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This trip is for travel prior to July 2020. Traveling after July 2020? click here.
Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities today until an evening welcome meeting. After the meeting, opt for dinner out with the group.
Please note, if you would like to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum it is only open from 7:30 - 10:30 AM and closed on Mondays and Fridays.
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam located on the eastern shore of Tay Ho. Learn about Tran Quoc's history from the 17th-century stela found on site. View it later in the day, if you can – the tall structure is striking against the setting sun.
Tour the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum built in the square where Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in 1945. Get in line to tour the grounds; queues of visitors come to pay their respects daily.
Watch a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show with beautiful live music and intricate puppets dancing in a water stage. The price listed above is for a VIP seat.
Enjoy a Ha Long Bay cruise on a junk boat with visits to a cave and an island lookout. Savour a seafood lunch and dinner.
Drive to Bai Chay harbour, the jumping off point for Ha Long Bay. Thousands of islands with intricate cave systems rise dramatically from the waters. Sail past limestone karst mountains in the junk boat and stop to visit some of the islands and caves.
In the evening, devour a seafood dinner, then opt to enjoy a drink on deck under the stars.
Climb aboard and make friends with your seatmate en route to the next stop.
Skim across the water aboard this iconic traditional Asian sailboat.
Board a traditional junk boat at Ha Long Bay harbour and cruise out onto serene waters. Marvel at massive limestone karst mountains jutting out of the water, creating unforgettable spectacular scenery. Swim, kayak or go cave exploring on one of the islands, if conditions are right. Indulge in fresh seafood meals with a variety of dishes to sample. Drift to sleep in a cozy cabin on board.
On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.
Transfer from boat to kayak in this guided water tour, giving you the chance to get even closer to the stunning natural surroundings.
Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board before sailing back to the port and return to Hanoi. Enjoy some time in the city before an overnight train to Hue.
Interested in local cuisine? Opt to pre-book the "Hanoi Foodie Culture Tour" activity on the checkout page to include this optional on your tour.
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Spend a few hours exploring this beautiful capital city. Visit some shops, have a bia hoi on a street corner or grab a coffee in a lakeside café.
Drive about 15 mins to the station and then board the southbound train for the overnight journey.
Indulge your inner foodie with a street food tour through bustling Hanoi. Follow your guide through the back streets and markets of the city’s old quarter, sampling local fare along the way. Mingle with city natives and experienced street food artists alike, as you taste a variety of Hanoi faves like “nem ran” and “banh goi.” Stop at a streetside bar to savour a draught beer like Hanoians do. Cap off the tour at the Hanoi Food Culture restaurant, a G Values Fund Project, and try the city’s signature specialty coffee.
Pull into Hue early in the morning and dive right into the city, starting with a guided tour of the Imperial Citadel, Royal Tomb and Tien Mu Pagoda. The rest of the day, you are free to explore the city how you'd like.
Arrive early to Hue, once the imperial capital of Vietnam. Start the day with a visit to the Tien Mu Pagoda followed by a visit to the tomb of one of Vietnam’s former emperors. After, opt for a vegetarian lunch at a local nunnery.
While in the city, try some local Hue specialties such as banh khoai (Hue savoury pancakes), and banh bot loc boc tom thit (thin rice paper filled with meat and shrimp). Wash it all down with a Hue beer.
Opt to pre-book the "Hue Motorbike Tour" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Visit Tien Mu, one of the tallest and, perhaps, most elegant pagodas in Vietnam, at seven storeys high. Take a step back in time touring this historic temple - built more than 400 years ago along the north shore of the Perfume River, it has been the site of many political protests.
Tour this one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China's Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War.
Visit the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. Embracing the concept of Feng Shui, these tombs are extremely ornate and provide fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers.
Grab a helmet, hop on a motorbike driven by your experienced local guide, and get ready for a crash course in authentic Viet culture. Spend the next four hours exploring the stalls of a local market, admiring the view of the Perfume River, learning to plough and make rice, creating your own incense sticks, and seeing the most iconic local sights. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
Drive the Hai Van pass. Take advantage of Hoi An's many options over the 2.5 days in town. Opt for a cooking class, riverboat trip, bike ride, beach time, tailor visit or My Son ruins.
Cross the Hai Van Pass (weather permitting), with fantastic views in all directions, before arriving to Hoi An in the afternoon.
With three nights here, there's plenty of time to explore all this charming town has to offer.
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Use free time in this quaint town to explore any way you like.
Explore all Hoi An has to offer. Dive into the culture, hang out on the beach or get clothes tailor-made in one of the many shops around town. Enjoy a noodle making demonstration and lunch at Oodles of Noodles, a G Adventures-supported project.
Try some of the oodles of noodles (more than 26 types!) available in the city in this tasty cooking class. Run by our G for Good partners, STREETS International, this class was developed exclusively for G Adventures. Former street youth that are part of this hospitality training program, will help you prepare and cook a number of different types of noodles. This program helps these youth practice their English, increasing their skill-set and opportunities available to them in the tourism industry. Enjoy your yummy creations while learning more about the local cuisine and this initiative which empowers street youth through skills and employment training.
