Mekong Princess
Ship Facts
Occupancy: 28
Crew: 24
Tonnage: 950
Length: 70 m
Beam: 13 m
Decks: 2
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Wonders of Mekong River
Vietnam & Cambodia All-Gay Cruise & Tour 2025
12 nights cruise from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam to Siem Reap, Cambodia
October 28 – November 09, 2025
Viet Princess Cruises Mekong Princess
 Join our Luxury Gay Cruise & Tour through Vietnam and Cambodia. From its peak high up in the Tibetan Plateau, the powerful Mekong River courses 3,000 miles through Asia. Immerse yourself in exploring ancient traditions as you embark on an unforgettable journey through Southeast Asia. Ho Chi Minh City offers a mixture of old and new, while the Mekong teems with colorful floating markets, ancient pagodas, rain forests, and mementos of its French Colonial past. Along the way, learn more about the culture of each country, marvel at the spectacular scenery, and interact with local people. In colorful Siem Reap, you’ll explore the vast UNESCO-designated jungle temple complex of Angkor Wat, one of the most famous and recognizable monuments in the world.
Exotic. Eye-opening. Extraordinary. Discover the Treasures of the Mekong River, from the elegant Vietnamese capital of Saigon to Cambodia's Phnom Penh, on a ship that embodies the gracious heritage and beauty of Southeast Asia. The opportunity to experience the mighty Mekong from such an intimate and up-close perspective is truly a rare experience even for the most intrepid traveler. We’ve sought to reveal a truly authentic side of the Mekong by including the most fascinating and unique ports of call in areas of the Mekong and Bassac Rivers virtually unknown to tourists.
The intimate and luxurious 14-suite Mekong Princess will welcome you aboard to a never before experienced level of gracious service, personal space, and unparalleled comfort as your floating home for seven captivating nights. With a better than one-to-one, guest-to-staff member ratio, it will redefine every concept of small luxury river cruising.
Southeast Asia Mekong river cruise truly embraces the essence of the destination and incorporates your comfort and well-being throughout the journey.
From our selection of active and culturally-centered included and optional excursions, to our onboard activities such as yoga and meditation, and our state of the art fitness center, you will find a means to reconnect with yourself and this incredible destination.
The sumptuous French Indochine and gourmet cuisine options, along with an included complimentary spa treatment, together lead you to a path of education, relaxation, and rejuvenation.
Explorers, adventurers, missionaries and emissaries have recorded visits to the Angkor Temples for well over eight hundred years, describing the monumental remnants of what was once a thriving culture that spread from the Mekong Delta to the north of Laos and occupied most of modern day Thailand. This Cambodian empire has left some of the greatest buildings and sandstone carvings depicting the religious figures of Vishnu, Shiva, Uma, Hanuman and their epic deeds one the one hand. Deep in the north west of Cambodia lie the temples of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm, to name a few. While the Angkor complex is the reason the majority head to Siem Reap, the province also has other attractions such as the temples of Beng Mealea, Bantaey Srei and the ‘holy mountain’ range of Phnom Kulen.
However, Cambodia is much more than the wonders of Angkor. It offers a stunning scenery of beaches and rain forests, and enduring images of everyday life by the shores of the huge internal Tonle Sap Lake that rises and lowers according to the Mekong River’s annual flooding. Visitors will be transported back in time to a land that has been protected from the excesses of modernization.
Cambodia and especially its city of Siem Reap are a fantastic location as they have history, heritage, an abundance of un-touched countryside as well as excellent hotels and leisure facilities.
Vietnam & Cambodia Gay Cruise & Tour Highlights
• Full All-Gay Charter of the R/V Mekong Princess
• Experience the delicate flavor profiles of Vietnamese gastronomy.
• Explore the bright lights and chaotic buzz of Saigon during an evening Vespa tour.
• Visit Angkor Wat is one of the seven new wonders of the world.
• Sunrise Visit over the ruins of the ancient Angkor Wat.
• Float through Cai Rang floating market, a traditional Southeast Asian floating village.
• Explore a Vietnamese handicraft village and learn how traditional crafts are created by locals.
Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel
Enjoy sophisticated urban luxury at Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel. Their world-class restaurants and tranquil spa in Ho Chi Minh City provide everything a traveler could need. Park Hyatt Saigon looks forward to welcoming our guests with warmth and hospitality for the ultimate personalized luxury experience. This French colonial-style hotel enjoys a prime location in central Ho Chi Minh City, overlooking the Opera House on Lam Son Square. Only 100 m from Dong Khoi Shopping Street
Luxurious and elegant, the air-conditioned rooms at Park Hyatt Saigon all come with a 48-inch LED TV, Bose Bluetooth speaker, and Nespresso coffee maker, mini iPad. Rooms also have individually controlled air conditioning, free WiFi access and round-the-clock private butler service. Bathrooms are equipped with a soaking tub and a walk-in rainshower. Ironing facilities are included.
