Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive in Hanoi and get transferred to your hotel in the downtown area for an included night's stay. The rest of your day is open, so you can relax at the hotel, wander around the city, or head out to West Lake if you're feeling up for it. Later on, you'll meet your tour director who'll give you a welcome briefing and fill you in on what's ahead.
Included Activities
- Hotel transfer on arrival
Optional Activities
- Explore downtown Hanoi
- Walk around West Lake
Landmarks West Lake - Day 2
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After breakfast, you're heading from Hanoi down to Halong Bay. Once you arrive, you'll board the Au Co cruise ship and spend the day out on the water sailing through the bays and islets. There are various tours and activities offered on board, or you can just kick back and relax. By evening, the ship anchors in the Trinh Nu area near the karst formations, and dinner gets served right there on the ship.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner on board)
Included Activities
- Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay
- Two-night Halong Bay cruise on Au Co cruise ship
- Cruise through bays and islets with on-board tours
Optional Activities
- Learn about local fishing communities
- Relax on board
Landmarks Halong Bay Trinh Nu 
- Day 3
Halong Bay
The sailing continues into less crowded areas heading toward Lan Ha Bay. You'll take a smaller boat out to swim at quiet beaches and try kayaking on Ho Ba Ham Lake. After that, you'll head to Cua Van fishing village by rowing boat and explore the area. Once you've had your fill of activities, you return to the cruise ship for dinner. Later in the evening, if you're interested, you can try your hand at squid fishing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner on board)
Included Activities
- Sail to Lan Ha Bay
- Swimming on quiet beaches
- Kayaking in Ho Ba Ham Lake
- Visit Cua Van fishing village by rowing boat
- Squid fishing activity
Landmarks Lan Ha Bay Ho Ba Ham Lake Cua Van fishing village 
- Day 4
Halong Bay to Hanoi
Wake up early to catch the sunrise, then have breakfast and continue cruising through the rock formations. You'll visit Sung Sot Cave before heading back to port for your transfer to Hanoi. Once you're back in the city, check out the Temple of Literature, which was Vietnam's first university, then walk through the Old Quarter with its thousands of small shops. Stop by Hang Be Market and stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, crossing the red bridge to reach Ngoc Son Temple on the Jade Islet. Later, you'll watch a traditional water puppet show, and finish the evening with dinner at KOTO Restaurant as part of your included EmeraldPLUS experience.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner at KOTO Restaurant)
Included Activities
- Cruise through rock formations
- Visit Sung Sot Cave
- Transfer from Halong Bay to Hanoi
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Explore Hanoi's Old Quarter
- Traditional water puppet show
- Dinner at KOTO Restaurant
Optional Activities
- Browse Hang Be Market
- Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
Landmarks Sung Sot Cave Temple of Literature Hanoi Old Quarter Hang Be Market Hoan Kiem Lake Ngoc Son Temple - Day 5
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
This morning includes a city tour focused on Ho Chi Minh, known as 'Uncle Ho' and considered the father of modern Vietnam. You'll see the exterior of his mausoleum and visit his humble stilt house in the Ho Chi Minh Quarter, along with the iconic One Pillar Pagoda. Then you transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. After checking into your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to explore.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Hanoi city tour
- View Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum exterior
- Visit Ho Chi Minh stilt house
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Transfer to airport
Optional Activities
- Explore Ho Chi Minh City
Landmarks Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Ho Chi Minh stilt house One Pillar Pagoda 
- Day 6
Ho Chi Minh City
You're driving north from Ho Chi Minh City to the Cu Chi Tunnels, watching the city fade as you pass through rice paddies and villages typical of southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours on the grounds with a local guide exploring the tunnels. You'll head back to the city for a traditional pho lunch, and then the afternoon and evening are free. If you want something organized, there are DiscoverMORE excursions available.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional Pho (noodle soup))
Included Activities
- Transfer to Cu Chi Tunnels
- Walking tour of Cu Chi Tunnels with local guide
