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Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia and the Mekong
Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia and the Mekong with Rose Gray February 5 – 20, 2024 | Hanoi to Ho Chi Ming | 16 Days
Join Rose Gray in two of the most beautiful, historic and friendly places in all of Asia, dynamic Vietnam and pastoral Cambodia! They are intriguing studies in contrast. Each possesses its own unique charm and social traditions, its own tragic history and complex past. In many ways, a visit here is less about the sights you see than it is about the people you meet and the experiences you have along the way.
We start our journey with a stay in Hanoi. Then onto colorful Siem Reap that provides the gateway to the vast UNESCO-designated jungle temple complex of Angkor Wat. As the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, the seven-night river cruise on the Mekong teems with colorful floating villages and mementos of its French Colonial past. Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s thriving capital, is fast-forwarding to the future yet retains a provincial intimacy. Ho Chi Minh City offers a heady mixture of old and new. This once in a lifetime tour will bring you up close and personal to amazing people and places!
Ho Chi Minh Complex, an important place for pilgrimage
The Temple of Literature
Visit the unforgettable Angkor Wat, The largest religious monument in the world
Visit Tlai Tno, an art association where young performers learn the intricate moves of traditional Apsara dance
See traditional Khmer crafts at Artisans Angkor’s workshops
See the Hindu and Buddhist monuments within Angkor Thom, the royal city
Enjoy the Mekong River on the Luxurious Mekong Jewel
Receive an unforgettable water blessing from local Buddhist monks
Visit the Kingdom of Cambodia, Phnom Penh and see The famed Temple of the Emerald Buddha
See the traditional Khmer Scarves on the Island of Hong Ngu
Witness the hustle and bustle of delta river life
A Tour Manager from Fox World Travel will guide the group, offering peace of mind as you travel!
We’ll also have remarkable service from your English-speaking crew and onboard cruise director. Portable audio headset systems are included on all excursions throughout the trip.
Accommodations
Dining
Transportation
Depart Chicago for your flight to Hanoi.
Arrive Hanoi and transfer to your hotel for the evening.
Hotel: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel (or similar)
Spend the day exploring a city some call Asia’s most beautiful. You’ll visit a complex honoring Ho Chi Minh, founder of modern Vietnam. Visit the Temple of Literature, originally built as a Confucian temple in 1070 AD. Six years later, on the same grounds, Vietnam’s first university was founded. Today, you can experience the tranquility of its beautiful gardens and pavilions. You can see another aspect of Vietnam’s history if you step into one of the dank cells at the notorious “Hanoi Hilton,” as Hoa Lo, a French colonial-era prison, was known to the American pilots who were held there as prisoners of war during the Vietnam War.
Hotel: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel (or similar)
Enjoy breakfast at your Hanoi hotel before your transfer and flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your luxury hotel.
Hotel: Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort (or similar)
Today is a bucket list kind of day as you explore the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, a gigantic religious complex that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. NOTE: Order of sightseeing may change on Days 4 and 5. Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.
Every aspect of Angkor Wat had religious meaning to its builders 900 years ago: the great rectangular moat, the main gate facing the west, the towers topped with stone lotuses, the huge smiling stone heads, the layout of the lanes and buildings. The largest religious monument in the world, magnificent Angkor Wat is the single most recognizable landmark in Cambodia. It is simply breathtaking in both size and scope and boasts the longest continuous bas-relief in the world.
Climb aboard a remork for a relaxing tour of the streets of Siem Reap, with stops at several artisans’ workshop that will introduce you to Siem Reap’s thriving arts scene. Your first stop is Tlai Tno, an art association where young performers learn the intricate moves of traditional Apsara dance. You’ll also visit Artisans Angkor’s workshops, which promote the resurrection of traditional Khmer crafts: hand-carved sculptures in wood or stone, lacquer work, silk paintings and silk fabrics—all locally made by hand in the traditional way—are available at the shop.
Hotel: Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort (or similar)
Today you will enter the spectacular remnants of Angkor Thom, the royal city. Prepare to be amazed! Built during the heyday of the Khmer dynasty in the 12th century, this extraordinary complex of Hindu and Buddhist monuments was once lost to the world for many years, hidden under dense jungle vines. After an exciting day of sightseeing, you’ll indulge in a lavish dinner with an Apsara dance show. Apsara is the traditional Khmer dance form that tells stories and conveys messages using ornate costumes, graceful movements, codified facial expressions, and distinctive hand and foot positions. The many Apsara figures that adorn Angkor and pre-Angkor temples you’ve just visited testify to the dance form’s long and esteemed history.
