atmosphere as locals are busy buying and selling fish, meat, and produce. After lunch, embark on a Guided Excursion down the backwaters of the Mekong. Along the way, see traditional floating homes, speedboat merchants, religious sites, a market selling dried goods, and more. EVENING CRUISE TO LONG KHANH A CHAU-DOC-MARKET.jpg
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Day 12
LONG KHANH A–CU LAO GIENG Cotton Weaving, Conical Hats, and Handcrafted Sampans DISCOVERY This morning, a sampan brings you to the village of Long Khanh A, for a Cotton-Weaving Demonstration of this well-preserved tradition. DISCOVERY This afternoon, enjoy scenes of daily life on Cu Lao Gieng Island via sampan and local motor cart. Your Guided Excursion starts with a stop at one of Vietnam’s oldest Catholic churches. Then, visit the home of a local family that makes Vietnamese conical hats, or “Non la,” from materials available to them such as palm leaves and bamboo. These iconic hats are primarily used as protection from the sun and rain, but you may also see them used as a basket to carry home goods from the market. Lastly, visit a local workshop where a skilled family hand-crafts sampan boats. EVENING CRUISE TO VINH LONG CU-LAO-GIENG-HAT-MAKING.jpg
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Day 13
VINH LONG Sweets and Rice Treats DISCOVERY Board a sampan this morning to Visit a Local Workshop in Vinh Long where you will see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candies are made. This afternoon, enjoy time on board the ship as we sail to exciting Ho Chi Minh City. AFTERNOON CRUISE TO HO CHI MINH CITY VINH-LONG-BRICK-KILN.jpg
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Day 14
HO CHI MINH CITY (DISEMBARKATION) Motorbikes, Monuments, and Mouth-watering Cuisine CLASSIC Take a Walking Tour of Ho Chi Minh City’s historic landmarks, including a stop at the Rex Hotel for a refreshing drink at the rooftop bar where the U.S. Military held the infamous “Five O’clock Follies” during the war. Then, visit the War Remnants Museum and bustling Ben Thanh Market. DISCOVERY For lunch, participate in a hands-on Vietnamese Cooking Class. Learn to prepare several local dishes and how to recreate them at home. Last, but not least, sample your delicious creations! Enjoy time at your leisure this afternoon and evening for independent exploration. Maybe stop for a drink at the famous rooftop bar at the Caravelle Hotel. HO-CHI-MINH-CITY-LANTERNS.jpg

Day 15
HO CHI MINH CITY. EXCURSION TO CU CHI TUNNELS Secret Passageways and Underground Hideouts CLASSIC Drive out of the city for a Guided Visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels—an extraordinary network of tunnels more than 120 miles in length—used as a hideout and secret village by the Viet Cong. Explore these tunnels and learn what life was like living in these cramped spaces. Explore the city further during free time this afternoon. This evening, join your traveling companions for a special dinner in a local restaurant. HO-CHI-MINH-CITY-CU-CHI-TUNNELS.jpg
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Day 16
HO CHI MINH CITY Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. HO-CHI-MINH-CITY-LANTERNS.jpg
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Accommodations

HanoiHa Long BaySiem ReapHo Chi Minh City
Lotte Hotel Hanoi
Deluxe



54 P. Lieu Giai Hanoi Vietnam

Conveniently located near Hanoi¿s Old quarter, Lotte Hotel Hanoi connects the rich cultural history of the past with today and sets a new standard of luxury in Hanoi. Spacious rooms offer a touch of Vietnamese elegance with panoramic views over the city.
Check Mark Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.

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