Welcome Aboard Mekong Princess
The Mekong Princess is a luxurious, all-suite boutique riverboat. The advantage of the Mekong Princess is that this small river boat is able to access lesser-known ports, ushering you into the midst of authentic rural cultures accessible by larger ships. The finest ship of her kind sailing the Mekong River, with luxurious furnishings and only 14 elegant suites that combine French-colonial elegance with the tranquility and comfort of an exclusive spa. The Mekong Princess will rival the finest luxury hotels.
Best of all, the Mekong Princess will be our ship for the week.
Sundeck
Chaise lounges and comfortable, shaded, seating areas abound on the Observation Deck. Attentive staff are always available to offer a cool beverage, whether the request is fresh-squeezed juice while enjoying an incredible sunrise, or a favorite cocktail while photographing a dramatic sunset.
From a welcoming complimentary spa treatment to the inviting, open-air lounges serving up handcrafted cocktails, local entertainers and lectures from leading experts, daily life aboard the Mekong Princess is orchestrated to help you relax and savor the beauty and tranquility of the river and its timeless rhythms.
 Ramvong Lounge
A convivial place to join friends and recount the day's activities, share stories, or simply unwind, Ramvong Lounge offers a spacious and inviting, climate-controlled atmosphere where guests may enjoy complimentary local spirits, local beer, coffee, tea, soft drinks, and bottled water, while marveling at the passing landscape through the expansive windows. Movies relevant to the destination may be shown in the afternoons, and live entertainment is offered in the evenings
 Indochina Restaurant
Small, intimate and seating up to thirty guests, the Indochina Restaurant serves three meals daily and combines both buffet style service with à la carte fine dining. Viet Princess Cruises Culinary Director is originally from Europe and the onboard Head Chef calls Cambodia home. All hospitality service crew are Khmer and speak English fluently.
 Princess Spa
Located on the Mekong Deck, the Princess Spa is every spa-lover's dream. With the most extensive spa menu of any ship on the Mekong River, guests can rejuvenate both mind and body during this seven-day journey. Utilizing the highest-quality all-natural Bodia SpaTM products, our highly-trained spa therapists offer several types of massages as well as facials and will customize a program to fit each guest's specific needs.
 Fitness Center
The state-of-the-art fitness center on board the Mekong Princess offers modern equipment in a comfortable atmosphere, with floor-to-ceiling windows so guests may exercise without missing a moment of the beautiful Mekong River scenery. Daily yoga, tai chi, and meditation classes are offered on the Bassac Deck.
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort is set among tranquil landscaped gardens on the tree-lined Charles de Gaulle Avenue. It is just 10 minutes’ drive to Angkor Wat. Rooms enjoy a blend of French and Khmer design and decor. Each is equipped with a tea and coffee maker, satellite TV and air conditioning. Bathrooms have a bathtub, toiletries and bathrobes. Room service is available 24 hours a day.
Sofitel Angkor offers guests a wide variety of dining options, including French and international cuisines. The outdoor pool with swim-up bar is an ideal place for relaxing. There is an indulgent spa centre with a hot tub and massage treatments. It also has an 18-hole Country Golf Club.
 Included in this Journey
• 5-star accommodations throughout
• Daily Breakfast
• Welcome Dinner in Ho Chin Minh City
• All meals aboard the Mekong Princess
• Private airport transfers
• All tours as described in the program with a private English-speaking guide throughout the entire trip
• All admissions for the sightseeing stated in the program
• Portage at airports and hotels
• Fully escorted by Source Journeys
 Not Included in this Journey
• Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
• Port Fees & Taxes of $250
• Gratuities of $300
• Personal Expenses
• International & Domestic Flights
• Optional Excursions not mentioned in the program
• Gratuities for guides, drivers, and crew of the Mekong Princess
• Entry visa for Vietnam & Cambodia
• Pre Trip Extension to Hanoi & Halong Bay
• Covid-19 Test Expenses (If necessary)
• Travel insurance – highly recommended
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Wonders of Mekong River
Vietnam & Cambodia Gay Cruise
Itinerary
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Date |
Port |
Arrive |
Depart |
| 28 Oct |
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
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PM |
| 29 Oct |
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
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| 30 Oct |
Saigon / Mekong Princess |
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| 31 Oct |
Ben Tre / Tien Loi, Vietnam |
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| 01 Nov |
Can Tho / Hoa An, Vietnam |
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| 02 Nov |
Gieng Island / Hong Ngu, Vietnam |
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| 03 Nov |
Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
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| 04 Nov |
Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
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| 05 Nov |
Angkor Ban, Cambodia |
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| 06 Nov |
Kampong Cham / Siem Reap, Cambodia |
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| 07 Nov |
Siem Reap / Angkor Wat, Cambodia |
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| 08 Nov |
Siem Reap / Angkor Thom, Cambodia |
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| 09 Nov |
Siem Reap, Cambodia / Departure |
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Day 1 - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) International Airport (SGN), transfer to Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel.
