Vietnam, Cambodia & The Mekong Guest Booklets

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C R U I S E

C O M PA N I O N

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong

The symbols below will help guide you through the descriptions of the daily itineraries. They will give you an idea of the length and pace of the excursions, and they will note which meals are provided.

UNIWORLD SIGNATURE ICONS

u b a

UNESCO Site Motorcoach Additional Cost

d

S

e

Flight Boat Embark/Disembark

Note: Prices of Optional Excursions will be available onboard.

The cost of the purchased excursion will be added to your onboard account.

DINING LETTER CODES

CB Continental Breakfast L

Lunch

WD Welcome Dinner

BB Buffet Breakfast D

Dinner

FD Farewell Dinner

TOUR DURATION ICONS

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1/4 Day 3/4 Day

7 8

1/2 Day

Full Day

SHORE EXCURSION ICONS

W E LCO M E

Our world begins with you Thank you for selecting Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. We want to do everything we can to ensure you have the most enjoyable and worry-free vacation.

With that in mind, we have prepared this booklet for you, so you can plan your trip with the greatest of ease.

Consider it a guideline to help you get ready for your upcoming trip. It contains valuable tips and advice on what to pack, your flight and transfer experience, onboard information, day-to-day details and much more.

We highly look forward to hosting you onboard our beautifully appointed ships and making your vacation the most memorable and enjoyable experience possible.

Sincerely, The Uniworld Team

All tours involve walking unless strictly noted as a panoramic tour. In many cases, the walking takes place over uneven ground, cobblestones, or flagstone walkways, and several tours involve stairs or short uphill climbs.

Please wear comfortable, non-skid walking shoes while on all tours. These symbols give an idea of what to expect on each program.

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Easy walking Includes walking of 15 minutes or less from multiple motorcoach stops to and around historical sites.

Possibly some steps or gentle uphill and downhill walks.

Intermediate walking Includes walks of up to two hours on uneven terrain.

Limited seating at sites. Multiple stairs and/or uphill/ downhill walking.

Strenuous walking Involves walking at all sites. Many stairs and uphill/downhill passages. Those with physical limitations and those who may need private arrangements should contact the Cruise/ Tour Manager when onboard.

COVER: Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia ▲ Tranquil waterway near Hanoi, Vietnam uniworld.com | 1

ICON/LETTER CODE LEGEND

Icon/Letter Code Legend

TABLE of CONTENTS

INSECT PRECAUTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Helpful Hints Before You Go TRAVEL DOCUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

INTERNET ACCESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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Passports

INTRA-ASIA DOMESTIC AIR TICKET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Visa Requirements

LAND TOURS AND SHORE EXCURSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Passenger Information Form

LAUNDRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Travel Protection Plan CRUISE/TOUR DOCUMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Final Documentation Includes BAGGAGE LIMITATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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VACCINATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 HEALTH AND MOBILITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

MASSAGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MOORING AND DOCKING FACILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MOVING ABOUT THE SHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MUSTER STATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 RESPONSIBILITY AND WAIVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Physical Limitations

SECURITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Medical

SHIP’S OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Special Diets GENERAL MONEY MATTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Getting There

SHOPPING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 SMOKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 STATEROOM AND SUITE AMENITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

AIRPORT SECURITY AND CHECK-IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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VISITORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

TRANSFERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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WATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Airport Arrival Transfers Airport Departure Transfers

WEATHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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Late Flight Arrivals and Missed Flights

WHAT TO WEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Baggage Delays

OMISSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

PRE- OR POST-CRUISE/TOUR LAND STAY OR OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

HOTEL CHECK-IN AND HOTEL CHECK-OUT . . . . . . . . . . . 13

About Your Uniworld Cruise/Tour Package and Onboard and Onshore Services CREW-ONLY AREAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 DINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2016 RIVER CRUISE/TOUR PROGRAM

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia, & the Mekong Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi | 15 Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City | 15 Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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ELECTRICAL CURRENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ELEVATORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 EXCURSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 FITNESS CENTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 FOOTWEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 GIFT SHOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 GOING ASHORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 GRATUITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 2

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TABLE of CONTENTS

HANDICAPPED FACILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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tour. Each guest will need to provide the Cruise/Tour Manager with his or her passport, one (1) passport photo, and $50 USD in cash, per person, while on the tour for this purpose. The Cruise/Tour Manager will then submit all passports to the Cambodian Immigration Authorities and obtain the visas. For southbound Mekong cruises, this will be done at the Siem Reap Airport. For northbound Mekong cruises, this will be done onboard the River Orchid prior to entering Cambodia.

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Helpful Hints Before You Go TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Passports: All Uniworld river cruises/tours require a passport. In most cases, passports must be valid for six (6) months after the scheduled return date from the trip.

Travel to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos will require visas.

Each guest is fully responsible for obtaining and carrying the travel documents necessary for his or her travel itinerary, with the exception of Cambodian visas. Uniworld will not be responsible for any delays, damages, and/or losses (including missed portions of your trip) related to improper or absent travel documents.

Visa Requirements: For US and Canadian citizens, a multiple-entry visa is required for entry to Vietnam and a single-entry visa is required for entry to Laos. A visa is not required for entry to Thailand for US and Canadian citizens.

Non-US or non-Canadian citizens must contact the appropriate consular office for entry requirements pertaining to their particular trip.

For entry to Cambodia, our Cruise/Tour Manager will take care of obtaining Cambodian visas for each guest on the 4

Passenger Information Form: By now, you should have completed the Uniworld Passenger Information Form.

The information on this form is used to comply with certain foreign government and airline security restrictions in advance of your arrival. If you have completed this form, we thank you for your prompt attention. If you have not completed this form, please visit our website at uniworld.com and complete the online Passenger Information Form in the “Already Booked” section. Each guest must complete the form.

Please note that the name on your airline tickets must match your name exactly as it is shown in your passport.

This applies to both international flights as well as the flight between Vietnam and Cambodia (or vice versa) that we will book for you, so please be sure we have your name correct on your booking.

Travel Protection Plan: Uniworld strongly recommends that each guest purchase a Travel Protection Plan. Please carry all policy information with you during the course of your trip.

During the cruise/tour, it is advisable to have copies of important documents (i.e., first page of your passport, photo, credit card numbers, and bank/credit-card company phone numbers) in a separate packet, in case the originals are lost or stolen.

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Any visa(s) or other documentation required for a particular itinerary is solely the responsibility of the guest. As a courtesy, our website, uniworld.com, offers a link to a visa service company in the “Already Booked” section; this company can provide additional information.

Obtaining and carrying required documents is solely your responsibility. Uniworld will not be responsible for advising and/or obtaining required travel documentation for any passenger, or for any delays, damages and/or losses, including missed portions of your trip, related to improper or absent travel documentation. Due to government-imposed security immigration measures, passport information and emergency contact information are required for all passengers prior to release of documentation.

CRUISE/TOUR DOCUMENTATION

Uniworld sends all final cruise and air documents between 21 and 30 days prior to your trip departure, provided that Uniworld has received a completed and signed Passenger Information Form and your booking is paid in full. All documents are sent via a priority mail delivery service such as UPS or Federal Express.

Final Documentation Includes:

Passenger Ticket Contract (which is legally binding between Uniworld and each guest) Airline Tickets or E-Ticket Confirmation (if international air ticket was purchased from Uniworld) Cruise/Tour Companion Baggage Tags Leave-Behind Communication Card Travel Protection Plan Pamphlet (if Uniworld travel protection was purchased) Pre-/Post-cruise/tour Optional Extension Information (if optional extensions were purchased)

Keep an eye on your baggage and all personal belongings—they are solely your responsibility throughout the trip. Uniworld is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage and personal belongings. A Travel Protection Plan covering lost, stolen, or damaged baggage is highly recommended.

VACCINATIONS

All guests should direct questions about vaccinations to their personal physician.

As an additional resource, guests may consult the current recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC website is cdc.gov and the phone number is 1-800-232-4636.

You may also contact the consulates of the countries to be visited to determine vaccination requirements.

BAGGAGE LIMITATIONS

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Airline baggage restrictions change frequently, and each guest needs to check with his or her specific air carrier for limitations concerning baggage weight, baggage size, carry-on regulations, and excess or overweight baggage charges. This information can be found on the carrier’s website or on Uniworld’s website at uniworld.com/baggage.

Remember to check for both international (over the water) and intracontinental regulations since limitations differ depending on flight routings.

The following items are essential for any destination: walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, an umbrella, and a lightweight raincoat or outerwear garment appropriate for the seasonal weather conditions. It is recommended that you bring duplicates of prescription eyewear, copies of prescriptions for any medications, copies of credit card information, and copies of your passport information pages and visas. Make sure that your baggage has identification tags both inside and outside, with your contact information and address clearly marked.

Do not pack valuables or important medication in your checked baggage unless required to do so by the airline.

Any valuables and important medications should be carried with you in your carry-on baggage. Please contact your air carrier for any additional regulations.

Overweight or excess baggage charges vary, and guests who exceed an airline’s recommended limits may be asked to pay fees ranging from $25 to $80 US dollars (USD), or possibly more, per infraction.

For intra-Vietnam and intra-Asia flights, only one (1) suitcase per person can be checked, and it must weigh no more than 44 pounds (20 kilograms) total per person (not per bag). Each checked bag should have dimensions not exceeding 62 linear inches (157 centimeters). You may be asked by the airline to pay fees of approximately $2.50, $5, or more (USD) per pound (0.45 kilograms) in excess of this weight limit.

One (1) carry-on is allowed per person. Your carry-on should not exceed 17” x 14” x 8” (43 centimeters x 35 centimeters x 20 centimeters) and should not weigh more than 15 pounds (7 kilograms).

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HEALTH AND MOBILITY

Physical Limitations: Uniworld trips are exciting, relatively active vacations. While there will be plenty of time to relax, there will also be much to see and do. Your included excursions generally require an extensive amount of walking, as well as the navigation of numerous steps and uneven terrain. During shore excursions, guests with physical limitations will find access to sites generally restricted. For your safety and enjoyment, we recommend that all guests be in good physical condition.

