DAY 12 – BEN TRE
This morning, you’ll cruise through the bustling Cho Gao canal, one of the major arterial canals of Vietnam connecting Tien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll be fascinated watching the heavy commercial traffic navigate this important waterway, where upwards of 1,800 vessels transit each day.
Once on the Mekong River, this afternoon you’ll visit the Tan My Floating community followed by a ride through local plantations to visit a mushroom farm, a fruit farm with sampling and a honey farm with local sweets. Later, you’ll sail onwards to Sa Ðéc, a Mekong Delta hidden gem.
Included Excursion: Visit the Thoi Binh hamlet and its farming and fishing communities that is untouched by tourism
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mekong Delta
DAY 13 – SA DEC to MY AN HUNG
After a short sampan ride to Sa Ðéc, enjoy a walking tour with a visit to the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired Marguerite Duras’ celebrated novel, L’Amant, and the town’s bustling central market.
Return to Emerald Harmony by sampan, then sail on to My An Hung Island. Recognised as a cultural and historical destination, this small rural village specialises in cultivating red-hot chilli and peppers and is known for its Monkey Bridge. As part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, listen to local folk singing during your visit.
Included Excursion: A visit to My An Hung village and its Monkey Bridge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 14 – GIENG ISLAND to AN LONG
Known as ‘Mango Island,’ Cu Lao Gieng is a small, scenic island untouched by tourism, located along the upper Mekong River. Travel by local motorcycle rickshaw through the island’s villages to visit families who work in a variety of local industries including Mango farming, different types of boat building and a factory making incense sticks for temples.
The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure on board, or alternatively, partake in a DiscoverMORE excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in An Long. As part of our EmeraldPLUS experience, you’ll delight in a traditional Lion Dance performance on board.
Included Excursion: See the local industries in Gieng Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 15 – VIETNAM / CAMBODIA BORDER CROSSING
Embark on a sampan ride to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village, giving you a glimpse into the lives of the local farming community. Reboard your sampan and return to Tan Chau and as part of our EmeraldPLUS experience, visit the local Cao Dai Temple. Cao Dai is a syncretic, monotheistic religion established in Tây Ninh, southern Vietnam, in 1926. At the temple, learn more about this fascinating and complex religion. Afterwards, ride in a Xe Loi (local form of cyclo) back to your sampan before returning to Emerald Harmony. Back on board your Star-Ship, you’ll sail to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Included Excursion: A visit to Evergreen Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Cambodia
DAY 16 – PHNOM PENH
This morning, you’ll awake in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Known as the ‘Pearl of Asia,’ the city was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. Today, you’ll learn about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of Cambodia’s history. A short drive will take you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek, where you’ll have the opportunity to stroll through the fields, visit the memorial and understand more about this country’s sombre chapter.
Afterwards, visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as ‘S-21’), a former school converted to the Khmer Rouge’s main prison and torture HQ. Spend the afternoon as you please, either exploring our DiscoverMORE excursions, visiting the Central Market located in the heart of Phnom Penh, or simply relaxing on board Emerald Harmony.
This evening, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy a remork (local Tuk-Tuk) tour through Phnom Penh to admire the city lights.
Included Excursion: Killing Fields at Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 17 – PHNOM PENH
Located north of Phnom Penh, Oudong was the former royal capital of Cambodia until it relocated to Phnom Penh in 1866. Start your day with a visit to the Oudong Monastery and Temples. Important remnants here include the burial sites of Khmer kings as well as religious artefacts dating back more than a century. In Oudong Monastery’s main temple, receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the resident monks, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience.
In the afternoon, you’ll visit the majestic Royal Palace, with its French-inspired gardens and Silver Pagoda. Back on board, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation. Afterwards, make the short sail to Prek K’Dam, gliding past Phnom Penh illuminated at night.