Explore this charming city.
Rent a bike from a local shop and head out to explore.
Go home with some new (handmade!) clothes from one of Hoi An’s famous tailor shops. Walk the streets lined with hundreds of local shops that turn out gorgeous suits, dresses, winter coats, shoes, purses – almost anything – in a day's time to create next season's wardrobe.
The Thu Bon River plays an important part in Hoi An's history and culture. Take a trip down the Thu Bon by river boat for an alternative tour of the city.
Stroll through the narrow winding streets of Hoi An’s old town to see Chinese assembly halls, ancestral homes, The Japanese Covered Bridge, and well-preserved pagodas on this self-guided tour. Opt to try local delicacies and fusion food at one of the restaurants for which Hoi An is becoming famous.
Travel approximately one hour from Hoi An to arrive at My Son. Tour these Hindu temples built between the fourth and 14th centuries; the site is widely accepted as one of the most important Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. Learn about the architectural style and history of a site that’s often compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Burma. Please note this optional activity is a half-day and includes a guide, transportation, and the entrance fee.
Spend a free day exploring all Hoi An has to offer.
Enjoy free time in this charming town.
The Thu Bon River plays an important part in Hoi An's history and culture. Take a trip down the Thu Bon by river boat for an alternative tour of the city.
Travel approximately one hour from Hoi An to arrive at My Son. Tour these Hindu temples built between the fourth and 14th centuries; the site is widely accepted as one of the most important Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. Learn about the architectural style and history of a site that’s often compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Burma. Please note this optional activity is a half-day and includes a guide, transportation, and the entrance fee.
Take a cooking class to learn more about Vietnamese food and its distinct flavours. Tour the local market to buy fresh ingredients before preparing some popular regional dishes. Enjoy your creations when you're done!
Fly from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City with free time to explore this hectic and amazing city.
Drive to Da Nang for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, once the capital of South Vietnam and the country’s commercial centre. Start exploring the small alleys and busy streets, keeping an eye out for laquerware shops and delicious local food stalls.
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Enjoy a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels and learn more about the Vietnam War. Use free time in the afternoon to explore sprawling Ho Chi Minh City.
With some free time in the city, opt to visit the Thien Hau and Giac Vien pagodas and stroll through the immense Ben Thanh Market. Also well worth a visit are the Reunification Palace (the residence of South Vietnam presidents before 1975), the city's Chinese quarter of Cholon, and the War Remnants Museum.
Take a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. Try crawling through some of the tunnels (if you’re not claustrophobic). These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces.
Get out and explore this frenetic city.
Wander this bustling market for more insight into Ho Chi Minh City. Pick up souvenirs, sample local cuisine, and experience local living. Learn a little history along the way; Ben Thanh started as a cluster of street vendors selling wares by the Saigon River, and was formalized into a true market in 1859.
Take in the busy rhythm of daily life in Cholon, the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City. Tour the area full of teahouses, pagodas, and people, and learn a little more about the unique culture within the city.
Visit the Thien Hau Pagoda, a beautiful temple in the Chinatown district of Ho Chi Minh City. Learn more about the customs associated with this 19th-century monument – it is dedicated to the goddess Thien Hau (the 'Lady of the Sea') who is worshipped in Chinese communities throughout Asia by those who depend on the sea for their livelihoods.
Get away from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City at this nearby water park. A lush setting and refreshing water make Dam Sen the perfect place for the whole family to cool off and have some fun—splash around or take a ride down one of the slides.
Find this hidden pagoda behind some small alleyways – it’s a rare treat of a monument that has been spared the over-restoration that has been done to so many temples. Tour the inside of this 18th-century pagoda to see nearly 100 carvings of divine beings.
Wander the historic halls of the Reunification Palace (Independence Palace), a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City. This former home of the South Vietnamese president during the Vietnam War became the location of the end of the war when a North Vietnamese tank pushed through the palace gates on April 30, 1975.
Visit the War Remnants Museum, a gut-wrenching but worthwhile experience that includes three storeys of exhibits and military hardware. Learn about the devastation that occurred in Saigon during the Vietnam War, a period that greatly contrasts the joy and liveliness of the Vietnamese people today.
Transfer to the pier for the start of the riverboat journey. Embark, settle in, and get to know the crew as the adventure begins. Sail towards My Tho.
Meet in the lobby of our accommodation at 12:00pm for the transfer to the starting point of the riverboat journey.
Welcome aboard! It's time to meet the crew and get some information about the cruise.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda with a short tour of My Tho town en route. Take local boats to Thoi Son Island to see a coconut product manufacturer, taste some local fruit and honey and meet traditional musicians. Continue on to Cai Be and enjoy a visit to the floating market. Opt to wander the small paths through local communities on the island and visit a Rice Popping cottage industry. Continue by local boat to Vinh Long to meet the vessel. Embark for the evening sail to Sa Dec.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Local boats will pull up alongside the Toum Tiou II to pick up the group and whisk everyone off to cruise around Cai Be Floating Market. Navigating the narrow Island canals is a unique experience, as the bustling market surrounds the boats.
