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Vietnam/Cambodia

Angkor Wat & the Mekong River: The Wonders of Cambodia & Vietnam

Program No. 19033RJ
On a riverboat voyage along the legendary Mekong River, meet the people and discover the places that make Vietnam and Cambodia two of the most fascinating countries in Southeast Asia.

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DATES & PRICES

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Jan 31 - Feb 14, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 5,199
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Dec. 12, 2023 for free air from LAX.

Feb 7 - Feb 21, 2024
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Dec. 19, 2023 for free air from LAX.

Itinerary Note

This date begins in Siem Reap, Cambodia and ends in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.

Feb 15 - Feb 29, 2024
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Dec. 27, 2023 for free air from LAX.

Feb 22 - Mar 7, 2024
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 03, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Itinerary Note

This date begins in Siem Reap, Cambodia and ends in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.

Mar 1 - Mar 15, 2024
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Ship Outside 5,199
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 11, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Mar 16 - Mar 30, 2024
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 26, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Aug 19 - Sep 2, 2024
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Filling Fast!
Aug 26 - Sep 9, 2024
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Sep 3 - Sep 17, 2024
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Sep 10 - Sep 24, 2024
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Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Sep 18 - Oct 2, 2024
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Filling Fast!
Sep 25 - Oct 9, 2024
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Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Oct 3 - Oct 17, 2024
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Ship Outside 4,699
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Oct 10 - Oct 24, 2024
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Ship Outside 4,699
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Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Oct 18 - Nov 1, 2024
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Nov 2 - Nov 16, 2024
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Ship Outside 5,199
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OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Nov 9 - Nov 23, 2024
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Ship Outside 5,199
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Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Dec 2 - Dec 16, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 5,199
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

DATES & PRICES

Ship Outside
Jan 31 - Feb 14, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Dec. 12, 2023 for free air from LAX.

Feb 7 - Feb 21, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Dec. 19, 2023 for free air from LAX.

Itinerary Note

This date begins in Siem Reap, Cambodia and ends in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.

Feb 15 - Feb 29, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Dec. 27, 2023 for free air from LAX.

Feb 22 - Mar 7, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 03, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Itinerary Note

This date begins in Siem Reap, Cambodia and ends in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.

Mar 1 - Mar 15, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 11, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Mar 16 - Mar 30, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 26, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Filling Fast!
Aug 19 - Sep 2, 2024
Ship Outside 6,299
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Aug 26 - Sep 9, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,299
Special Offer

Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Sep 3 - Sep 17, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,499
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Sep 10 - Sep 24, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,499
Special Offer

Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Sep 18 - Oct 2, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,499
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Sep 25 - Oct 9, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,499
Special Offer

Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Oct 3 - Oct 17, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,499
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Oct 10 - Oct 24, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,499
Special Offer

Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Oct 18 - Nov 1, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,499
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Nov 2 - Nov 16, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Nov 9 - Nov 23, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

Dec 2 - Dec 16, 2024
SOLD OUT
Ship Outside 6,999
Special Offer

OFFER EXTENDED: Enroll by Jan. 31, 2024 for free air from LAX.

At a Glance

Watch in wonder as the natural beauty, historic temples and unique cultures of Southeast Asia come alive before your very eyes. Cast off on a riverboat journey along the mystic Mekong River as you discover gems in storied Vietnam and striking Cambodia. Sample scrumptious pho and other regional specialties, explore floating villages and spiritual landmarks, and spend three full days in Siem Reap, home to the remarkable Angkor Wat temple complex, all while examining how ever-changing modern culture is melding with centuries-old traditions and values along the way.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Keep the Pace: For people who can walk as much as two miles a day, perhaps to explore historic neighborhoods or a nature trail. Involves walking on uneven sidewalks and stairs without railings. Climbing ramps and stairs to board and get off boat. Hot and humid conditions.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Go ashore in traditional villages along the beautiful Mekong River to discover their cultural heritage and learn their way of life.
  • Explore the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat with an expert.
  • Learn about the cultures in both city and village life.