Hotel: Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort (or similar)
Today, you’ll have free time to explore Siem Reap, a place name that means, literally, “Defeat of Siam”—which tells you something of its history. It is the gateway to Angkor, the legendary archaeological site. Later, check out of your hotel and transfer via executive motorcoach to Kampong Cham where you’ll embark on the beautiful Mekong Jewel—your elegant home for the next seven nights—and set sail on the beautiful Mekong.
Today is a celebration of Cambodia’s bright future. You’ll meet young children at a local school and friendly villagers in their homes, and have a rare opportunity to receive an unforgettable water blessing from local Buddhist monks.
Today, you’ll discover the thriving capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. It stands at the juncture of three captivating rivers and represents a dizzying blend of architectural styles—French colonial, Khmer, modern and everything in between. Here, you’ll find an alluring riverside esplanade amid numerous bewitching Buddhist temples, palaces and artifacts. A tuk tuk will whisk you down wide boulevards laid out by French colonial administrators in the 1860s, when Cambodia was part of French Indochina, past old French-influenced buildings, beautiful pagodas and (with a bit of luck) saffron-robed monks, on your way to the Royal Palace. Spacious grounds—you might notice a resemblance to formal French parterres—are home to a group of structures featuring classic Khmer architecture. Each one has a specific function: The Throne Hall, with its spires and flying celestials, hosts royal coronations, while the Moonlight Pavilion was intended as a venue for dance performances (but is now used for receptions). The famed Temple of the Emerald Buddha, commonly known as the Silver Pagoda, boasts a floor-covering of 5,329 silver tiles. In the center of the pagoda are both an emerald and a gold Buddha statue (the latter of which is studded with nearly 10,000 diamonds). You’ll also tour the National Museum, which features an incomparable collection of the nation’s archaeological and artistic treasures. Following lunch onboard, enjoy the afternoon and evening at leisure, taking in the shopping and lively entertainment venues of Phnom Penh.
Today’s featured excursion may be the most profound and memorable experience of your entire journey. You’ll learn about the infamous Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge and visit a former school-turned-prison that is now a genocide museum.
You leave Cambodia behind and cross into Vietnam today, delving into a region where traditional and modern lifestyle elements mingle: Agriculture may still reign supreme, but TV satellite dishes dot rooftops of houses built on stilts. You’ll visit the local island village of Hong Ngu, a major producer of the traditional Khmer scarves located not far from the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Since they’re woven in many homes around the village, you’ll have the opportunity to see the process first-hand. You’ll also stop at a local temple dedicated to a unique religion founded in this area of Vietnam, Hoa Hoa. And perhaps the most interesting visit of the day? A visit to the local home of a retired VC General.
Following breakfast, you’ll venture to Gieng Island, where you’ll experience how a local family makes incense sticks and the conical hat. Later, your journey continues via sampan, where you’ll observe the daily routines of the villagers in Sa Dec and visit a colorful temple, the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le.
Today, you’ll witness the hustle and bustle of delta river life as the local traders take their produce to market. After breakfast, you’ll board a traditional sampan and explore the narrow canals and backwaters of this famed region. The untouched island of Tien Loi awaits on a unique excursion created exclusively for Uniworld guests, where you can see how local farmers make rooster cages, decorate bonsais in their yards and more.
Step aboard a sampan—the style of this vessel is traditional, but the one you’ll board is much more luxurious than those generally used on these waters—and join the locals thronging the harbor of Tien Loi. At the floating market here, merchants advertise their wares by attaching a sample—such as a watermelon, a coconut or a bunch of bananas—to a tall bamboo pole so their potential customers can easily see what they’re selling. It’s a colorful and lively scene, typical of Mekong Delta towns, though few similar villages feature a handsome French Gothic–style cathedral as a background. You’ll sail into the town and land near the An Kiet House, built early in the 19th century for a member of the royal family. Its ornately carved antique screens and furnishings give you an idea of how wealthy Southern Vietnamese families lived. While you’re on solid ground, take a look at another aspect of life of the delta: Vietnam is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of rice, and the Mekong Delta is known as the country’s “rice bowl.”
Disembark your ship and transfer to Ho Chi Minh City. You will experience how ancient history melds with the boisterous present in Vietnam’s largest city, where skyscrapers tower over ancient temples and motorbikes putter along picturesque alleys.
Hotel: Park Hyatt Saigon (or similar)
Today’s featured excursion provides a fascinating glimpse of the Viet Cong’s vast network of incredibly narrow tunnels dating back to the Vietnam War.
Hotel: Park Hyatt Saigon (or similar)
After breakfast depart for the airport and your flight home.
