Cruise Description

This 7-day pre-cruise program lets you discover the capital, Hanoi, as well as thousand-year-old pagodas, lakes and historical monuments. Set out on an unforgettable cruise on the legendary Halong Bay among the fantastically formed islands, crags, and cliffs. You will also visit the essential sites in two Vietnamese provinces formerly known as Annam and Tonkin.

Day 1
Full-day included excursion: Ho Chi Minh City and its mausoleum. Traditional water puppetry show. Night at the hotel.

Day 2
We’ll leave early in the morning for Halong Bay (approx. 3.5 hours travel time).We’ll be welcomed aboard and enjoy a cocktail.We'll cruise in Halong Bay.We'll spend the night on board.

Day 3
Tai Chi class on deck. Included excursion: visit of one of the largest caves of the bay. We'll cruise in Halong Bay. Disembarking and trip back to Hanoi. You’ll take a flight to Hue. Night at the hotel.

Day 4
Full-day included excursion: the tombs of Khai Dinh and Tu Duc, the Tu Hieu Pagoda, the Imperial City and the Dong Ba Market. Night at the hotel.

Day 5
Full-day included excursion: the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, the village of Kim Long and the Museum of Cham Sculpture. Night at the hotel.

Day 6
Full-day included excursion: My Son, Hoi An for lunch and a visit of the city and the Fujian Assembly Hall. Night at the hotel.

Day 7
You’ll take a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Included excursion: tour of the city, its hectic market and the Thien Hau temple. You’ll then be transferred to our ship. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll spend the night on the ship.

Day 8
Included excursions: - The Cu Chi tunnels - The Museum of Vietnamese History We’ll then begin to cruise to the splendid Cho Gao canal. We’ll spend the night on board.

Day 9
Passage through the Cho Gao Canal. Included excursions: - Visit of a bee farm and tasting - Ride in small sampans along the canal lined - Discovery of a brick and pottery factory, a fruit-tree nursery, puffed riced, rice-paper wrappers, and rice alcohol* We’ll spend the night on board.

Day 10
Visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover on. After our excursion, enjoy some free time in Sa Dec. We’ll return on board and cast off as you sit down to lunch. Our ship will begin to cruise to Cambodia. We’ll spend the night on board.

Day 11
Included excursion: visit of a local fish farm, the Tay An Pagoda and the Ba Chua Xu Temple. We’ll arrive in Phnom Penh in the evening. Included excursion: brief tour of Phnom Penh by "tuk-tuk." We’ll spend the night on board.

Day 12
Full-day included excursion: - The Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda - The National Museum - The Tuol Svay Prey School, a former detention, torture, and execution center run by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war We’ll return to the ship and enjoy a performance of classical Khmer dancing and music. The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please. We’ll spend the night on board.

Day 13
Included excursion: visit of a small village where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work.We’ll head to Kampong Tralach.Included excursion: the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda in ox carts or in "tuk-tuk".We’ll spend the night on board.

Day 14
Included excursion: Kampong Chhnang and tasting. We’ll cruise to Tonle Sap Lake. We’ll spend the night on board.

Day 15
Disembark, road(1) to Siem Reap and discovery of traditional villagesOrMorning cruise(2) through Tonle Lake and disembarkAfter, we'll visit the Angkor Wat temple.Enjoy a stroll through the Angkor Night Market.Night at the hotel.

Day 16
Visit of the Senteurs d'Angkor (closed on Sundays).We’ll end the day with Phare, the Cambodian circus.Night at the hotel.

Day 17
Included excursion: the Ta Prohm temple, Angkor Thom, the grounds of the former Royal Palace, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.We’ll bid you farewell at approximately 2:00 p.m. Please do not book your flight before 5:00 p.m.