RV Mekong Navigator Cruise Downstream 5 days: Phnom Penh - Saigon

Morning
Begin your adventure in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh—a city that beautifully balances its historic charm and modern vibrancy. From golden pagodas to chic cafés, the city offers an engaging prelude to your journey downstream. Embarkation aboard the luxurious RV Mekong Navigator begins in the late morning. Step aboard to a warm welcome, cool towels, and your first taste of gracious river hospitality.

Afternoon
After settling into your spacious suite, enjoy your first lunch on board in the elegant Le Marché Dining Room, where regionally inspired cuisine sets the tone for the culinary journey ahead. The afternoon is yours to explore Phnom Penh at leisure—perhaps take a stroll along the riverfront, browse traditional silks at Central Market, or sample Khmer fusion dishes at one of the city’s stylish rooftop eateries.

Evening
As dusk settles over the Mekong, gather on the Sun Deck for a special Pre-dinner cultural performance. Dancers in golden regalia perform the mystical Apsara, Cambodia’s national dance, followed by lively Khmer folk dances that celebrate local heritage. This vibrant introduction to Cambodian culture is followed by a welcome dinner served in Le Marché Dining Room, where you’ll dine as the city twinkles under the night sky.

Morning
Wave farewell to Phnom Penh as the RV Mekong Navigator sets sail downstream along the Mekong River. This morning is all about slowing down and soaking in the serene rhythm of river life. From your private balcony or the open-air sundeck, watch as the landscape transforms—fishing boats skim the water, stilted homes rise from the banks, and water buffalo graze beside banana palms. The ship sails toward the Cambodia–Vietnam border, with border formalities taking place mid-morning.

Afternoon
Back on board, indulge in a series of lighthearted and enriching cultural activities. Begin with a vibrant tropical fruit tasting, where you’ll learn to distinguish between juicy rambutans, fragrant mangoes, and tangy star apples—each with its own story and season. Follow this with a Vietnamese spring roll demonstration, a hands-on culinary session showing how fresh herbs, vegetables, and rice paper come together to form this iconic dish. Finally, enjoy an exhibition of traditional Cambodian costumes, where intricate weaves, silk textures, and symbolic patterns reveal layers of Khmer cultural identity.

Evening
As the sky turns gold and the river slows, gather on deck for a celebratory Captain’s Cocktail & Sabering Ceremony—a time-honored toast to your cross-border journey and new friendships. Raise a glass to the experiences ahead as the chef prepares another exquisite dinner, served in Le Marché Dining Room. With the ship now officially in Vietnamese waters, the evening closes with gentle conversation, music in Le Salon Lounge, and a tranquil anchorage under a canopy of stars.

Note: It takes about 5 hours to go from Phnom Penh to the border, depending on the water situation.

Morning
Sail into the quiet charm of Gieng Island, fondly known as “The Mango Island,” nestled along the upper Mekong River. Largely untouched by mass tourism, the island offers a vivid look at rural Vietnamese life, where mango orchards stretch toward the horizon and time seems to slow with the river’s current.
Step ashore by sampan and switch to a motorized rickshaw for a scenic ride beneath mango-canopied lanes. Your first stop is a boat-building yard, where traditional wooden sampans are still expertly crafted by hand—a centuries-old trade preserved by generations of skilled artisans. Continue to a small incense-making workshop, where the fragrant coils and sticks used in Vietnamese spiritual life are carefully shaped and sun-dried.
Next, admire the island’s most iconic landmark—a stately Catholic church built during the French colonial era, its pastel façade and European-style spires offering a tranquil juxtaposition to the tropical setting. Finally, visit a nearby Vietnamese ancestral house surrounded by mango trees. There, a welcoming local family invites you to relax under their shaded veranda and enjoy fresh mangoes, still warm from the sun.