Explore the buddhist temple of Vĩnh Tràng. Known for its enormous buddha statues and peaceful surroundings. The monks here maintain an an ornate, gilded wood sanctuary, and tend to the impressive gardens.
Take local boats to Thoi Son Island to see a coconut product manufacturer, taste some local fruit and honey and meet traditional musicians.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Visit the Kien An Cung Pagoda in Sa Dec and stroll through the market along the river. View the old colonial houses by the delta. Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board as you cruise the Mekong. Arrive at Chau Doc and visit Sam Mountain for sunset. Gaze out over the rice paddies or relax in a hammock. Visit some temples and pagodas along the way. Opt for dinner in town.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Travel to Sam Mountain by private vehicle and enjoy views of the surrounding landscape from the summit.
Stroll around the Sa Dec river bank and through the Sa Dec market. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating due to its unspoiled authenticity and the fact it remains relatively undisturbed by tourists. It provides a glimpse of traditional life on the Mekong, complete with tree lined streets and fading colonial villas.
Cross the border into Cambodia and continue on to Phnom Penh. Enjoy an evening in the capital city starting with a cyclo tour to see the city from a new perspective. Opt to finish up at the Foreign Correspondents Club for Happy Hour overlooking the river or dinner in town.
During the border crossing all passengers must stay on board and the formalities are done on the riverboat. The ship will usually stay at the border for a 2-3 hours whilst all the formalities are completed. Depending on the time spent at the border, the itinerary for the afternoon may vary, although this process is usually quite simple delays can happen. Please note for visa purposes that the official name of the border in Vietnam is Son Tien border and in Cambodia it is Kaam Samnar border.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Explore Cambodia's charming capital city.
Settle in a traditional cyclo and depart from Wat Phnom. Tour busy streets to soak up the real vibe of the city. Pass the post office and Van's restaurant, both stunning colonial buildings, and make your way to the Royal Palace and National Museum. Go along the riverside road and take in the atmospheric cafes that line the street.
Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Visit the sobering S21 Museum and the Killing Fields with a local guide. After lunch, use free time to visit sights like the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, or the Russian Market.
Discover more of this dynamic city.
Learn more about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge visiting the killing fields of Choeung Ek; the grounds now stand as a powerful memorial filled with victims’ skulls and mass graves. Tour this sombre, yet serene, site with a guide.
Learn about the dark history and devastation that occurred at Security Prison 21 (S-21); the prison, used by the Khmer Rouge regime, is now Tuol Sleng Museum. Take a guided tour to hear the stories behind the sombre photos lining the museum walls.
Visit the Russian Market for a selection of souvenir stalls along with jewellers and fabric sellers.
Visit the Royal Palace, a complex of buildings where the kings of Cambodia have resided since the 1860s (except for during the reign of the Khmer Rouge). Be sure to tour the Silver Pagoda compound (aka the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and the central compound. See the many magnificent treasures inside this beautiful vihara (Buddhist monastery), including its floor lined with more 5,000 tiles of silver.
Continue to Kampong Tralach and visit the local vihara (Buddhist monastery) and Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. Opt to cycle, or ride in a tuk tuk or buffalo cart, through the village and past rice paddies to reach the monastery.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Arrive at Kampong Tralach and visit its wonderful Vihara (Buddhist Monastery) and Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. Travel through Kampong Tralach Krom village along a small road perpendicular to the river, crossing beautiful stretches of emerald rice paddies. The Vihara dates back to early last century and is home to some outstanding mural paintings. Standing isolated in the middle of the rice fields, it is a modest pagoda that receives very few international visitors, enjoy this truly unique experience.
Sail on to Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap RIver. Learn more about the fish farming, pottery and sugar palm production in the area. Wander through the local market then opt to cycle to visit the local industries.
Enjoy lunch back on the ship en route to Koh Chen, an island in the river. Visit silver and copper workshops and meet a Khmer Rouge survivor eager to tell his story.
Enjoy an evening cocktail and the Captain's farewell dinner.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Located around 56 miles from Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chhnang is a very large fishing port on the Tonlé Sap. A lot of locals make a living from fish farming, a popular occupation in this area. Kampong Chhnang is also famous for its pottery ware, the style of which has not changed much for centuries and is distributed to the rest of the country. Wander through the local market, and head out to explore a family run brick factory to watch the process. Continue to visit the locals and observe the process of hand making pottery.
Before heading back to the riverboat, explore a sugar palm farm where the Thnot tree (sugar palm) that abounds in the area is used to create a mellow tasting, caramel coloured sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine.
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Visit the small town of Koh Chen. Wander through the streets and visit family run silver and copper workshops. Watch the craftsmen and learn about the process. If possible, meet a Khmer Rouge survivor eager to share his story.
This morning, say goodbye to the crew of the Toum Tiou II Riverboat. Hop into a private vehicle for an included transfer to Siem Reap. Tour ends upon arrival. Please book onward travel after 4pm.
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with any onward travel arrangements you require.
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.