Vietnam Erlebnisreise und Mekong Flusskreuzfahrt

1. Tag: Hanoi

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.

Optional Activities:
Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre Performance
6USD per person. Watch a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show with beautiful live music and intricate puppets dancing in a water stage.

Tran Quoc Pagoda Visit
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.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum Visit
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.

2. Tag: Hanoi - Halong Bucht

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. 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. In the evening, devour a seafood dinner, then opt to enjoy a drink on deck under the stars.

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.

Optional Activities:
Kayaking
10USD per person. Transfer from boat to kayak in this guided water tour, giving you the chance to get even closer to the stunning natural surroundings.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Halong Bay Overnight Cruise

3. Tag: Halong - Hue

Cruise back to the port and take a private van to Hanoi. Enjoy some time in the city before an overnight train to Hue. Enjoy breakfast on board before a morning sail back to the port. Drive back to Hanoi for a little more time to enjoy the city before boarding an overnight train.

4. Tag: Hue

Guided tour of the Imperial Citadel, Royal Tomb and Tien Mu Pagoda. 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 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. 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.

Experience the city from the back of a motorbike - like the locals do - when you pre-book the optional Hue Motorbike Tour on the checkout page. 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.

Optional Activities:
Hue Motorbike Tour
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, making a Vietnamese conical hat, sipping on fresh green tea with a local family, learning to plough and make rice, and seeing the most iconic local sights. Don’t forget to bring your camera!

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Tien Mu Pagoda Visit
Imperial Citadel Tour
Royal Tombs Visit

5. Tag: Hue - Hoi An

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.

6-7. Tag: Hoi An

Spend two full days exploring 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 supported project. Spend a free day exploring all Hoi An has to offer.

Optional Activities:
Hoi An Cooking Class
30USD per person. 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!

Bike Rental
Rent a bike from a local shop and head out to explore.

My Son Excursion
30USD per person. 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.

Tailor Shops
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.

Thu Bon River Boat Trip
12USD per person. 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.

8. Tag: Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City

Fly from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City with free time to explore this hectic 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.

9. Tag: Ho Chi Minh City

Enjoy a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels and learn more about the Vietnam War. 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. 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.

Optional Activities:
Thien Hau Pagoda Visit
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.

Giac Vien Pagoda Visit
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.

Ben Thanh Market
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.

Reunification Palace Entry
2USD per person. 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.

Cholon Visit
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.

War Remnants Museum Visit
2USD per person. 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.

Dam Sen Water Park Visit
4USD per person. 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.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Cu Chi Tunnels Guided Tour

10. Tag: Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho

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.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Riverboat Welcome Meeting

11. Tag: My Tho - Sadek

Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda with a short tour of My Tho town en route. 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.

Continue on to Cai Be and enjoy a visit to the floating market. 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. 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.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Coconut Manufacturing Visit
Cai Be Floating Market Visit
Vĩnh Trang Pagoda Visit

12. Tag: Sadek - Xa Vinh Xong

Visit the Kien An Cung Pagoda in Sa Dec and stroll through the market along the river. 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.

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. Travel to Sam Mountain by private vehicle and enjoy views of the surrounding landscape from the summit. Gaze out over the rice paddies or relax in a hammock. Visit some temples and pagodas along the way. Opt for dinner in town.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Sam Mountain Visit
Sa Dec Visit

13. Tag: Xa Vinh Xong - Phnom Penh

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. 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. 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.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Phnom Penh Cyclo Tour

14. Tag: Phnom Penh

Visit the sobering S21 Museum and the Killing Fields with a local guide. 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. After lunch, use free time to visit sights like the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, or the Russian Market.

Optional Activities:
Russian Market
Visit the Russian Market for a selection of souvenir stalls along with jewellers and fabric sellers.

Royal Palace
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 and the central compound.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Choeung Ek (Killing Fields) Guided Tour
Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 Prison) Guided Tour

15. Tag: Phnom Penh - Kampong Tralach

Continue to Kampong Tralach and visit the local vihara (Buddhist monastery) and Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. 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. Opt to cycle, or ride in a tuk tuk or buffalo cart, through the village and past rice paddies to reach the monastery.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Kampong Tralach Visit

16. Tag: Kampong Tralach - Koh Chen

Sail on to Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap River. 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. 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 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. 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.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Kampong Chhnang Visit
Koh Chen Visit

17. Tag: Koh Chen - Siem Reap

Enjoy last breakfast before traveling to Siem Reap. Dinner at New Hope project. Enjoy one last breakfast on board the riverboat, then say goodbye to the crew of the Toum Tiou II. Hop into a private vehicle for an included transfer to Siem Reap. Visit the supported New Hope project for dinner and learn more about the important work being done here.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Visit New Hope project

18. Tag: Siem Reap

Sunrise at the Angkor Wat temple complex. Enjoy a tour of impressive ancient ruins with a local guide. Wake early to watch the sun rise over the magnificent Angkor Wat temple. Visit the enigmatic faces of Bayon within the walled city of Angkor Thom, and tour Ta Prohm (aka the "Tomb Raider" temple), which is slowly being swallowed by the jungle. Rise early to catch the sunrise at the Angkor Wat temple complex. Explore for a couple of hours before returning to the hotel for breakfast and checkout. Head back to the complex and continue exploring. Return to the hotel at midday where the tour ends. All onward travel must be booked after 3pm.

Enthaltene Aktivitäten:
Angkor Wat Guided Tour