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Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River Cruise

Culturally fascinating and enriching, enjoy a unique multi-layered Asian river experience with Cambodia’s pastoral peace and tranquility contrasting with the colour and vibrancy of Vietnam.

Explore the charm and diversity of Ho Chi Minh City, the intimate yet progressive Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, and cosmopolitan Siem Reap, gateway to the UNESCO-designated jungle temple complex of Angkor Wat.

Uniworld offers a variety of all-inclusive excursions to bring to life the extraordinary world of the Mekong Delta. Whether your interests are history and heritage or modern culture in 21st-century Cambodia and Vietnam, there’s something for everyone on board the Mekong Jewel.

4.5
Star Image
from 405 reviews
  • Cruise Line: Uniworld
  • Ship: Mekong Jewel
  • Duration: 14 Nights
  • Departure: Jan - Mar & Sep - Dec
£5,741pp
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Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River Cruise Itinerary

This 14-night cruise sails the Mekong River through one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. The Mekong is also a vital source of food and income and offers guests a rich, living landscape to explore. Whet your appetite with fascinating guided excursions and award-winning Asian cuisine from the comfort of luxury accommodation on the Mekong Jewel, designed to make the most of this beautiful river and create memories that last a lifetime.

Day 1

Saigon

Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon, the perfect base to explore the city at night and the famous Ben Thanh Night Market.

Day 2

Ho Chi Minh City

A fusion of ancient and modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is the location that saw the official end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the downfall of the South Vietnamese government. Visit the modern 1960s home of the then South Vietnamese President, contemporary 20th-century architecture sitting amongst older, French colonial buildings like the General Post Office designed by the same architect who built the Eiffel Tower and the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral. The guided excursion also visits a lacquer showroom to explore the craft, which has been an integral part of Vietnamese culture and history for the last seven centuries. Enjoy the tastes of Ho Chi Minh, famous for its food, a unique blend of French influences, and amazing Asian flavours.

Day 3

Ho Chi Minh City – My Tho – Tien Loi (Ben Tre)

A guided tour visits the famous Cú Chi Tunnels network on the outskirts of Saigon, begun by the Viet Minh in 1945 and then expanded by the Viet Cong in the 1960s. See where people sheltered, lived, and children were educated. Embark the Mekong Jewel in the afternoon and enjoy a delicious Vietnamese-themed dinner with a warm Asian welcome.

Day 4

Tien Loi (Ben Tre) – Vinh Long – Sa Dec

Wake up to the hustle and bustle of Mekong River life with local trading vessels busy travelling to market. There is an excursion to explore village life on the Mekong. Step aboard a traditional sampan that threads its way along this agricultural region’s backwaters and hidden canals and stops at the floating market in the harbour of Cai Be, typical of the lively and colourful trading areas of the Mekong Delta towns. Land near An Kiet House, a 19th-century royal residence, and then visit a rice factory. It’s not for nothing that the Mekong Delta is known as the country’s rice bowl. See all the different and surprising uses for rice, which are not confined to the food industry.

Day 5

Sa Dec, Gieng Island, Hong Ngu

Take to the water again in a sampan and voyage along Sa Dec’s narrow canals before heading into town to see a colourful local market. The tour visits Huynh Thuy Le House, a 19th-century property depicted in the famous novel by Marguerite Duras, ‘The Lover’, and reputedly based on her own doomed love affair with Huynh Thuy Le, after whom the house is named. Sail from Sa Dec to the serene island of Gieng, with its fascinating triangular shape and an abundance of Catholic monasteries and churches dating to the 19th century.

Day 6

Hong Ngu – Phnom Penh

Visit the local island of Hong Ngu near the Vietnam-Cambodia border with an opportunity to watch traditional scarf weavers. The featured sampan excursion focuses on daily life in the Mekong Delta as the craft wends its way amongst the floating villages that line the river’s banks. Visit a temple dedicated to Vietnam’s own religion, Cao Dai, with an impressive list of saints that might surprise you. Take a rickshaw ride to a local factory where locals hand weave baskets and mats from river reeds and see a local fish farm. The sampan carries guests to the beautiful Evergreen Island, home to traditional stilt houses. Return to the Mekong Jewel and voyage towards Cambodia and the capital city, Phnom Penh.

Day 7

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh stands at the juncture of three rivers and is a heady blend of architectural styles reflecting the significance of Cambodia’s capital and its strategic importance on three waterways. French colonial buildings mix with Khmer and contemporary structures with Buddhist temples and palaces. Take a tour in a tuk-tuk through the old French colonial boulevards and see classic Khmer architecture, including the Throne Hall, the Moonlight Pavilion, and the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha with a gold Buddha statue studded with nearly 10,000 diamonds. The excursion also includes a visit to the National Museum with some free time to enjoy the sights and sounds of this fascinating city.

