Mekong Princess - Vietnam & Cambodia

You will be met by our local representatives and taken by private transfer to the beautiful Mulberry Collection Silk Village where every moment allows you to experience the warmth and culture of the local surroundings alongside luxurious styling.

Nestled along the central coast of Vietnam, Hoi An is a beautifully preserved ancient town that exudes charm and character at every turn. Once a thriving port during the 15th to 19th centuries, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for its blend of cultures, lantern-lit streets, and historic architecture influenced by Chinese, Japanese, and European styles.

Visitors are enchanted by Hoi An’s atmospheric Old Town, where narrow cobblestone lanes lead to temples, tailor shops, and riverside cafés. Whether you're exploring the colorful night markets, enjoying local delicacies like cao lầu and white rose dumplings, or cycling through nearby rice paddies and beaches, Hoi An offers a magical glimpse into Vietnam’s past and present.

A town where time slows down and tradition lives on—Hoi An is truly an unforgettable destination.

Morning at leisure - visit the markets or wander the colorful streets, or sleep in and enjoy your hotel!  This afternoon we will have a special touring event by bicycle in Hoi An.  Being an UNESCO World Heritage town on Vietnam’s central coast, has very lush countryside. It’s flat, bike-friendly, and packed with culture, so hopping on a bicycle is one of the best ways to explore.  This will be a lovely highlight for the day!

Our memorable afternoon will be followed by a Welcome Dinner for our group!

Transfer to airport for a quick flight to Saigon where we will check into the classical charm of the Hotel Des Arts Saigon MGallery.  Embark on a journey back in time to Vietnam in 1930s with Hôtel des Arts boutique lifestyle hotel in Saigon.  The hotel is as much an art museum as it is a 5 star hotel. Hôtel des Arts Saigon invites guests to relive the romance of this bygone era in their luxury hotel which offers all the comforts of the 21st century.

Afternoon at leisure.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - Get ready to dive into the vibrant chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, where every corner hums with energy and excitement. Known to locals as Saigon, this bustling metropolis is a thrilling mix of fast-paced streets, bold flavors, and rich history. Zip through traffic on a scooter tour, taste your way through sizzling street food stalls, or wander through alleys filled with hidden temples and secret cafés. From the historic Cu Chi Tunnels to rooftop bars with sweeping skyline views, Saigon is a city that invites you to explore, experience, and embrace the unexpected at every turn.

We will have a half day private touring with some free time to enjoy the area or our hotel.

Later in the morning, our guide will come to pick us up from Hotel Des Arts Saigon MGallery and transfer us to the elegant Mekong Princess. 

Once aboard, a safety briefing will occur in the Ramvong Lounge as soon as you embark. You will be welcomed by your Vietnamese and Cambodian ship’s crew before embarking on the most extraordinary journey of discovery.  Lunch, with highly attentive oriental hospitality, will be served soon after departure as we cruise along the Saigon River. Having settled into your luxurious suites, you can relax, enjoy the new scenes, and watch the world pass by.

We sail midday through the Saigon River, Soai Rap River, Nuoc Man Canal, Vam Co River and Cho Gao Canal to the ‘Mighty Mekong River’.  Late in the day, we anchor in the heart of the Mekong Delta, time to enjoy crafted cocktails by our skilled bartenders and watch the sunsets and sampans passing by. A traditional Vietnamese “A La Carte” dinner will be served in the Indochine onboard Restaurant, embracing a subtle fusion of dishes for the most delicate palates.

The Mekong is more than just a river - it’s a lifeline, a storyteller, and a passage to the heart of Vietnam and Cambodia. Whether you sail upstream or downstream, Mekong Princess ensures that the journey is just as extraordinary as the destinations themselves.

We will be doing the "upstream" sailing from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap on the Mekong Princess in the Saigon Suite - Located on the Mekong Deck | 256 square feet

With floor-to-ceiling sliding doors opening to a French balcony and 256 square feet, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the majestic Mekong River.  Maximum 28 guests with 29 crew members - our pampering will begin!

Welcome to Mekong Princess Cruises!

