Through the Mekong with Classic Cambodia

Day 1 – Depart the UK

Depart the UK.

Day 2 – Ho Chi Minh City

You will be met by your guide when you arrive at the airport. Spend the rest of your day exploring or relaxing after your flight.

Day 3 – Ho Chi Minh City

This morning you will have a guided tour of Ho Chi Minh City including visits to the neo-Romanesque Notre Dame cathedral, the fascinating History Museum and the former Presidential Palace, where you can explore the underground communication tunnels.

In the early evening, hop on the back of your private Vespa for this part night-time discovery, part street food adventure. Riding pillion behind your driver as part of a small group, you will ride through the colourful backstreets of China Town and the central area. Stopp en route at bars, restaurants and street food stalls to sample some local delicacies and discover hidden parts of this colourful city.

Day 4 – Ho Chi Minh City

Travel down the Saigon River by speedboat to visit the infamous tunnels at Cu Chi. The hour-long river journey provides some exhilarating views of the city and the rural landscapes to the north-west, and on arrival at Cu Chi, you’ll enjoy a private guided tour of the site with a knowledgeable, English-speaking guide. You’ll then return to Saigon by speedboat.

Day 5 – Can Tho

Transfer by road to the capital city of the Mekong region – Can Tho. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 6 – Can Tho

The perfect setting for a leisurely bike ride, the countryside around Can Tho offers a lazy meander past fruit orchards and small woodwork shops, through quiet rural communities and along the palm-fringed tributaries of the Mekong River.

Day 7 – Kep

Transfer to the Cambodia and Vietnam border at Ha Tien, where you will go through immigration procedures and meet your Cambodian guide. You will then transfer to the lazy seaside town of Kep.

Day 8 – Kep

This morning you will jump into your private tuk-tuk for a tour of the seaside town of Kep. You will drive past abandoned colonial villas, the crab market, Kep's sandy beach and local pepper plantations, for which Kep has now become quite internationally renowned. Your guide will take you to the crab market for a fresh and delicious lunch, and then the rest of the afternoon is at leisure for you to relax at your hotel or continue to explore this quaint town.

Day 9 – Kep

Visit Kep National Park where you can gently hike along easy trails to see the plethora of flora and fauna, as well as sweeping coastal views out to the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc. After lunch, visit Rabbit island, a beautiful little oasis off the coast of Cambodia with sandy white beaches and excellent waters for swimming, with plenty of coral and sea life. Relax on the beach, try fresh seafood from one of the local fish shacks, swim in the calm blue ocean or rest in the shade; enjoying the beautiful views of the island all the while.

Day 10 – Kampot

Transfer by road to Kampot. En route stop at a Hindu cave temple with stalactites and stalagmites are growing through the roof. After lunch at a local NGO café, explore Kampot town on foot with its lovely colonial architecture, temples and boatyards.

Day 11 – Champa Lodge

Take a boat transfer to Champa Lodge, passing under bridges and through stunning rural countryside with the Bokor mountain range in the distance. After about 30-40 minutes cruising you will arrive at Khmer Champa Lodge, a beautiful rural retreat with traditional stilted buildings on a bend of the Kampot River. Once you've settled into your lodge, the rest of the day is yours. Try your hand at one of the many exciting excursions on offer at Champa Lodge. These include cycling, kayaking on the river or through shaded mangroves, swimming, walking, boat trip or visiting any of the local sites of interest.

Day 12 – Champa Lodge

Enjoy a full day at leisure, either relaxing in the lovely rural Cambodian countryside or taking advantage of some of the great activities on offer.

Day 13 – Phnom Penh

Transfer to Phnom Penh and check-in to your hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 14 – Phnom Penh

Enjoy a full-day tour of Phnom Penh, starting at Security Prison 21 (Tuol Sleng), the former high school infamously used as an execution centre during the Khmer Rouge regime. A visit to Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields is an upsetting experience for many, and guests should be forewarned as to the extent and graphic nature of the displays. You will then continue to the Killing Fields. If desired, you can take an audio guide of the area with fascinating facts, personal accounts and true stories about the Cambodian genocide. After lunch, head back to the city, stopping en route at the Russian market. In the downtown area, visit the National Museum, the Royal Palace and Norodom Boulevard followed by a cyclo tour of the busy centre of town. Finish the day with a drink on a stylish river-front rooftop.

Day 15 – Kompong Thom

Visit the town of Skuon and try some local deep-fried spider snacks! Then drive up towards Kompong Thom, stopping en route at a collection of around 100 pre-Angkorian brick temples scattered through a forest. Enjoy the rest of your day in Kompong Thom.

Day 16 – Siem Reap

Today you will drive to Siem Reap, stopping en route to visit a lively and mostly undiscovered floating village on the Tonle Sap lake. Upon arrival in Siem Reap in the afternoon, you can start your exploration of the temples of Angkor with a visit to Banteay Kdei, an atmospheric temple nestled amongst the trees just outside of Siem Reap with religious carvings, overgrown tree roots and beautiful architecture. Then head to Pre Rup - an ancient crematorium temple surrounded by peaceful countryside that is an ideal spot to watch the sunset.

Day 17 – Siem Reap

Today you will start your exploration of the Temples of Angkor. Start the day early (around 6 am) at Ta Prohm, built as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university by King Jayavarman VII. Then head to Banteay Srey where you can have a picnic-style breakfast before exploring the temple famous for the stunning pink hue of its red sandstone. If interested, you can stop at the small but lovely Banteay Samre temple and a Land Mine Museum before heading back to your hotel to relax. In the afternoon, visit Angkor Thom, which translates to "Great City" in Khmer.

Day 18 – Siem Reap

This morning you will have the option to visit the magnificent Angkor Wat for sunrise. The earlier you rise, the better - the complex can get quite busy at dawn so to arrive when the moon and the stars are still out is ideal, where you will practically have the temples to yourselves in the most magical of settings. Return to your hotel to relax and have lunch. In the afternoon you will visit the Roluos temples, some of the earliest permanent structures built by the Khmer. In the afternoon take a boat ride out onto the Tonle Sap Lake to visit some undiscovered floating villages.

 Day 19 – Fly Home

Transfer to the airport to catch your flight home. 

 

Your bespoke proposal with Experience Travel Group will include:

• International Flights (we can omit if you prefer)
• Accommodation as described
• Privately guided tours and transfers
• Tips for guides and drivers
• Original Experience Travel Group "signature" experiences 
• Full financial protection (ABTA and ATOL bonding.) 
• 24-hour in-country backup while away
• Your dedicated travel expert in the UK