Day 8

Phnom Penh – Angkor Ban

No visit to Phnom Penh can ignore the reign of the Khmer Rouge. On a fascinating and sobering excursion, guests visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which documents the brutality of Pol Pot’s totalitarian regime responsible for the death of nearly two million Cambodians who died between 1975 and 1979. This is a tour of profound memories.

Day 9

Angkor Ban – Wat Hanchey- Kampong Cham

What a difference a day makes! Sail into Cambodia’s bright and hopeful future with an excursion to a local school and a chance to interact with young children keen to practice their English. Next is Wat Hanchye, a beautiful temple complex on a hilltop overlooking the Mekong with stunning views and a chance to appreciate the enormity and scale of this river. With a mix of ancient and contemporary architecture, experience a traditional water blessing from the local Buddhist monks, a true gift from Cambodia. Dine on-board with a chance to savour authentic Cambodian fare.

Day 10

Kampong Cham – Siem Reap

Disembark the Mekong Jewel and take a luxury motorcoach to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor, a legendary archaeological site. Guests check into the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort for three nights. Join a guided excursion by remork (tuk-tuk) and explore the streets of Siem Reap with visits to artisan workshops, part of this town’s thriving arts scene. See performers learning the incredible art of traditional Apsara dance and watch traditional crafts like hand-carving in wood, stone, and lacquer work.

Day 11

Siem Reap

Explore the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, a vast religious complex now a UNESCO World-Heritage Site. A remnant of the ancient Khmer Empire, this is the largest religious monument in the world, and its sheer size and majesty are just breathtaking. There are also two Masterpiece Collection experiences on offer. One is the Khmer Culinary School, where guests can learn to create traditional Khmer dishes, and the other is a deep dive into the world of the Phare performers, a mix of theatre, music, and dance that documents Cambodian folklore.

Day 12

Siem Reap

Guests enjoy two excursions. The first is to see the spectacular remains of Angkor Thom, the 12th-century royal city. The ruins are on an incredible scale and include the pyramidal temple of Bayon with its enormous carved heads. Next, journey to the jungle temple of Ta Prohm, an untouched relic since its discovery. Not for nothing is this site called the jungle temple as the jungle has reclaimed the ruins to create a truly magical environment where trees grow out of stone walls and roofs. The last temple on the tour is the unfinished temple of Ta Keo, left incomplete after a lightning strike, a bad omen. The day is rounded off with a lavish dinner and Apsara dance show. There is also the option of a Masterpiece Collection experience where early risers can enjoy the sunrise at Bakheng Hill overlooking the gates of Angkor Wat, followed by a truly memorable morning gondola ride amongst the ruins accessed by a small baray.

Day 13

Siem Reap – Hanoi

Enjoy free time in Siem Reap before flying to Hanoi. For the adventurous, there is a Masterpiece Collection experience Quad Bike Tour travelling rural villages and rice paddy fields after a short course of instruction. See water buffalos, visit a local market, and see sights and sounds usually hidden from the gaze of tourists.

Day 14

Hanoi

Explore what is widely believed to be Asia’s most beautiful city on an insightful tour that touches all aspects of Hanoi’s history. Experience the cool, tree-lined boulevards and the tranquillity of the beautiful gardens and pavilions of Vietnam’s first University. Step back in time in one of the dingy cells of Hoa Lo, also called the Hanoi Hilton, a French colonial building used to house American pilots as prisoners during the Vietnam War. Hanoi is cosmopolitan, with a lively centre offering a real mix of modern Vietnam with heritage and history.

Day 15

Hanoi

Depart Hanoi.

Day 1

Hanoi

Depart Hanoi.

Day 2

Hanoi

Explore what is widely believed to be Asia’s most beautiful city on an insightful tour that touches all aspects of Hanoi’s history. Experience the cool, tree-lined boulevards and the tranquillity of the beautiful gardens and pavilions of Vietnam’s first University. Step back in time in one of the dingy cells of Hoa Lo, also called the Hanoi Hilton, a French colonial building used to house American pilots as prisoners during the Vietnam War. Hanoi is cosmopolitan, with a lively centre offering a real mix of modern Vietnam with heritage and history.

