Southeast Asia & Hong Kong

Enjoy an overview of Cambodia’s thriving beachside communities as you visit a temple and fishing village. Meet your guide and drive into the hills to Wat Krom. Within, you can admire its vivid murals and brightly colored sculptures depicting the Buddha. You may pause during your visit to talk with one of the resident monks who reside in the adjacent monastery. Return to the shore to walk along Independence Beach, following in the footsteps of Jacqueline Kennedy, who strolled these sands in 1967 during her Cambodia tour. Her visit helped to repair the relationship between the two countries and was fundamental in easing political tensions. Continue your journey along the coast to the tiny fishing village of Tumnob Rolok, where the pace of life is slow and fishermen prepare the day’s catch for market. After time to explore, you will return to your ship.

---

Experience rural Cambodia during a visit to a pepper farm and a boat ride among the mangroves of Ream National Park. Located about eight miles east of Sihanoukville, the site is officially named Preah Sihanouk National Park, but has become known as “Ream” because it is located in the Ream commune. Ream’s expansive 104 acres boast a range of indigenous flora including mangroves, evergreen forests, sea grass, rivers and coral reefs. Take a scenic drive into the country, where you will first stop at a local pepper and tropical fruit farm. One of Cambodia’s most prized exports, pepper has been cultivated in the Kampot region since the 13th century. Take a guided tour and learn more about this essential spice. Afterward, continue on to Ream, where you will enjoy a relaxing boat ride through the jungle and mangroves before returning to your ship.

---

Climb aboard a local tuk-tuk taxi and set out to discover the notable sites of Sihanoukville. The history of this seaside playground stretches back 50 years, when a French-Cambodian team carved a camp out of the jungle and started building the newly independent Cambodia’s first deep-sea port. Named Sihanoukville after Cambodia’s ruling prince in 1964, the port and its golden beaches brought tourism to the region, creating places such as the modernist seven-story Independence Hotel. The city was badly damaged during the Vietnam War but has since recovered and been dubbed “Asia’s next trendsetting beach” by The New York Times. This road trip will take you past sites such as Victory Beach, Independence Beach and the Independence Monument, the Golden Lions Monument and the famous Wat Krom temple, which affords beautiful views of the city and the Gulf of Thailand.

---

Discover the breadth of Cambodian cuisine during a cooking class and demonstration. Transfer from your ship and enjoy a warm welcome from your host as they explain the art of preparing traditional Khmer dishes. Typically, a meal would consist of more than one dish, expertly crafted to balance a range of contrasting flavors and textures. Learn about the use of local ingredients—common to Cambodian fare are flavorsome herbs, leaves, pickled vegetables and accompanying dips—and discover how they are grown and sourced. You will also learn how to prepare and serve your dishes, and under your teacher’s guidance, you will create your very own tasty dish. As you savor your meal, your teacher will share hints and tips that you can take away with you, enabling you to put your new found knowledge into practice and enjoy at home.

---

Visit a pepper farm to learn about this celebrated industry and a local temple for a water blessing ceremony. The Kampot region’s fertile soil and mild climate ensure crops of high-quality pepper strains that are unique to the area. Drive along country roads, past rice paddies and through the small village of Kdat, pausing to learn about the daily lives of the farmers and fishermen who live here along the way. Your destination is an organic pepper farm, where you will learn about production methods, different types of pepper and the farm’s history. Continue to sleepy Kampot, known for its beautiful French colonial center and coastal salt fields. After lunch, pause for photos at the restored old Governor’s Mansion before visiting a pagoda to participate in a water blessing ceremony, which is said to offer good luck, happiness and health. After, return to your ship.

---

Sample Cambodian delicacies and enjoy a beachside sunset during a tour of Sihanoukville’s less frequented locales. Cambodian cuisine is both simple and exquisite; remarkably different from that of its better-known neighbors, it relies more on fresh local ingredients than spices. Join a local food connoisseur at the pier before boarding your tuk-tuk for a scenic ride to Phsar Leu, or Sihanoukville Market. Your guide will share the secrets of this colorful and interesting place and introduce you to some of the tasty treats loved by locals, including yellow bean cake and Khmer rice cake. Try some fruits, including mango, dragon fruit and small sweet pineapples. Continue to popular Ochheuteal Beach for a drink, and sample street food sold by local vendors. Then, head to tranquil Independence Beach to admire the tropical sunset over the Gulf of Thailand with a refreshing cocktail or beverage.

---

Behold the world’s largest religious structure on a visit to Angkor Wat and tour the sights of Ho Chi Minh City. Marvel at the magnificent temples of Siem Reap’s Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore Vietnam’s vibrant capital city during your three-night excursion. Please note: sites on this program are not accessible and cannot accommodate guests who rely on a walker, wheelchair or motorized scooter/wheelchair.

