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A Journey on the Mekong River
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A Journey on the Mekong River Cruise
Discover the wonders of Southeast Asia, with stunning countryside, river views and the distinctive heritage of world-famous destinations aboard a fascinating Riviera Travel River Cruise on the mighty Mekong River.
Step back in time to Angkor, formerly one of the largest cities in the world, with over 200 temples. Explore Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, with its renowned and beautiful French colonial architecture before journeying to Saigon and discovering the bustling waterfront and historic remnants of the US-Vietnam War.
Expert guides unravel culture and history on fascinating shore excursions with the comfort and luxury of your Mekong River Cruise ship ready to welcome you at the end of a busy day.
4.7
from
314 reviews
-
Cruise Line: Riviera Travel -
Ship: RV La Marguerite -
Duration: 14 Nights
-
Departure: Sep - Dec
A Journey on the Mekong River Cruise Cruise Prices
A Journey on the Mekong River Cruise Gallery
A Journey on the Mekong River Cruise Itinerary
This 14-night cruise reveals the mysteries of Southeast Asia with a fusion of history and heritage blended with an insight into the modern communities who live and work on the riverside. Explore famous landmarks and hidden gems from the luxury and comfort of a five-star cruise ship. Expert guides bring the river to life, creating a fascinating voyage and unforgettable memories.
Day 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2
Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City is the official Vietnamese name for Saigon. Guests check into the Pullman Saigon Centre to stay for two nights. Enjoy the city’s highlights on a guided tour and visit the Reunification Palace, where the Vietnam War famously ended in 1975 when a tank burst through the gates. There is also a War Remnants Museum, and guests can visit the bustling and colourful Ben Thanh market and the colonial-style central Post Office. There is time available later in the day to explore this fascinating city by yourself.
Day 3
Saigon
Today’s tour takes guests to the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a vast network begun during the final years of French colonial rule and then massively expanded in the 1960s to provide a base for the Vietcong to repel the US forces. Despite extensive bombing, the tunnels were never really destroyed. Located just thirty miles from Saigon, there are the remains of an underground hospital and living accommodation with stake pits and mantraps outside the complex to protect it. For a really authentic experience, guests can try their hand at firing period weapons on a controlled firing range. The journey back to Saigon offers a view of local rural farming communities.
Day 4
Join the Ship
Drive through the coconut groves and pagodas of the Mekong Delta with its distinctive patchwork of paddy fields as guests journey to the Mekong Delta to join the ship. Before passengers go on board, there is a visit to the charming Cholon market and a lacquer workshop. The Mekong River is the centre of life for Vietnamese communities, with local boats called sampans plying their trade and iconic floating markets with longboats groaning with produce. Cruising the Mekong is the ultimate way to understand and experience these riverside communities’ culture and way of life. Enjoy life at a more gentle pace as the luxury cruiser sets sail after lunch with views of stilted villages and local river traffic before mooring in the evening at Cai Be, where guests enjoy a performance of traditional Mekong music.
Day 5
Cai Be
Enjoy a morning sail by local junk along Cai Be’s colourful waterfront and floating market and witness the fascinating sales technique where wares are dangled from long poles towards the smaller boats. Guests can also see the magnificent French Gothic cathedral, a testament to Vietnam’s colonial past. In the afternoon, cruise through Vinh Long to Sa Dec, where there is a guided walk through the local market and a visit to the Cao Dai Temple. This temple is the heart of a unique indigenous religion that combines Christianity with Taoism, Buddhism, and Islam. An architectural fusion of Western and oriental design, there are vividly coloured statues and the Divine Eye.
Day 6
Tan Chau
Overnight, the ship sails to Tan Chau, where guests awake in Vietnam’s premier silk centre, where high-quality fabrics are produced in beautiful colours. Sail across the border into Cambodia as the cruise makes its leisurely way to Phnom Penh.
Day 7
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is a fusion of rustic charm and elegant French colonial influence; not for nothing is it called the ‘Paris of the East.’ Guests have the option of a cycle rickshaw ride to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda and a tour of the National Museum. As a reminder of Phnom Penh’s troubled past, the tour also includes the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Enjoy the city’s excellent markets with silk, spices, and fine lacquer work. The ship remains in Phnom Penh, allowing guests to explore into the evening.
Day 8
Chong Koh/Oknathey
Today’s tour involves a bus ride to Kampong Tralach and its charming monastery of Vat Kampong Leu Pagoda, famous for its beautiful fresco wall paintings. Guests then journey onto historic Oudong, the former capital, and visit the Vipassana Dhura Centre at the base of Phnom Udong, a beautiful wooded hill noted for its serenity and spirituality and the resting place of the Khmer Kings. Return to Phnom Penh for lunch on board the ship, and then in the afternoon, visit Vat Phnom and the picturesque sanctuary dedicated to Mrs. Penh, after whom the city is named.
Day 9
Upper Mekong – Angkor Ban
Cruise into the heartland of Cambodia and witness the astonishing ecosystem with 20,000 plant species, 1,200 birds, 430 mammals, and 800 reptiles and amphibians. The ship arrives in Angkor Ban, one of the few surviving settlements after the reign of terror in the Khmer Rouge period. See traditional Cambodian rural life and savour the peaceful atmosphere.