General Notes

Please note that some dates of this program operate in reverse, beginning in Siem Reap, Cambodia and ending in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Tien Dzung Nguyen
Nguyen Tien Dzung “Zoom” was born in 1971 in Phu Tho Province, Northern Vietnam. He studied to be a nurse but then graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Arts from Ho Chi Minh City University, and later got his bachelors’ degree in Business and Economics from Hanoi Foreign Trade University. In addition to his native language, Dung speaks English and Mandarin Chinese. He loves travelling, learning, meeting new people, and sharing his knowledge about Vietnam’s history and culture as well as his own life experiences.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Tien Dzung Nguyen
Tien Dzung Nguyen View biography
Nguyen Tien Dzung “Zoom” was born in 1971 in Phu Tho Province, Northern Vietnam. He studied to be a nurse but then graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Arts from Ho Chi Minh City University, and later got his bachelors’ degree in Business and Economics from Hanoi Foreign Trade University. In addition to his native language, Dung speaks English and Mandarin Chinese. He loves travelling, learning, meeting new people, and sharing his knowledge about Vietnam’s history and culture as well as his own life experiences.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Communion, A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam
by Kim Fay
Fay recounts in savory detail a five-week journey with two friends from Hanoi to Saigon in search of the traditions, rituals and pleasures of food from local markets and street foods to haute cuisine.
A Cambodian Prison Portrait
by Vann Nath
There are many myths about the Khmer Rouge's bloodthirstiness and brutality, but there was at least one place where they all were real: Security Prison 21, the secret police's killing machine. Of the 14,000 or so prisoners who were brought there for questioning, only a handful survived. One of them was the artist Vann Nath (1946-2011). In this thin little book, he describes his horrifying year behind the barbed wired walls of S-21. This book ranks among the most important and strongest witness-stories of world literature.
Vietnam, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by John Balaban, Nguyen Qui Duc
From rain forest and rural countryside to the cities, these 17 stories from Vietnam's finest writers explore its landscapes, myths and changing traditions.
A History of Cambodia
by David Chandler
An excellent, scholarly history from early civilization through the rise of Angkor, French colonial period, Vietnamization of Cambodia, Khmer Rouge and Coup de Force of 1997.
A Traveller's History of Southeast Asia
by J.M. Barwise, Nicholas J. White
A compact history of the region, including the Khmer and the various ancient kingdoms that produced Borobudur, Angkor and other architectural marvels.
The Quiet American
by Graham Greene
A classic, this is the most famous Western work of fiction on Vietnam. Greene writes of a love triangle between a war correspondent, his Vietnamese consort and an optimistic young American during the last days of French rule.
First They Killed My Father
by Loung Ung
A heart-wrenching historical autobiography that recounts the brutality of war with vivid detail. A story of political oppression in Cambodia, it is all the more striking and intense as it is told from the perspective of a child, one who is thrust into situations that she doesn't understand, as she is only five years old when the terror begins.
Lonely Planet Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & the Greater Mekong
by Nick Ray
This compact practical guide covers the entire Mekong from the heights of Yunnan to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Cambodia's Curse, The Modern History of a Troubled Land
by Joel Brinkley
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joel Brinkley returns to Cambodia a generation after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime to report on the country's continuing struggle to recover from its past.
Fire in the Lake
by Frances FitzGerald
A classic historical, political and cultural portrait of the Vietnam War, seen through the eyes of the Vietnamese. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, FitzGerald, a staff writer at the New Yorker and a reporter in Vietnam, presents a vivid image of a revolution and a clear-sighted case for why the U.S offensive was doomed from the start.
The Gods Drink Whiskey
by Stephen T. Asma
Asma writes with verve and wit in this eye-opening account of his yearlong stint teaching at the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh. His account is both an overview of Theravada Buddhism and a down-to-earth portrait of contemporary Cambodia.