- Traditional Pho lunch
Optional Activities
- Evening Saigon Street Food walking tour
- One Night in Saigon
Landmarks Cu Chi Tunnels - Day 7
Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta Cruise
After checking out, you'll take a guided tour through Ho Chi Minh City visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House, and Town Hall. Next is the Reunification Palace before you head to port to board the Emerald Harmony. The captain and crew will welcome you aboard, then the ship sets sail down the Saigon River to the Cho Gao canal where it anchors for the night. You'll have your first dinner on board with other passengers and attend a port talk from the Cruise Director covering the upcoming activities.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (First dinner on board with fellow travellers)
Included Activities
- Orientation tour of Ho Chi Minh City
- Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit Opera House
- Visit Town Hall
- Visit Reunification Palace
- Transfer to port
- Board Emerald Harmony
- Sail down Saigon River to Cho Gao canal
- Port talk and orientation
Landmarks Notre Dame Cathedral Opera House Town Hall Reunification Palace Saigon River Cho Gao canal - Day 8
Cho Gao and Farming Communities
This morning you sail through Cho Gao, one of the main canals connecting Tien Giang Province to Ho Chi Minh City, where you might see as many as 1,800 vessels moving through daily. In the afternoon, on the Mekong River, you visit Tan My Floating community, then ride through local plantations including a mushroom farm, a fruit farm where you can sample produce, and a honey farm with local sweets. You return to the Emerald Harmony and sail on toward Sa Đéc.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sail through Cho Gao canal
- Visit Thoi Binh hamlet and its farming and fishing communities
- Visit Tan My Floating community
- Ride through local plantations
- Visit mushroom farm
- Visit fruit farm with sampling
- Visit honey farm with local sweets
- Sail to Sa Đéc
Landmarks Cho Gao canal Thoi Binh hamlet Tan My Floating community Mekong River - Day 9
Sa Đéc and My An Hung Island
After a short sampan ride to Sa Đéc, you'll walk around town with a stop at the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, who inspired Marguerite Duras' famous novel L'Amant. You'll browse the central market to see what locals are selling. From there, it's back to the Emerald Harmony by sampan, and then you sail to My An Hung Island, a small Mekong Delta village known for growing red-hot chilli and peppers. As part of EmeraldPLUS, there's local folk singing during your visit.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sampan ride to Sa Đéc
- Walking tour of Sa Đéc town
- Visit home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le
- Walk through Sa Đéc central market
- Return to Emerald Harmony by sampan
- Visit My An Hung village and its Monkey Bridge
- Local folk singing performance
Landmarks Sa Đéc My An Hung Island Monkey Bridge 
- Day 10
Cu Lao Gieng Island
Cu Lao Gieng, known as 'Mango Island', is a small scenic spot along the upper Mekong River that hasn't seen much tourism. You'll ride local motorcycle rickshaws through the villages to visit families working in mango farming, different types of boat building, and an incense stick factory for temples. The afternoon is yours to relax on board, or you can join a DiscoverMORE excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in An Long. As part of EmeraldPLUS, there's a traditional Lion Dance performance on board.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Travel by local motorcycle rickshaw
- Visit families in local industries
- See mango farming
- See boat building
- See incense stick factory
- Lion Dance performance on board
Optional Activities
- Afternoon at leisure on board
- Visit Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in Tram Chim National Park
Landmarks Cu Lao Gieng Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary Tram Chim National Park - Day 11
Evergreen Island and Tan Chau
You'll take a sampan ride to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village to see how the farming community lives. Then it's back by sampan to Tan Chau. As part of EmeraldPLUS, you visit the local Cao Dai Temple to learn about this syncretic religion established in Tây Ninh in 1926. You'll ride in a Xe Loi (a local cyclo) back to your sampan before returning to the Emerald Harmony. Once back on board, you sail toward the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sampan ride to Evergreen Island
- Walk through local village
- Return to Tan Chau by sampan
- Visit local Cao Dai Temple
- Xe Loi ride
- Return to Emerald Harmony
- Sail to Vietnam-Cambodia border
Landmarks Evergreen Island Tan Chau Cao Dai Temple - Day 12
