Emerald Cruises has revealed details of its 2024-2025 Mekong River cruise season through Cambodia and Vietnam aboard its intimate Star-Ship, Emerald Harmony. Exploring the region via river ship allows travelers to experience small villages and historic capitals. The cruise line has expanded the sailing season for 2024-2025, offering more options to guests looking to explore the beauty and history of the Mekong region.
New this season, the 10-day "Meandering Majestic Mekong” itinerary between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh will sail exclusively in August, September and October, during the region’s less crowded “green season.” This longer sailing will have a more relaxed pace and add extra time in Cambodia, continuing northeast past the capital city. An additional port of call in Angkor Ban will reveal a remote village where guests can explore the 100-year-old wooden houses that survived the Khmer Rouge and receive a blessing from the local monastery. This itinerary will also include more daytime sailing, allowing guests to take in the sights on daily excursions as well as from onboard the Emerald Harmony. Travelers looking to sail the Mekong between mid-October and mid-May can opt for the classic eight-day “Majestic Mekong,” also sailing between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh.
Another option are the cruise-and-land tours curated by Emerald Cruises. These journeys combine the eight- or 10-day river cruise, depending on season, with an in-depth land tour itinerary. The 13- or 15-day “Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong” will add three days in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where guests can visit the ancient temples of Angkor Tom and watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat; take a Vespa tour of the city or a boat tour of nearby Tonle Sap lake; take in an Aspara dance show and traditional Cambodian dinner; and embark on an evening street food tour. Two longer itineraries offer more time touring before and after the cruise: The 17- or 19-day “Treasures & Temples of Vietnam & Cambodia” will add tours in Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi and a two-night cruise onboard a traditional-style junk boat on Halong Bay as well as the Siem Reap program. The 21- or 23-day “Grand Tour of Vietnam & Cambodia” itinerary will add tours in the Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam, and Hoi An, known for its well-preserved Ancient Town and architecture, as well as the tour program in Hanoi, Halong Bay and Siem Reap. To offer more choice of ports, each itinerary offers an upstream and downstream option.
No matter which itinerary guests opt for, they will pay a visit to the metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City, a city that continues to modernize while maintaining roots in strong traditions. Vietnam War reminders are never far away, whether the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of underground passageways constructed by the communist guerrillas, or the War Remnants Museum. In the Mekong Delta region, highlights include a visit to a family-owned silk producing factory and the unspoiled My An Hung village. A visit to Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh contrasts the elaborate Royal Palace complex with the tragic reminders of the Khmer Rouge regime at the Killing Fields. A night tour of Cambodia’s capital on traditional tuk-tuks offers a different take on this lively city.
With only 84 guests in 42 staterooms and suites, Emerald Harmony offers an intimate and upscale sailing experience on the Mekong. The ship features spacious cabins, a pool located on the ship’s aft, an Asian-themed Horizon Bar & Lounge, and a 2-to-1 guest to crew ratio.
Additional information can be found at www.emeraldcruises.com.
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