Mekong River Crossing: Vietnam to Cambodia — 7 Days / 6 Nights

DAY 1 – HO CHI MINH CITY TO MY THO | EMBARKATION

Transfer from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho for embarkation on your premium river cruise vessel. Welcome lunch on board as the ship departs into the main Mekong channel. Afternoon sampan excursion through the narrow canal networks of Ben Tre province — coconut candy workshops, riverside orchards, and the quiet lanes of delta communities. Sunset cocktail hour on the upper deck. Welcome dinner on board: Mekong Delta specialties prepared by the ship’s Vietnamese chef.

DAY 2 – CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET | CAN THO | SA DEC

Pre-dawn sampan transfer to Cai Rang Floating Market at its most vivid — hundreds of wholesale trading boats clustered mid-river. Return to the ship for breakfast as the vessel moves on to Sa Dec — the most atmospheric town in the delta, famous for its flower nurseries and as the setting of Marguerite Duras’ semi-autobiographical novel L’Amant. A guided walk to the Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House — the childhood home of Duras’ Vietnamese lover, a beautifully preserved 19th-century merchant residence combining Chinese, French, and Vietnamese architectural elements at the water’s edge. Lunch on board. Afternoon navigation upstream toward the Cambodian border.

DAY 3 – VINH XUONG BORDER CROSSING | INTO CAMBODIA | KAMPONG CHAM

Early morning arrival at Vinh Xuong border crossing — processed on board with Sun DMC handling all documentation. The physical crossing is one of the great moments of the journey: the Vietnamese flag giving way to the Cambodian flag across a river that neither country owns. Stop at Kampong Cham — a handsome French colonial riverside town. A guided bicycle ride through surrounding countryside: silk weaving villages, ancient pre-Angkorian temples, and a lunch of Khmer river cuisine at a riverside family restaurant.

DAY 4 – PHNOM PENH | ROYAL PALACE | TUOL SLENG | RIVERSIDE

Arrive in Phnom Penh at the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac, and Tonle Sap rivers. Full day of city exploration: Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda — its floor tiled with 5,000 silver blocks — the National Museum with the world’s finest Khmer sculpture collection, and a sobering afternoon at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Return to the ship for a sunset cocktail as Phnom Penh’s skyline reflects in the river. Dinner on board: Khmer tasting menu of amok, lok lak, and kuy teav noodle soup.

DAY 5 – UPSTREAM TO KAMPONG CHHNANG | KAMPONG TRALACH

Depart Phnom Penh and sail north up the Tonle Sap River. Morning stop at Kampong Chhnang for a guided walk through the pottery quarter and a sampan through the floating village. Lunch on board. Afternoon stop at Kampong Tralach for a traditional ox-cart ride through rice paddies and riverside pagodas.

DAY 6 – KAMPONG KDEI | SIEM REAP ARRIVAL | ANGKOR WAT SUNSET

Morning arrival at the Kampong Kdei landing — transfer by road to Siem Reap. Check in to your boutique hotel in the heart of Siem Reap’s Old French Quarter. Late afternoon transfer to Angkor for sunset at Phnom Bakheng — the hilltop temple overlooking the entire Angkor plain. Dinner at a riverside restaurant in Siem Reap: Khmer fine dining with a tasting menu of royal court cuisine.

DAY 7 – ANGKOR WAT SUNRISE | TEMPLE COMPLEX | DEPARTURE

A 4:45 AM departure for Angkor Wat at dawn. A guided tour of the outer gallery’s bas-reliefs — 600 metres of continuous carved narrative. Continue to Bayon, Ta Prohm, and Banteay Srei. Return to the hotel for breakfast, checkout, and transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for your onward flight.

Tour Inclusions

• 6 nights accommodation — 4 nights premium river cruise (full board) & 2 nights boutique hotel Siem Reap (breakfast)
• All sampan excursions and shore visits as per itinerary
• Mekong/Tonle Sap river crossing Vietnam-Cambodia with visa handling support
• Cai Rang Floating Market, Sa Dec Ancient House, Kampong Cham cycling, Kampong Chhnang floating village, ox-cart ride
• Angkor Wat sunrise with licensed archaeological guide
• Bayon, Ta Prohm & Banteay Srei guided visits
• English-speaking river guide throughout; bilingual guide in Cambodia
• All transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle
• All meals on board cruise vessel; welcome dinner Day 1; farewell dinner Day 7
• 24/7 on-trip support from Sun DMC operations team across both countries

Practical Information

Best Time to Travel: October – March (optimal water levels for river navigation; dry season for temples)
Minimum Pax: 2 pax (FIT); 10 pax for group rates
Vessel: Premium river cruise, private en-suite cabins, sun deck, restaurant & bar
Accommodation Tier: Premium (4-star vessel + 4-star boutique hotel) — luxury upgrade available upon request
Customization: Can be extended with additional nights in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Contact your Sun DMC account manager for NET rates.