850 ReviewsAqua Mekong is a five-star cruise through the Mekong Delta with private excursions, river-view suites, and chef-curated cuisine—a true luxury journey.
Depart your home country on your flight to Ho Chi Minh City.
Most suited for
Couples
Ideal time to visit
October - March
Take in the highlights of Cambodia and southern Vietnam and spend four days cruising along the Mekong River in the finest style. Stay in Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap’s best hotels and travel through the Mekong aboard the luxurious Aqua Mekong cruise.
From your hotel bases, and whilst cruising, you’ll enjoy a range of specially crafted excursions to ensure you experience the region memorably and uniquely, tailored to your style.
The Mekong In Style
As with all our holidays, this itinerary is just a starting point. We will create a bespoke package which will be completely unique for you.
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Day 1
Your adventure begins
Days 2 - 4
Ho Chi Minh City
Your guide and driver will meet you on arrival for a private transfer to your luxury hotel.
During your stay in Saigon, you’ll stroll the back streets with your local guide, exploring colourful markets and street-food stalls that few tourists discover. This will be followed by an afternoon taking in some of the city’s more obvious landmarks, such as the old Presidential Palace, the History Museum and the War Remnant Museum, before ending with a visit to the AB Tower to enjoy city views and drinks at the chic ‘Chill Bar’.
Day 5
Board the Aqua Mekong
Today, you transfer by road to My Tho in the Mekong Delta, where you board the luxury Aqua Mekong boat. Check in to your sumptuous en-suite cabin, one of just 20, and then sit back and enjoy the amenities as you set sail. Onboard facilities include an observation deck, cinema, spa, library and a river-facing plunge pool.
Days 6 - 8
Mekong Delta aboard Aqua Mekong
You’ll spend 3 days travelling from Vietnam to Cambodia on the Aqua Mekong and explore the Mekong Delta region in-depth as you go.
You’ll explore the lower reaches of the delta, including the Cai Be floating market, aboard a traditional small flat-bottom “sampan”. You’ll also board skiffs to visit Binh Thanh Island, where the villagers weave mats and baskets from river reeds and water hyacinths. Pass local fishermen who fish directly underneath their floating homes and explore the largest bird sanctuary of South Vietnam, home to 233 waterfowl species.
On board there will be time to relax by the pool, try a traditional Khmer Massage in the spa or learn more about Vietnam from an expert guide’s lecture whilst border crossing formalities are completed.
As you edge into Cambodia, you’ll visit the beautiful island of Koh Oknha Tey. Her,e you will explore with a guide by tuk-tuk or bicycle, visiting one of the traditional silk weaving villages or further afield. You’ll also visit remote villages like Preah Prosop, a typical Khmer village of stilt houses, where you can experience authentic Cambodian local life.
Days 9 -10
Phnom Penh
Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, you can disembark the Aqua Mekong and transfer to your hotel. Your two full days in Phnom Penh will be spent getting to grips with Cambodia’s past while exploring beyond the city’s main sites. Visit the S21 detention centre and the ‘Killing Field’ of Choeung Ek to gain insight into the atrocities that took place during the civil war. Later, visit markets and art galleries and tour the streets on a cyclo.
The sleepy island of Koh Dach can be explored by bike; few tourists visit this area. In the evening, embark on a tuk-tuk or food tour of the city, stopping for dinner and snacks.
Days 11 - 13
Siem Reap and Angkor Wat
Today, you travel north to Siem Reap. On the first afternoon, you can relax in the hotel or begin your exploration of Angkor with a visit to one of the quieter, smaller temples. Finish with sunset at Pre Rup, a crematorium temple surrounded by stunning countryside.
Two further days will be spent exploring Indochina’s most remarkable archaeological site. You’ll visit Angkor Wat, the ancient royal city of Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm, amongst other quieter, less well-known temples. Our tours here are carefully timed and constructed to ensure you get the most out of your visit and enjoy some relaxation time.
Days 14 - 17
Song Saa Private Island
Fly to Sihanoukville and take a speedboat directly to this island paradise. You’ll spend four days relaxing on the remote Song Saa Private Island, one of the country’s finest luxury destinations. Villas here are beautiful, and all have a private pool with views out to the ocean. With plenty of activities and facilities, you can snorkel or scuba dive, kayak or paddleboard, enjoy yoga at sunrise or a rejuvenating spa treatment. With its ‘castaway’ style, Song Saa offers a truly peaceful island retreat.
Day 18
Fly home
Transfer back to Sihanoukville. You can depart internationally from Sihanoukville airport or transfer to Phnom Penh, which offers a wider range of flight options.