"Unlike most other hotels, resorts, restaurant and cruise ships, this is not “Our” exotic expedition – it is all ‘Yours’. It is not our manner to tell you what to do, when to do it, or how to enjoy yourselves. We are quite simply your facilitator, your guides, hosts & hostesses. We are all focused and passionate about providing you with a heart-warming “Once in a Life-time” truly unique and exotic Asian adventure holiday."

This morning we will go through a channel lined with mangroves by sampans, the traditional flat-bottomed, wooden boats. After this, we will have the opportunity to try one of the most popular local transportation, named “xe lam” (three-wheeler / like a tuk-tuk), to visit a local coconut candy maker. After watching the candy-making process, walking through the village to visit an orchard where fruits native to Vietnam can be seen in various stages of maturity on the vine. After a fresh fruit tasting, you continue to a pier where you board small, local boats through the narrow creeks lined with Nipah palm before returning to the ship.

This afternoon, the ship sails through an area of the Mekong Delta barely touched by tourism to Can Tho city, known as Tay Do - the capital of the Mekong Delta. Guests will take a short and orientated city tour with visiting to the Zihuang Pagoda (Chua Ong) and enjoying the welcome unicorn dances.  In Vietnam, the "unicorn dance," or Kỳ Lân, is a significant part of cultural traditions, often performed in the south, and is believed to bring peace, happiness, prosperity, and longevity.  The unicorn (Kỳ Lân) is a mythical creature in Vietnamese culture, often depicted as a composite of a horse, buffalo, and dragon, symbolizing strength and faithfulness. 

*Mangroves by sampan, coconut candy making, Unicorn dance
*Onboard activity: Lecture of Vietnam, Vietnam’s People, Culture & colonial History.

Explore on your own around the charming city before having dinner onboard.
The ship docks in Can Tho overnight.

We start our morning before breakfast aboard the sampans for a cruise through the fascinating Cai Rang floating market near Can Tho. The sampans will weave in and out of the many boats that sail into the market each morning to sell produce and other items the residents of the Mekong Delta need in their daily lives. As they weave through the market, there will be many opportunities for amazing photographs, while enjoying fresh fruit and the Vietnamese “anti-aging drink,” fresh coconut water. Before returning to the ship for a sumptuous buffet breakfast, we stop at a local noodle factory, where we witness the amazing process of how they are made.

After lunch, continue the excursion by sampan to Hoa An village, which is untouched and well known for lush green fields whereby local inhabitants grow a variety of seasonal crops, including vegetable, fruity trees. Starting our excursion on a “xe loi” (motor cart) via winding country roads.  En route , enjoy a short walk in the peaceful village with rice fields, and fruit orchards. We then continue the sampan ride on a major branch of the Mekong river - before turning into a busy canal famous for being the rice milling center of the region, observing from afar on our sampan towards the village milling in operation will also enhance our understanding of how rice being transported and processed locally. Our last stop is to a family making traditional Vietnamese palm leaf hats, with an opportunity to visit with local family members and learn how to create products through hands on experience.

*Sampan to market and noodle factory/walk in village / sampan to milling operation & Vietnamese palm leaf hat experience.

The Princess sails and anchors near Gieng Island.

After breakfast, we board sampans that will take us to Gieng Island. After a short walk around the local sampan village, where local families produce sampans daily, we take a canal drive to explore the mango gardens along the riverbanks. We will try one of the most popular local transportation, “xe loi” (motor trishaw), driving through this island to visit a Phanxico Monastery.

This afternoon, we visited the local island village of Hong Ngu, not far from the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Hong Ngu produces a large number of traditional Khmer scarves exported to Cambodia. Woven in many homes around the village, we can see the weaving process under several homes.  Some villagers are also embroidery artists, displaying their art in and around their homes.

The inhabitants of this area had only encountered a few Western visitors before the arrival of the Mekong Princess; they are especially friendly and welcoming. We will also visit the local temple dedicated to a unique religion founded in this area of Vietnam, Hoa Hao.