Day 10
Wat Hanchey – Kampong Cham
The river cruiser navigates to Kampong Cham, and a bus tour visits the Temple of Wat Nokor, a 12th-century Buddhist temple with even earlier antecedents and a unique monument in Cambodia. This remote temple sits on a hillside overlooking the river and is inhabited by Buddhist monks. The buildings are historically and architecturally interesting, a mix of designs and styles, a testament to Wat Nokor’s earlier Hindu origins.
Day 11
Kampong Cham – Siem Reap
Arrive and berth in Siem Reap with stunning lakeside views and say goodbye to your ship. Guests stay three nights at the Borei Angkor Hotel, with full luxury facilities, including a pool and spa.
Day 12
Angkor Wat
Take a tour of the 13th-century fortified city of Angkor Thom, with five magnificent gates and a moat that is 91 metres wide. Visit the Temple of Bayon in the centre, with over 50 towers featuring four colossal carved heads. The smaller temple of Ta Prohm has been left unrestored and presents a fantastic sight, with tropical trees growing out of the ruins and through the roofs. In the afternoon, there is a tour of the Temple of Angkor Wat, one of the largest religious buildings in the world.
Day 13
Free Day of Exploration
Guests are free to spend their last day in Cambodia as they wish, enjoying the colourful markets of Siem Reap or relaxing in the hotel’s five-star leisure facilities.
Day 14
Depart Cambodia
It’s time to say goodbye to Southeast Asia with a farewell drink in the hotel’s Damnak Lounge before flying to Ho Chi Minh City for a connecting flight home.
Day 15
Homeward Bound
Take your flight home to the UK.
Day 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2
Depart Cambodia
Enjoy the sights and sounds of Cambodia before you depart on your amazing river cruise.
Day 3
Free Day of Exploration
Guests are free to spend their last day in Cambodia as they wish, enjoying the colourful markets of Siem Reap or relaxing in the hotel’s five-star leisure facilities.
Day 4
Angkor Wat
Take a tour of the 13th-century fortified city of Angkor Thom, with five magnificent gates and a moat that is 91 metres wide. Visit the Temple of Bayon in the centre, with over 50 towers featuring four colossal carved heads. The smaller temple of Ta Prohm has been left unrestored and presents a fantastic sight, with tropical trees growing out of the ruins and through the roofs. In the afternoon, there is a tour of the Temple of Angkor Wat, one of the largest religious buildings in the world.
Day 5
Kampong Cham – Siem Reap
Arrive and berth in Siem Reap with stunning lakeside views and say goodbye to your ship. Guests stay three nights at the Borei Angkor Hotel, with full luxury facilities, including a pool and spa.
Day 6
Wat Hanchey – Kampong Cham
The river cruiser navigates to Kampong Cham, and a bus tour visits the Temple of Wat Nokor, a 12th-century Buddhist temple with even earlier antecedents and a unique monument in Cambodia. This remote temple sits on a hillside overlooking the river and is inhabited by Buddhist monks. The buildings are historically and architecturally interesting, a mix of designs and styles, a testament to Wat Nokor’s earlier Hindu origins.
Day 7
Upper Mekong – Angkor Ban
Cruise into the heartland of Cambodia and witness the astonishing ecosystem with 20,000 plant species, 1,200 birds, 430 mammals, and 800 reptiles and amphibians. The ship arrives in Angkor Ban, one of the few surviving settlements after the reign of terror in the Khmer Rouge period. See traditional Cambodian rural life and savour the peaceful atmosphere.
Day 8
Chong Koh/Oknathey
Today’s tour involves a bus ride to Kampong Tralach and its charming monastery of Vat Kampong Leu Pagoda, famous for its beautiful fresco wall paintings. Guests then journey onto historic Oudong, the former capital, and visit the Vipassana Dhura Centre at the base of Phnom Udong, a beautiful wooded hill noted for its serenity and spirituality and the resting place of the Khmer Kings. Return to Phnom Penh for lunch on board the ship, and then in the afternoon, visit Vat Phnom and the picturesque sanctuary dedicated to Mrs. Penh, after whom the city is named.
Day 9
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is a fusion of rustic charm and elegant French colonial influence; not for nothing is it called the ‘Paris of the East.’ Guests have the option of a cycle rickshaw ride to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda and a tour of the National Museum. As a reminder of Phnom Penh’s troubled past, the tour also includes the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Enjoy the city’s excellent markets with silk, spices, and fine lacquer work. The ship remains in Phnom Penh, allowing guests to explore into the evening.
Day 10
Tan Chau
Overnight, the ship sails to Tan Chau, where guests awake in Vietnam’s premier silk centre, where high-quality fabrics are produced in beautiful colours. Sail across the border into Cambodia as the cruise makes its leisurely way to Phnom Penh.
