AmaWaterways

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Ho Chi Minh City

   Vietnam

   

   Still whispered as Saigon by its ten million residents, Ho Chi Minh City pulses with an energy that outlasted every empire and every war. The French colonial grandeur of Notre-Dame Cathedral and Gustave Eiffel's Central Post Office stands in vivid counterpoint to the city's kinetic street life — an endless river of motorbikes, fragrant with pho broth and charcoal-grilled meats. Do not miss the Reunification Palace, a time capsule of Cold War modernism, or a dawn bowl of bánh mì from a sidewalk vendor. The dry season, November through April, offers the most comfortable conditions for exploration.

2. Day 1

   Ho Chi Minh City

   Vietnam

   

   Still whispered as Saigon by its ten million residents, Ho Chi Minh City pulses with an energy that outlasted every empire and every war. The French colonial grandeur of Notre-Dame Cathedral and Gustave Eiffel's Central Post Office stands in vivid counterpoint to the city's kinetic street life — an endless river of motorbikes, fragrant with pho broth and charcoal-grilled meats. Do not miss the Reunification Palace, a time capsule of Cold War modernism, or a dawn bowl of bánh mì from a sidewalk vendor. The dry season, November through April, offers the most comfortable conditions for exploration.

3. Day 2

   Cai Be

   Vietnam

   

   Cái Bè is a vibrant port town in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, known for its unique floating market and rich culinary heritage. Must-do experiences include sampling local delicacies like bánh xèo and exploring the bustling Cái Bè Floating Market. The best time to visit is during the dry season from December to April, when the weather is most pleasant for exploring this enchanting region.

4. Day 2

   Sa Dec

   Vietnam

   

   Sa Đéc, a sleepy town of French colonial villas and temple-filled alleyways on a branch of the Mekong Delta, is renowned as the birthplace of Marguerite Duras and the flowering capital of Vietnam. The town's nurseries supply orchids, bonsai, and chrysanthemums to florists across the country, perfuming the riverside air. The restored Huỳnh Thủy Lê House — where Duras's colonial-era love story unfolded — offers a haunting window into the delta's past. Vendors ply the waterways in flat-bottomed boats piled with tropical fruit. November through April brings the dry season's golden light and gentle breezes.

5. Day 3

   Tan Chau

   Vietnam

   

   Tan Chau is a quietly enchanting border town on the upper Mekong Delta, where Vietnamese, Khmer, Cham, and Chinese cultural threads weave together in floating markets, silk-weaving workshops, and ornate riverside temples. River cruise guests typically arrive by sampan at dawn, when the town's covered market erupts with color and the legendary Tan Chau silk — hand-woven on traditional wooden looms — is spread out for trade. The cool dry season from November to February offers the most pleasant conditions for exploring this living crossroads of Southeast Asian civilization.

6. Day 3

   Tan Chau

   Vietnam

   

   Tan Chau is a quietly enchanting border town on the upper Mekong Delta, where Vietnamese, Khmer, Cham, and Chinese cultural threads weave together in floating markets, silk-weaving workshops, and ornate riverside temples. River cruise guests typically arrive by sampan at dawn, when the town's covered market erupts with color and the legendary Tan Chau silk — hand-woven on traditional wooden looms — is spread out for trade. The cool dry season from November to February offers the most pleasant conditions for exploring this living crossroads of Southeast Asian civilization.

7. Day 4

   Phnom Penh

   Cambodia

   

   Phnom Penh rises from the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac rivers with a resilience that makes it one of Southeast Asia's most affecting capitals — a city that endured the Khmer Rouge's "Year Zero" and has re-emerged as a place of broad riverfront boulevards, excellent Khmer cuisine, and a cultural energy that feels earned rather than manufactured. The Royal Palace and its Silver Pagoda, housing a life-size gold Buddha studded with 9,584 diamonds, is the city's architectural centrepiece; the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former high school converted to a prison by the Khmer Rouge, is sobering but essential history. November through February offers the most comfortable climate for extended exploration.

8. Day 5

   Oudong

   Cambodia

   

   Oudong, a historical town in Cambodia, was the royal capital from the 17th to the 19th centuries and is celebrated for its stunning stupas and vibrant local culture. Must-do experiences include savoring traditional dishes like amok and lok lak at local markets. The best season to visit is during the cooler months from November to February, when the weather is most pleasant for exploration.

9. Day 5

   Kampong Tralach

   Cambodia

   

   Kampong Tralach, Cambodia is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by AmaWaterways. Must-do experiences include exploring the vibrant local markets for regional specialties and fresh seafood, and discovering the waterfront quarter where maritime heritage meets contemporary energy. The optimal time to visit is November through April, when dry season brings clear skies and calm seas.