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Cruise/Tour Ticket

There are no restrictions concerning the number of bags each person can bring with him or her onboard the ship.

However, baggage storage space onboard is limited.

Guests are encouraged to limit their baggage to one (1) piece per person for their own comfort and, in cases of pre- or post-cruise/tour stays, for their own convenience.

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Medical: Most of the hotels used in Vietnam and Cambodia will be near a clinic staffed by a doctor, but Uniworld does not employ staff nurses or doctors onboard its ships. Medical expenses are the guest’s own responsibility. Guests should bring their medications with them. Uniworld is not responsible for any costs incurred as a result of medical service or for the quality of medical care received. A Travel Protection Plan covering medical expenses is highly recommended.

Special Diets: Please advise us of any special dietary restrictions in advance of your departure. This information will be provided to the proper personnel. To the extent possible, and in consideration of local conditions, every effort will be made to accommodate your needs. It is the guest’s responsibility to provide us with as much detail as necessary concerning any medically related dietary concerns. Not all dietary requests can be accommodated, and we appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Dietary restrictions should be reiterated to the service staff at the time of placing orders in restaurants.

GENERAL MONEY MATTERS

Currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese dong (VDN).

Please note that ATM machines do not supply US dollars in Vietnam. In Cambodia the US dollar is widely accepted, as is the Cambodian riel. ATM machines in Cambodia supply both currencies. Thailand’s currency is the baht, and in Laos the currency is the kip. Please note that crisp, new, untorn bills are necessary for paying in cash and/or exchanging currencies.

Uniworld features a “cashless” environment onboard, and all charges are billed directly to each guest’s onboard account. Currency accepted onboard for settlement of final bills is the US dollar. The major credit cards accepted are Visa and MasterCard, and these will incur extra bank charges for transactions, which will be your responsibility.

Credit cards will be charged in US dollars. Please contact your bank and/or credit card companies to let them know that you will be leaving the country to avoid any problems using your credit card(s) overseas. It is not advisable to bring Travelers Checks.

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The ship does not have ATMs onboard, but ATMs linked to major bank networks can be found throughout Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Most debit and major credit cards can be used for cash withdrawals ashore. Your bank can tell you which network your ATM card can access and whether a debit or credit card must be used. Make sure you have the correct PIN for the card you plan to use before leaving home, as the PIN is required for all money withdrawals. It is also recommended that you bring an overseas contact number for your bank or credit card company in case you require assistance while traveling.

Limited currency exchange is available onboard for the exchange of cash only. Credit cards cannot be accepted for money exchange. Most hotels and major tourist sites have exchange facilities. Please note currency exchange transactions and ATM cash withdrawals always involve transaction fees. It is always best to inquire as to the fee before exchanging any money. ATMs will typically ask you if you accept the fee before enabling the transaction.

Most major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) are accepted worldwide. There may be some stores or locations where cash is preferred or where a particular credit card cannot be used for purchases. We recommend bringing at least one major credit card, as well as an ATM card that is both a debit and credit card.

Getting There AIRPORT SECURITY AND CHECK-IN

It is advisable to contact the airline in advance of your departure to verify that there have been no changes to the flight number or schedule found on your travel documents. After your travel documents are issued and sent to you, Uniworld is not responsible for notifying guests of any changes in flight schedules.

Please make sure you arrive at the airport at least two and a half (2.5) hours prior to your scheduled departure to complete check-in and security procedures. For peak travel times, you may even want to arrive three (3) hours prior to your scheduled departure time.

TRANSFERS

Airport Arrival Transfers: If your cruise/tour package includes a group arrival transfer (and your flights coincide with our transfer guidelines and have been communicated to Uniworld), you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the hotel.

You will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the hotel. You will be met as you exit the airport’s secure customs area. Please claim all of your uniworld.com

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In addition, river ships, while spacious and comfortable, are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and do not have elevators. Uniworld, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to refuse passage or to require a current passenger to end his or her trip if the passenger’s state of health or physical condition may affect his or her own health, safety, and enjoyment, or that of other passengers. The use of mobility devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, etc. is not recommended for travel in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, and such devices cannot be readily obtained in the region.

There may be a waiting period of up to one (1) hour for scheduled airport transfers, depending on groupings of flight arrivals. Upon clearing customs in the cruise/tour start city, look for the Uniworld representative outside the secure customs area. If you cannot find the representative, please remain outside the customs area until the representative comes to you. Uniworld will not be responsible for late arrivals or missed transfers due to delayed, changed, canceled, or missed flights; for missed cruise/trip days; or for extra costs resulting from delayed, changed, canceled, or missed flights.

Flight information and pre-trip arrangements for all guests making their own flight arrangements must be given to Uniworld no later than 45 days prior to departure in order for transfers to be properly arranged. Your flight arrangements must also be made in accordance with Uniworld’s recommended transfer guidelines. For complete details, please see the “Terms and Conditions” section of our current brochure or our website, uniworld.com.

Guests who have purchased an optional pre-cruise/tour extension or extra hotel nights with Uniworld will be provided transfers as part of the extension or extra nights purchase.

If your cruise/tour package does not include arrival transfers (i.e., for flights outside of Uniworld’s recommended transfer time guidelines or if flight details have not been communicated to Uniworld in time), please make your own way to the hotel as per your trip itinerary; transportation will be at your own expense.

Airport Departure Transfers: If your cruise/tour package includes a group departure transfer (and your flights coincide with our transfer guidelines and have been communicated to Uniworld) or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home.

In accordance with Uniworld’s recommended transfer time guidelines, all guests making their own flight arrangements are required to provide Uniworld with their flight information and post-trip arrangements no later than 45 days prior to departure in order to receive transfers. For complete details, please see the “Terms and Conditions” section of our current brochure or our website, uniworld.com.

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Guests who have purchased an optional post-cruise/tour extension or extra nights with Uniworld hotel stays will be provided transfers as part of the extension or extra nights purchase.

If your cruise/tour package does not include departure transfers (i.e., for flights outside of Uniworld’s recommended transfer time guidelines or if flight details have not been communicated to Uniworld in time), you must schedule transportation from the hotel at your own expense.

Late Flight Arrivals and Missed Flights: If your package includes an arrival transfer and you experience a travel delay of any kind while you are still within North America, please contact Uniworld by calling 1-800-733-7820 and advise them of the situation.

They will do their best to ensure that you are met and transferred upon your revised arrival. If you are outside North America when you experience the travel delay, please contact +855 23 214 425 /426 for advice and assistance.

Upon clearing customs in the cruise/tour start city, look for the Uniworld representative outside the customs area. If you cannot find the representative, please remain outside the customs area until the representative appears. Depending on the nature of the delay, our ground staff can, at times, track flight changes.

However, if your flight arrangements were drastically altered, it is unlikely that the ground staff will be notified in time of your specific flight changes. Due to security protocols enacted after September 11, 2001, airlines very rarely provide updated flight information to third parties.

If you cannot find the Uniworld representative, please contact the transfer representative in your arrival city.

Their contact information is shown in the transfer section of your Cruise/Tour Ticket. If unable to match you up with a scheduled group transfer, the transfer representative will ask you to make your way to the hotel at your own expense. Costs incurred due to missed transfers are the responsibility of the guest; in most cases, compensation can be obtained from your Travel Protection Plan provider or airline carrier. If any transfers are missed, guests should take the green and white taxis approved by the Vietnamese Department of Transportation (also called the Ministry of Transport).

Keep in mind that drivers may not speak English. If not, guests should write down the name of the hotel clearly, and hand the note to the driver. The same policy applies to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

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baggage before exiting the baggage claim area. From the airport, you’ll be transferred to the hotel. Please note that transfers are nonrefundable.

If your delay is serious enough that you miss the starting point of your cruise/tour, please contact our Local Representative, using the number on your Cruise/Tour Ticket to determine the exact location of your tour group on your revised date of arrival. The office personnel will advise you on the best course of action. Uniworld is not responsible for missed transfers or additional costs due to missed or delayed flights.

River Orchid/Bassac Pandaw Ship’s Cambodian Phone: + 855 (0) 977 171 622 Ship’s Vietnamese Phone: + 84 (0) 989 497 781 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Mr. Phong, tel +84 932 689 288 Hanoi, Vietnam: Mr. Tri, tel +84 903 736 773 Bangkok, Thailand: Ms. Chanika, tel +855 92 888 798 Mr. Boyd, tel +66 81 8233202 Baggage Delays: Baggage delays do unfortunately occur from time to time, especially during peak travel periods. First and foremost, do not leave the baggage area without completing a Lost Baggage Report with your air carrier. This report is essential to the tracking of your claim. If traveling with a companion, we recommend one (1) person exit the baggage claim area and locate the transfer representative to inform him or her of the situation. This will allow the representative to ensure that transfers are properly provided. Give the air carrier a copy of your travel itinerary and the hotel and ship’s contact information. Report your lost baggage to the Uniworld representative and provide him or her with a copy of your Lost Baggage Report. This will assist our staff in helping to locate your baggage as quickly as possible. Uniworld is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage and/or personal belongings. A protection plan covering lost, stolen, or damaged baggage is available through the Uniworld Travel Protection Plan.

PRE- OR POST-CRUISE/TOUR LAND STAY OR OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS

All Uniworld land programs are fully hosted and include daily breakfast, transfers, and porterage. Most feature at least one (1) special sightseeing program. Your Cruise/ Tour Manager or on-site Uniworld representative will host

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HOTEL CHECK-IN AND HOTEL CHECK-OUT

Please note that every effort is made to ensure that your hotel room is available and ready for occupancy upon your arrival at the hotel. This is not always possible due to differences in hotel check-in times and scheduled airport-to-hotel transfers. A short wait for your room to become available may be unavoidable.

Most hotels do not allow check-in earlier than 2:00 pm.