Accommodation: Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2 - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
After breakfast, join a guided tour of the city which was built by the French in 1850. We begin our day with a visit to the Central Post Office and along the way we will also view the Saigon Opera House, constructed by the French in 1898. We visit Independence Palace, also known as Reunification Palace, which was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. The palace was the home and former workplace of the president of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. We also visit the War Remnants Museum which primarily contains exhibits relating to the Vietnam War.
Next, we learn how to make a traditional Vietnamese dish in a cooking class followed by lunch. This evening welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City
Day 3 - Saigon / Embark Mekong Princess
Make your way to Saigon Port and embark on the R/V Mekong Princess by noon and begin the journey up the Mekong. Lunch is served during the breathtaking sail out of Saigon. After enjoying time to settle into your suites and explore your Mekong River home, welcome reception and Vietnamese welcome dinner are served this evening.
Accommodation: R/V Mekong Princess, Mekong River Cruise
Day 4 - Ben Tre / Tien Loi Island, Vietnam
Today, you witness the hustle and bustle of delta river life as the local traders take their produce to market. After breakfast, we board the classically built sampans to explore the narrow canals and backwaters of this famed region.
Cruising amidst the mangroves and Nipah Palm plantations, we will disembark to visit the handcrafted coconut candy-makers. This is a famous cottage industry and a local delicacy enjoyed throughout Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Upon ship’s arrival in Ben Tre, meet your guide and sampan driver, and we head to Tien Loi island. Tien Loi island is untouched by tourist activity. You will be amazed by an honest welcome from rustic locals.
Arrive at Tien Loi island, just a few steps from the pier, you will see a big fish pond fed by a local family for selling, then take a short walk to a local family and learn how to manually weave mat and make chicken coops. Take a seat chatting with the host and enjoying tropical fruits with tea.
Another few minute walk to other family making hats & baskets from sedge. You have a chance to buy their products at wholesale rates. Then, walk to the pier for sampan driving through a channel to the ship.
Accommodation: R/V Mekong Princess, Mekong River Cruise
Day 5 - Can Tho / Hoa An Village, Vietnam
Your sampans return early this morning before breakfast for a cruise through the fascinating Cai Rang floating market near Can Tho. The sampan will weave in and out of the many boats that sail into the market each morning to sell produce and other items the residents of the Mekong Delta need in their daily lives. As they weave through the market, you will have many opportunities for amazing photographs, while enjoying fresh fruit and the Vietnamese “anti-aging drink”, fresh coconut water. After the market visit, a stop is made at a local factory to see the amazing process of making instant noodles.
This afternoon, sampans take you to visit Hoa An village. Hoa An village is untouched and well known for flower growing and handmade crafts. Starting with a visit to flower gardens, where you will see many different kinds of flowers, especially tropical ones, and know-how to grow and take care of flowers. You will then take a short walk to a local house, with an opportunity to meet the family and discuss their lifestyle. After a short break, continue our excursion on a “Xe Loi” (motor cart) to another village. Next, enjoy your walk in the peaceful village with rice fields, and fruit trees. Before returning to the sampans, we stop by the conical hat-making and mat weaving families, with an opportunity to chat with local family members and learn how to create products through hands-on experience.
Accommodation: R/V Mekong Princess, Mekong River Cruise
Day 6 - Gieng Island, Vietnam
This morning, your sampans return to take you to Gieng Island. After a short walk around visiting a local sampan village, where hundreds of sampans are produced daily by local families, we will take a canal drive to explore the untouched floating area with duck farms, monkey bridges, and tropical orchards along the riverside. We will try one of the most popular local transportation named “xe loi” (motor trishaw) driving through this island to visit a Catholic Church, which was built as old as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon in the 1870s.
Accommodation: R/V Mekong Princess, Mekong River Cruise
Day 7 - Hong Ngu, Vietnam / Border Crossing
Your final Vietnam excursion takes you to the local island village of Hong Ngu, not far from the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Hong Ngu produces a large number of the traditional, Khmer scarves exported to Cambodia. Woven in many homes around the village, you will have the opportunity to see the weaving process in several homes. Some villagers are also embroidery artists, displaying their art in and around their homes. The inhabitants of this area had only encountered one western visitor prior to the arrival of the Mekong Princess, and are especially friendly and welcoming. Guests will also visit the local temple dedicated to a unique religion founded in this area of Vietnam, Hoa Hoa.
This afternoon, the Mekong Princess will cross the border into Cambodia and continue up the Mekong River.
