River Cruise Itinerary

1. Day 1
   Hanoi

   Wed, Sep 27, 2023

   Xin Chao and welcome to Hanoi! On arrival, you will be met by your Emerald Cruises representative and transferred to your hotel, situated in downtown Hanoi, for your two-night stay.

   Relax at the hotel, explore the city, or wander Hanoi’s romantic West Lake. This evening meet your tour director for your welcome briefing.

   
   Meals: Dinner
2. Day 2
   Hanoi

   Thu, Sep 28, 2023

   Today you will enjoy a full-day city tour of Hanoi, including its main sights. Enjoy the view from outside ‘Uncle Ho’s’ mausoleum, considered the father of modern Vietnam, and continue to the small but iconic One Pillar Pagoda and to the Temple of Literature. The Temple of Literature was Vietnam’s first university and it was established to educate Vietnam's royalty, mandarins and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years and its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascinating glimpse into the country’s past. As part of EmeraldPLUS, you will enjoy lunch at KOTO (Know One Teach One), a unique restaurant set up to train and educate disadvantaged children.After lunch, you’ll visit Hanoi’s Old Quarter also known as the ‘36 streets’. Take a walking tour through charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake, and stop at Ngoc Son temple. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It is a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities. Later, enjoy a traditional water puppet show, a unique North Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of historical significance.

   EmeraldPLUS
   Lunch at KOTO Restaurant

   Included Excursion
   A full-day city tour of Hanoi

   Included Excursion
   A traditional water puppet show

   
   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
3. Day 3
   Hanoi - Halong Bay

   Fri, Sep 29, 2023

   This morning after breakfast, leave Hanoi and travel to Halong Bay where you will board your traditional-style junk boat. Cruise through the bays and islets enjoying the stunning scenery of this magnificent region. Enjoy the tours offered on board, learn more about the main livelihood of the locals in the area or simply choose to relax. Towards the end of the day, the boat anchors for the night in the Trinh Nu area among the karst formations, and dinner will be served on board.

   Included Excursion
   A Halong Bay cruise

   
   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4. Day 4
   Halong Bay

   Sat, Sep 30, 2023

   Today, continue sailing further into the region’s more untouched areas towards Lan Ha Bay. From a smaller boat, enjoy swimming on quiet beaches and kayaking in Ho Ba Ham Lake. Then visit Cua Van fishing village by rowing boat. Return to your traditional junk boat after full day of exploration. Tonight, try squid fishing.

   Included Excursion
   A private boat tour to local beaches and activities on Halong Bay

   
   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5. Day 5
   Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hoi An

   Sun, Oct 01, 2023

   Enjoy the sunrise and breakfast before beginning your cruise back through the magnificent rock formations, visiting Sung Sot Cave before arriving back at port. Bid farewell as you transfer to Hanoi airport, with a stop en-route for a light lunch at a local restaurant.

   At the airport in Hanoi, board your flight to Danang (Hoi An). Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for your included three-night stay, where you can relax for the rest of the evening.

   
   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
6. Day 6
   Hoi An

   Mon, Oct 02, 2023

   Today, start with our EmeraldPLUS visit to the Reaching Out Project. Reaching Out is an NGO established in 2000, which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to learn skills and gain meaningful employment. Visit the workshop and get a glimpse of how this NGO helps them to integrate fully with their communities and lead independent and fulfilling lives.

   In the afternoon, enjoy a half day tour of Hoi An and see the old merchant’s houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge (currently undergoing renovations, views may be restricted) and the Assembly Hall of the Chinese Congregation.

   EmeraldPLUS
   A visit to Reaching Out NGO

   Included Excursion
   A walking tour of Hoi An

   
   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
7. Day 7
   Hoi An

   Tue, Oct 03, 2023

   Enjoy a day of leisure to explore Hoi An and its surroundings. Perhaps take the time to explore the Old Town, or take a cyclo to An Bang Beach. The choice is yours.

   DiscoverMORE
   A Vietnamese cooking class at Red Bridge Cooking School (extra expense)

   DiscoverMORE
   A visit to My Son (extra expense)

   DiscoverMORE
   Hoi An Rural Life - Bikes, Basket Boats, Farms & Fields (extra expense)

   
   Meals: Breakfast
8. Day 8
   Hoi An - Hue

   Wed, Oct 04, 2023

   Leave Hoi An for Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. You will drive through Danang before crossing the Pass of Ocean Clouds and dropping down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co.

   In Hue, you will visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. As part of your EmeraldPLUS, take a cyclo (bicycle style rickshaw) from Dai Noi ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax. Then later, join a boat trip to visit Thien Mu Pagoda.

   This evening, experience a royal dinner with traditional costumes.