If you arrive at the hotel before 2:00 pm, you may need to wait until the room becomes available. Hotel checkout must be no later than 12:00 pm. If your arrival or departure schedule does not coincide with these times, you may ask the hotel to store your baggage while you explore independently.

About Your Uniworld Cruise/Tour Package and Onboard and Onshore Services CREW-ONLY AREAS

Some areas are clearly indicated as “Crew Only.” We ask you to respect these areas, as the crew may be working there and your safety cannot be guaranteed. These areas include the Main Deck bow area, the galley, engine rooms, crew accommodation, and the gangways aft of the Sun Deck. Crew members have been instructed to escort any unauthorized persons from these areas and make a report to the Captain.

DINING

All breakfasts on land and onboard are American-style buffets. Most other included meals onshore will be held at local restaurants serving local Asian cuisine with Western options. Lunch onboard offers a selection of fresh salads, daily soups, and entrées. Dinner onboard is seated. Please notify Uniworld in advance if you have any special dietary concerns or considerations that need to be taken into account while traveling with us. We will do our best to ensure that your request is accommodated, but we cannot guarantee that this will happen in all cases.

During meals held ashore, guests will be able to enjoy complimentary beverages: For lunch, guests may choose uniworld.com

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Additional contacts in case of a late arrival:

a welcome briefing upon your arrival to familiarize you with the scheduled program and to provide additional information about optional excursions, dining recommendations, and shopping tips. Details about your pre- or post-cruise/tour land stay are included in this booklet and details about your pre- or post-cruise/tour optional extensions are included with final documents.

to have water, coffee, hot tea, or soft drinks; for dinner, guests may also choose from a selection of house wine and local beer.

ELECTRICAL CURRENT

Voltage is 220V/50Hz in all hotels and onboard the ship. On the ship, outlets that accommodate both 110V and 220V appliances are available in the staterooms and suites. In the hotels, dual-voltage appliances or a voltage converter will be needed. In addition, you will need a two-round-pin-type plug adaptor in Cambodia, and a three-flat-pin-type plug adaptor in Vietnam.

ELEVATORS

The ship does not have an elevator. All the hotels have elevators.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

The ship is outfitted with modern smoke detectors, fire alarms, extinguishers, and hoses. Alarms are situated at regular intervals along the Promenade Deck. An individual Emergency alarm button is situated in each stateroom and suite. Fire extinguishers are located at regular intervals around the Promenade Deck and outside all public rooms.

EXCURSIONS

Group shore excursions are organized by the Cruise/ Tour Manager and are accompanied by a member of the ship’s staff. Details about group shore excursions are posted on the Daily Schedule, and passengers are requested to note this before disembarkation. When disembarking, passengers should hang their keys on the key board found adjacent to the dining room so that we know if anyone has left the ship and not returned. If you go ashore with your stateroom or suite keys and we leave without you, we cannot be held responsible.

FITNESS CENTERS

There are fitness centers in all hotels, with the exception of the Victoria Angkor Resort. There is no fitness center onboard the ship.

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Slippers are provided for your comfort onboard the vessel. When ashore, guests should wear comfortable— but safe—walking shoes. At certain times, the river banks and paths we use can be muddy and therefore slippery. Due to the possibility of muddy—or, conversely, very dusty—walking conditions, we ask you to remove your footwear when returning onboard so that we can clean your shoes for you and return them to you later.

GIFT SHOP

The only hotel on the tour with a gift shop is the Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa. There is a small gift shop onboard the ship as well.

GOING ASHORE

When the ship is docked, you are welcome to move freely between ship and land as much as you like. From time to time, the ship will be anchored in the middle of the river. Because of the varying nature of the riverbank, methods of getting ashore may differ from time to time and, on occasion, access may be difficult. We will ensure that the gangways are safe and that crew members are on hand to assist you.

GRATUITIES

Gratuities are customary expressions of appreciation for a job well done, and it is our goal to ensure that the service you receive is as wonderful as the sites you visit.

The amount of the gratuity you choose to give is entirely subject to your satisfaction with your travel experience.

To assist you in determining the amount of your gratuities, we recommend the following as a guideline: Cruise/Tour Manager: $8 to $10 USD per guest, per day (given on the last day of the cruise/tour before departure) Ship staff and crew: $8 to $10 USD per guest, per day, to be shared among all ship’s staff and crew (given on the last day of the cruise before disembarking the ship) Tips and gratuities are included for local experts, drivers, local river guides, the rickshaw driver, and boatman during your trip.

Gratuities cannot be billed to onboard accounts, so please ensure that you have cash on hand for this expense.

Travelers Checks cannot be used to pay gratuities.

HANDICAPPED FACILITIES

Embarkation/disembarkation facilities may be impossible to navigate with wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, or any other mechanical devices. The ship was not designed uniworld.com

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CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

During onboard dinners, complimentary red and white house wine, locally produced spirits, ice water, iced tea, beer, soft drinks, coffee, and hot tea will be included.

Complimentary select domestic spirits are available throughout the day at the bar located on the Sun Deck of the ship (excluding wine and premium spirits, which are available for purchase).

FOOTWEAR

to accommodate physically challenged travelers; it does not have elevators and is not handicapped or wheelchair accessible.

Uniworld, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to refuse passage or to require a current passenger to end his or her trip if the passenger’s state of health or physical condition may affect his or her own health, safety, and enjoyment, or that of other passengers.

INSECT PRECAUTIONS

External doors and gauze windows should be kept closed at all times. At night, if on deck or going ashore, make sure to apply repellent to ankles and other exposed skin. While you can expect to encounter insects, these insects are relatively harmless. Make sure to switch off lights when leaving your cabin so as not to lure them in.

On the fast-flowing river, mosquitoes are rarely to be seen while sailing.

Massage services are available onboard the River Orchid.

These services are available for a fee and can be paid for in cash or with a credit card at the time of purchase or at the time you settle any of your onboard charges prior to disembarkation from the ship.

MOORING AND DOCKING FACILITIES

The local river authorities allocate docking space around ship arrivals and departures in port. There are times when port conditions require ships to tie up alongside each other, and guests may be required to walk through another ship to access their own ship. This is part of the river cruise experience and is perfectly normal. Guests may experience obstructed views from staterooms or suites when the ship is docked.

MOVING ABOUT THE SHIP

Because the ship will often be in motion and the decks will sometimes be slippery, you will need to take care when moving about the decks. Please be extra cautious when using the stairs onboard, as they may be steeper than you are used to. It’s best to always use the handrails.

INTERNET ACCESS

MUSTER STATIONS

Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in the public areas of all hotels; charges may apply for Internet access in guest rooms. Internet is available onboard, but it is cellularbased and can be unreliable.

A deck plan of the ship is provided in your stateroom or suite. Please familiarize yourself with the location of the ship’s two Muster Stations. In the event of an emergency, the ship’s whistle will blast repeatedly and alarm bells will ring. Proceed immediately to Muster Station One, where you will put on a life vest and await further instructions. Muster Station One is located midship on the Main Deck (near the Dining room main gangplank). If for any reason Muster Station One is unsafe or inaccessible, the crew will direct you to Muster Station Two on the Sun Deck. Both Muster Stations are clearly indicated with signs.

INTRA-ASIA DOMESTIC AIR TICKET

Your intra-Asia domestic air ticket will be issued on tour, and your boarding passes will be given to you by your Cruise/Tour Manager at the airport.

LAND TOURS AND SHORE EXCURSIONS

Each cruise/tour program includes comprehensive shore excursions led by a local English-speaking expert or your Cruise/Tour Manager; these excursions have been designed to provide you with the best possible experience ashore. On motorcoach tours, we ask that passengers rotate to allow everyone to sit near the front.

A complete day-by-day shore excursion itinerary is provided in this booklet. Details of your particular itinerary can also be found at uniworld.com.

LAUNDRY

The River Orchid provides washing, drying, and ironing services for a fee. Please note that there is no self-service launderette and there are no dry-cleaning facilities onboard. Your hotels, however, will offer full-service laundry and dry cleaning options at an additional cost.

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There will be an Emergency Drill during your voyage.

Note that we are not required by Class Societies to carry lifeboats since it is much quicker to beach the vessel on the nearest sand bar or river bank and evacuate by foot than to transfer passengers onto lifeboats.

RESPONSIBILITY AND WAIVER

The guest accepts the terms and conditions of the Passenger Ticket Contract when participating in any organized shore excursion/tour that is provided by Uniworld. Participation in some shore excursions or tours may also be subject to an independent operator’s own Terms and Conditions.

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CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

Additionally, most shore excursions involve walking over uneven ground. Some excursions are walking tours only, and for your safety and enjoyment, we recommend that all guests be in good physical condition.

MASSAGE

STATEROOM AND SUITE AMENITIES

Each hotel room and onboard stateroom or suite comes equipped with a safe. We urge you to leave valuables at home. We are not responsible for any valuables left in staterooms or suites. Any charge to return “lost and found” property will be at the owner’s expense. Please beware of pickpockets when ashore.

We want you to be as comfortable as possible during your voyage with us. Our stewarding team will do their best to ensure the highest possible standards of cleanliness and comfort in your room. Please do not hesitate to ask if you require anything at all, and please let us know if you are not satisfied with any aspect of our service. Suites have minibars but staterooms do not.

Note that staterooms and suites do not have TVs or phones. All staterooms and suites have their own air-conditioning, mini-safe, luggage storage, wardrobe, writing desk, emergency button, and amenities, including hair dryers, robes, and slippers. All staterooms have their own deck space (it is a public passageway) with a table and rattan chairs. All suites have private balconies.

CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

SECURITY

In the countries in which we operate, tourists are rarely targets for theft, but caution is encouraged nonetheless.

A 24-hour watch is kept on the gangplank in order to control access to the ship, but please keep your deck door locked when it is not in use and at night. All staterooms and suites have a combination-type safe; please use a number you can remember, like the last four digits of your phone number or your date of birth. The company cannot be held liable for loss of money, jewelry, or other valuable items from the ship, from a hotel, or while on an excursion ashore during a voyage. In the Conditions of Carriage, you are required to have taken out personal travel insurance to cover these possibilities.