Ship Features: Mekong Jewel
Debuting in January 2020, the Mekong Jewel is the newest and most luxurious ship on the Mekong River. This all-suite Super Ship includes two dining venues: one main restaurant and an al fresco eatery on the upper deck. The Mekong Jewel replaces the Mekong Navigator and was constructed with sustainable, eco-friendly materials, and features a swimming pool, spa, sauna and steam room, gym, hair salon, nail bar, two lounges and a library. This beautiful ship allows no more than 68 guests, assuring gracious and attentive service from the impeccably- trained 51 member staff. Every suite is a beautiful and tranquil retreat, a blend of timeless elegance and modern conveniences and luxuries.
Air + Tour prices include airfare from Chicago O’Hare, guided tour and inclusions and transfers in destination.
Prices are per person, based on double occupancy.
or Call a Travel Advisor at 888-369-8785 to make your reservations.
Prices are per person, based on double occupancy.
or Call a Travel Advisor at 888-369-8785 to make your reservations.
Prices are per person, based on double occupancy.
or Call a Travel Advisor at 888-369-8785 to make your reservations.
Available Discounts
Pay In Full: Pay in Full at time of reservation by June 29, 2023 and receive $719.00 off per person in a Suite accommodation / $1,059.00 per person in a Grand Suite accommodation / $1,219.00 off per person in a Royal Suite accommodation.
Or
Pay by Deposit: Deposit no later than September 29, 2023 and receive $503.00 off per person in a Suite accommodation / $741.00 per person in a Grand Suite Accommodation / $853.00 per person in a Royal Suite Accommodation.
Uniworld River Heritage Past Guest Discount: $100.00 per person (River Heritage Discount is combinable with the other discounts).
Rose Gray will be your host and Fox Tour Manager on this trip. Now with over three decades in the travel industry, Rose Gray started her career off as a vacation travel consultant. From there, she experienced all walks of travel life as a business travel agent, branch manager, manager of business development as well as work with an airline. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Lakeland College in addition to her Certified Travel Certification (CTC) from the Institute of Certified Travel Consultants.
Today, Rose works as Fox’s Business Relationship Director in addition to living out her true passion as a Tour Manager on Fox Group Vacations, accompanying clients on their travel adventures. If you travel with Rose, you’ll often find her sharing tips and advice as she loves to introduce people to a new world of culture and excitement.
In addition to traveling with her on trips ranging from Alaska to Vietnam, you can catch Rose on the Fox World Travel Show, heard on WTMJ on Saturday mornings from 9 – 10 a.m.
Rose’s travels have taken her to all corners of the globe from northern Reykjavik, Iceland to southern Porto Montt, Chile and from western Vanuatu to Eastern Singapore. Even after traveling to this portfolio of destinations, her favorite vacation is still Arizona in March for Brewers’ Spring Training.
Airfare: Flights are currently pending. The air-inclusive package includes air that has not yet been assigned, the identity of the carrier, which may include the carrier’s code-share partner, will be assigned and disclosed at a later date. A minimum of 10 passengers is needed for the group air. Checked baggage fees may apply. Pricing and flight options from other cities available upon request.
Single Supplement: Available upon request
Initial Deposit: $700 per person at time of booking + Fox Professional Service Fee
Included: Above pricing is per person based on double occupancy and subject to availability. Pricing includes current air taxes and fees of $320.55 (subject to change) and a nonrefundable Fox World Travel Professional Fee of $50 per reservation.
Not Included: Airline flights on land-only packages, air-imposed baggage fees, gratuities for airport porters, tour guides, motorcoach drivers, meals (other than those included in the package); optional excursions that may be offered, and any items of a personal nature. Travel insurance protection is not included but highly recommended. Ask your travel consultant about pricing and options.
Terms: Minimum of 20 travelers required for the Fox World Travel tour manager to accompany the group. In the event the minimum number is not reached, the tour may still include a professional, local guide in the destination.
Optional Insurance: In these volatile times and for peace of mind, we recommend purchasing travel protection insurance. Your travel advisor can discuss options with you, including medical expense coverage, pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers, trip cancellation, trip delay, lost, delayed or damaged baggage and more. To cover pre-existing conditions, most policies must be purchased within 14 days of making your initial deposit. Travel protection insurance prices are based on your age and the trip cost.
Cancellation Penalties:
Fox World Cancellation Fee of $100.00 per reservation will apply in addition to any Fox Group Vacation or vendor cancellation penalties. Air tickets are non-refundable once ticketed.
You will receive customized, informative travel documents containing trip details and helpful packing and planning information.
Note: Daily Itinerary is subject to change. Order of sightseeing may change throughout the itinerary. Substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to uncontrollable factors
Cambodia
A single-entry visa is required for our Cambodia programs.
Vietnam
Two single entry e-visas are required for our Vietnam programs. A visa cannot be secured upon entry. E-visas are available online through the government of Vietnam.
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