Extremely well organised Cambodia holiday
We flew to Siem Reap. Lucky enough to have Visal Phok there who was a superb tour guide. So many varied experiences there including Angkor Wat and sunrise on Tonle Sap Lake. Cardomom mountains - what a great place to chill but also to experience great value local trips such as sunset and a brilliant trip to the local village.
Chris
21 January 2024Excellent
850 Reviews
What’s included:
With ETG, what’s included goes well beyond the basics. From the moment your trip begins to your final farewell, the essentials are already taken care of, leaving you free to immerse, explore and enjoy without the hassle of hidden extras.
Here’s what comes as standard in all of our holidays:
All flights (unless you’ve booked your own!)
Expert guides and drivers
All accommodation
Many meals and snacks
Immersive experiences throughout
All regional transfers
Tips
24/7 In-Country support
Personal travel consultant throughout
Pricing:
As every holiday is bespoke, prices vary depending on destination, flights, hotel choices, inclusions and travel dates. We aim to include as much as possible upfront, so you know exactly where you are. As an approximate guide:
Bespoke Holidays £4,500 - £8,500pp
Bespoke Luxury Holidays £8,500 - £14,500pp
Bespoke Family Holidays from £4,000 - £7,500pp
Meet Our Cambodia Experts
Ella loves all things Cambodia. She’s explored beyond Angkor Wat and knows how to mix the big sights with those offbeat moments that make a holiday sing. With a knack for finding hotels with real soul (and dodging the overhyped ones), Ella designs trips that show you Cambodia at its most authentic and unexpected.
“Aqua Mekong and Song Saa are among the most exceptional properties in Southeast Asia. From elegant river cruising with immersive excursions to the refined privacy of your own beachfront villa, this holiday blends cultural discovery with the very best in luxury travel.”
Ella
Regional Expert
Explore Our Hotels & Villas
Wherever you go, and whatever you do, at the end of every day you can always be sure of a comfortable rest. Every location on our list of hotels is handpicked, and in its own way, shares the history, the hospitality, and the soul of the destination. Below are some examples of the different hotels we use.
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Koh Rong Archipelago, Cambodia,
Song Saa Private Island
Tucked within the Koh Rong archipelago, Song Saa Private Island spans two jungle-clad isles linked by a footbridge, ringed by coral reefs and golden sand.
Highlights
Highlights
Overwater villas,
Sustainable island luxury
Best for
Couples,
Honeymooners
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Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Aqua Mekong
Highlights
Highlights
River-view suites,
Private skiff excursions,
Best for
Couples
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See More
Siem Reap, Cambodia,
Jaya House River Park
Jaya House was the first plastic-free hotel in Cambodia and continues to lead with environmental initiatives like the ‘Refill Not Landfill’ campaign.
Highlights
Highlights
Outstanding service,
Eco-conscious luxury,
Private pool suites
Best for
Couples,
Families
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The ETG Guarantee
We guarantee you an experience no one else has ever had.
The travel magic you’ll remember won’t be found on a well-trodden – or over-Instagrammed – itinerary. It will be the surprises, discoveries and secrets that you’ll uncover along the way with us.
Do you ever feel like people aren’t listening to you?
We get it. And we will – that’s a promise. Your holiday starts with with a proper, no-pressure call to understand what you want, what you don’t want, and what matters to you. From there, we create a completely unique adventure, inspired by our conversation together.
And because of our long-standing relationships with trusted partners across Asia, you’ll have access to experiences you can’t find on Google. The kind of special experiences that are literally impossible to find on your own.
Experiences in Cambodia
Crafting bespoke packages is the heart of what we do. Each holiday is specially designed to confound preconceptions and share magical, memorable, and truly exceptional experiences.
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Magnificent Angkor Wat
The jewel in the Angkor crown, Angkor Wat is inevitably at the top of every visitor’s wishlist. As one of Southeast Asia’s most recognisable sights, it can feel crowded at times – but with the help of our in-the-know guides and carefully curated Signature Angkor Experience, it can still feel magical.
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
Ancient City of Angkor Thom and Bayon
More than just another temple, the great Angkor Thom is in fact an ancient city, dating back to the 12th century, that was once the capital of the whole Khmer Empire. The city itself, its Bayon temple and Terrace of Elephants are a must-see when travelling to the region.
On our Signature Angkor Tour, you’ll explore the vast city walls with your guide, accessing intricate canals and dusty corners of the complex via avenues of stone gods and demons.
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
Tonle Sap Floating Villages
Just a short drive south of Siem Reap, you’ll reach the northern tip of Tonle Sap Lake – the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.
