Journey through Vietnam and Cambodia, where breathtaking natural beauty, sacred rituals, and UNESCO-inscribed temples summon awe and wonder. This exceptional itinerary features two nights in Hanoi, a seven-night cruise from Haiphong to Saigon, and three nights in Siem Reap to experience the jungle-fringed temples of Cambodia. Enjoy five-star cruising aboard Le Lapérouse, exploring Vietnam’s ancient pagodas and bustling sampan-filled harbors. Featuring four UNESCO World Heritage sites—Ha Long Bay, Hue, Hoi An, and Angkor Wat—this unique program encompasses the breadth of Vietnamese culture and the magnificent religious, imperial, and artistic traditions of Cambodia. Featuring guest speakers Huỳnh Công Út, known professionally as Nick Ut, a photographer for the Associated Press and recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph "Napalm Girl" capturing nine-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc fleeing from a napalm attack in 1972; Phan Thi Kim Phuc, author of Fire Road and a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace; and distinguished international broadcaster, writer, and media consultant, Jim Laurie. Extend your trip with the Bangkok Post-Program Option.
Program Details
- Program Highlights
- Itinerary at a Glance
- Ship Sailing
- Accommodations
- Enhance Your Journey
- Guest Speakers
- Uniquely designed itinerary featuring the scenic beauty, rich culture, and history of Vietnam, including the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin.
- Created in Gohagan & Company’s tradition of innovative programming and educational travel.
- Experience the full breadth of Vietnam afforded by a cruise of the South China Sea.
- Three nights in Siem Reap for the magnificent temples of Angkor.
- Visit four UNESCO World Heritage Sites—Ha Long Bay, Hue and Hoi An, Vietnam; and Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
- Specially arranged onboard lectures.
- Bangkok Post-Program Options in a world-renowned, five-star hotel.
Day 1 - Depart the U.S. or Canada
Day 2 - Cross the International Date Line
Day 3 - Arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam
Day 4 - Hanoi
Day 5 - Hanoi / Haiphong / Embark Le Lapérouse
Day 6 - Ha Long Bay
Day 7 - Cruising the South China Sea
Day 8 - Chan May for Hue
Day 9 - Da Nang for Hoi An
Day 10 - Cruising the South China Sea
Day 11 - Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Day 12 - Saigon / Disembark ship / Fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia
Day 13 - Siem Reap for Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei
Day 14 - Siem Reap for Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm
Day 15 - Siem Reap / Depart for the U.S. / Cross the International Date Line / Arrive in the U.S. or Canada
Le Lapérouse
Exclusively Chartered, Five-Star Luxury Small Ship
Le Lapérouse, launched in 2018, ushers in a new generation of five-star small ships, combining revolutionary design and a new standard of luxury for unparalleled cruising. Dock in smaller ports inaccessible to larger ships, where authentic cultural experiences and majestic scenery await you.
Two nights in the five-star Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Situated in the heart of the Vietnamese Capital, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has been Hanoi’s legendary landmark since 1901. The Hotel Metropole Hanoi was the first Sofitel Legend property in the world and is the recipient of numerous international awards for its fine service. This legendary landmark has contributed to the history and heritage of the city. The hotel has a long tradition as a luxury venue for prestigious events & as a popular rendezvous for business and leisure travelers including playwrights, ambassadors and heads of state.
Three nights in the five-star Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra hotel, which offers the discerning traveler the ultimate in comfort and refinement by combining the traditional architecture of Cambodia with elegant French colonial style to create a resort of unsurpassed luxury. Set amidst a landscaped lake garden and surrounded by lagoons, the hotel offers visitors a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere enabling them to cool down after a tiring day visiting under the heat.
Bangkok Post-Program Option
In a land filled with more than 26,000 shrines, discover three of Bangkok’s most famous temples: Temple of the Golden Buddha, Temple of the Reclining Buddha—Bangkok’s largest—and Marble Temple, a magnificent white marble monastery. Wind your way to the Grand Palace via a long-tail boat and explore the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s holiest treasure. Visit the Jim Thompson House, the former home of the American who revitalized Thailand’s silk industry. Accommodations for three nights are in the five-star The Peninsula Hotel.
The Post-Program Option is available at additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.
With specially arranged, acclaimed guest speakers:
Kim Phuc—On June 8, 1972, 9-year-old Kim Phuc was photographed fleeing a napalm strike. The photograph, “Napalm Girl,” remains one of the most influential images from the Vietnam War. Today, Phuc is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and the author of Fire Road, the inspirational story of her unexpected survival and unshakeable faith. She shares her experience at global events and has received awards and recognitions, including six honorary doctorates, for work supporting child victims of war and her commitment to global peace. She has also inspired the nonprofit organization KIM Foundation International.
Huỳnh Công Út, known professionally as Nick Ut, is a Vietnamese-American photographer who began taking photographs for the Associated Press in Vietnam at age 16 after his older brother, Huynh Thanh, also an AP photographer, was killed in combat. His photo of Phan Thi Kim Phuc running toward the camera from a South Vietnamese napalm strike made history and won the Pulitzer Prize, among other major photographic awards. Immediately after making the photo, he rushed her to a hospital, which saved her life. Ut continued covering the Vietnam War for AP and also worked in Tokyo before being transferred to Los Angeles in 1977. He still works for AP as a photojournalist, and is still in touch with Kim Phuc, now living in Canada, whom he calls every week.
Jim Laurie is a distinguished international broadcaster, writer, and media consultant who has witnessed many defining moments in Asia’s history for over 50 years. He began covering Indochina for NBC News in 1972 and became the only American network correspondent to witness the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese in 1975. Laurie's memoir of his early days in Vietnam and Cambodia, Indochina: War, Love, and Betrayal was published in April 2020. He is the recipient of a Peabody Award, two Emmy Awards, and an Amnesty International Award and has also co‑produced, written, and directed several television documentaries.