   EmeraldPLUS
   A cyclo ride through Dai Noi

   A boat tour on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda

   EmeraldPLUS
   A traditional Vietnamese royal dinner at a local restaurant

   Included Excursion
   A visit to the Imperial Citadel

   
   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
9. Day 9
   Hue – Ho Chi Minh City

   Thu, Oct 05, 2023

   Today, transfer to Hue airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. You will have the afternoon to explore the city on your own before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant.

   
   Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
10. Day 10
    Ho Chi Minh City

    Fri, Oct 06, 2023

    Drive away from Ho Chi Minh City, watching the city skyline fade into the distance as the road winds through rice paddies, villages and other scenes typical to southern Vietnam. Spend a couple of hours walking around Cu Chi’s rugged grounds with a local guide. Hear how the residents constructed an intricate underground network of tunnels during the French and American wars. Hear incredible tales about the unusual foods the residents ate to survive and much more. Once above ground, see other ingenious items used by the residents to defend themselves such as bamboo traps and camouflaged pits.

    Upon your return to Ho Chi Minh City, the afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure.

    This evening choose between two DiscoverMORE options to experience the night life of HCMC.

    Included Excursion
    A tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels

    DiscoverMORE
    Evening - Saigon street food tour (extra expense)

    DiscoverMORE
    Evening – One night in Saigon (extra expense)

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
11. Day 11
    Ho Chi Minh City – Embarkation

    Sat, Oct 07, 2023

    After checkout, enjoy a tour of the city, visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera House and Town Hall. Then, visit the Reunification Palace before transferring to the port, where you will board your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship, Emerald Harmony. You’ll be welcomed on board by your captain and crew before setting sail towards My Tho in the Mekong Delta.

    This evening, enjoy your first dinner on board with your fellow travellers. Your Cruise Director will conduct a port talk to review the activities and itinerary for the days ahead.

    Included Excursion
    An orientation tour of Ho Chi Minh City

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
12. Day 12
    Ben Tre - Thoi Binh hamlet

    Sun, Oct 08, 2023

    This morning you will be taken to the Thoi Binh hamlet, a peaceful island on the Mekong Delta near Ben Tre. The Mekong Delta has always been known for its natural beauty of rice paddies, fruit orchards, coconut palm trees, the mangroves along the riverbanks, tiny creeks meandering around the wetland delta and especially the hospitality of locals in remote villages away from the hustle and bustle of big cities.

    Thoi Binh hamlet has been untouched by tourism over the past decades and this excursion would introduce to you the lifestyle of the locals’ fruit plantations and farms of the Mekong Delta.

    Return to Emerald Harmony and sail onwards to Sa Dec, a hidden gem along the river.

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
13. Day 13
    Sa Dec - My An Hung

    Mon, Oct 09, 2023

    Visit Sa Dec on a walking tour, with stops at the Chinese Congregational House in Kien An Cung, and see outside the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le who inspired Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant, and enjoy a walk through the central market to peruse its varied produce. Return to Emerald Harmony by sampan and sail to My An Hung Island. Recognised as a cultural and historical destination, this small village in rural Vietnam specialises in red-hot chilli and peppers. Enjoy some local folk singing during the visit.

    EmeraldPLUS
    A visit to My Ang Hung village

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
14. Day 14
    An Long - Long Khanh Island

    Tue, Oct 10, 2023

    The morning is yours to enjoy your free time on board or, if you prefer, partake in a DiscoverMORE optional excursion to the Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary. Covering a total area of 7,313 hectares, Tram Chim National Park, located in Tam Nong, is currently one of Vietnam’s eight most important bird sanctuaries. With a system of swamps, grass plots and natural canals, the park is an ideal habitat for 191 species of plants, 150 species of freshwater fish, and nearly 231 species of water birds. Some of these are listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of rare and threatened species.

    In the afternoon, embark on a journey to Long Khanh Island, visit a local family to learn about scarf-weaving and visit the Hoa Hao Buddhist Pagoda.Return to Emerald Harmony where, later this evening, you’ll be delighted by a traditional Lion Dance performance on board.

    EmeraldPLUS
    A Lion Dance performance on board

    DiscoverMORE
    A visit to Tam Nong Ramsar Bird Sanctuary in Tram Chim National Park (extra expense)

    Included Excursion
    A visit to a local scarf-weaving workshop and Hoa Hao Buddhist Pagoda on Long Khanh Island

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
15. Day 15
    Tan Chau - Vietnam / Cambodia Border Crossing

    Wed, Oct 11, 2023

    In Tan Chau, as part of EmeraldPLUS, visit the recently renovated Cao Dai temple. The religion of Cao Dai is a syncretic, monotheistic religion established in southern Vietnam in the city of Tây Ninh in 1926. Here, you will learn more about the mix of ideas that form the basis of this fascinating religion. After a Xe Loi ride, embark one of our sampans to Evergreen Island for a walk through a local village to get a glimpse into the lives of the local farming community. Stop at a local fish farm enroute back to the ship.Back on board your luxury Star-Ship, cruise to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.Tonight, celebrate crossing the border with a Cambodian-style family dinner.

