Private Tour: Saigon to Angkor by Mekong River  - 08 days / 07 nights
From Saigon’s modern bustle to the calm waters of Tonle Sap Lake and into the ancient Khmer Kingdom; explore South Vietnam and Cambodia on a tour that takes you along the meandering Mekong River.

Detail Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Saigon Welcome to Vietnam’s modern metropolis: Saigon. Arrive in the late morning and enjoy an orientation tour through Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling streets en route to the hotel. Have lunch at a downtown restaurant of your choosing then set out on a guided city tour. In the afternoon we will visit such sites as the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office and Ben Thanh Market. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Meals: None Accommodations: Hotel in Saigon. Day 2: Saigon – Mekong Delta – Can Tho Today we leave Saigon and travel to the Mekong River Delta. Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel before driving to the riverside town, Cai Be. Along the way, stop at a candy factory and orchard garden, where you have an opportunity to listen to traditional music. Enjoy a relaxing lunch at a riverside restaurant, then cross the river by motorized boat to visit some fluvial islands and explore the countryside by bicycle. Our driver and guide will meet you at Vinh Long pier and take you to Can Tho city for the night. Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Hotel in Can Tho. Day 3: Can Tho – Chau Doc This morning we travel to Chau Doc, situated along the Cambodian border. After breakfast, check out of the hotel and head northwest to Chau Doc. In the afternoon, bored a boat to tour the Mekong River and learn about local culture, stopping to see the stilt houses of a Cham village as well as a local fish farm. Return in the evening and drive to Sam Mountain to watch the sunset in the distance over the Cambodian border. Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Hotel in Chau Doc. Day 4: Chau Doc – Phnom Penh by speed boat This morning we travel by speedboat up the Mekong to Cambodia’s capital: Phnom Penh. The total trip takes about four and a half hours (including visa formalities). Visas are easily obtained at the border between Vietnam and Cambodia and cost $23 (including the processing fee). Our guide will meet you at the dock in Phnom Penh and take you to the hotel. Despite its recent turbulent history, Phnom Penh’s wide tree-lined boulevards and faded colonial mansions hold an undeniable charm. After lunch at a downtown restaurant, take a leisurely tour to visit the Russian Market to try out your best bargaining skills. Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Hotel in Phnom Penh. Day 5: Phnom Penh City Tour Spend the day on a tour of Cambodia’s vibrant capital city. Start by learning about the Khmer Rouge and Cambodia’s recent, bloody history on a guided tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the notorious Choeung Ek “Killing Fields.” Enjoy lunch at a downtown restaurant, then conclude the day with a cyclo ride down Sihanouk Boulevard to visit the National Museum and the Royal Palace, home to the royal family and the opulent silver pagoda. Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Hotel in Phnom Penh. Day 6: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap– Angkor Thom Today we travel to Siem Reap, the gateway into the ancient Angkor temples. After breakfast our driver will meet you at your hotel and take you on the 5 hour drive along the Mekong River. The journey offers an excellent opportunity to observe rural Cambodia up-close. Stop along the way and visit a market, where every assortment of street food is available, including the Khmer favorite: fried spiders! Once we arrive in Siem Reap, check in at the hotel then enjoy lunch at a downtown restaurant. In the afternoon we drive to the Angkor Archeological Complex for your first glimpse of the ancient temples of the Khmer Kingdom. Explore the ancient city of Angkor Thom, visiting Bayon Temple, Baphuon, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Hotel in Siem Reap. Day 7: Siem Reap – Angkor Wat Enjoy an entire day dedicated to visiting the ancient Angkor temples. Start your tour with a visit to Ta Prohm, famous for its crumbling, jungle-entwined monuments, before traveling to Ta Keo (Jewel of Crystal) a 10th century temple dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva. Continue on to Thommanon, the Chau Say temples and the natural lake of Sras Srang. After lunch we explore the magnificent Angkor Wat— the largest Khmer temple and finest example of Angkorian art and architecture. In the evening, drive to Phnom Bakheng Mountain to watch the sunset over the surrounding temple-dotted jungle. Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Hotel in Siem Reap. Day 8: Siem Reap Departure Have breakfast at the hotel then drive to the airport to catch your departure flight home. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: N/A.

Tour inclusions

* Private tours with English speaking guide for the entire trip except leisure time * Entrance fee to any applicable tourist sites * All transportation and transfers with air-conditioning vehicle * Boat trip to Tonle Sap Lake * Meals as stated per itinerary * Government tax and services charge * Could water and towel during the tour * Accommodation in twin/double share rooms with air-condition and private bath room

Tour Exclusions

* International airfare & airport taxes (Airport tax from Cambodia now is include in airfare) * Travel insurance * Visa and visa arrangement * Surcharges for compulsory gala dinners during festive seasons and * Peak season surcharges (which will be advised at time of booking) , * Personal expenses * Tips & gratuities