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
You wake up in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, known as the 'Pearl of Asia'. The day focuses on learning about Cambodia's recent history, particularly the Khmer Rouge era. A short drive takes you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek where you'll walk through the fields and visit the memorial. Next is Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former school that became the Khmer Rouge's main prison and torture center. The afternoon is open for DiscoverMORE excursions, visiting the Central Market, or relaxing on board. This evening, you'll take a remork (tuk-tuk) tour through Phnom Penh to see the city lights as part of EmeraldPLUS.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Killing Fields at Choeung Ek
- Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
- Remork (Tuk-Tuk) tour through Phnom Penh
Optional Activities
- Silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei
- Craft Beer Adventure by remork
- Samai Distillery
- Visit Central Market
- Relax on board
Landmarks Killing Fields at Choeung Ek Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum Central Market Koh Oknha Tei 
- Day 13
Oudong and Phnom Penh
North of Phnom Penh sits Oudong, the former royal capital of Cambodia until the capital moved to Phnom Penh in 1866. You'll start by visiting Oudong Monastery and Temples with important burial sites of Khmer kings and religious artifacts over a century old. As part of EmeraldPLUS, you receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from resident monks in the main temple. In the afternoon, visit the Royal Palace with its French-inspired gardens and Silver Pagoda. Back on board, there's a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children's Organisation before you sail to Prek K'Dam, passing Phnom Penh lit up at night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Oudong Monastery and Temples
- Traditional Buddhist Monk blessing
- Visit Royal Palace
- Visit Silver Pagoda
- Cultural Performance by Cambodian Student and Children's Organisation
- Sail to Prek K'Dam
Landmarks Oudong Monastery Oudong Royal Palace Silver Pagoda 
- Day 14
Siem Reap
You leave the Emerald Harmony in the morning and drive to Siem Reap for your included three-night stay at a deluxe boutique hotel with world-class design that respects the environment and honors traditional local aesthetics. This evening, as part of EmeraldPLUS, you attend Phare, The Cambodian Circus, featuring acrobatics, music, and dance telling a uniquely Cambodian story. There's also a DiscoverMORE dinner option available at the circus.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer from port to Siem Reap
- Phare Cambodian Circus performance
Optional Activities
- Evening dinner at Phare Circus
Landmarks Phare Cambodian Circus - Day 15
Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm
Start by visiting Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire and one of the most notable royal cities from the Angkor Period, with its fortified walls surrounding priests, palace officials, military, and administrative buildings. Next you'll head to Ta Prohm Temple, where jungle root systems have reclaimed the structure and wild vegetation covers everything. The temple became famous from its appearance in Hollywood films. The evening is free, so you can head to Pub Street or try a DiscoverMORE option.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Angkor Thom
- Visit Ta Prohm Temple
Optional Activities
- Visit Pub Street
- Sunset Drinks Gondola Boat at Bayon
- Cambodian Street Food Discovery Tour
Landmarks Angkor Thom Ta Prohm Temple Bayon - Day 16
Angkor Wat and Siem Reap
Watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat, the UNESCO World Heritage site known for its detailed carvings, then walk through this massive temple complex. The afternoon is yours to explore the town or join a DiscoverMORE excursion. Later, as part of EmeraldPLUS, you'll have an immersive farewell dinner at Satcha Handicraft Centre with an Apsara dance performance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner at Satcha Handicraft Centre with Apsara dance performance)
Included Activities
- Sunrise visit to Angkor Wat
- Walk through Angkor Wat
- Apsara dance performance and dinner show at Satcha Handicraft Centre
Optional Activities
- Explore town at leisure
- Siem Reap Countryside by Vespa
- Banteay Srei Temple and APOPO
- Tonlé Sap (July to February)
- Khmer Cooking Class
- Senteurs d'Angkor Workshop
Landmarks Angkor Wat Satcha Handicraft Centre Banteay Srei Temple Tonlé Sap 
- Day 17
Siem Reap to Home
After breakfast, you'll get transferred to Siem Reap airport for your onward or homebound flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer to Siem Reap airport