    EmeraldPLUS
    A visit to Cao Dai temple, a religion unique to the Mekong Delta

    Included Excursion
    A visit to Evergreen Island and Tan Chau

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
16. Day 16
    Phnom Penh

    Thu, Oct 12, 2023

    Wake up in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The city, known as the “Pearl of Asia”, was almost entirely evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. This morning, you will learn more about the Khmer Rouge and the darkest days of the country’s history. A short drive will take you to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. Here you will have the opportunity to walk through the fields, visit the small museum and learn about this sad historic chapter. Afterwards visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S-21). This is a former school that was converted to the main prison and torture headquarters of the Khmer Rouge. The afternoon is yours to continue exploring, experience one of two DiscoverMORE options or to simply relax on board your Star-Ship. In the evening, you will have a chance to experience an evening remork (or Tuk-Tuk) ride through Phnom Penh to enjoy the city lights.

    EmeraldPLUS
    Phnom Penh by night on a remork (Tuk-Tuk) tour

    Included Excursion
    A visit to the Killing Fields & Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

    DiscoverMORE
    A silk farm tour at Koh Oknha Tei (extra expense)

    DiscoverMORE
    Enjoy a craft beer adventure by remork in Phnom Penh (extra expense)

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
17. Day 17
    Phnom Penh - Oudong – Koh Khsach Krao

    Fri, Oct 13, 2023

    Located north of Phnom Penh, Oudong was the former royal capital of Cambodia up until it moved to Phnom Penh in 1866. Important remnants on the temple sight include the burial sites of Khmer kings as well as religious artefacts dating back more than a hundred years. In the main temple of the Oudong Monastery, receive a traditional Buddhist blessing from the temple’s resident monks as part of your EmeraldPLUS excursion. In the afternoon, you will visit the majestic Royal Palace with its gardens and the central market located in the heart of the city.
    This evening, enjoy a cultural performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation before setting sail past the lights of Phnom Penh to Koh Khsach Krao.

    EmeraldPLUS
    A traditional Buddhist Monk blessing

    EmeraldPLUS
    A cultural Performance by the Cambodian Student and Children’s Organisation

    Included Excursion
    A visit to Oudong Monastery

    Included Excursion
    A visit to the Royal Palace and central market

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
18. Day 18
    Koh Khsach Krao Disembarkation – Siem Reap

    Sat, Oct 14, 2023

    Disembark Emerald Harmony in the morning and continue by road to Siem Reap for your included three-night stay. En-route to Siem Reap, stop in the spider village of Skol, Kampong Kdei and see the impressive Angkor Bridge.

    This evening, witness the incredible Cambodian Circus, Phare, a spectacle of acrobatics, theatre and music. Phare is an NGO founded by Cambodian refugees to assist disadvantaged young people by teaching them performing arts.

    EmeraldPLUS
    The Cambodian Circus, Phare

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
19. Day 19
    Siem Reap

    Sun, Oct 15, 2023

    Today, start with a visit to Angkor Thom. As the last capital of the Khmer Empire, it was a fortified city, home to priests, officials of the palace and military, as well as buildings for administering the kingdom.

    Afterwards, visit the sacred Temple of Ta Prohm, still overgrown by jungle trees, it has been the backdrop for many Hollywood movies.

    This afternoon and evening is at your leisure or undertake a DiscoverMORE option.

    Included Excursion
    A visit to Angkor Thom

    Included Excursion
    A visit to Ta Prohm Temple

    DiscoverMORE
    Afternoon - A Vespa tour of Siem Reap (extra expense)

    DiscoverMORE
    Evening – Drinks and Canapes in the Rice Field (extra expense)

    DiscoverMORE
    Evening - Sunset Gondola Boat Ride at Bayan (extra expense)

    DiscoverMORE
    Evening - Cambodian Street Food Discovery Tour (extra expense)

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
20. Day 20
    Siem Reap

    Mon, Oct 16, 2023

    Rise early and witness the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Afterwards walk through this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site known for its elaborate decorations and intricate carvings throughout.

    This afternoon is free for you to explore more, to go shopping or to relax at your hotel. And, in the evening, you’ll enjoy your farewell dinner at Satcha Cambodian Handicraft Incubation Center, accompanied by an Apsara dance performance.

    Included Excursion
    A sunrise visit to Angkor Wat

    DiscoverMORE
    A visit to Banteay Srei (extra expense)

    DiscoverMORE
    A visit to Tonlé Sap (extra expense)

    DiscoverMORE
    A culinary tour of Cambodia (extra expense)

    
    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
21. Day 21
    Depart Siem Reap

    Tue, Oct 17, 2023

    After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your onward or homebound flight.

    This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions.

    
    Meals: Breakfast

Inclusions

Health and Safety Protocols for Emerald

Ship Information

Cabins

Life on Board

Questions & Answers