15 nights · Vietnam · River and intracoastal cruise · Departs Hanoi (Vietnam) · Visiting Halong Bay, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Angkor Ban, Kampong Tralach, Tonle Sap Lake, Chau Doc, Vinh Long, Saigon · Aboard Avalon Waterways on the Avalon Saigon
Image courtesy of Avalon Waterways ©
This river and intracoastal cruise sails the Tonle Sap, Mekong and Saigon with Ha Long Bay, departing Hanoi.
| Cruise line | Avalon Waterways |
|---|---|
| Ship | Avalon Saigon |
| Duration | 15 nights |
| Port calls | 10 |
| Departures | 18 sailings |
| From fare | $6,914 per person |
| Year built | 2018 |
| Guests | 36 |
| Cabins | 18 |
| Crew | 24 |
| Length | 60 m |
| Cruising speed | 9.0 kn |
Hanoi rewards travelers who look beyond its traffic. In the Old Quarter, narrow streets brim with family shops, temples, and bowls of pho. Around Hoan Kiem Lake, early-morning tai chi gives way to café terraces and the bustle of the day. French-era boulevards and the Temple of Literature reveal a city shaped by layered histories. Hanoi lies inland; cruise visitors usually reach it from Ha Long Bay, roughly three hours away.
Hạ Long opens onto a singular seascape: thousands of limestone islands rise from the Gulf of Tonkin. From the modern cruise port, boat trips lead into sheltered coves and dramatic grottoes. Some itineraries visit a floating fishing village, where families once made their living from the bay. Back ashore, Bai Chay has cafés and seafood restaurants. Choose a longer cruise for the best perspective: the karsts are most striking from the water.
Hanoi rewards travelers who look beyond its traffic. In the Old Quarter, narrow streets brim with family shops, temples, and bowls of pho. Around Hoan Kiem Lake, early-morning tai chi gives way to café terraces and the bustle of the day. French-era boulevards and the Temple of Literature reveal a city shaped by layered histories. Hanoi lies inland; cruise visitors usually reach it from Ha Long Bay, roughly three hours away.
Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor, where Cambodia’s Khmer kings left one of Asia’s great archaeological landscapes. At Angkor Wat, galleries of carved stone surround a temple begun in the early 12th century. Beyond it, the vast Angkor Archaeological Park holds the jungle-embraced towers of Bayon and Ta Prohm. Allow time for Siem Reap itself: a lively Cambodian city with markets, cafés, and access to Tonlé Sap’s floating communities.
Phnom Penh rewards a day spent looking beyond its riverfront. Cambodia’s capital pairs the Royal Palace’s gilded roofs and the Silver Pagoda’s silver-tiled floor with the broad Mekong. At Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields, the Khmer Rouge years become painfully tangible. Leave time for the Central Market, where art deco architecture shelters stalls selling silver, silk, and local produce.
Angkor Ban is one of the Mekong’s rare villages where traditional wooden homes still shape daily life. Raised on stilts, many houses date back generations, their weathered boards offering a glimpse of rural Cambodia beyond the cities. Visit the Buddhist monastery and meet residents whose routines follow the river and rice fields. Here, the Mekong is not a backdrop; it is the village’s working road and enduring source of connection.
Kampong Tralach reveals a quieter Cambodia, where river life and rice fields shape the day. Travel by ox cart through the countryside to Wat Kampong Tralach Leu, a historic pagoda with painted walls. Nearby, Kampong Chhnang is known for its pottery and communities on the Tonle Sap. Come ashore for a close look at rural life, far from the capital’s bustle.
Tonle Sap is Cambodia’s great inland sea. Each monsoon, rising Mekong waters reverse the Tonle Sap River’s flow, swelling the lake many times beyond its dry-season size. From the water, stilt houses and floating communities reveal how generations have adapted to its shifting shoreline. The flooded forests shelter abundant fish and important populations of waterbirds. Visits usually depart from Siem Reap, with conditions changing sharply between wet and dry seasons.
Phnom Penh rewards a day spent looking beyond its riverfront. Cambodia’s capital pairs the Royal Palace’s gilded roofs and the Silver Pagoda’s silver-tiled floor with the broad Mekong. At Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields, the Khmer Rouge years become painfully tangible. Leave time for the Central Market, where art deco architecture shelters stalls selling silver, silk, and local produce.
Châu Đốc sits on the Hậu River, where Vietnam’s Mekong Delta meets Cambodia. Fishing boats and floating fish farms animate the waterways. Markets reveal Vietnamese, Khmer and Cham influences. Nearby, Sam Mountain offers wide delta views, historic pagodas and the revered Lady Chúa Xứ Temple. For a change of pace, glide through Trà Sư Cajuput Forest’s shaded canals.
Cái Bè sits beside the Tiền River, where ferries, cargo boats and sampans share the waterway. Take a small boat through narrow canals to see fruit orchards and villages shaped by life on the Mekong. The town’s landmark Catholic church offers a striking pause on shore. At dawn, the once-famous floating market is quieter than its reputation suggests, but river trade remains part of daily life.
Ho Chi Minh City rewards curious travellers with a vivid collision of old Saigon and modern Vietnam. French-colonial landmarks, busy markets and motorbike-filled streets make the centre a study in contrasts. The War Remnants Museum offers a sobering account of the conflict, while local cafés invite a slower pause. For a deeper look at Vietnam’s wartime history, the Cu Chi tunnels make a memorable excursion beyond the city.
Published September 4, 2026
Last updated October 31, 2026
Author: J. Richard
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