10. Day 5

    Phnom Penh

    Cambodia

    

    Phnom Penh rises from the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac rivers with a resilience that makes it one of Southeast Asia's most affecting capitals — a city that endured the Khmer Rouge's "Year Zero" and has re-emerged as a place of broad riverfront boulevards, excellent Khmer cuisine, and a cultural energy that feels earned rather than manufactured. The Royal Palace and its Silver Pagoda, housing a life-size gold Buddha studded with 9,584 diamonds, is the city's architectural centrepiece; the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former high school converted to a prison by the Khmer Rouge, is sobering but essential history. November through February offers the most comfortable climate for extended exploration.

11. Day 6

    Oknhatey Village

    

12. Day 6

    Oknha Tey Village

    Kyrgyzstan

    

    Oknha Tey Village is a rural Cambodian Mekong community where APT Cruising guests experience traditional stilt-house life, silk weaving, and home cooking demonstrations that reveal Cambodian cuisine at its most authentic. Visit November through March for post-monsoon greenery, riverside craft traditions, and the intimate human dimension of the Mekong that no temple or city visit can replicate.

13. Day 7

    Angkor Ban

    Cambodia

    

    Angkor Ban is a riverside Mekong village in Cambodia's Kampong Cham Province where unvarnished authenticity awaits the discerning river cruise traveler — a world away from tourist infrastructure, offering a rare glimpse into rural Khmer life unchanged by modernity. Ancient laterite temple ruins hide among the trees, while local craftspeople practice traditional silk weaving and pottery in family compounds that welcome visitors with quiet warmth. The dry season from November through April offers the most comfortable conditions for exploring the village lanes and surrounding countryside on foot or by bicycle. Phnom Penh is a half-day's river journey downstream.

14. Day 7

    Angkor Ban

    Cambodia

    

    Angkor Ban is a riverside Mekong village in Cambodia's Kampong Cham Province where unvarnished authenticity awaits the discerning river cruise traveler — a world away from tourist infrastructure, offering a rare glimpse into rural Khmer life unchanged by modernity. Ancient laterite temple ruins hide among the trees, while local craftspeople practice traditional silk weaving and pottery in family compounds that welcome visitors with quiet warmth. The dry season from November through April offers the most comfortable conditions for exploring the village lanes and surrounding countryside on foot or by bicycle. Phnom Penh is a half-day's river journey downstream.

15. Day 8

    Kampong Cham

    Cambodia

    

    Kampong Cham unfolds along the Mekong's western bank in a languid rhythm far removed from Cambodia's tourist circuit — a provincial capital where saffron-robed monks cross bamboo bridges at dawn and French colonial villas drowse behind frangipani trees. The highlight is Wat Nokor, a twelfth-century Angkorian temple whose moss-covered sandstone galleries envelop a functioning Buddhist sanctuary in a haunting conversation between centuries. The nearby rubber plantations, a legacy of French Indochina, offer a window into the region's complex history. Kampong Cham is best visited November through February, when the dry season transforms the Mekong into a serene silver expanse.

16. Day 8

    Siem Reap

    Cambodia

    

    Siem Reap, the gateway city to the ancient Khmer empire's greatest achievement, is the essential staging post for exploring Angkor — the twelfth-century temple complex whose scale and ambition remain without parallel in human history. Angkor Wat at sunrise, its towers mirrored in the lily-covered moat, is one of the world's most transcendent spectacles; Angkor Thom's enigmatic Bayon, with its serene stone faces emerging from the jungle canopy, is another. The city's Old Market quarter offers silk workshops, street food vendors, and celebrated restaurants serving amok — fish steamed in coconut and lemongrass. November through April brings the driest, most comfortable conditions.

Cabin Categories

Category A French & Outside Balcony

Balcony

251 sq ftMax 2A

Category A French & Outside Balcony

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerBathRoom Service AvailableTV+6

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Category B French & Outside Balcony

Balcony

251 sq ftMax 2B

Category B cabins on the AmaMaya, specifically located on the Sadec (Sun) Deck, are luxurious staterooms featuring both a French balcony and a private outside step-out balcony. These rooms are designed for panoramic views, offering ample fresh air, high-quality amenities, and a sitting area for relaxation. AmaWaterways AmaWaterways +1 Balcony Type: Twin Balcony (includes a sliding door French balcony and a step-out outside balcony). Deck Location: Sadec Deck (Sun Deck). Features: Floor-to-ceiling windows, individually controlled air conditioning, flat-screen TV, safe, minibar, writing desk, and private bathroom with shower. Bedding: Twin beds that can be converted into a queen bed with premium linens.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTV+6

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Category C French & Outside Balcony

Balcony

251 sq ftMax 2C

Category C French & Outside Balcony

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-Fi+5

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Luxury Suite French & Outside Balcony

Suite

502 sq ftMax 2L

Luxury Suite French & Outside Balcony

King or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerBathToiletries ProvidedRoom Service Available+8

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Suite French & Outside Balcony

Suite

366 sq ftMax 2S

Suite French & Outside Balcony

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerBathToiletries ProvidedRoom Service Available+8

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