SHIP’S OFFICE

The Ship’s Office is located on the Upper Deck. The Purser, Resident Manager, and other key team members are available to assist you at designated times.

SHOPPING

Time for shopping is usually, but not always, allowed for within the framework of the sightseeing programs.

The actual amount of time available for shopping may be limited due to tour constraints. Shopping recommendations can be made by your Cruise/Tour Manager. Larger stores accept most major credit cards, while market vendors and small stores usually only accept local currency (with the exception of Cambodia, which widely accepts the US dollar). It is a good idea to take a small amount of cash in local currency to use for on-the-spot gratuities and to purchase souvenirs or sundries.

SMOKING

The ship enjoys a non-smoking environment in all public areas and in the staterooms and suites. Smoking is allowed only on the aft section of the upper Sun Deck.

Hotels do not permit smoking except in specific areas; all guest rooms reserved are non-smoking. Hotels offer smoking rooms; smoking rooms must be requested at the time of booking and are very limited. For the comfort of all passengers, smoking is not permitted on sightseeing or transfer vehicles.

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VISITORS

Visitors are generally not permitted onboard the ship and are not allowed to join any shore excursions. Please make arrangements to meet your friends and relatives onshore.

WATER

Please do not drink or brush your teeth with the tap water while onboard or onshore. The ship’s water supply comes from the river after passing through a sterilization plant.

This water is suitable for washing but should not be consumed. Complimentary bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth is provided onboard, and additional bottled water will be made available free of charge on excursions.

To save water and reduce detergent use, we will only change towels daily if they are placed on the floor. All hotels also provide complimentary in-room bottled water.

WEATHER

Weather forecasts are widely available on the Internet.

Uniworld’s favorite resource for up-to-the-minute international weather is weather.com.

Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit): Average Low/High (F) Jan

Feb

Mar

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Hanoi

57/67

59/68

65/73

77/87

72/84

65/77

60/71

Ho Chi Minh City

70/89

73/91

76/93

76/88

76/88

73/88

71/88

Siem Reap

67/90

69/92

79/94 76/90

75/88

72/87

69/88

Bangkok

70/90

74/91

79/95

76/90 76/90

74/89

69/88

Luang Prabang

56/82

58/89

63/93

73/91

69/89 64/85

59/81

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CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX

Average Temperatures (Celsius):

OMISSIONS

Jan

Feb

Mar

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Hanoi

14/19

15/20

18/23

25/30

22/29

18/25

16/22

Ho Chi Minh City

21/32

23/33

24/34

24/31

24/31

23/31

22/31

Siem Reap

19/32

21/33

26/34

24/32

24/31

22/31

21/31

Bangkok

21/32

23/33

26/35

24/32

24/32

23/32

21/31

Luang Prabang

13/28

14/32

17/34

23/33

21/32

18/29

15/27

WHAT TO WEAR

Prepare for a variety of weather conditions depending on your travel season. Layering clothing is smart because it allows each person to adjust to most temperatures, including artificially maintained temperatures, by removing or adding items throughout the day.

Comfortable, sporty, smart-casual daywear is appropriate both onshore and onboard. For warmer temperatures, we suggest lightweight clothing that can be layered, such as a mix of sweaters, lightweight knit shirts, everyday khakis, slacks, skirts/dresses, and walking shorts. Mix-and-match solid color schemes work best to help keep baggage light. This program is very different from European river programs; attire is more casual due to the region’s warmer temperatures. During the cruise portion of your program, comfortable, lightweight clothing in lighter colors is strongly recommended.

Shorts, cotton shirts, good walking shoes, and sun hats during the day are recommended. However, to enter the temples and other holy sites in Cambodia, guests should ensure that their shoulders and knees are covered. For evenings, we recommend casual and cool-weather attire, and we require footwear to be worn at all times in the dining room.

You will engage in a significant amount of walking over uneven terrain during your time ashore. We recommend comfortable walking shoes with good ankle support.

Sport jackets and cocktail dresses are not needed at any time during this program.

Don’t forget to pack a lightweight, waterproof jacket (preferably hooded), or even a heavier-weight windbreaker, for colder temperatures that can be found in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in late October through February.

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Uniworld is not responsible for omissions or printing and/or presentation errors in brochures, on Internet sites, or in any other media where such information may be presented; we reserve the right to make corrections as required.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I have concerns about my physical ability. What do I do?

Guests with mobility concerns need to discuss their concerns with Uniworld staff in advance of their departure. Guests requiring the use of a mobility device, such as a wheelchair, motorized scooter, or walker, may not be able to participate in many shore excursions or use them onboard the ships. Also, guests who are limited in their ability to walk long distances may have difficulties as there is often uneven terrain on many shore excursions.

How accurate are the shore excursion/tour descriptions?

Uniworld does everything possible to ensure that shore excursions are performed as promoted and as outlined in the following pages. In certain circumstances or for reasons beyond the control of Uniworld, it may not be possible or practical for the excursion to be performed exactly as written. The decision not to operate, to alter the operation, to change content, and/or to otherwise adjust or modify any element of the excursion as advertised is at the sole discretion of Uniworld, always taking into account the safety and best interests of the guests and overall product delivery. Any such modifications to excursions will not result in eligibility for a refund.

Can the itinerary change? What happens if it does change?

You can count on the value of Uniworld’s experience and regional knowledge to make sure you enjoy your cruise/ tour even when conditions beyond our control occur. The very nature of a river, with its sources and networks of bridges and locks, means that there will be times when weather or other conditions in a region require Uniworld to make adjustments and modifications to the operation of an itinerary. Itineraries may need to be altered specifically because of water levels. Although every effort is made to keep itineraries as advertised, Uniworld reserves the right to make changes and substitutions as necessary to ensure the safety of our guests and the vessels. Time permitting, every possible effort will be made to alert guests in advance of boarding of any known changes. Otherwise, all guests will be informed onboard of amendments. Any changes to itineraries, including the addition of extensive motorcoach touring to effect delivery of the intended itinerary operation, will not result in eligibility for a refund. uniworld.com

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CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

Average Low/High (C)

CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

What is the transportation like on excursions?

All shore excursions are carefully coordinated to the ship’s daily schedule. Prior to dinner each evening, your Cruise/Tour Manager will brief all guests about what activities will take place the next day. This briefing includes information about departure times, specifics about the shore excursions/tours not covered in this booklet, shopping and restaurant recommendations, and other important information about the port of call.

In addition to the briefing, a daily program will be distributed to each guest’s stateroom or suite every evening. This program provides a written overview of all events taking place the next day—whether onboard or ashore.

Uniworld works with some of the world’s best tour companies, all of which are chosen with our exacting standards in mind. To ensure your maximum enjoyment of each excursion, all motorcoaches seat 29 to 45 people at most and are air-conditioned whenever possible. There are a few destinations where the equipment may not be of a similar standard, and, in such cases, the best possible transportation will be arranged. Rest stops are provided throughout the course of the excursion, as the motorcoaches used for excursions will not have onboard toilets.

How can I book the optional excursions listed in the booklet?

Is smoking allowed on shore excursions/tours?

Smoking is not allowed while on the motorcoach, and many historical venues now request that visitors not smoke anywhere on site. We ask all our guests who smoke not to do so while on excursions/tours.

Reservations for the optional excursions on your cruise can be made directly with your Cruise/Tour Manager onboard the ship; both MasterCard and Visa are acceptable forms of payment for the optional extensions.

On pre- and post-cruise/tour extensions, payment for optional excursions will be made directly with your local host via credit card. We cannot accept cash payments for optional excursions. A briefing will be held the day prior to go over any information you may need to make an informed purchase decision. Operation of optional excursions is subject to a minimum number of participants.

No refunds are available for any optional excursions canceled by the guest within 24 (and, in some cases, 48) hours of the start of the excursion, or if the excursion was pre-purchased.

Does each motorcoach or walking group have its own tour guide?

Yes. Each motorcoach or walking group has its own English-speaking local tour guide. Uniworld tries very hard to ensure that our guides are of the highest quality and are well versed in their subjects to make sure that you have the best possible time ashore.

What about tipping?

Gratuities should always be in accordance with each guest’s personal satisfaction. Uniworld endeavors to work with the best Cruise/Tour Managers and local guides available. Please refer to the “Gratuities” section of this book for specific recommendations and guidelines.

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CRUISE/TOUR COMPANION

What time will excursions depart?

CHINA

Hanoi

MYANMAR

Ha Long Bay

2

Luang Prabang

LAOS

South China Sea

g on ek M

THAILAND

r Rive

Bangkok Andaman Sea

VIETNAM

Siem Reap 3

CAMBODIA

Tonle Sap Gulf of Thailand

Phnom Penh

Wat Hanchey Kampong Cham

ko n Me

Kampong Chhnang

My~ Tho g Ri ver 2 Ho Chi Minh City

Tan Chau Chau Phong Island Sa Dec #

NIGHTS ONSHORE

LAND

CRUISE

Cai Be

FLIGHT

UNESCO SITE

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong HO CHI MINH CITY TO HANOI 15 DAYS ExpLoRE THE oLD anD THE nEW, THE GRanD anD THE InTImaTE aS you TouR THIS DynamIc REGIon of SouTHEaST aSIa

From the lively and changing metropolises of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, to the towns and floating villages of the Mekong (where life is still lived much as it was centuries ago), you’ll be given an up-close view of two amazing countries.

Throughout your journey, enjoy a plethora of authentic experiences. Visit traditional Vietnamese floating markets by way of luxury sampan. Take a morning cyclo ride through Phnom Penh. Receive a water blessing from monks at a temple overlooking the Mekong. Explore Cambodia’s UNESCO-designated Angkor Wat temple complex, and be treated to a traditional Apsara dance during dinner in Siem Reap. These extraordinary experiences offer you a chance to discover the sights, the sounds, and the tastes of two countries joined by one river. The expedition of a lifetime begins now.