Day 1 - Siem Reap, Cambodia

Take a morning flight from Sihanoukville airport to Siem Reap, gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel, where you will have free time to relax on your own before enjoying an dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, followed by a traditional Cambodian show. (D)

Day 2 - Siem Reap, Cambodia

Enjoy breakfast before driving to Ta Prohm Temple, famous for its towering fig trees. Admire classic examples of Khmer art and architecture at the Angkor Thom complex. Delight in a cooking demonstration, where you will discover the key components of Khmer cuisine and sample them for lunch. Rest at your hotel, then drive through the countryside to see traditional villages. Watch the sunset from a panoramic viewpoint before having dinner at the renowned farm to table restaurant, Lum Orna. (B, L, D)

Day 3 - Siem Reap, Cambodia & Ho Chi Minh City, Cambodia

Wake up for an early morning visit to the magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat, the largest of the monuments of Angkor. Here, watch the sunrise before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Journey back to Angkor Wat to explore more of this ancient site. After lunch, transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Drive to your hotel, to enjoy free time. In the evening, discover the bustling city of Saigon and experience a lively, colorful folklore performance, followed by dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 4 - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Have breakfast, then visit the Museum of Vietnamese History. Explore collections of historical artifacts, including valuable relics from Angkor Wat, Buddha statues and mother-of-pearl inlays. Continue to the famed neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral and the Reunification Palace, the former residence of the president of South Vietnam, then visit the Minh Phuong Lacquer Factory to discover the art of one of Vietnam’s most popular exports. After lunch, explore Bến Thành Market before heading to your ship. (B, L)

---

Indulge in ultimate relaxation at one of Cambodia’s stunning beach resorts. Embark your motor coach for a short ride to your resort, where calm waters and pristine sands await. This beachside haven is set amid beautiful surroundings and its five-star amenities make for a pampered visit. Grab your towel and take a dip in the crystal clear waters of the ocean, or stroll along the white stretch of sand as gentle waves lap at your feet. Lay back and bask in the sunshine or take shade with a book under a swaying tree. If a swimming pool is your preference, you will have full use of the resort pool at your leisure. During your time here, enjoy a delicious lunch accompanied by a chilled refreshment and the use of a lounge chair, reserved exclusively for Viking guests. Return to your awaiting ship feeling pampered and energized.

---

Enjoy an overnight stay in the Cambodian capital and learn about its royal heritage and political past. Phnom Penh is the nation’s modern center of commerce, explore its cultural heritage with a visit to the Royal Palace complex and learn about its political past at the genocide museum. Please note: sites on this program are not accessible and cannot accommodate guests who rely on a walker, wheelchair or motorized scooter/wheelchair.

Day 1 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Depart your ship in Sihanoukville and enjoy a scenic drive through stunning scenery and a patchwork landscape of rice paddy fields. You will arrive in Phnom Penh to check in at your First-Class hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Your Viking Tour Director will be on hand to help you make the most out of your visit. This evening, enjoy a delicious welcome dinner with your fellow guests. (D)

Day 2 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

After breakfast, join your guide for a tour of Cambodia’s iconic landmarks, first heading to the Royal Palace by motor coach. Within the Royal Palace compound lies the Silver Pagoda, often called the “Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha.” Admire the Baccarat crystal sculpture atop its gilded pedestal and the adjacent gold Buddha adorned with more than 2,000 diamonds. Depart the palace and continue your tour to the Tuol Sleng Museum. Discover the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, when in 1975 Tuol Svay High School became an interrogation and torture center known as Security Prison 21. The museum showcases photographs and exhibits that tell the story of thousands of victims who suffered a terrible fate in their captors’ hands. Finally, visit Wat Phnom, a sacred Buddhist pagoda that has graced the capital’s skyline since 1373. Rejoin your ship this evening, enjoying a stop for lunch en route. (B, L)

---

Experience rural Cambodia during a local village visit and a boat ride among the mangroves of Ream National Park. Take a drive into Cambodia’s rolling countryside, where you will stop at Wat Samathi, a Buddhist temple that offers sweeping views of Ream National Park from atop Phnom Samathik, or “Meditation Mountain.” Upon arrival at the village, you will meet your host, who will welcome you and tell you more about daily life. Watch a demonstration on how to make a traditional Khmer cake, then enjoy a snack of exotic fruits and fresh coconut. Continue to the park, officially named Preah Sihanouk National Park but known as “Ream” because it is located in the Ream commune. Ream’s expansive acres boast a range of indigenous flora, including mangroves, evergreen forests, rivers and coral reefs. Here, enjoy a relaxing boat ride through the jungle and mangroves before returning to your ship.

---