Choose your sightseeing this morning, then be transferred to your river ship. Set sail from My Tho and soak up the scenery during your cruise towards Cai Be. Tonight, a Vietnamese welcome dinner awaits, showcasing the diverse flavours from the region.
Freedom of Choice – City Walking Tour
Discover the city’s iconic landmarks and French colonial architecture on an informative guided walk. Stroll by the Saigon Opera House, Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral.
Freedom of Choice – Motorbike Ride
Jump on the back of a motorbike like a local for a thrilling sightseeing adventure. Weave through the streets past the Central Post Office and Independence Palace. Visit Chinatown and Thien Hau pagoda.
Freedom of Choice – Cooking Class
Meet your chef, visit the market and discover Vietnamese ingredients. Continue to a villa and relax in the outdoor garden before you create your dishes. Learn the intricacies of making bánh mì xíu mại.
Freedom of Choice – Ho Chi Minh City Shopping Adventure
Seek out the city’s boutiques and discover high-quality handmade goods on a visit to Mekong Quilts. Saigon Kitsch sells quirky souvenirs, while L’Usine is a trend-setting lifestyle store.
Board your traditional sampan for your first excursion on the banks of the Mekong. Step ashore to visit French gothic Cai Be Church, built in the Roman architectural style, as well as the colourful port area filled with crumbling colonial buildings and flowering gardens. The church’s bell tower, with its set of four bells cast in France in 1931, is the tallest bell tower in the Tien Giang Province. Afterwards, you’ll visit rice paper and coconut candy manufacturers and learn how these Vietnamese staples are made.
Head back to the ship to refresh before sitting down to savour a delicious lunch whilst continuing to cruise to the quaint town of Sa Dec. Upon arrival, explore Sa Dec by foot and meet some of the sellers at the colourful market. Continue to where French writer Marguerite Duras met her Vietnamese-Chinese lover, Huynh Thuy Le. Tour his former home and learn the story behind Duras’ best-selling novel, ‘The Lover’. After, visit a traditional Cao Dai temple. Watch visitors and pilgrims come and go and appreciate the beauty of the colourful building. Sail towards Tan Chai as dinner is served.
Transfer to a small boat to cruise the tiny tributaries around the town of Tan Chau. Disembark for a rickshaw tour and visit a local silk and rattan weaving workshop. Then, explore Evergreen Island to see authentic rural Mekong life. This afternoon, appreciate some downtime and watch the scenery pass as the Mekong Serenity cruises towards the Cambodian border.
Enjoy your Freedom of Choice activity, then spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. You may wish to head ashore and explore more of Phnom Penh independently or simply relax on board.
Freedom of Choice – Killing Fields and Genocide Museum
Learn about a confronting part of Cambodian history during a sobering visit to the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
Freedom of Choice – Cyclo Ride
Explore Phnom Penh by what was the most popular form of transportation throughout Southeast Asia in the 1960s, the cyclo. Weave past some of the city’s most iconic sites.
Freedom of Choice – Visit the National Museum
Accompanied by your private museum guide, discover the most important pieces within the National Museum of Cambodia. The collection includes the world’s finest display of Khmer sculptures, art and relics.
Freedom of Choice – Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
Discover Cambodia’s Royal Palace, the official residence of the King. Completed in 1870, the palace is an extraordinary example of Khmer architecture with elements of French influence. The palace also houses the Silver Pagoda.
Journey to Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital, where you will enjoy a Signature Experience. Following the visit, return via Koh Chen village and visit local copperware workshops. Back on board, cruise to Oknha Tey, known for its silk weaving traditions. Stroll among the stilt houses and gain an insight into the traditional silk weaving process. Watch as the village women create beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms.
Signature Experience – Buddhist Blessing Ceremony
Take part in a traditional Buddhist blessing ceremony for good luck, health and safe journey, with resident monks at a monastery in Oudong.