Day 3

Siem Reap – Hanoi

Enjoy free time in Siem Reap before flying to Hanoi. For the adventurous, there is a Masterpiece Collection experience Quad Bike Tour travelling rural villages and rice paddy fields after a short course of instruction. See water buffalos, visit a local market, and see sights and sounds usually hidden from the gaze of tourists.

Day 4

Siem Reap

Guests enjoy two excursions. The first is to see the spectacular remains of Angkor Thom, the 12th-century royal city. The ruins are on an incredible scale and include the pyramidal temple of Bayon with its enormous carved heads. Next, journey to the jungle temple of Ta Prohm, an untouched relic since its discovery. Not for nothing is this site called the jungle temple as the jungle has reclaimed the ruins to create a truly magical environment where trees grow out of stone walls and roofs. The last temple on the tour is the unfinished temple of Ta Keo, left incomplete after a lightning strike, a bad omen. The day is rounded off with a lavish dinner and Apsara dance show. There is also the option of a Masterpiece Collection experience where early risers can enjoy the sunrise at Bakheng Hill overlooking the gates of Angkor Wat, followed by a truly memorable morning gondola ride amongst the ruins accessed by a small baray.

Day 5

Siem Reap

Explore the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, a vast religious complex now a UNESCO World-Heritage Site. A remnant of the ancient Khmer Empire, this is the largest religious monument in the world, and its sheer size and majesty are just breathtaking. There are also two Masterpiece Collection experiences on offer. One is the Khmer Culinary School, where guests can learn to create traditional Khmer dishes, and the other is a deep dive into the world of the Phare performers, a mix of theatre, music, and dance that documents Cambodian folklore.

Day 6

Kampong Cham – Siem Reap

Disembark the Mekong Jewel and take a luxury motorcoach to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor, a legendary archaeological site. Guests check into the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort for three nights. Join a guided excursion by remork (tuk-tuk) and explore the streets of Siem Reap with visits to artisan workshops, part of this town’s thriving arts scene. See performers learning the incredible art of traditional Apsara dance and watch traditional crafts like hand-carving in wood, stone, and lacquer work.

Day 7

Angkor Ban – Wat Hanchey- Kampong Cham

What a difference a day makes! Sail into Cambodia’s bright and hopeful future with an excursion to a local school and a chance to interact with young children keen to practice their English. Next is Wat Hanchye, a beautiful temple complex on a hilltop overlooking the Mekong with stunning views and a chance to appreciate the enormity and scale of this river. With a mix of ancient and contemporary architecture, experience a traditional water blessing from the local Buddhist monks, a true gift from Cambodia. Dine on-board with a chance to savour authentic Cambodian fare.

Day 8

Phnom Penh – Angkor Ban

No visit to Phnom Penh can ignore the reign of the Khmer Rouge. On a fascinating and sobering excursion, guests visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which documents the brutality of Pol Pot’s totalitarian regime responsible for the death of nearly two million Cambodians who died between 1975 and 1979. This is a tour of profound memories.

Day 9

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh stands at the juncture of three rivers and is a heady blend of architectural styles reflecting the significance of Cambodia’s capital and its strategic importance on three waterways. French colonial buildings mix with Khmer and contemporary structures with Buddhist temples and palaces. Take a tour in a tuk-tuk through the old French colonial boulevards and see classic Khmer architecture, including the Throne Hall, the Moonlight Pavilion, and the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha with a gold Buddha statue studded with nearly 10,000 diamonds. The excursion also includes a visit to the National Museum with some free time to enjoy the sights and sounds of this fascinating city.

Day 10

Hong Ngu – Phnom Penh

Visit the local island of Hong Ngu near the Vietnam-Cambodia border with an opportunity to watch traditional scarf weavers. The featured sampan excursion focuses on daily life in the Mekong Delta as the craft wends its way amongst the floating villages that line the river’s banks. Visit a temple dedicated to Vietnam’s own religion, Cao Dai, with an impressive list of saints that might surprise you. Take a rickshaw ride to a local factory where locals hand weave baskets and mats from river reeds and see a local fish farm. The sampan carries guests to the beautiful Evergreen Island, home to traditional stilt houses. Return to the Mekong Jewel and voyage towards Cambodia and the capital city, Phnom Penh.

Day 11

Sa Dec, Gieng Island, Hong Ngu

Take to the water again in a sampan and voyage along Sa Dec’s narrow canals before heading into town to see a colourful local market. The tour visits Huynh Thuy Le House, a 19th-century property depicted in the famous novel by Marguerite Duras, ‘The Lover’, and reputedly based on her own doomed love affair with Huynh Thuy Le, after whom the house is named. Sail from Sa Dec to the serene island of Gieng, with its fascinating triangular shape and an abundance of Catholic monasteries and churches dating to the 19th century.

