Cruising the Mekong and Angkor Wat

Located on the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok is the nation’s capital and a city on the move, where visitors explore a bustling riverfront, lively floating markets and upscale boutiques.

Board a boat to the Grand Palace to view the royal Siamese court, home the Emerald Buddha. Then, discover Wat Pho, with its massive Reclining Buddha statue. Tonight, gather for a welcome dinner.

Fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia’s hip epicenter, filled with an impressive array boutiques, multicultural dining, museums and spas. It also serves as gateway to the magnificent temples of Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enter the monumental gates of Angkor Thom and visit the Bayon Temple, with its huge stone faces wearing enchanting smiles.

Rise early to watch the sun rise serenely over mystical Angkor Wat before exploring the vast temple complex with a local expert. After some afternoon free time, explore Ta Prohm, where the roots of great trees have spilled over the roof of this iconic stone temple. After dinner, gather for an AKP Impact Hour, welcoming a local speaker who discusses various projects in Cambodia supported by A&K Philanthropy.

Drive through the scenic countryside to Kampong Cham, to board A&K’s private charter of all-suite Mekong Princess, your home for the next seven nights. Tonight, enjoy a Khmer-inspired dinner on board.

Explore the charming town of Angkor Ban, where you visit a family home. Stroll through a small market frequented by locals and stop briefly at a monastery. Then cruise to Phnom Penh, where you ride through Cambodia’s capital city by cyclo. Discover the ornate Royal Palace, and wander past huge stupas en route to the Silver Pagoda, home of two Buddha statues of great beauty.

Learn about Cambodia’s darker days as you visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and then walk the notorious killing fields of Choeung Ek. On board this evening, watch a professional folk-dance exhibition.

Cruise into Vietnam early this morning and onward to little-known Hong Ngu, where few Westerners have ever been. Visit a local family home, where you watch the weaving of kromas (traditional Khmer scarves). Later, explore a local temple dedicated to Hoa Hao, a unique Vietnamese religion. Later, board a sampan (wooden boat) to Gieng Island, where this type of vessel is built. Cruise a canal past orchards and rice fields and continue to a 19th-century Christian monastery.

Disembark at Hoa An to see how locals grow flowers and meet with a local family. In Can Tho, visit Zihuang Pagoda.

Make a sampan visit to a floating market and later cruise deeper into the Mekong Delta to places travellers seldom see.

Board a sampan to wend your way through a channel lined with mangroves, whose tangled roots provide a sheltered habitat for the smallest denizens of the river’s ecosystem. Pause to see an artisan produce coconut candy, a favorite local snack. Next, board a small boat for a cruise through lush, narrow creeks. Later, join in a cooking demonstration led by your onboard chef.

Cruise right into the heart of lively, evocative Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon to enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities.

• Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels to see this strategic wartime underground network.
• Discover the City’s Bustling Culinary Scene, sampling dishes from street-food vendors.
• Cycle the Countryside through villages, observing authentic local life along the way.

Gather for a special farewell dinner.

After breakfast, take your private transfer to the airport for your departing flight.