Vietnam and Cambodia Discovery

Receive Fast Track Service for a seamless arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam. On arrival in Hanoi, receive Fast Track Service you’ll be met whisked through immigration and customs before meeting your APT representative who will transfer you to your accommodation in the heart of the city. Later this evening, you’ll get to know your fellow travellers during a welcome dinner at Spice Garden, the hotel’s highly awarded and acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant. Stay: Two Nights, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Meals: Dinner

Perhaps tour the 500-year-old village of Bat Trang, world famous for its pottery. Or relax and enjoy a hand, head or foot massage back at your hotel. Embark on a walking tour to observe Hanoi’s French colonial architecture, discover the importance of Vietnamese coffee during a private hands-on workshop or take in a water puppet show. Tonight, you’re invited to choose from a vast range of superb restaurants that have been carefully selected for you. A guided tour of Hanoi takes you to the city’s most famous historical and cultural sites. Highlights include Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, the iconic One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, a beautiful example of Vietnamese architecture and the first university in Vietnam. You’ll also enjoy a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter. Explore the maze-like streets of this charming area where each street conveys the name of the type of business that once operated there, such as Bamboo Street, Sugar Street and Silver Street. Then, explore more of this vibrant city on your selected Freedom of Choice experience. Tonight, choose your dining experience. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Join a local historian for a private tour of a bomb shelter. Hear stories of its chance discovery and learn about the famous guests that sought shelter during air raids. Embark on your three-day cruise on the World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay. After your first Signature Experience of the day, set off by coach to Ha Long and set sail among thousands of limestone islets. Savour an assortment of Vietnamese dishes during lunch as the Au Co slowly glides towards the southeast of Ha Long Bay, passing Trong Mai Islet. Visit Trinh Nu area and explore one of the finest sunlight-filled caves in Ha Long Bay before spending some time swimming or kayaking in its emerald waters. Stay: Two Nights, Ha Long Bay, Au Co Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Awake as the sun rises, perhaps rejuvenate your body and soul with a Tai Chi class. Later this morning, gain a first glimpse of Cat Ba Island before disembarking to discover Viet Hai Village. Following a village-style lunch, a secluded swim or chance to sunbathe is on the cards. Return to the ship and cruise towards the heart of Ha Long Bay. Sightsee around Cua Van Floating Village by kayak or traditional rowing boat. The area is considered one of the most beautiful destinations in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine. A barbeque dinner aboard the Au Co caps off an exciting day Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Set off for an early visit to Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave of the bay with 10,000 square meters of space holding thousands of stalactites and stalagmites in fascinating shapes and sizes. Enjoy brunch on board as your ship makes its way back to port. Disembark and transfer to Hanoi airport for your included flight to Ho Chi Minh City, where you’ll be met by your Tour Director. Stay: Two Nights, Ho Chi Minh City, Park Hyatt Saigon
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Journey by speedboat to the Cu Chi Tunnels, built by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the war. Meet a Master Distiller at Lady Trieu Gin Distillery and enjoy a private tasting. Dine on a specially selected multicourse fusion meal at the highly acclaimed Vietnam House, and enjoy a special cocktail designed specifically for APT guests. Leave the city behind and relish in your Signature Experiences today. Learn about the remarkable tunnel network concealed the Viet Cong and served as supply and communication routes, as well as hospitals and weapon cache. Tonight, your dinner is another Signature Experience.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you can choose to enjoy a leisurely walking discovery of Ho Chi Minh City, or you might like to jump on the back of a motorbike for an exciting city ride. Alternatively, you may like to try out your culinary skills with a fun cooking class or embark on a shopping spree.Exploring more of Ho Chi Minh City, select from the array of Freedom of Choice experiences on offer. Later, transfer to My Tho and embark your ship. Set sail from My Tho and soak in the scenery during your cruise towards Cai Be. Tonight, a Vietnamese welcome dinner awaits, showcasing the diverse flavours from the region.
Stay: Seven Nights, Mekong River, Mekong Serenity
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Board your traditional sampan for your first excursion on the banks of the Mekong. Step ashore to visit Cai Be Catholic Church and the colourful port area filled with crumbling colonial buildings and flowering gardens. Built in the Roman architectural style, the bell tower, with its set of four bells cast in France in 1931, is the tallest of all the churches in the Mekong Delta. 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. Dinner is served as you cruise towards Tan Chau.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
 