Day 12

Tien Loi (Ben Tre) – Vinh Long – Sa Dec

Wake up to the hustle and bustle of Mekong River life with local trading vessels busy travelling to market. There is an excursion to explore village life on the Mekong. Step aboard a traditional sampan that threads its way along this agricultural region’s backwaters and hidden canals and stops at the floating market in the harbour of Cai Be, typical of the lively and colourful trading areas of the Mekong Delta towns. Land near An Kiet House, a 19th-century royal residence, and then visit a rice factory. It’s not for nothing that the Mekong Delta is known as the country’s rice bowl. See all the different and surprising uses for rice, which are not confined to the food industry.

Day 13

Ho Chi Minh City – My Tho – Tien Loi (Ben Tre)

A guided tour visits the famous Cú Chi Tunnels network on the outskirts of Saigon, begun by the Viet Minh in 1945 and then expanded by the Viet Cong in the 1960s. See where people sheltered, lived, and children were educated. Embark the Mekong Jewel in the afternoon and enjoy a delicious Vietnamese-themed dinner with a warm Asian welcome.

Day 14

Ho Chi Minh City

A fusion of ancient and modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is the location that saw the official end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the downfall of the South Vietnamese government. Visit the modern 1960s home of the then South Vietnamese President, contemporary 20th-century architecture sitting amongst older, French colonial buildings like the General Post Office designed by the same architect who built the Eiffel Tower and the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral. The guided excursion also visits a lacquer showroom to explore the craft, which has been an integral part of Vietnamese culture and history for the last seven centuries. Enjoy the tastes of Ho Chi Minh, famous for its food, a unique blend of French influences, and amazing Asian flavours.

Day 15

Saigon

Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon, the perfect base to explore the city at night and the famous Ben Thanh Night Market.

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong Cruise Ships

Mekong Jewel

This ship’s focus is anchored towards eco-friendly living. Constructed with sustainable materials, this vessel still provides Uniworld’s signature levels of comfort, with on-board lounges, pool, spa, sauna, steam room and many more modern conveniences.

Debuted 2020
Max. Capacity of 68 Guests
34 Cabins

Trustpilot Reviews

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River Cruise Deals

Experience the Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River with Crui.se

14 Nights
Jan Mar
Sep Dec

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & The Mekong

  • Saigon
  • Ho Chi Minh City
  • Ho Chi Minh City – My Tho – Tien Loi (Ben Tre)
  • Tien Loi (Ben Tre) – Vinh Long – Sa Dec
  • Sa Dec, Gieng Island, Hong Ngu
  • Hong Ngu – Phnom Penh
  • Phnom Penh
  • Phnom Penh – Angkor Ban
  • Angkor Ban – Wat Hanchey- Kampong Cham
  • Kampong Cham – Siem Reap
  • Siem Reap
  • Siem Reap – Hanoi
  • Hanoi
£5,741pp Est. Price per person
  • Mekong Jewel  

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong Cruise Review

“This was a double first for us, first-time cruisers and first time in these countries, and wow, what an experience! Because of the water network and because locals are so dependent on the river for food and income, so much activity is concentrated on the riverbanks – it’s not just beautiful scenery but life unfolding right in front of your eyes. Experienced fellow cruisers said this was one of the most memorable cruises they had been on. The Mekong Jewel was luxurious, and the food and hospitality five star”

Ben and Gemma, Uxbridge

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong FAQ

Find answers to some of the most common questions about river cruising here.

My diet is restricted. The Mekong Jewel is famed for its Asian cuisine, but can the chefs cater to my requirements?

The Mekong Jewel always offers a range of cuisines, including vegetarian and vegan options, with the flexibility to meet the dietary demands of different passengers.
Our gourmet chefs prepare delicious menus daily using fresh produce and will happily create dishes with ingredients that suit your needs. Discuss your requirements with our friendly booking team.

Should I have a Covid vaccination before I travel?

Our reservations team will discuss vaccination protocols with you when you book. We recommend that all travellers are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 in line with our on-board staff. Uniworld follows WHO (World Health Organisation) guidance on the latest protocols and local and regional requirements in the countries we sail through. Our advice is always up-to-date, and we stay in touch with travellers should things change before your cruise.

Are visas required to travel through Cambodia and Vietnam?

Visas are required – we’ll talk you through the basics when you book, but you will be responsible for arranging your own visas in your home country. Always allow plenty of time before your cruise departure date, as visa applications take longer to process during busy times of the year.

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