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DAY

1

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

b

Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, where you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative who will transfer you to your luxury hotel. Enjoy a private check-in, welcome drink, and information packet at the hotel. An elegant flower arrangement and fruit platter await you in your room. Tonight, consider popping out to explore the lively Ben Thanh Night Market or one of the city’s quintessential evening cafés—either choice would mark a splendid start to your adventure.

DAY

2

Ho Chi Minh City

BB WD

Featured Excursion:

A O Show

a 5 1 b

Join us for a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s handsome Municipal Theater, with its striking neoclassical facade. Built in 1900 and refurbished in 2009, it now hosts a variety of companies, including the A O Show, a lively theatrical performance featuring astonishing acrobatics and bamboo props—poles, baskets, boats—used in ways you never would have imaged.

7 1 b

A landmark in Vietnamese history is the first destination on your panoramic city tour today, as you travel the city’s busy streets, passing elegant French Colonial buildings and bustling shopping centers. On April 30, 1975, a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through the gates of the building now called the Reunification Palace, symbolizing the downfall of the South Vietnamese government and the end of the Vietnam War. It’s a modern structure, commissioned in 1962 by the president of South Vietnam after his own air force tried to kill him by bombing the 19th-century French palace that had stood on the site.

As you will see when you step inside, he intended to enjoy living here: It has a cinema and a nightclub—and, not too surprisingly, a spacious bomb shelter. A few blocks away, two monuments from the colonial days still stand: the lofty General Post Office, designed by Gustav Eiffel (of tower fame), and, across the street, twin-towered Notre Dame Cathedral, built entirely with materials shipped from France. Your motorcoach will carry you past other remnants of French Colonial glory—the Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater (also known as the Saigon Opera House, built in 1901 and modeled on Paris’s Petit Palais) and the City Hall (based on the Hotel de Ville in Paris)—as well as the contemporary American Consulate. But the day includes more than sightseeing: Visit a lacquer showroom to learn a bit about the history and cultural significance of a craft that has been practiced in Vietnam for at least 700 years before enjoying lunch on your own.

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Optional Excursion:

DAY

3

Ho Chi Minh City, transfer to Mỹ Tho

b e | BB L D

Featured Excursion:

Cu Chi Tunnels

7 2 b

Ready for an adventure? Explore a fascinating aspect of Vietnam’s long struggle to free itself from Western control. Begun by the Viet Minh on the outskirts of Saigon in 1945, as shelter from French air raids, these tunnels were expanded in the 1960s by the Viet Cong, who extended them for many miles. A network of booby-trapped tunnels led to underground chambers where people lived—in considerable privation, generally— wounds were treated, and children were taught. Only a small stretch of this network is open to the public, but if you’re venturesome, you may climb down into a tunnel for a close (and we do mean close—don’t expect to stand upright) look.

Following lunch, you’ll be taken to your ship—your elegant home for the next seven nights—and set sail on the beautiful Mekong. Onboard your ship this evening, savor a delicious Vietnamese-themed dinner.

Notes:

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Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City tour

Ho Chi Minh City is famous for the excellence of its food, which reflects, inevitably, a certain French influence combined with the unique flavors of the region. Tonight you’ll be treated to a special Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant, featuring an exquisitely presented traditional meal and complimentary wine—a delightful start for your exciting Southeast Asian adventure.

DAY

4

Cai Be, Sa Dec

BB L D

Today’s itinerary features two towns that have been shaped by the Mekong in this agrarian but densely populated region, Cai Be and Sa Dec. Featured Excursions:

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 Cai Be. 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.” You’ll learn all about this staple food and its importance to the region as you visit a local establishment where workers make everything from rice paper and rice wine to traditional rice candy.

Did You Know? Though Cai Be’s church is stately on the outside, the inside features an array of colorful neon lights outlining the altar fixtures, including the cross.

Featured Excursions:

Sa Dec canal cruise, brick and rice factories, and Huynh Thuy Le House 5 2 S Take to Sa Dec’s narrow canals just as the locals do.

Children frolic in the water, fishermen ply their trade, and women care for their families. Your sampan will carry you to a factory where bricks and tiles made with mud from the Mekong River lie baking in the sun; here you’ll see how rice husks from the rice-processing facility next door are used to fuel the brick factory’s kilns and how, in turn, the ashes from the husks are used as fertilizer—just a few examples of the Vietnamese people’s remarkable ingenuity. From here, you’ll head into town, where you will walk through a crowded and colorful local market— stands sell everything from snake blood, fresh fish, 28

Did You Know? The French film based on Duras’ 1984 novel was the first Western movie to be shot in Vietnam since 1975. It was released in 1992 and was a huge hit in France.

DAY

5

Tan Chau, Chau Phong Island, cruising the Mekong River

BB L D

Traditional and modern lifestyle elements mingle in Tan Chau, where agriculture still reigns supreme but TV satellite dishes dot rooftops.

Featured Excursions:

Tan Chau tour with visit to Evergreen Island, and fish farm 7 3 S In the Mekong Delta, hardworking residents live and labor on the water, harvesting what the delta gives them and turning it into products they can sell to earn a living or food they can eat, wasting nothing. Today you’ll get a taste of this way of life during a sampan tour that carries you through the floating villages that line the banks of the great river to the town of Tan Chau. Stop at a temple devoted to Vietnam’s homegrown religion Cao Dai (a faith that incorporates most major world religions, including Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity, as well as a pantheon of saints that range from Joan of Arc to Thomas Jefferson and Victor Hugo); an image of the Divine Eye appears in every temple, and each color that decorates the temple has a specific meaning. After visiting the temple, hop aboard a rickshaw for a ride to a factory where you can watch baskets and mats being handwoven from reeds grown on the delta, and check out a floating fish farm.

The raising and harvesting of seafood is one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing industries, and you’ll be amazed by the efficiency and ingenuity on display. You may even get a chance to feed the fish. Then return to your sampan to cruise through the canals to Evergreen Island, where a stroll through the village reveals the traditional agricultural underpinnings of the region.

Notes:

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Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Cai Be sampan cruise, An Kiet House, and rice-paper and candy-making shop 5 2 S

clothing, and flowers to mangosteens—on your way to the romantic, lacelike Huynh Thuy Le House, a late-19thcentury home made famous by best-selling French novelist Marguerite Duras. Duras spent her teen years in Sa Dec, and her prize-winning novel, The Lover, is said to be based on her doomed love affair with Huynh Thuy Le, the son of a wealthy Chinese landowner.

This afternoon, you’ll cross the Vietnamese border, and tomorrow you’ll awake in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city, for the next leg of your exciting journey.

DAY

6

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

BB L D

Founded in the 15th century, Phnom Penh is the thriving capital of the kingdom of Cambodia. It stands at the juncture of three rivers and is divided into three distinct districts: the French colonial area, a handsome residential district, and a rapidly changing Old Town.

Featured Excursion:

7 1

A cyclo (a cycle rickshaw) 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.

Did You Know? Tucked among the traditional Khmer buildings on the Royal Palace grounds is an ornate white pavilion, complete with wrought-iron balustrades, that would fit perfectly in New Orleans. Napoleon III had it built for the opening ceremonies of the Suez Canal, then disassembled and sent as a gift to King Norodom.

7

Phnom Penh

BB L D

Featured Excursions:

Choeung Ek Memorial Stupa and grounds, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum 7 1 b It’s hard to reconcile the pastoral serenity of the orchards and rice fields surrounding Choeung Ek with the horrific mass executions that took place here during the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge, yet the memorial stupa filled with the skulls of Pol Pot’s victims tells the tale.

These were Killing Fields, where more than 17,000 men, women, and children were slaughtered and buried in mass graves. First, however, they were tortured in Security Prison 21 (also known as S-21), a former high school on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which you will also visit today. The guards and staff of the prison were mostly adolescent males—aged 15 to 19—among whom was a young photographer whose job was to document the prisoners. Though many of his photos were destroyed, 6,000 of them remain, displayed on the walls here; as you look at these portraits, you’ll see grief, fear, and defiance—and you’ll be heartbroken to learn that out of the thousands held here, only seven survived.

Those who were killed at Choeung Ek were just a small fraction of the almost two million Cambodians who died in a three-year period between 1975 and the beginning of 1979.

Optional Excursion:

La Table Khmer cooking school

a 7 1 b

Are you curious about the unique flavors of traditional Khmer cuisine? Cinnamon, garlic, chiles, fish sauce, coconut milk—many of the ingredients will be familiar, but they are combined in distinctive ways. Get some hands-on cooking experience as an expert local chef teaches you how to make several typical Khmer dishes in her modern demonstration kitchen, and then sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Notes:

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Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Phnom Penh city tour

DAY

DAY

8

Cruising the Tonlé Sap, Kampong Chhnang, cruising the Mekong River

BB L D

The name of both a province and a town in the heart of Cambodia, Kampong Chhnang is best known for two things: its floating villages and its red clay pottery.

Featured Excursions:

During the rainy season, the Mekong River rises and overflows into the Tonlé Sap Lake; during the dry season, water flows from the lake back into the Mekong. The result is a unique ecosystem that supports the most productive inland fishing industry in the world. Of course, that means that for half the year, a vast swath of the area is underwater, and the inhabitants have adapted brilliantly by creating whole towns that stand high on stilts—or float.

You’ll cruise the narrow path of the Tonlé Sap (sap means “river”) from the Mekong to the lake, before boarding an excursion boat for a closer view of hundreds of homes, businesses, schools, and fish farms on the water. One house might be cobbled together with found materials, the next one could be a tidy clapboard-sided house with pots of flowers on the porch, but all bob gently from the wake as your boat passes by. After your tour, you’ll reboard your ship for an enchanting sunset cruise on the Tonlé Sap as you return to the Mekong River.

DAY

9

Kampong Cham, Wat Hanchey

BB L D

Featured Excursions:

Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey monasteries

7 3 b

The twin holy peaks of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey (Man Hill and Woman Hill) offer lovely views of the countryside—but be aware that the top of Phnom Srey, the taller of the two hills, is reached by a very steep 308-step stairway. Phnom Pros’s summit is more accessible: A road gently makes its way to the top. Why is Man Hill the shorter of the two? The folktales are many and none agree—but most versions suggest the man was too lazy to make his hill taller. Playful monkeys frolic—and may try to snatch away any food—throughout the area.

