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Cruise the Mekong over 7 nights onboard RV Apsara from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap and discover Vietnam and Cambodia with Travelmarvel. Pay no solo supplement on departures in January & February 2025. Hurry, book by 31 December!
No solo supplement on select 2025 departures. Book by 31 December
RV Apsara
Joining the fleet in 2023, glide along the Mekong River on the RV Apsara, you will discover the alluring destinations of Vietnam and Cambodia in premium comfort.
Discover highlights and hidden treasures along the Mekong’s tributaries, like rural villages Tan Chau and Koh Chen which specialise in silk and copper production.
Offering amazing views, reclining loungers, a swimming pool and cold drinks from the bar, the Sun Deck is a relaxing place to soak up the sights.
Every suite aboard the RV Apsara features private indoor and outdoor balconies, so you can enjoy views along the Mekong River throughout your cruise.
Deluxe Balcony Suites feature an outside balcony and an indoor panoramic balcony. Thanks to their spacious layout, you’ll never miss a moment of the scenery.
With a prime location on the upper deck, the RV Apsara’s Sadec Balcony Suites offer a larger living space and ensuite with a bath.
The indulgent Mekong Suites feature an indoor panoramic balcony and outside balcony, a large outdoor terrace, entertainment area, king-size bed and a whirlpool spa bath.
*Advertised price based on per solo occupancy on 18 February 2025 departure. Offer valid for new bookings only until 31 December 2024, until sold out prior. Offers may be withdrawn at any time. Prices are per person (pp), AUD, and include savings and port charges where applicable. Prices correct as of 13 December 2024.
Inclusions
Seven-night Mekong River cruise aboard the RV Apsara
Services of a Travelmarvel Tour Leader and expert English-speaking local guides
21 meals - 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinners, plus select international wine and local beer included with lunch and dinner on board your Mekong River cruise
Explore the agricultural Koh Pen Island by tuk tuk
Receive a traditional Buddhist blessing by monks in Oudong
Insider Experiences
Designed exclusively for Travelmarvel guests enjoy an included special or unique excursion or event
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho, Embark Ship, Cai Be
Meals: Lunch, Dinner Stay: Seven Nights, Mekong River, RV Apsara
Your journey begins today amid the vibrant bustle of Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival be met at the airport and transferred to ship registration. Later, travel to My Tho where you will board your boutique river ship, the RV Apsara, your home for the next seven nights. Soak in the scenery as you cruise towards Cai Be where the ship will anchor overnight. Tonight, enjoy a special Welcome Dinner on board and get to know your crew and fellow travellers.
Day 2 - Cai Be, Sa Dec, Tan Chau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explore Cai Be and its surrounds by tender boat as you view local life on the river and along its banks. Go ashore to see the French Gothic cathedral, the tallest church in the Mekong Delta with its impressive bell tower, and visit manufacturers of rice paper and coconut candy to learn how they're made. Head back to the ship and sit down to a delicious lunch whilst cruising to Sa Dec. Afterwards, take a boat ride to the charming town of Sa Dec for a guided tour. Stroll through the colourful markets and continue by foot to the home of Huynh Thuy Le, once the lover of French writer Marguerite Duras, who penned her best-selling novel, The Lover, about their affair. Back on board unwind or relax your body with a rejuvenating treatment from the spa. As the sun sets the RV Apsara sets sail for Tan Chau. Enjoy dinner and later head up to the Saigon Lounge for evening entertainment or a cocktail.
Day 3 - Tan Chau, Cambodia Border Crossing, Phnom Penh
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transfer to a small boat for a journey along the tiny tributaries that snake around Tan Chau. Embark on a rickshaw tour and weave through the tiny laneways of this sleepy town almost untouched by tourism. Home to one of the largest silkweaving centres in Vietnam, you can observe how silk is woven in the local workshops. After lunch, take a small boat to discover rural life on Evergreen Island. Observe the traditional Vietnamese farming techniques, where the land is ploughed by water buffalo and where you can see authentic rural Mekong life. Later appreciate some down time and watch the scenery of the Mekong River pass as the RV Apsara spends the afternoon cruising towards the Cambodian border. While border formalities are carried out sit down and enjoy the onboard activities and presentations. Cross into Cambodia and cruise overnight towards the capital Phnom Penh.
Day 4 - Phnom Penh
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today learn of the atrocities inflicted upon Cambodians during Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Explore the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, where you'll find the Memorial Stupa, a glass monument erected in memory of the thousands of Cambodians who lost their lives. After lunch on board, visit the spectacular Royal Palace, delighting in its dazzling white and gold architecture. Then head to the glorious Silver Pagoda, set on the southern side of the palace complex. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. You may wish to head to the local markets for souvenirs or perhaps to taste the local delicacy of fried tarantula. Alternatively, relax on board and enjoy the facilities and service.
Day 5 - Phnom Penh, Oudong, Koh Chen, Phnom Penh
INSIDER EXPERIENCE
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
INSIDER EXPERIENCE Visit a monastery in Oudong where you will partake in a Buddhist blessing offered by the monks.
Travel by coach to Oudong, the former capital of Cambodia, for your memorable Insider Experience. Afterwards, you will visit Koh Chen and explore the open-air copperware workshops. Return to the ship and enjoy a free afternoon in Phnom Penh, or perhaps enhance your time by choosing one of Travelmarvel's select experiences.
Day 6 - Phnom Penh, Oknha Tey, Angkor Ban
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rise early as your ship glides along the lush banks of the Mekong to Oknha Tey (Oknha Tei), or Silk Island renowned for its silk manufacturing traditions, preserved over centuries. Travel by tuk tuk, pass rice fields and get a glimpse into rural life. Stroll amongst the still houses and gain an insight into the traditional silk weaving process. Watch as the village women create the beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms. Return to your river ship and enjoy lunch on board as the ship sets sail for Angkor Ban. In the afternoon as you cruise up the Mekong River enjoy time at leisure. Have a dip in the pool or sit and read a book on the Sun Deck while soaking in the scenery.
Day 7 - Angkor Ban, Koh Pen, Kampong Cham
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
INSIDER EXPERIENCE Take a tuk tuk ride through the agricultural island of Koh Pen. Travel along the shaded lanes and past wooden stilted houses, tucked amongst palm and sandalwood trees.
Start your morning with a guided walk of Angkor Ban, a village awash with stories of Cambodia's cultural history, and one of the few traditional villages that survived the Khmer Rouge regime. Nicknamed the 'Lucky Village', stroll through town, see traditional stilted houses and a Khmer-style pagoda. After lunch, your cruise docks at its final location Kampong Cham where you can enjoy your Insider Experience. This evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner on board with your fellow travellers as you reminisce about your Mekong River cruise adventure.
Day 8 - Kampong Cham, Disembark Ship, Depart Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast
Disembark in Kampong Cham after breakfast and transfer to Siem Reap. In due time, transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for your onward flight.
Booking terms and conditions apply.
*
Term and conditions apply: All pricing subject to change and availability. Advertised prices are per person twin share unless stated otherwise. Offers may be withdrawn at any time. Itineraries are subject to change. Booking Conditions and Phil Hoffmann Travel Schedule of Professionalism* applies. Please speak to your Phil Hoffmann Travel Consultant for more information.