Accommodation: R/V Mekong Princess, Mekong River Cruise
Day 8 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia
After breakfast this morning, local cyclo drivers meet you for an exciting city tour of Phnom Penh. You begin your ride along the riverfront to the Royal Palace, where a leisurely walk takes you through the grounds, with opportunities to visit the Throne Hall and Moonlight Pavilion. Upon crossing into the second section of the complex, you walk amongst enormous stupas and spirit houses, on the way to the famous Silver Pagoda, home of Cambodia’s Emerald Buddha and Maitreya Buddha, encrusted with more than 9,000 diamonds.
Following a short break, your cyclos take you to the National Museum. Housing the largest pre- Angkorian and Angkorian holdings in Cambodia, The National Museum ends the morning tour with a comprehensive look at many of the artifacts excavated around the Angkor Archeological Area in Siem Reap, as well as other areas around the former Khmer Empire. After a return cyclo ride to the ship, you may wish to take some time to have lunch at a local restaurant, walk along the quay, or visit some of Phnom Penh’s famous markets and lovely boutiques.
Accommodation: R/V Mekong Princess, Mekong River Cruise
Day 9 - Angkor Ban, Cambodia
Today we will visit the charming town of Angkor Ban. Here, you will have a glimpse into the lives of the local people, starting with a visit to a family’s home to see how the locals live, along with an opportunity to meet the family and discuss their lifestyle. Next, you will continue through the village to the local school, where you will join the children in their classroom and experience what their typical school day is like. You will then walk back through the village to the ship, with an opportunity to take photos along the way, including a brief stop at the local monastery complex.
Accommodation: R/V Mekong Princess, Mekong River Cruise
Day 10 - Kampong Cham / Disembarkation / Siem Reap, Cambodia
Following breakfast this morning you say goodbye to the Mekong Princess and her crew.
Transfer from Mekong Princess Cruise to Siem Reap, and overnight for 3 nights at the
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort. Check-in at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Resort. Have lunch at your leisure at the hotel or in town. Take a Tuk-Tuk orientation tour of Siem Reap.
Accommodation:
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, Siem Reap
Day 11 - Siem Reap / Angkor Wat, Cambodia
This morning visit Angkor Wat, the largest temple in the world, with a volume of stone equaling that of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. It is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west, and is inspired by 12th Century Hinduism. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Conceived by Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat took an estimated 30 years to build. It is generally believed to have been a funeral temple for the king. It has been occupied continuously by Buddhist monks and is well preserved. Intricate bas-reliefs surround Angkor Wat on four sides. Each tells a story. The most celebrated of these is the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, which is located on the east wing. After that, continue your exploration of Temples at Ta Prohm, the temple that has been left largely in its natural state since its “re-discovery” by French explorers. Surrounded by jungle, its labyrinth of stone hallways is overgrown with the roots and limbs of massive banyan trees, which envelop the stone like tentacles.
Accommodation:
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, Siem Reap
Day 12 - Siem Reap / Angkor Thom, Cambodia
Depart the hotel and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience of the sunrise overlooking the temples of Angkor, followed by a gourmet picnic breakfast and a traditional Khmer gondola ride. After a short drive to Bakheng Hill, a steep path leads to the summit, and stairs take you to the temple. From the temple, you can watch the sky lighten as the sun rises, with the towers of Angkor Wat visible in the distance. Following a walk back down the hill, enjoy breakfast at the Angkor Café, with the gates of Angkor Wat as your view.
After breakfast, transfer to the South Gate of Angkor Thom and join a morning gondola ride along with the ancient ruins on a small baray (a type of reservoir typical of ancient Khmer water management). You will stop to visit a small cave and have a short trek up to the historical ruins of Prasart Chrung where you may stand on the wall to view the amazing landscape out to the plains.
You will visit the monumental magnificence of Angkor Thom – the last capital of the Khmers, with its Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the stunning Bayon temple. This 12th-century masterpiece lies at the very center of Angkor Thom and is an archaeological wonder of symmetry and grandeur. The exterior gallery walls have extensive bas-reliefs but the highlight is the “faces”, more than 200 of them, silent but with the famous half-smile playing on their lips. Tonight is our farewell dinner with the Apsara show at Royal Khmer Dining restaurant.
Accommodation:
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, Siem Reap
Day 13 - Siem Reap, Cambodia / Departure
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Siem Reap airport (REP) for your flight home.
Hanoi & Halong Bay Pre-Trip Extension
October 25 - 28, 2025, 3 nights/4 Days
You’ve come this far, why not come early?
Delve deeper into Vietnam’s fascinating history and breathtaking beauty with a two-night stay in Hanoi at the iconic Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel and an overnight cruise aboard a 5-Star luxury “junk” boat exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. We also include a city tour of Hanoi, with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, a Water Puppet Show, and the fascinating network of alleyways and shophouses in the Old Quarter.
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