Guides
Mekong River Cruise, Vietnam and Cambodia: Avalon, Viking and AmaWaterways
Written by PerkJolt's AI desk from official sources; facts checked on the dates shown. We may earn a commission from links; it never changes what we recommend.
A representative 7-night sailing, not a published itinerary — confirm the day order in your booking. Direction varies (Saigon to Siem Reap, or the reverse), and Avalon, Viking and AmaWaterways run different versions.
At a glance
- Embark: Mỹ Tho / Cái Bè area, reached by coach from Ho Chi Minh City (airport code SGN); Siem Reap is the other end of the trip.
- Season: the dry season, roughly November to April, is the easier time; the green season is cheaper and wetter. Confirm water levels on your line's page.
- Length: typically 7 nights aboard, plus two or three nights in Saigon and two or three in Siem Reap.
- Ports: Cái Bè or Sa Đéc, Châu Đốc, Phnom Penh, Koh Chen and Oudong, Kampong Cham and Angkor Ban.
- Lines: Avalon, Viking and AmaWaterways all sell Mekong sailings, with different ships and inclusions.
- Suits: curious first-timers to Southeast Asia, couples, and history and food lovers; less ideal for anyone who needs step-free access everywhere.
- Safety: Vietnam is Level 1 (checked Oct 13, 2026); Cambodia is Level 2, with a separate Level 4 zone near the Thailand border (checked Oct 13, 2026).
- The first-timer mistake: treating Angkor Wat as a half-day add-on. Give it at least two nights and an early start.
When to go
Dry-season months bring lower humidity, clearer skies for sunrise photography and an easier time on the river. The green season (roughly May to October) can bring afternoon downpours but fewer crowds and lusher fields. River height also affects which stops a ship can reach, so lines sometimes adjust routings. Check your line's sailing calendar and the fine print on your booking.
What a typical day feels like
Mornings are for shore time, because it is cooler and the light is better. The ship usually serves lunch aboard, then runs a lighter afternoon activity such as a canal paddle, a cooking demonstration or a lecture. Evenings are quiet: dinner, a briefing for the next day, and early nights. Wi-Fi on river ships can be patchy in the delta, so download maps and your booking offline before you leave Saigon.
Is it right for you?
It suits people who like a gentle pace and a guide doing the logistics, and who are comfortable with heat, uneven steps in villages and a few early starts. It suits you less if you need step-free access at every stop, because small boats, gangways and temple stairs are part of the experience. Ask your line about mobility accommodations before you book.
The route in a paragraph
Day one is a coach ride from Saigon to the river and the ship. Days two and three drift through the Vietnamese delta: floating markets, flower villages, canals and the Châu Đốc border region. Day four crosses into Cambodia and arrives at Phnom Penh, where you spend a full day with the Royal Palace and a sobering museum. Day six moves up the Mekong to silverwork villages and the old capital of Oudong. Day seven stops at Kampong Cham and a village of wooden houses, and the next morning a coach heads to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat. Your line may reverse or alter all of this.
Where to stay the night before
In Ho Chi Minh City, District 1 is the easiest base: compact, walkable, close to the cathedral and Ben Thanh Market, and about the right distance for early coach pick-ups. Districts 3 and Bình Thạnh are quieter and cheaper but add a taxi ride. For hotel programs, check each chain's own map before you book; we have not confirmed individual properties here. Your line usually specifies the pick-up hotel, so book what it expects if you want the included transfer.
Rough cost three ways
Cruise fares change by sailing and cabin, so we do not quote them. Use the line's own pages for the fare and fill in your own numbers.
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Plan your budget
Your trip budget worksheet
Prices change daily, so we don’t quote them. Fill this in from the official fare pages.
Your trip budget worksheet Item Your amount Budget: the cheapest cabin on your line's official Mekong page plus hostel or budget-hotel nights in Saigon and Siem Reap -
Plan your budget
Your trip budget worksheet
Prices change daily, so we don’t quote them. Fill this in from the official fare pages.
Your trip budget worksheet Item Your amount Mid: a standard cabin a four-star Saigon night a four-star Siem Reap hotel one or two paid extras -
Plan your budget
Your trip budget worksheet
Prices change daily, so we don’t quote them. Fill this in from the official fare pages.
Your trip budget worksheet Item Your amount Splurge: a suite or balcony premium hotels either side a private Angkor guide business-class award flights (points) or cash
Entry documents
You typically need a passport valid well beyond your trip dates with blank pages, plus a visa for each country unless your nationality is exempt. Both governments run e-visa systems: Not confirmed on https://evisa.gov.vn as of 2026-10-13 — check there before you book. Not confirmed on https://www.evisa.gov.kh as of 2026-10-13 — check there before you book. Do not use third-party "visa agent" sites that charge extra; use only official addresses. Some lines include visa help in their pre-trip emails.
3 free things
- Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon. The exterior is a free landmark in District 1. It has been under restoration for years, so scaffolding may hide the towers; see the Mass note in the full guide.
- Phnom Penh riverfront promenade. A free evening walk by the Royal Palace and the riverbanks where the Tonlé Sap meets the Mekong.
- Cái Bè and Vĩnh Long canal-side lanes. Even without a tour, the walkable lanes beside brick kilns and orchards give you the delta's character at no cost.
Money and tipping, briefly
Vietnam uses the dong (VND); Cambodia uses the riel (KHR), though US dollars are commonly used for larger purchases there. Tipping is the line's suggested practice: confirm the amounts on the line's page or in your booking.
Get the full guide
The full guide has the day-by-day plan with photo stops and rain plans, Angkor Wat logistics, points strategy, a cost sheet and a printable day plan. Get the full guide for $4.99.
This is the free lite guide. The full day-by-day guide, with maps, photo stops, rain plans and the points playbook, is part of PerkJolt All-Access.
Good to know before you go
Facts in this guide were checked on 2026-10-13. Confirm fares, fees, hours, port calls, border procedures and schedules on the line's official page, or in your booking and the line's app, before you sail.