At the base of the hills, you’ll find massive gilded statues of the Buddha, as well as magnificent stupas erected in acknowledgement of the grim fact that the area between the two hills was the site of a mass grave for victims of the Khmer Rouge.

32

Wat Hanchey

7 3 b

A beautifully situated temple complex on a hilltop, Wat Hanchey has incredible views of the Mekong River— you get a real sense of just how huge the river is as you see it stretch into the distance, looking more like a great lake than a river. The complex itself is a remarkable mixture of the ancient and the new: An eighth-century Angkor temple and a modern Buddhist temple share the area—along with playful gibbons and enormous, colorfully painted concrete statues of fruit. Before your departure you’ll receive a traditional water blessing from the local monks—one of the most personal and touching moments you’ll experience on this journey.

To mark the end of this special day, and to commemorate your last evening onboard the ship, you’ll be treated to a decadent Cambodian-themed dinner. Take your place in the dining room and enjoy delectable dishes prepared in the style of those once served to Cambodian royalty.

DAY

10

Kampong Cham, transfer to Siem Reap

e b | BB L

Siem Reap means, literally, “Defeat of Siam,” which tells you something of its history. It is the gateway to Angkor, the legendary archaeological site.

Featured Excursion:

Siem Reap city tour via remork

7 1

You’ll disembark in the morning and transfer via executive motorcoach to Siem Reap. Following lunch at a lovely local venue, enjoy a private check-in and complimentary welcome drink at your hotel. Then hop on a remork (motorcycle rickshaw) and follow the path of the Siem Reap River through the heart of town. French Colonial and Chinese-style buildings line shady streets, and visitors from all over the world throng charming open-air markets. Because the town hosts so many visitors, Siem Reap boasts a multitude of dining and shopping options, mostly in the scenic Old Market area, which you’ll have plenty of time to explore on your own.

Your tour includes a stop at a local stone and woodcarving establishment, where you’ll observe skilled craftsmen reproducing famous images from the nearby Angkor temple complex in sandstone, marble, and teak.

Notes:

uniworld.com | 33

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Tonlé Sap cruise and Kampong Chhnang exploration cruise 5 S

Featured Excursion:

You will also stop at a local organization, Future of Khmer Children (FKC), which provides education and support to children and families in rural communities to ensure bright futures for Cambodian youth. Then you can venture off on your own and visit the spots that caught your eye earlier.

DAY

11

Siem Reap

u | BB

Featured Excursions:

Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom

DAY

12 9 3 b

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.

Although Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its importance is so immeasurable, several other conservation organizations have been enlisted to help ensure its protection.

And yet, Angkor Wat is just one piece of this enormous complex at the heart of the ancient Khmer Empire (which ruled this region between the ninth and 12th centuries). It was part of a roughly 250-square-mile (64,749-hectare) city that has largely disappeared into the jungle, though excavation efforts are ongoing. Pass between the stone figures lining the lane leading to the intricately decorated south gate and enter the spectacular remnants of Angkor Thom, the royal city. Once a huge, square city, Angkor Thom was founded in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII after his people’s previous capital had been overrun by the Chams. You can still see the defensive measures that surrounded the city—in fact, you’ll enter through one, crossing over the now-dry moat and passing through the intricately decorated south gate in the great wall around Angkor Thom. The king’s palace, made of wood, has long since vanished, but the ruins that remain are astonishing: the pyramidal temple of Bayon (with the enormous carved heads that have become an iconic symbol of the Angkor archaeological area), the Baphuon temple, the grand Terrace of the Elephants, and the lichen-covered Terrace of the Leper King. Today’s lunch will be on your own.

Siem Reap

u | BB D

Featured Excursions:

Banteay Srei and Ta Prohm

9 3 b

Exquisitely carved out of red sandstone, Banteay Srei is considered by many experts to be the pinnacle of artistic achievement at Angkor. Small—especially compared to the royal city ruins—and exceptionally well preserved, this 10th-century temple dedicated to the god Shiva was not built for the king, but rather for a royal councilor. Banteay Samré, in the same general area, has been partially reconstructed, though slabs of stone scattered on grassy terraces make it clear that much remains to be done and learned.

You’ll have some time for lunch on your own before heading to the amazing “jungle temple” of Ta Prohm.

Unlike the other Angkor temples, which have been painstakingly excavated and restored, Ta Prohm has been left almost as it was found. Massive trees grow like magic out of stone walls and roofs, their tentacle-like roots pouring over doorways and stretching across courtyards. This manmade wonder has been reclaimed by the jungle over the course of many centuries, and exploring it is sure to bring out the adventurer in you.

From Ta Prohm, you’ll move on to the unfinished temple of Ta Keo. Legend has it that construction on Ta Keo was suspended when the temple was struck by lightning—an event that was considered a bad omen.

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.

Note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the day. Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.

Notes:

Note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the day.

Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.

34

uniworld.com | 35

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Did You Know? André Malraux, the celebrated French writer and intellectual whom Jackie Kennedy described as the most fascinating man she had ever met, was arrested in 1923 by French colonial authorities for removing bas-relief figures from Banteay Srei. The case’s notoriety led to renewed interest in the temple, resulting in its restoration.

DAY

13

Siem Reap, fly to Hanoi, Vietnam

b d | BB

Today you’ll fly from Siem Reap to Hanoi and check into your luxury hotel, where you’ll enjoy a private check-in and a welcome briefing with complimentary drinks.

You’ll also find that an elegant flower arrangement and fruit platter await you in your room. The remainder of your time today is yours to spend at leisure in Vietnam’s charming capital city.

Optional Excursion:

a 5 2 b

The ancient Khmers who built Angkor designed an astonishing system of canals, reservoirs, and dikes to supply water to their cities and farms and to manage flooding.

Some of these reservoirs still hold water. Step into a traditional Khmer gondola, with its carved scales and dragon-head prow, and drift quietly among the ancient ruins, stopping to inspect a small cave, before making a short trek up to the ruins of Prasat Chrung for a great view of the amazing landscape spread out below you.

DAY

14

Hanoi

BB L FD

The capital of Vietnam, millennium-old Hanoi gracefully mixes the old and new. French Colonial mansions line handsome boulevards, lakes and parks invite lingering, and modern office buildings tell of economic revival.

Featured Excursions:

After an included lunch, it’s time to hop aboard an electric car for a tour of colonial Hanoi. The city’s elegant, tree-lined boulevards and weathered colonial buildings are sure to delight you, as are the affable street vendors selling everything from flowers to ice cream off the back of their bicycles. Take in a traditional water puppet show, a thousand-year-old musical performance that tells tales from northern Vietnam’s rural villages.

The action takes place on a pool of water that stands in for rainy-season rice paddies; the beautifully crafted puppets seem to float on the water—and those seated in the front rows might just get wet.

Tonight, you’ll be treated to a special Farewell Dinner with complimentary wine at a local restaurant featuring live music and an authentic northern Vietnamese dining experience. It’s the perfect combination of delectable fare, warm atmosphere, and traditional entertainment— a fitting finale for such a remarkable adventure.

DAY

15

Depart Hanoi

b | CB/BB

Transfer to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport for your flight home or continue your tour with an extraordinary Ha Long Bay optional extension program. If you happen to have a late departure (or if you’re staying longer), consider joining us on an intriguing optional excursion.

Hanoi city tour, “Hanoi Hilton,” colonial Hanoi cyclo tour, and Thang Long water puppet show 9 1 b 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, that contains his residence, a museum devoted to his life, and the famous One Pillar Pagoda, which has been built and rebuilt since 1049. Next, visit the Temple of Literature, which was originally built as a Confucian Temple in 1070 AD. Six years later on the same grounds, Vietnam’s first university was founded to educate the administrative and military warrior Mandarin classes. The university operated for more than 700 years, but today you can experience the tranquility without its warrior students among its beautiful gardens and

36

Notes:

uniworld.com | 37

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Angkor Thom gondola ride

pavilions in a series of courtyards. 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. Much of the original prison has been demolished, but the remnants are now a museum.

CHINA

Hanoi

MYANMAR

Optional Excursion:

bat Trang ceramic village

Ha Long Bay

2

Luang Prabang

a72b

LAOS

South China Sea

g on ek M

The people of Bat Trang have been making fine porcelain since the 14th century, and these days their wares are exported all over the world. Walk through the alleys to a workshop where you can see dishes and many other objects being made by hand. You can even try making a piece yourself—a truly special memento of your trip.

THAILAND

r Rive

Bangkok Andaman Sea

Note: Visit uniworld.com for visa information in the “Already Booked” section.

Note: All extras, such as optional excursions, bottled water, gratuities for the Cruise/Tour Manager and Crew, drinks, telephone calls, laundry, and items of a personal nature, are not included in the cost of the trip.

CAMBODIA

Tonle Sap Kampong Chhnang

Gulf of Thailand

Phnom Penh

Wat Hanchey Kampong Cham

ko n Me

Note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the itinerary.

Substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to water levels, closures because of public holidays, or other uncontrollable factors.

VIETNAM

Siem Reap 3

My~ Tho g Ri ver 2 Ho Chi Minh City

Tan Chau Chau Phong Island Sa Dec #

NIGHTS ONSHORE

LAND

CRUISE

Cai Be

FLIGHT

UNESCO SITE

Ho cHI mInH cITy to HanoI

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong HANOI TO HO CHI MINH CITY 15 DAYS ExpLoRE THE oLD anD THE nEW, THE GRanD anD THE InTImaTE aS you TouR THIS DynamIc REGIon of SouTHEaST aSIa

From the lively and changing metropolises of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, to the towns and floating villages of the Mekong (where life is still lived much as it was centuries ago), you’ll be given an up-close view of two amazing countries.