Sail to Angkor Ban, where you'll disembark and enjoy a captivating walking discovery of this historic village. Remarkably, Angkor Ban stands as one of the rare Cambodian villages that remained unscathed during the tumultuous Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. Here, people still live in traditional wooden homes and keep ancient cultural traditions alive. This afternoon, your ship continues sailing upstream to Wat Hanchey.
If you are feeling active this morning, walk to the hilltop pagoda of Wat Hanchey for expansive views over the Mekong. Here, you may find some novice monks along with many temples, pagodas, and stupas, some built this century while others date back to the eighth century. Savour lunch on board before enjoying a Signature Experience. Celebrate with a farewell dinner on board this evening.
Signature Experience – Tuk Tuk Tour of Koh Pen
Journey by local tuk tuk around a riverside village and gain an insight into village life. Travel along the shaded lanes past stilted houses and see a varying range of crops growing.
Bid farewell to the crew and disembark the Mekong Serenity early at Kampong Cham. Travel to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat, passing through picturesque countryside and remote villages, where you can observe rural life. On arrival at your hotel, enjoy a light lunch and some relaxation time before a Signature Experience. Later, indulge in another captivating Signature Experience.
Signature Experience – Local Charity Visit
Visit Opportunities of Development through Art (ODA), a OneTomorrow partner. ODA provides free English education and an introduction to computer skills to children living in Siem Reap’s remote villages, with the aim to improve future employment opportunities.
Signature Experience – VIP Circus Show and Backstage Visit
Be welcomed backstage at Phare Circus to meet some of the performers and witness a mesmerising performance from your VIP seats. This unforgettable spectacle showcases the country’s rich culture and talent by combining captivating acrobatics, theatre, and storytelling.
All suite categories aboard the Mekong Serenity include a private balcony, so you are free to enjoy the ever-changing scenes of Vietnam and Cambodia.
Luxuriously spacious, the Mekong Serenity boasts some of the largest entry-level suites than any other vessel cruising the Mekong River.
Exquisite Onboard Dining -for a delicious taste of local cuisine, all meals, including a Champagne Breakfast each day, are included during your Mekong River cruise. While each meal presents the chance to dine on exotic Asian fare, Western favourites are always available. An Executive Chef will oversee the kitchen in which each gourmet meal is prepared, while a Restaurant Manager is on hand to ensure attentive service in the Mekong Restaurant.
A luxury river cruise aboard the Mekong Serenity features APT's fully inclusive lifestyle with international house wine, local beer, spirits and soft drinks included.
Harking from the villages and towns you visit, local performers share their beloved customs and culture, offering a unique insight into the traditional way of life along the Mekong River.
Thanks to the ship’s range of facilities, you’ll never be lacking for something to do.
As you sail through Vietnam and Cambodia’s most beautiful and tranquil scenery, why not take the opportunity to pamper yourself? We have an expert hair stylist, masseuse and beauty therapist at your disposal for the duration of the cruise. Pamper your body and rejuvenate your spirit while you’re on board.
Please note: There are no children's facilities on board.
Category E cabin
Welcome to the Angkor Suite aboard the Mekong Serenity from APT Guided Tours & River Cruises, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort. The thoughtfully presented suite provides a wonderful space to relax after another fulfilling day exploring the world's waterways. Discover the full details and specifications below.
Welcome to the Bayon Suite aboard the Mekong Serenity from APT Guided Tours & River Cruises, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort. The thoughtfully presented suite provides a wonderful space to relax after another fulfilling day exploring the world's waterways. Discover the full details and specifications below.
Welcome to the Deluxe Twin Balcony Suite aboard the Mekong Serenity from APT Guided Tours & River Cruises, your home away from home. Your private abode includes a range of amenities for your enjoyment, relaxation and comfort. The thoughtfully presented suite provides a wonderful space to relax after another fulfilling day exploring the world's waterways. Discover the full details and specifications below.