Day 11
Cai Be
Enjoy a morning sail by local junk along Cai Be’s colourful waterfront and floating market and witness the fascinating sales technique where wares are dangled from long poles towards the smaller boats. Guests can also see the magnificent French Gothic cathedral, a testament to Vietnam’s colonial past. In the afternoon, cruise through Vinh Long to Sa Dec, where there is a guided walk through the local market and a visit to the Cao Dai Temple. This temple is the heart of a unique indigenous religion that combines Christianity with Taoism, Buddhism, and Islam. An architectural fusion of Western and oriental design, there are vividly coloured statues and the Divine Eye.
Day 12
Join the Ship
Drive through the coconut groves and pagodas of the Mekong Delta with its distinctive patchwork of paddy fields as guests journey to the Mekong Delta to join the ship. Before passengers go on board, there is a visit to the charming Cholon market and a lacquer workshop. The Mekong River is the centre of life for Vietnamese communities, with local boats called sampans plying their trade and iconic floating markets with longboats groaning with produce. Cruising the Mekong is the ultimate way to understand and experience these riverside communities’ culture and way of life. Enjoy life at a more gentle pace as the luxury cruiser sets sail after lunch with views of stilted villages and local river traffic before mooring in the evening at Cai Be, where guests enjoy a performance of traditional Mekong music.
Day 13
Saigon
Today’s tour takes guests to the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a vast network begun during the final years of French colonial rule and then massively expanded in the 1960s to provide a base for the Vietcong to repel the US forces. Despite extensive bombing, the tunnels were never really destroyed. Located just thirty miles from Saigon, there are the remains of an underground hospital and living accommodation with stake pits and mantraps outside the complex to protect it. For a really authentic experience, guests can try their hand at firing period weapons on a controlled firing range. The journey back to Saigon offers a view of local rural farming communities.
Day 14
Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City is the official Vietnamese name for Saigon. Guests check into the Pullman Saigon Centre to stay for two nights. Enjoy the city’s highlights on a guided tour and visit the Reunification Palace, where the Vietnam War famously ended in 1975 when a tank burst through the gates. There is also a War Remnants Museum, and guests can visit the bustling and colourful Ben Thanh market and the colonial-style central Post Office. There is time available later in the day to explore this fascinating city by yourself.
Day 15
Homeward Bound
Take your flight home to the UK.
A JOURNEY ON THE MEKONG CRUISE SHIPS
A Journey on the Mekong Cruise Ships
View Ship 
2009 Build 
38 Crew 
90 Passengers
RV La Marguerite
The RV Marguerite is a purpose built river boat created specifically for the Mekong River. It intimately holds 90 passengers, complete with library, boutique and swimming pool.
2009 Build
38 Crew
90 Passengers A Journey on the Mekong River Cruise Deals
Traverse the beautiful Mekong with Crui.se
Riviera Travel 
Departure:
Sep to
Dec
VISITING: Ho Chi Minh City Saigon Join the Ship Cai Be Tan Chau Phnom Penh Chong Koh/Oknathey Upper Mekong – Angkor Ban Wat Hanchey – Kampong Cham Kampong Cham – Siem Reap Angkor Wat Free Day of Exploration Depart Cambodia Homeward Bound
AVG PER PERSON*
£
3,799
AmaWaterways 
Departure:
April
VISITING: Ho Chi Minh City / My Tho Cai Be / Sa Dec Tan Chau / Border Crossing Phnom Penh Oudong / Kampong Tralach / Phnom Penh Oknhatey Village Angkor Ban / Kampong Cham Kampong Cham / Siem Reap
AVG PER PERSON*
£
2,764
Scenic 
Departure:
Oct to
Nov
VISITING: Ho Chi Minh City Cai Be / Sa Dec Tan Chau / Border Crossing Phnom Penh Phnom Penh / Oudong Silk Island / Angkor Ban Wat Hanchey / Kampong Cham Siem Reap Siem Reap / Luang Prabang Luang Prabang Luang Prabang / Vang Vieng Vang Vieng / Vientiane Vientiane / Bangkok
AVG PER PERSON*
£
8,038
A Journey on the Mekong River Cruise Review
A Journey on the Mekong River Cruise FAQ
Is the itinerary set in stone, or do you change it?
There can be changes to the scheduled port stops and tours, which may depend on whether you are travelling upstream or downstream on the Mekong and the water levels in the river’s upper reaches. Your booking expert can discuss this with you when you make your reservation. Sometimes, changes are made when the vessel has sailed, and these are at the discretion of the ship’s captain.
I have restricted mobility. Will this affect my cruise on the Mekong?
The shore excursions vary; some are walking tours, but not all. Your booking adviser can discuss this with you when you make your reservation. Riviera Travel always strives to include a variety of excursions that vary in the amount of physical activity needed, so there is something for everyone. Always take comfortable and practical footwear, as the ground can vary at some of the archaeological attractions.
Do I need a visa to cruise the Mekong River?
Passengers need a valid passport and a visa as this cruise travels through Vietnam and Cambodia. Apply for your visa in the UK; the government website also includes helpful information about vaccinations and travel safety to these countries. When you book your cruise with Riviera Travel, details on how to apply for a visa will accompany your booking confirmation.
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