Throughout your journey, enjoy a plethora of authentic experiences. Visit traditional Vietnamese floating markets by way of luxury sampan. Take a morning cyclo ride through Phnom Penh. Receive a water blessing from monks at a temple overlooking the Mekong.

Explore Cambodia’s UNESCO-designated Angkor Wat temple complex, and be treated to a traditional Apsara dance during dinner in Siem Reap. These extraordinary experiences offer you a chance to discover the sights, the sounds, and the tastes of two countries joined by one river. The expedition of a lifetime begins now.

38

uniworld.com

|

39

DAY

1

Hanoi, Vietnam

b

Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, where you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative who will transfer you to your luxury hotel. Enjoy a private check-in with a complimentary welcome drink and briefing at the hotel.

You’ll also find that an elegant flower arrangement and fruit platter await you in your room. The remainder of your time today is yours to spend at leisure in Vietnam’s charming capital city.

rural villages. The action takes place on a pool of water that stands in for rainy-season rice paddies; the beautifully crafted puppets seem to float on the water— and those seated in the front rows just might get wet.

Tonight, you’ll be treated to a special Welcome Dinner with complimentary wine at a lively local restaurant featuring live music and an authentic northern Vietnamese dining experience. It’s the perfect combination of delectable fare, warm atmosphere, and traditional entertainment—a fitting start for your exciting adventure.

DAY DAY

2

Hanoi

BB L WD

The capital of Vietnam, millennium-old Hanoi gracefully mixes the old and new. French Colonial mansions line handsome boulevards, lakes and parks invite lingering, and modern office buildings tell of economic revival.

Featured Excursions:

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, that contains his residence, a museum devoted to his life, and the famous One Pillar Pagoda, which has been built and rebuilt since 1049.

Next, visit the Temple of Literature, which was originally built as a Confucian Temple in 1070 AD. Six years later on the same grounds, Vietnam’s first university was founded to educate the administrative and military warrior Mandarin classes. The university operated for more than 700 years, but today you can experience the tranquility without its warrior students among its beautiful gardens and pavilions in a series of courtyards. 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. Much of the original prison has been demolished, but the remnants are now a museum.

After an included lunch, it’s time to hop aboard an electric car for a tour of colonial Hanoi. The city’s elegant, tree-lined boulevards and weathered colonial buildings are sure to delight you, as are the affable street vendors selling everything from flowers to ice cream off the back of their bicycles. Take in a traditional water puppet show, a thousand-year-old musical performance that tells tales from northern Vietnam’s 40

Hanoi, fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia

b d | BB

Spend the morning exploring Hanoi on your own or join us for an optional excursion to a village famous for its ceramics. Later, fly from Hanoi to Siem Reap and check into your luxury hotel, where you’ll enjoy a private check-in and welcome drink. You’ll also find an elegant flower arrangement and fruit platter in your room, a friendly touch. The evening is at your leisure. You might want to go out and try some of the local Khmer cuisine or simply relax over dinner on your own at the hotel.

Tomorrow you will be journeying deep into the heart of the Angkor temple complex.

Optional Excursion:

Bat Trang Ceramic Village

a 7 2 b

The people of Bat Trang have been making fine porcelain since the 14th century, and these days their wares are exported all over the world. Walk through the alleys to a workshop where you can see dishes and many other objects being made by hand. You can even try making a piece yourself—a truly special memento of your trip.

Notes:

uniworld.com | 41

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi city tour, “Hanoi Hilton,” colonial Hanoi cyclo tour, and Thang Long water puppet show 9 1 b

3

DAY

4

Siem Reap

u | BB L

Siem Reap means, literally, “Defeat of Siam,” which tells you something of its history. It is the gateway to Angkor, the legendary archaeological site.

Featured Excursion:

Angkor Wat 7 3 b

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 it boasts the longest continuous bas-relief in the world. Although Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its importance is so immeasurable, several other conservation organizations have been enlisted to help ensure its protection.

Note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the day. Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.

Featured Excursion:

Hop on a remork (motorcycle rickshaw) and follow the path of the Siem Reap River through the heart of town.

French Colonial and Chinese-style buildings line shady streets, and visitors from all over the world throng charming open-air markets. Because the town hosts so many visitors, Siem Reap boasts a multitude of dining and shopping options, mostly in the scenic Old Market area, which you’ll have plenty of time to explore on your own. Your tour includes a stop at a local stone and woodcarving establishment, where you’ll observe skilled craftsmen reproducing famous images from the nearby Angkor temple complex in sandstone, marble, and teak.

You will also stop at a local organization, Future of Khmer Children (FKC), which provides education and support to children and families in rural communities to ensure bright futures for Cambodian youth. Then you can venture off on your own and visit the spots that caught your eye earlier.

Dinner tonight will be on your own.

5

Siem Reap

u | BB D

Featured Excursions:

Banteay Srei and Ta Prohm 9 3

b

Exquisitely carved out of red sandstone, Banteay Srei is considered by many experts to be the pinnacle of artistic achievement at Angkor. Small—especially compared to the royal city ruins—and exceptionally well preserved, this 10th-century temple dedicated to the god Shiva was not built for the king, but rather for a royal councilor. Banteay Samré, in the same general area, has been partially reconstructed, though slabs of stone scattered on grassy terraces make it clear that much remains to be done and learned.

You’ll have some time for lunch on your own before heading to the amazing “jungle temple” of Ta Prohm.

Unlike the other Angkor temples, which have been painstakingly excavated and restored, Ta Prohm has been left almost as it was found. Massive trees grow like magic out of stone walls and roofs, their tentaclelike roots pouring over doorways and stretching across courtyards. This manmade wonder has been reclaimed by the jungle over the course of many centuries, and exploring it is sure to bring out the adventurer in you.

From Ta Prohm, you’ll move on to the unfinished temple of Ta Keo. Legend has it that construction on Ta Keo was suspended when the temple was struck by lightning— an event that was considered a bad omen.

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.

Note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the day. Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.

Did You Know? André Malraux, the celebrated French writer and intellectual whom Jackie Kennedy described as the most fascinating man she had ever met, was arrested in 1923 by French colonial authorities for removing bas-relief figures from Banteay Srei. The case’s notoriety led to renewed interest in the temple, resulting in its restoration.

Notes:

42

uniworld.com | 43

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Siem Reap city tour via remork 5 1

DAY

DAY

6

Siem Reap, transfer to Kampong Cham

u b e | BB Box Lunch D

Featured Excursion:

Angkor Thom 9 3 b Once a huge, square city, Angkor Thom was founded in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII after his people’s previous capital had been overrun by the Chams. You can still see the defensive measures that surrounded the city—in fact, you’ll enter through one, crossing over the now-dry moat and passing through the intricately decorated south gate in the great wall around Angkor Thom. The king’s palace, made of wood, has long since vanished, but the ruins that remain are astonishing: the pyramidal temple of Bayon (with the enormous carved heads that have become an iconic symbol of the Angkor archaeological area), the Baphuon temple, the grand Terrace of the Elephants, and the lichen-covered Terrace of the Leper King.

Following this excursion, you’ll enjoy your box lunch en route to Kampong Cham, where you’ll board your intimate ship and get your first taste of life on the mighty Mekong River. To mark the end of this special day, you’ll be treated to a decadent Cambodian-themed dinner.

Note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the day.

Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.

DAY

BB L D

Relax onboard as your ship cruises along the Mekong, the great river that is the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, on your way to Kampong Cham.

Featured Excursion:

Wat Hanchey 7 3 b A beautifully situated temple complex on a hilltop, Wat Hanchey has incredible views of the Mekong River— you get a real sense of just how huge it is as you see it stretch into the distance, looking more like a great lake than a river. The complex itself is a remarkable mixture of the ancient and the new: An eighth-century Angkor temple and a modern Buddhist temple share the area— along with playful gibbons and enormous, colorfully painted concrete statues of fruit. Before your departure you’ll receive a traditional water blessing from the local monks—one of the most personal and touching moments you’ll experience on this journey.

44

Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey monasteries 7 3 b The twin holy peaks of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey (Man Hill and Woman Hill) offer lovely views of the countryside—but be aware that the top of Phnom Srey, the taller of the two hills, is reached by a very steep 308-step stairway. Phnom Pros’s summit is more accessible: A road gently makes its way to the top.

Why is Man Hill the shorter of the two? The folktales are many and none agree—but most versions suggest the man was too lazy to make his hill taller. Playful monkeys frolic—and may try to snatch away any food you have—throughout the area. At the base of the hills, you’ll find massive gilded statues of the Buddha, as well as magnificent stupas erected in acknowledgement of the grim fact that the area between the two hills was the site of a mass grave for victims of the Khmer Rouge.

DAY

8

Cruising the Tonlé Sap, Kampong Chhnang, cruising the Mekong River

BB L D

The name of both a province and a town in the heart of Cambodia, Kampong Chhnang is best known for two things: its floating villages and its red clay pottery.

Featured Excursions:

Tonlé Sap cruise and Kampong Chhnang exploration cruise 5 S During the rainy season, the Mekong River rises and overflows into the Tonlé Sap Lake; during the dry season, water flows from the lake back into the Mekong. The result is a unique ecosystem that supports the most productive inland fishing industry in the world. Of course, that means that for half the year, a vast swath of the area is underwater, and the inhabitants have adapted brilliantly by creating whole towns that stand high on stilts—or float. You’ll cruise the narrow path of the Tonlé Sap (sap means “river”) from the Mekong to the lake, before boarding an excursion boat for a closer view of hundreds of homes, businesses, schools, and fish farms on the water. One house might be cobbled together with found materials, the next one might be a tidy clapboard-sided house with pots of flowers on the porch, but all bob gently from the wake as your boat

Notes:

uniworld.com | 45

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

7

Cruising the Mekong River, Wat Hanchey, Kampong Cham

Featured Excursions:

passes by. After your tour, you’ll reboard your ship for an enchanting sunset cruise on the Tonlé Sap as you return to the Mekong River.

DAY

9

Phnom Penh

BB L D

Founded in the 15th century, Phnom Penh is the thriving capital of the kingdom of Cambodia. It stands at the juncture of three rivers and is divided into three distinct districts: the French colonial area, a handsome residential district, and a rapidly changing Old Town.

Featured Excursion:

A cyclo (a cycle rickshaw) 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.

Did You Know? Tucked among the traditional Khmer buildings on the Royal Palace grounds is an ornate white pavilion, complete with wrought-iron balustrades, that would fit perfectly in New Orleans. Napoleon III had it built for the opening ceremonies of the Suez Canal, then disassembled and sent as a gift to King Norodom.

Phnom Penh

BB L D

Featured Excursions:

Choeung Ek Memorial Stupa and grounds, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum 7 1 b It’s hard to reconcile the pastoral serenity of the orchards and rice fields surrounding Choeung Ek with the horrific mass executions that took place here during the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge, yet the memorial stupa filled with the skulls of Pol Pot’s victims tells the tale. These were Killing Fields, where more than 17,000 men, women, and children were slaughtered and buried in mass graves. First, however, they were tortured in Security Prison 21 (also known as S-21), a former high school on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which you will also visit today. The guards and staff of the prison were mostly adolescent males—aged 15 to 19— among whom was a young photographer whose job was to document the prisoners. Though many of his photos were destroyed, 6,000 of them remain, displayed on the walls here; as you look at these portraits, you’ll see grief, fear, and defiance—and you’ll be saddened to learn that out of the thousands held here, only seven survived. Those who were killed at Choeung Ek were just a small fraction of the almost two million Cambodians who died in a three-year period between 1975 and the beginning of 1979.

Optional Excursion:

La Table Khmer cooking school

a 7 1 b

Are you curious about the unique flavors of traditional Khmer cuisine? Cinnamon, garlic, chiles, fish sauce, coconut milk—many of the ingredients will be familiar, but they are combined in distinctive ways. Get some hands-on cooking experience as an expert local chef teaches you how to make several typical Khmer dishes in her modern demonstration kitchen, and then sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Notes:

46

uniworld.com | 47

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Phnom Penh city tour 7 1

DAY

10

DAY

11

Cruising the Mekong River, Tan Chau, Chau Phong Island, Vietnam

BB L D

Cross the Cambodian border into Vietnam to begin with a tour of Tan Chau. Traditional and modern lifestyle elements mingle in Tan Chau, where agriculture still reigns supreme but TV satellite dishes dot rooftops.

Featured Excursions:

In the Mekong Delta, hardworking residents live and labor on the water, harvesting what the delta gives them and turning it into products they can sell to earn a living or food they can eat, wasting nothing. Today you’ll get a taste of this way of life during a sampan tour that carries you through the floating villages that line the banks of the great river to the town of Tan Chau. Stop at a temple devoted to Vietnam’s homegrown religion Cao Dai (a faith that incorporates most major world religions, including Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity, as well as a pantheon of saints that range from Joan of Arc to Thomas Jefferson and Victor Hugo); an image of the Divine Eye appears in every temple, and each color that decorates the temple has a specific meaning. After visiting the temple, hop aboard a rickshaw for a ride to a factory where you can watch baskets and mats being handwoven from reeds grown on the delta, and check out a floating fish farm.

The raising and harvesting of seafood is one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing industries, and you’ll be amazed by the efficiency and ingenuity on display. You may even get a chance to feed the fish. Then return to your sampan to cruise through the canals to Evergreen Island, where a stroll through the village reveals the traditional agricultural underpinnings of the region.

DAY

12

Sa Dec, Cai Be

BB L D

Today’s itinerary features two towns that have been shaped by the Mekong in this agrarian but densely populated region, Sa Dec and Cai Be.

Did You Know? The French film based on Duras’ 1984 novel was the first Western movie to be shot in Vietnam since 1975.

It was released in 1992 and was a huge hit in France.

Featured Excursions:

Cai Be sampan cruise, An Kiet House, and rice-paper and candy-making shop 5 2 S Step aboard a sampan and join the locals thronging the harbor of Cai Be. 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.” You’ll learn all about this staple food and its importance to the region as you visit a local establishment where workers make everything from rice paper and rice wine to traditional rice candy.

Featured Excursions:

Onboard your ship this evening, savor a delicious Vietnamese-themed dinner.

Sa Dec canal cruise, brick and rice factories, and Huynh Thuy Le House 5 2 S

Notes:

Take to Sa Dec’s narrow canals just as the locals do.

Children frolic in the water; fishermen ply their trade; and women care for their families. Your sampan will carry you to a factory where bricks and tiles made with mud from 48

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Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Tan Chau tour with visit to Evergreen Island, and fish farm 7 3 S

the Mekong River lie baking in the sun; here you’ll see how rice husks from the rice-processing facility next door are used to fuel the brick factory’s kilns and how, in turn, the ashes from the husks are used as fertilizer—just a few examples of the Vietnamese people’s remarkable ingenuity. From here, you’ll head into town, where you will walk through a crowded and colorful local market— stands sell everything from snake blood, fresh fish, clothing, and flowers to mangosteens—on your way to the romantic, lacelike Huynh Thuy Le House, a late-19thcentury home made famous by best-selling French novelist Marguerite Duras. Duras spent her teen years in Sa Dec, and her prize-winning novel, The Lover, is said to be based on her doomed love affair with Huynh Thuy Le, the son of a wealthy Chinese landowner.

DAY

13

Mỹ Tho, transfer to Ho Chi Minh City

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Today you leave the river behind, disembarking and heading to the last stop on your Southeast Asian adventure, Ho Chi Minh City. History melds with the boisterous present in Vietnam’s largest city, where skyscrapers tower over ancient temples and motorbikes putter along picturesque alleys. It was founded in 1690; became the capital of French Cochinchina in the 1860s, when it was known as Saigon; and acquired its modern moniker in 1976, when it was named for Communist leader Ho Chi Minh.

Featured Excursion:

Optional Excursion:

Mai Home cooking class

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Pho may be the nation’s best-known dish in the United States, but that’s just the beginning. Learn more about Vietnamese cuisine with a hands-on cooking class that starts with a visit to a local market, where a knowledgeable chef will meet you and tell you about the foodstuffs on display (some may seem quite exotic). Once you’ve gathered what you need for a delicious lunch, you’ll prepare it under the chef’s guidance at the Saigon Culinary Art Centre. You’ll leave with a new understanding of Vietnam’s traditional cooking, as well as a certificate of participation and a handbook of recipes.

A landmark in Vietnamese history is the first destination on your panoramic city tour today, as you travel the city’s busy streets, passing elegant French Colonial buildings and bustling shopping centers. On April 30, 1975, a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through the gates of the building now called the Reunification Palace, symbolizing the downfall of the South Vietnamese government and the end of the Vietnam War. It’s a modern structure, commissioned in 1962 by the president of South Vietnam after his own air force tried to kill him by bombing the 19th-century French palace that had stood on the site. As you will see when you step inside, he intended to enjoy living here: It has a cinema and a nightclub—and, not too surprisingly, a spacious bomb shelter. A few blocks away, two monuments from the colonial days still stand: the lofty General Post Office, designed by Gustav Eiffel (of tower fame), and, across the street, twin-towered Notre Dame Cathedral, built entirely with materials shipped from France. Your motorcoach will carry you past other remnants of French Colonial glory—the Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater (also known as the Saigon Opera House, built in 1901 and modeled on Paris’s Petit Palais) and the City Hall (based on the Hotel de Ville in Paris)— as well as the contemporary American Consulate. But the day includes more than sightseeing: Visit a lacquer showroom to learn a bit about the history and cultural significance of a craft that has been practiced in Vietnam for at least 700 years. The rest of the day is yours.

Perhaps you’d like to explore on your own—or perhaps you’d enjoy joining one of our optional excursions.

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Optional Excursion:

A O Show

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Join us for a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s handsome Municipal Theater, with its striking neoclassical facade. Built in 1900 and refurbished in 2009, it now hosts a variety of companies, including the A O Show, a lively theatrical performance featuring astonishing acrobatics and bamboo props—poles, baskets, boats—used in ways you never would have imaged.

DAY

14

Ho Chi Minh City

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Featured Excursion:

Cu Chi Tunnels 7 2 b Ready for an adventure? Explore a fascinating aspect of Vietnam’s long struggle to free itself from Western control. Begun by the Viet Minh on the outskirts of Saigon in 1945, as shelter from French air raids, these tunnels were expanded in the 1960s by the Viet Cong, who extended them for many miles. A network of booby-trapped tunnels led to underground chambers where people lived—in considerable privation, generally— wounds were treated, and children were taught. Only a small stretch of this network is open to the public, but if

Notes:

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Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City tour 5 1 b

you’re venturesome, you may climb down into a tunnel for a close (and we do mean close—don’t expect to stand upright) look.

Following this morning’s tour you’ll enjoy lunch at one of Ho Chi Minh City’s well-known restaurants. Afterwards, enjoy the rest of the day on your own in this vibrant city.

Ho Chi Minh City is famous for the excellence of its food.

Tonight you’ll be treated to a special Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant, featuring an exquisitely presented traditional meal and complimentary wine—the perfect finale for your Southeast Asian adventure.

DAY

15

Depart Ho Chi Minh City

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Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your flight home, or continue your tour with an extraordinary optional Bangkok extension or optional Luang Prabang extension program.

Note: Visit uniworld.com for visa information in the “Already Booked” section.

Note: Order of sightseeing may change throughout the itinerary.

Substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to water levels, closures because of public holidays, or other uncontrollable factors.

Note: All extras, such as optional excursions, bottled water, gratuities for the Cruise/Tour Manager and Crew, drinks, telephone calls, laundry, and items of a personal nature, are not included in the cost of the trip.

YO U D E S E R V E T H E B E S T

Our commitment Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

We are committed to providing our guests with the most comprehensively luxurious, value-packed river cruise experience possible. We are happiest when you feel you are a respected guest in the finest of homes—ours.

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For more information, contact your preferred Travel Professional. Call Uniworld at 800-733-7820 or visit uniworld.com.

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