Afternoon
After lunch, back on board, arrive at the welcoming riverside village of My An Hung, a lush, evergreen hamlet in the Mekong Delta. A short sampan ride and gentle walk lead you past family gardens and stilted wooden homes framed by jackfruit and banana trees.
Visit a local household, where the family will serve you honey tea and seasonal tropical fruits. In their shaded garden, soak in the melodies of Don Ca Tai Tu, the traditional chamber music of Southern Vietnam, performed live by village artists. This is followed by a lively and impressive Vovinam martial arts demonstration, performed by the local youth—an energizing cultural expression passed down with pride.

Evening
Return to the RV Mekong Navigator as it continues its journey toward Sa Dec, gliding under the warm hues of a Mekong sunset. Dine onboard with dishes inspired by the flavors of the Delta, and enjoy a relaxed evening as the ship anchors mid-river, cradled by the calm currents of Vietnam’s heartland.

Morning
Begin your day in the river town of Sa Dec, once a thriving trading port in colonial Cochinchina and a setting immortalized in Marguerite Duras’ novel The Lover. Board a sampan and cruise through narrow canals, where villagers start their day along the banks—tending gardens, rowing boats, or chatting over steaming bowls of breakfast pho.
Step ashore and visit the former home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, Duras’ real-life muse, now preserved as a historical site filled with French-Vietnamese architecture and romantic lore. Continue to the ornate Kien An Cung Temple, built in the early 20th century by the Huynh family, showcasing colorful wood carvings and symbolic Chinese motifs.
Conclude your exploration with a stroll through the Sa Dec Market, where an explosion of color and fragrance awaits—live fish flapping in baskets, tropical fruits stacked high, and fresh herbs perfuming the air. The sensory buzz of this market offers an unforgettable look into the daily rhythm of life in the Mekong Delta.

Afternoon
Following lunch aboard the ship, arrive at Cai Be, a town known for its peaceful waterways and local craftsmanship. Don a conical hat and hop into a traditional rowing boat for a tranquil glide along the green-fringed canals. Pass floating homes and gardens on stilts, catching glimpses of riverside life that remains deeply connected to the land and water.
Continue by motorized sampan to a cottage industry workshop, where artisans demonstrate how to make rice paper, popped rice, and rice wine—simple yet iconic staples of Vietnamese culinary tradition. Watch as puffed grains leap from hot pans and sheets of rice paper dry in the sun, then sample the finished treats and browse hand-painted souvenirs, from oil artworks to local crafts.

Evening
As golden light washes over the river, return to the Mekong Navigator for a scenic sunset cruise toward My Tho Marina. Gather on the Sun Deck for a Farewell Reception, where you can raise a glass with the crew and fellow travelers in celebration of the journey. A final Farewell Dinner in Le Marché Dining Room brings together the flavors and friendships formed throughout your Mekong adventure.
The ship docks in My Tho, where your final night on the river promises peace, reflection, and the lullaby of lapping waters.

Morning
Wake to your final morning aboard the RV Mekong Navigator, gently moored at My Tho Port in the heart of the Mekong Delta. Enjoy a relaxed breakfast as early sunbeams cast a golden glow on the water and local boats begin their daily trade. This is your final chance to soak in the calm serenity of river life—an experience that has slowly unfolded over the past few days, rich with culture, connection, and discovery.

After breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to the warm and welcoming crew who’ve guided your journey and brought the spirit of the Mekong to life. With new friendships, beautiful memories, and a deeper understanding of the region’s heritage, disembark the ship and board a comfortable, air-conditioned coach for your onward transfer.

(08:30) Coaches depart from My Tho Port to Ho Chi Minh City. As you leave the river behind, the countryside rolls past your window—rice paddies, lotus ponds, and sleepy villages giving way to the dynamic skyline of southern Vietnam’s largest metropolis. Whether continuing your travels or heading home, the rhythm of the Mekong and the stories of its people will remain with you.

Afternoon & Evening
No scheduled activities. Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, the tour concludes.