Journey along the Mekong - A medical and dental study tour and cruise

Journey by land and water through the languid, beautiful lands of the Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Travel from dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it is still often referred to by its inhabitants, to the Mekong Delta. Cruise for three nights on the stylish Pandaw Indochina along the Mekong River past mangroves, bamboo forests, floating markets and villages to Phnom Penh. Explore the capital of Cambodia, a city retaining its French colonial architecture in leafy riverside streets alongside royal palaces and temples.

Drive through lush landscapes to visit Oudong, the former capital city of Cambodia, en route to Siem Reap. Explore the great archaeological sites of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and the Bayon, during your final three nights in Siem Reap.

The professional visits and talks provide historical and contemporary insight into dentistry in Indochina. There is also a range of visits and talks delving into the region’s long history and a look at contemporary culture and society in Vietnam and Cambodia.

There is an optional extension to beautiful Koh Andet Island at the base of the Cardamom Mountains at the end of the tour.

‍

Price (sharing a room)

per person

Price (room to yourself)

per person

Reference:

VNM0226-1

At a glance

What you need to know

Type of tour

Professional cruise

Profession

Dentistry

Nights

Countries

Tour grade

Gentle

Remaining places

Dates and places

Itinerary at a glance

Ho Chi Minh City

Thursday

February

Arrive and transfer to the hotel. Welcome dinner at Home Saigon.

Ho Chi Minh City

Friday

February

Professional visit to a medical and dental university hospital. Take an orientation tour of the city, visiting the French era Notre Dame Cathedral and the palatial Central Post Office. Dinner at Ngon restaurant.

Ho Chi Minh City

Saturday

February

Tour the famed Tan Dinh market with a cooking instructor before participating in a cookery class. Visit the Reunification Palace and tour this landmark building. See the former CIA building and visit the War Remnants Museum, which includes an excellent photographic exhibition. Drinks at the rooftop bar of the Rex Hotel, where the ‘Five-o-Clock Follies” media briefings took place, before dinner.

Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho

Sunday

February

Transfer to the river port and embark on the RV Indochina. After settling in, take a tour by sampan (a flat wooden boat) through mangroves and bamboo forests to the fruit orchards of Ben Tre. Explore this birdlife-rich area by local rowboat, making your leisurely way through canals before arriving at a village specialising in local crafts.

Mekong Cruise - Gao Giong

Monday

February

Cruise upriver and visit the green oasis of Gao Giong, a 1,000-acre eucalyptus forest and wildlife sanctuary where a diverse selection of water birds and egrets gather in their tens of thousands across the ‘Plain of Reeds’. Take rowboats across the canals to view the principal nesting areas. Continue cruising up the Mekong towards the Cambodian border.

Mekong Cruise - Chau Doc Vietnam / Cambodian Border

Tuesday

February

Cruise to the picturesque border town of Chau Doc and visit the floating markets by sampan. Visit Cham village before traveling to Sam Mountain to climb the 400 steps to the Hang Pagoda. Return to ship and cruise through a web of canals before dropping anchor on the Vietnam/Cambodia border to undergo immigration formalities.

Mekong Cruise - Phnom Penh

Wednesday

February

Arrive in Phnom Penh and disembark from the RV Indochina. Visit the Phnom Penh Dental School and learn about dental education and training in Cambodia. Transfer to the hotel and settle in before an orientation tour along Sisowath Quay and the riverside park.

Phnom Penh

Thursday

February

Visit the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and National Museum. Afternoon at leisure with options to visit the Central Market and Cambodian Living Arts (an NGO that the specialises in performing arts). After dinner drink on the Sora Skybar, with stunning views of the city skyline.

Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

Friday

February

Drive to Siem Reap via Oudong, the magnificent former capital of Cambodia between 1618 and 1866, and learn about the city’s trading history with China, Japan and Europe. Continue to Siem Reap, arriving in the late afternoon and check in to the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant.

Siem Reap

Saturday

February

Drive to visit the Cambodia Landmine Museum and on return, visit Angkor National Museum. Visit a local dental clinic and learn of dentistry in Cambodia OR visit a local medical clinic project and learn about their work. Rest of the day is at leisure before dinner at the Foreign Correspondents Club.

Siem Reap

Sunday

February

Start early to visit the atmospheric Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm, intertwined with enormous tree roots hundreds of years old. Continue to Angkor Wat, part of the city of Angkor built by the Khmer civilisation between 802 and 1220 AD. At its peak Angkor is thought to have contained upwards of a million people, making it the largest city in the world at that time. Farewell dinner.

Siem Reap

Monday

February

Depart hotel after breakfast or take the beach extension.