Tonle Sap is Cambodia’s lifeline, providing food, transport, and homes for millions of people. Although the water levels rise and fall dramatically throughout the year, you can visit the lake in any season (ask us for the most magical times to visit).
Hop aboard a wooden motorised boat and cruise across the open water to take in the lake’s sheer scale. Countless floating villages scatter the surface, where nomadic fishing families live in stilted houses and boats. They grow vegetables in floating garden plots and pots set on rafts, while dogs and pigs (somehow) roam this buoyant environment. This experience offers a rare, eye-opening look into a way of life few outsiders ever see.
You can visit the floating villages on our half-day tour from Siem Reap, either in the morning or afternoon (though the cooler morning hours are your best bet). Your driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the quay to step aboard the boat.
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
Phare Circus
This is a fun evening with impressive performances that all ages will enjoy, but importantly – it supports a fantastic initiative for young people in nearby Battambang.
At the circus, a traditional folk tale is told through modern theatre, acrobatics, contemporary dance, and live music. It all takes place in a high-top tent where the audience watches in the round while enjoying popcorn, drinks, and beer.
All profits from the circus support the Phare Ponleu Selpak school, set up in 1994 by nine returning refugees from the Khmer Rouge era. Inspired by an art teacher who had helped them through drawing therapy, they decided to found the school to offer other disadvantaged children a similar experience. Phare thus began as an art school before expanding to cover music, theatre, and eventually the circus school. Students can hone their skills at the school and earn a good wage – many go on to perform around the world.
The young performers you see will have been taught at the school, and profits are fed back in to support its current pupils.
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Phnomn Penh and The South, Cambodia
Cooking with Chef Nak
Just a short distance from the lively city of Phnom Penh, you cross the Mekong River and arrive at the garden oasis that local celebrity Chef Nak calls home. She will welcome you into her charming antique wooden house and let you in on the secrets of Cambodian cuisine.
Chatting with her as you wander her beautiful home and gardens is an eye-opening experience. We won’t spoil it for you, but the story of how she has researched old recipes is a fascinating one and is about much more than just food.
After settling in, you will either take a gentle walk or hop in a tuk-tuk to the nearby market, where you’ll see where the ingredients come from and how they’re chosen. Then, back in the kitchen, you will cook side by side with Chef Nak as she guides you through dishes like fish amok, traditional beef salad, and crispy fried river prawns.
If you’re even slightly interested in food, this experience is a must. Whether you stay overnight at the homestay or simply join the cooking class, you gain special insights into Cambodian culture, meet brilliant people, and dig into mouthwatering meals in a simply beautiful setting.
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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Mekong Delta Tour
Take the bustling highway into the surrounding countryside where you will pass carefully tended, lush rice paddies, before boarding your motorised sampan for a unique experience on the mighty Mekong Delta waterways.
You will see how, to the people of Delta, the water is a lifeline – the focus of all daily activity – as you journey through a maze of tributaries and fruit plantations. Enjoy a sample of delicious fruit in the shade of a fruit farmer’s garden before continuing via even smaller waterways to lunch, where the specialty is a remarkable dish of ‘elephants ear fish’.
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Important FAQs about Cambodia
Cambodia is far more than the iconic Angkor temples. Travelling with ETG means exploring the country in a way that feels personal, thoughtful, and enriching.
We’ll show you life beyond the ruins: serene riverside towns, thriving local markets, and countryside where time slows down. Our itineraries are designed for a deeper connection, whether that’s dining with local families, gliding along the Tonle Sap in a traditional boat, or unwinding at hand-picked boutique stays. With expert guides and 24/7 in-country support, we make sure you see Cambodia in a way that’s inspiring, seamless, and uniquely yours.
Cambodia’s dry season runs from November to April, when clear skies and warm, sunny days make temple visits and countryside explorations most enjoyable. For fewer crowds, the shoulder months of May and October can be ideal, offering greener landscapes and quieter moments. The wet season (June to September) brings short, refreshing showers and vibrant scenery, and it’s a great time for photographers or those seeking a more tranquil experience.
Every ETG holiday to Cambodia is designed to feel seamless, immersive and stress free. We’ll arrange international flights (if you’d like us to), your drivers and guides, and stays in characterful hotels we know and trust.
You’ll experience Cambodia in a way that’s completely bespoke to you – from quiet moments to big adventures – all planned by our India specialists. And while you’re away, our local team is on hand 24/7, so you’ll always feel well looked after.
The Curious Traveller’s Guide to Cambodia
Cambodia is a truly fascinating country. Get our experts’ tips and tricks in a handy 10 minute read.