Transfer to a small boat to cruise the tiny tributaries around the town of Tan Chau. Pass a floating fish farm, then step ashore for a fun rickshaw tour and a visit to a local silk and rattan weaving workshop. Later, step back in time as you experience authentic rural Mekong life on a nearby Evergreen Island. The remainder of today is yours to relax on board and soak up views of the Mekong. Upon entering Cambodia, you’ll cruise towards its enthralling capital, Phnom Penh.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Experience some of Cambodia’s sobering history with a visit to the infamous Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Otherwise, discover Phnom Penh on a cyclo ride to uncover some well-known sights. History buffs can admire the exhibits at the National Museum, or perhaps explore the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Or you may wish to set off on a journey to sample some locally brewed beers at two of the city’s craft breweries. 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.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
 

In Oudong, pay a visit to a monastery for a Buddhist blessing experience with local monks. Today, journey to historic Oudong, which was Cambodia’s fascinating royal capital from 1618 until 1866. During your time here, you’ll enjoy a Signature Experience. On the way back to Phnom Penh, take a leisurely stroll through the village of Koh Chen and visit some home workshops that manufacture copperware. Later, your ship glides along the lush banks of the Mekong to Oknha Tey, which is renowned for its silk manufacturing traditions, preserved over centuries. Stroll among the stilt 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 to relax before enjoying delicious onboard dining tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Journey by local tuk tuk around a riverside village and gain an insight of village life.If you are feeling active this morning, set out on a walk to the hilltop pagoda of Wat Hanchey. From here, enjoy views over the Mekong, making it well worth the climb. You’ll find many temples, pagodas and stupas, some dating back to the 8th century. Lunch is back on board, before taking your Signature Experience. On your ship this evening, toast the end of your cruise during a final farewell dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

At Angkor Archaeological Park, enjoy a special sunrise experience at Angkor Wat. Tonight, take the opportunity to savour a taste of Cambodia with a choice of local restaurants for dinner. Rise early this morning to witness the spectacular sunrise over the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. As the sun rises, soak up the atmosphere as you marvel at this ancient wonder. After the sun has risen delve into the history and significance of this sacred site with a guided tour inside the vast temple complex and the sprawling grounds before returning to the hotel for a late breakfast.
Continue your exploration of the World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park with a visit to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital. Built during the heyday of the Khmer Empire in the 12th century, this is an extraordinary complex of Hindu and Buddhist monuments. Head to the intriguing Bayon Temple, with its carved stone smiling faces of gods, goddesses and other mythology beings. Visit the Terrace of Elephants, which used to be the base for the king’s grand audience hall, and the Terrace of the Leper King, which housed the royal crematory.
Journey to Ta Prohm, known for the thick jungle of fig trees and vines that have enveloped the structure, creating a feeling akin to stepping into a lost world. Commonly referred to as the 'Tomb Raider temple' due to it being used as a location in the blockbuster 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider which starred Angelina Jolie, Ta Prohm is a captivating glimpse into the past and testament to a bygone era. Enjoy your Freedom of Choice dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
 

Treat yourself to a private visit to Theam’s Gallery and discover this talented Cambodian artist known for his unique sculptures, paintings, and intricate crafts. Indulge in a tantalising five-course Khmer dinner while enjoying a traditional Apsara dance performance accompanied by live musicians. Perhaps enjoy a tuk tuk ride to the Senteurs d’Angkor workshop. If you’re feeling energetic, join a quad bike adventure or take a leisurely bicycle tour through the Cambodian countryside. Other options include a horse and cart ride, a traditional Khmer cooking class, and a shopping adventure, or why not indulge in a relaxing spa treatment. Explore Siem Reap your way today. Tonight, your Signature Experience awaits. Set amid a stunning garden this promises to be an enchanting and memorable evening. 
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
 

Farewell Siem Reap after breakfast this morning, as you transfer to Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast