Wendy Wu Grand Mekong Odyssey

Ninh Binh
Marvel at the breathtaking scenery of Ninh Binh

Victoria Mekong Cruise
Spend 7 nights sailing along the river on this state-of-the-art ship

Scenic train ride
Take the coastal train ride from Hue to Danang

Angkor at Sunset
Cruise on the moat at Angkor Wat as the sunsets

Days 1-2: Fly to Hanoi
Fly overnight to Hanoi, Vietnam’s leafy capital city. Meet your guide for your transfer to the hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture ahead of this evening’s welcome dinner and guide briefing.
(Dinner)

Day 3: Hanoi through the ages
Today, enjoy an introduction to Vietnamese history at the Ethnology Museum, for a fascinating window into Vietnam’s many indigenous groups. See tribal antiques and full-scale replicas of Vietnamese longhouses and stilt houses. Continue to the Confucian Temple of Literature before lunch. This afternoon, explore the city’s French Quarter, and enjoy a cyclo tour of the Old Quarter’s narrow historic streets.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 4: Wartime Hanoi
Visit the Ho Chi Minh Quarter for an insight into the Vietnam War. Visit the Humble House on Stilts, where Ho Chi Minh lived in the grounds of the Presidential Palace and see his Mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square. Stop to see the wreckage of an American bomber plane, still visible in the lake where it was shot down in 1972. Later, visit a 1980s apartment in the Old Quarter and hear about life in the difficult post-war subsidy period.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 5: Ninh Binh Countryside
Drive two hours into the countryside to Ninh Binh, famously known as‘Halong Bay on land’ thanks to its dramatic karst mountains. En route, stop to visit Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel, the tenth century capital of Dai Viet. This afternoon, enjoy a boat trip through the paddy fields, stopping to explore prehistoric caves before checking in at your hotel.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 6: Bear Sanctuary & Cuc Phuong National Park
Begin the day at Four Paws Bear Sanctuary. Learn the stories of these bears, rescued from the illegal pet and bile industries, and hear how they have been given a second chance in life. Enjoy a fresh lunch at the sanctuary, made from ingredients grown on site. This afternoon, head into Cuc Phuong National Park and hear all about the local wildlife on a short stroll through the rainforest. Return to the hotel.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 7: Ninh Binh to Halong Bay
Drive to Halong Bay and embark on a 2-night cruise through this famous bay. Head to a hidden spot and try your hand at kayaking.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 8: Halong Bay
See the bay in the company of local fishermen, who will row you through their floating villages. Later, head to one of the beaches for a chance to sunbathe
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 9: Halong Bay – Hue
Get up early for Tai Chi on deck as the sun rises. Visit of the bay’s largest caves before sailing back to port after brunch. Disembark and fly Hue.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 10: Imperial Hue
Discover the city’s imperial history, beginning at the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City. Continue to Thein Mu Pagoda. After lunch, visit the royal tomb of Minh Mang before enjoying a leisurely cruise along the Perfume River.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 11: Hue to Danang by Rail
Take a three-hour scenic train ride along the coast, enjoying views of beautiful tropical beaches and dramatic mountains. On arrival in Danang, transfer to the town of Hoi An. This afternoon is at leisure.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 12: Hoi An
Head out on a walking tour of the Old Town, with visits to the Chua Ong Pagoda, a 200-year-old merchant house and the Japanese Covered Bridge. Afterwards, continue to the countryside and visit an organic farming community.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 13: Hoi An – Saigon
Fly to Saigon where a city tour lets you explore the city’s mix of local culture and colonial influences. See the Notre Dame Cathedral and visit the Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 14: Cu Chia & War Veteran Meeting
Discover the reality of guerrilla warfare at the Cu Chi Tunnels. For an authentic insight into the war, meet a Vietnamese veteran and hear his story. Stop for lunch at an organic farm en route back to Saigon.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 15: Embark the Victoria Mekong
Transfer to Can Tho and board the Victoria Mekong for a 7-night cruise. Enjoy a welcome cocktail on deck.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 16: Long Xuyen & Tiger Island
Take a tender boat through a floating market to reach Long Xuyen, the region’s main town. Visit the local museum before heading to Tiger Island. Here, visit a temple and see local industries. Cruise upstream towards Vam Nao
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 17: Phu Tan & Tan Chau
Head ashore in Phu Tan and visit a craft village known for handmade clay stoves. Enjoy lunch onboard as you cruise towards Tan Chau. Here, a local rickshaw will take you to explore a colourful temples and local market. This evening, enjoy a Vietnamese lion dance on the sky deck.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 18: Into Cambodia
Enjoy onboard activities as the ship crosses the border into Cambodia. Arrive in Phnom Penh late this afternoon.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 19: Phnom Penh & the Killing Fields
Hop on a cyclo and head to the elaborate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum. Later, drive into the countryside to pay respects at the Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge executed over 1 million victims in the 1970s. Return to the city and end the afternoon in style with a signature cocktail at Raffles Hotel Le Royal before returning to the ship for a lively Apsara dance performance.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 20: Oudong & Silk Island
Enjoy a walking tour of Koh Chen village, where you’ll meet a local copper and silversmith, before continuing to the country’s former capital, Oudong. Visit Buddhist monks at a local meditation centre before taking a tuk-tuk to Silk Island to learn about the process of silk weaving from worm to loom.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 21: Wat Hanchey & Angkor Ban
Explore the laidback village of Angkor Ban with its wooden-stilt houses. Sail to Wat Hanchey and head up the hill to see its 7^th Century temple.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 22: Disembark & transfer to Siem Reap
Disembark and drive through the Cambodian countryside to reach Siem Reap. The afternoon is at leisure.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 23: Explore Angkor
Journey to Angkor Thom, visiting the Bayon, Elephant and Leper King Terraces and the atmospheric Ta Prohm. Continue to Angkor Wart, exploring the many halls and towards. In the evening, return to Angkor Thom and enjoy a cruise on its moat during the sunset.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 24: Cooking Class
Join a morning cooking class at an organic farm. Pick up supplies at a local market, the head to the farm to pick some organic ingredients. Your chef will guide you through a traditional Khmer lunch before an afternoon at leisure.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 25-26: Departure
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
(Breakfast)

You’ll spend 24 nights in 4* accommodation

Meet a Vietnam War Veteran
Gain a personal and authentic perspective on history as you meet a war veteran at the Cu Chi Tunnels

Ninh Binh Sanctuary
Spend a morning at Four Paws Ninh Binh, a wildlife sanctuary providing a new life for over 40 Asiatic bears.

Khmer Cooking Class
Join a chef in a guided cooking class, using fresh and organic ingredients picked by yourself.

– International flights and current taxes
– Domestic transportation
– All Meals: 23 breakfasts, 22 lunches and 23 dinners
– 4* accommodation
– Touring with guides and entrance fees

Classic
See the classic sights in the company of expert guides so you can really understand the history and culture of the destination. On classic tours, everything is taken care of leaving you to sit back and enjoy the experience to the full. The tours are fully inclusive with all meals and a comprehensive touring programme.

This tour has a maximum group size of 24 people.

This tour has a physical rating of 1. A reasonable level of fitness is required but it’s more about spending time on your feet rather than covering large distances. You’ll be getting on and off coaches and boats, walking around the sights and climbing some steps.