This evening, the Mekong Princess will arrive at the border to complete exit procedures and continue up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh (the capital of Cambodia)

*monastery, island village, weaving /embroidery w/traditional Khmer scarves, local temple

*Onboard activity: Cooking Class Demonstration by our Executive Chef.

This morning, the Mekong Princess will arrive at the border to complete exit procedures and continue up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh (capital of Kingdom Cambodia). You can enjoy the fascinating scenery on both sides of the Mekong River. After completing immigration procedures to Cambodia, local cyclo drivers (Cyclo is the oldest mode of transportation in Cambodia - driver w/1 guest)  will take us for a unique tourist experience in modern history  with an exciting city tour of Phnom Penh. You begin your ride along the riverfront to the Royal Palace, where a leisurely walk takes you through the grounds and perfectly manicured gardens, with opportunities to visit the Throne Hall and Moonlight Pavilion. Upon crossing into the second section of the complex, you walk amongst enormous stupas and spirit houses on the way to the famous Silver Pagoda, home of Cambodia’s Emerald Buddha and Maitreya Buddha, encrusted with more than 9,000 diamonds. Following a short break, your cyclos will take you to the National Museum. Housing the most extensive pre-Angkorian and Angkorian holdings in Cambodia, the National Museum ends the morning tour with a comprehensive look at many of the artifacts excavated around the Angkor Archeological Area in Siem Reap, as well as other areas around the former Khmer Empire.

*cyclo tour, Pagoda & National Musuem 
*Onboard activity: Fruit Carvings & Tropical Fruits Demonstration.

The ship docks in Phnom Penh overnight.

This morning, a private motor coach takes you on a scenic 45-minute drive away from the ship, arriving at Choeung Ek, the killing fields depicted in the movie and the centre of the darkest days of Cambodian history. You may walk through the fields, visit the small museum and Memorial Stupa, and learn more about the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime. On the return drive to Phnom Penh, a stop is made at Tuol Sleng (infamously known as S-21), which the Khmer Rouge converted from a large school to a prison and torture headquarters.

This afternoon is free at leisure to explore the charming city of Phnom Penh.

This evening before dinner, enjoy the entertainment onboard with a cultural performance including Apsara, Cambodia’s national dance, and several traditional folk dances.

The ship docks in Phnom Penh overnight.

The Mekong Princess leaves Phnom Penh and sails to Angkor Ban. We start the afternoon tour with a visit to the charming and authentic town of Angkor Ban. Here, we witness the daily life of the local people, beginning with a visit to the pagoda with a special blessing ceremony for our guests by local monks. Then we visit a local family’s home to meet them and discuss their lifestyle. We continue through the village to the local school, where we join the children in their classrooms and experience their typical school day.

*family visit / school visit
*Lecture on Cambodia’s Geography and Life along the Mekong River by your host.

The ship sails to Kampong Cham and docks overnight.

Enjoy a sumptuous Breakfast Buffet in the Indochine Restaurant. After breakfast, we disembark the Mekong Princess in Kampong Cham and transfer by motor coach to the beautiful Anantara Angkor Resort & Spa.  

Our all-suite luxury hotel in Siem Reap provides an unparalleled gateway to the soul of this captivating destination, located just 15 minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat.

• Only 39 suites intimately set around a courtyard pool
• Bold and innovative Khmer cuisine at Chi
• Anantara Spa with ancient Khmer wellness rituals, steam, sauna and jacuzzi
• 10 minutes from Siem Reap centre
• 15 minutes from Angkor Wat

Each evening, return to the resort to pure relaxation. Indulge in refined dining and rejuvenating spa treatments, preparing you for yet another day of unforgettable exploration and discover.

Embark on once-in-a-lifetime adventures planned by your dedicated Experience Butler, whether exploring remote ruins in a stylish Jeep or sampling Siem Reap’s finest street food on a Vespa. Bask in the beauty of the surrounding countryside with horseback riding, quad biking, tuk-tuk excursions or the exhilaration of a hot-air balloon ride.

Tonight we will have a Farewell Dinner to share our stories and photos!

Sadly, your adventure ends this morning and after breakfast you will have a private transfer to the airport for your flight home.