Included Excursion: A visit to the Royal Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Owner’s Suite
DAY 18 – PREK K’DAM DISEMBARKATION to SIEM REAP
Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning and continue by road to Siem Reap for your included three-night stay. Stay at the beautiful Shinta Mani, a deluxe boutique property of world-class design that takes great care in honouring the environment and paying homage to the traditional and local aesthetics.
This evening as part of your EmeraldPLUS programme, attend Phare, The Cambodian Circus, where a combination of acrobatics, music and dance tell a uniquely Cambodian story. Take advantage of our DiscoverMORE dinner at the circus to further support Phare’s work.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 19 – SIEM REAP
Today, start with a visit to Angkor Thom, not a single temple such as the historic sites it neighbours, but rather one of the most remarkable royal cities of the Angkor Period and an architectural wonder. As the last capital of the Khmer Empire, it was a fortified city, home to priests, officials of the palace, military and buildings for administering the kingdom.
Afterwards, visit the sacred Temple of Ta Prohm. In an incredible standoff between human creation and nature, the jungle’s root systems have reclaimed this spiritual location now enshrouded in wild vegetation. The backdrop to many Hollywood scenes, the incredible Ta Prohm is both a cinematic and contemplative location. This evening is free to visit ‘Pub Street’ or try a DiscoverMORE option.
Included Excursion: Visit to Angkor Thom / Visit to Ta Prohm Temple
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 20 – SIEM REAP
Witness a mesmerising sunrise over Angkor Wat. Afterwards, walk through this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, renowned for its intricate carvings. This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to explore the town, or join a DiscoverMORE excursion. Later, as part of your EmeraldPLUS experience, enjoy an immersive evening and farewell dinner at Satcha Handicraft Centre, accompanied by an Apsara dance performance.
Included Excursion: Sunrise visit to Angkor Wat
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 21 – SIEM REAP to LUANG PRABANG
After breakfast, transfer to the Siem Reap Airport to catch your onward flight to Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. Enjoy a three-night Special Stay. Later walk to the top of Luang Prabang’s highest mountain, Mount Phousi and watch the sunset over this historical town.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 22 – LUANG PRABANG
Today visit the city’s main sites including Wat Xieng Thong, one of the most important and oldest temples in Laos, Wat Mai, the city’s largest temple and the former Royal Palace, now converted into the National Museum. Later, enjoy a 2-hour cruise along the Mekong River to explore the Pak Ou Caves (locally called Tam Ting) flooded with thousands of gold Buddha statue buried within a limestone cliff. This well-known attraction is a must-see in Laos.
When returning by road, stop at a village to partake in a local game with the villagers. Tonight is yours at leisure leaving you with free time to shop in the well-known night market for those gifts to take back home.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 23 – LUANG PRABANG
A truly beautiful and empowering moment awaits upon the streets of Luang Prabang. Rise early to attend the morning ritual and admire the silent movements of the local monks as they collect their daily alms. Afterwards return to the hotel for breakfast before heading out for the day. Travel to Kuang Si waterfalls, a set of picturesque, tiered waterfalls and swimming holes set amongst the dense jungle before returning to Luang Prabang for lunch.
Later this afternoon as part of your EmeraldPLUS program immerse yourself in local spirituality during a traditional Baci ceremony and pay respects to ancient traditions of Laos. The Baci is performed in celebration of an important event such as weddings, births, or for welcoming guests and is a means of expressing good will and good luck to others. The Lao believe that each person has 32 spirits which constitute their spiritual essence and the Baci is the ritual used to call back any escaped spirits into the body. During the Baci, special flower trays and food treats are prepared which you then touch while a Buddhist mantra is chanted. After the chanting is completed, cotton threads are tied around your wrist whilst you receive an individual blessing.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 24 – LUANG PRABANG to BANGKOK
Bid farewell to Laos and join your included flight to Bangkok, Thailand, where your journey ends on arrival.
Please book your flight to depart out of Bangkok after 07:00 PM.
This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above.
Meals Included: Breakfast