Vietnam Journeys
by Charles Fields
Photographer and traveler Charles Fields portrays the cultures and landscapes of Vietnam from the World Heritage Site of Hue and the Phung Hiep floating market to its forests and coastline in stunning color photographs.
Golden Bones, An Extraordinary Journey from Hell in Cambodia to a New Life in America
by Sichan Siv
Full of determination and hope, this is a gripping memoir about author's family and idyllic childhood in Pochentong, and also, terrors of the Khmer Rouge and escape to freedom in America.
Eyewitness Guide Vietnam and Angkor Wat
by Eyewitness Guides
Featuring innovative site diagrams, local maps and hundreds of color photographs, this handy companion introduces the culture, history and attractions of Vietnam.
Angkor and the Khmer Civilization
by David D. Coe
The author presents a concise but complete picture of Khmer cultural history from the Stone Age until the establishment of the French Protectorate in 1863, and is lavishly illustrated with maps, plans, drawings, and photographs.
The Eaves of Heaven, A Life in Three Wars
by Andrew X. Pham
Pham recounts the story of his father's life during the French occupation, Japanese invasion and the American War, weaving such momentous events with anecdotes from his childhood and details of family, friends, food and daily life.
Arts of Southeast Asia
by Fiona Kerlogue
A handsome guide to the art, architecture, textiles and crafts of Southeast Asia.
The Road of Lost Innocence
by Somaly Mam
Sold into servitude by her grandfather, Mam recounts the experiences of her early life, her awakening as an activist -- and work to rescue thousands of women and children in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Birds of Southeast Asia
by Craig Robson
This authoritative, masterfully illustrated guide, featuring 140 color plates covering 1,270 species throughout the region, also includes Malaysia, Burma, Borneo and Indonesia.
The River's Tale, A Year on the Mekong
by Edward Gargan
A personal, probing chronicle of a 3,000 mile journey on the river from its source in China through Tibet, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
Vietnam, Rising Dragon
by Bill Hayton
The veteran BBC newsman covers the tangled politics, rapidly changing economy, culture, history and people of Vietnam with great insight in this timely portrait of a nation in transition.
The Mekong, Turbulent Past, Uncertain Future
by Milton Osborne
A cultural history of the great river from prehistory to European exploration, colonial tensions and modern challenges. It's an engaging introduction to the history of Southeast Asia.
To Cambodia With Love
by Andy Brouwer
In this insightful guide of works of 50 writers on the history, culture and attractions of Cambodia, including Khmer specialist Dawn Rooney (Odyssey Guide Angkor) and memoirist Loung Ung (First They Killed My Father).
Angkor: An Introduction to the Temples
by Dawn Rooney
Rooney’s Angkor: An Introduction to the Temples has grown in girth over the years, but remains one of the most important and easy to understand guidebooks to the temples of Angkor. For those looking to gain some insight on the temples before they go, use the maps and legends to help them explore the temples’ features while in the park, or read after returning home to increase their understanding, this is the book to buy.
Temples of Cambodia, The Heart of Angkor
by Helen Ibbitson Jessup, Barry Brukoff (Photographer)
Jessup (Art and Architecture of Cambodia) provides the accompanying essays to this oversized portfolio of dazzling color images by Barry Brukoff, who has been photographing the monuments of Cambodia since 1963.
Art & Architecture of Cambodia
by Helen Ibbitson Jessup
In the World of Art series. Illustrated overview of Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei and lesser-known recent discoveries in the surrounding jungle.
A Dragon Apparent, Travels in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
by Norman Lewis
A classic account of travels and adventure during the last years of French Indochina, strong on atmosphere and including wonderfully detailed descriptions of local cultures and archaeological treasures. First published in 1951.
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Map
by Nelles
A convenient, double-sided map of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam at a scale of 1:1,500,000, with city maps of Hanoi, Vientiane, Ho Chi Minh City, Luang Prabang, and Phnom Penh. Includes the eastern portion of Thailand and Bangkok.





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