Our trip to Vietnam started with a flight to Shanghai, China and then to Ho Chi Minh City. We spent a couple of days in Ho Chi Minh City before meeting up with the Scenic Spirit cruise and exploring Vietnam and Cambodia along the Mekong River.
Shanghai, China
We flew to Shangahi on China Eastern, an airline we had no previous experience with but our research had shown it was one of the better Chinese airlines.
We had found a reasonably good deal on business class seats and we were both pleasantly surprised by the quality of the seats and the service. We’ve included a photo of the one of the meals.
We had already obtained visas for China but the process was still very slow getting through the airport and security. Even pre-pandemic, they were checking passenger temperatures as everybody had to pass through a gate that showed a heat map of each person.
Once through security, we were met by a pre-arranged limo to take us to the hotel as we had no desire to risk getting lost on the subway system. We were staying at the Portman Ritz-Carlton. Check in was very smooth and we met up with our friends at the bar.
One comment, drinks at the Ritz-Carlton are not cheap and they don’t really honour the Marriott status as much as other hotels in the chain. Breakfast was at a nearby coffee shop with great baked goods. Better than the expensive hotel offering!
The next day we had arranged for a full day private tour that we had organised through tripadvisor. We booked an option with Sunny Tours that covered all the major areas and was a great way to see a new city. All the stops were great (The Bund, Yu Gardens, Jade Buddha Temple, etc.). We started the day at the Jade Buddha and walked through several temples from lowest to highest (White Jade). There was a wall of figures representing the further you go to get to the top. We also stopped at a cricket and bird market that was definitely strange. The crickets are to eat and the birds (hopefully) as pets.
Next we went to the Bund walkway with living garden walls. The river divides the city from the east and the west. We wandered through the Yu Garden including traditional curved rooves, small statues, ponds and a dragon carving running around the walls.
We wandered through a few shopping areas and streets, mainly to check them out. Our plan is to buy gifts when we come back through Shanghai on our way home. Our guide took us to an excellent restaurant for lunch. It had many locals and was easy to order from the picture menu. Dinner was a German restaurant with servers in Lederhosen.
We found the Marriage Market to be the most culturally interesting. The market is a place where parents advertise their children for marriage. The square is full of (mostly) women with umbrellas with cards on them that show their child’s age, height, education, job, income and personality. There was even an international section where a son, who worked for a “top 5” bank in Toronto was on the market (likely without his knowledge).
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Our flight to Ho Chi Minh City was fine except for the 1:35am arrival time. We checked into the Renaissance Riverside Hotel at just after 2am. We were delighted with the upgraded room which was a one bedroom corner suite overlooking Trần Hưng Đạo Statue, apparently a 13th century military leader.
There are so many motorbikes the roads are never empty. They go on the pavements as well and carry several passengers and large bundles of goods, all without helmets. To cross the road, you just walk steadily and they will move around you. Scary but it does actually work!
The next morning after breakfast, we went on a pre-arranged city tour which started at the War Remnants Museum which covers the French colonisation, attempts at independence and the war with the US. The museum is amazing in the way it details the sheer brutality of the Vietnam War. There were many American tourists walking round looking stunned by what they were seeing.
My most vivid memory is a photograph of Vietnamese soldiers being thrown out of the back of airborne US helicopters but there are also many photos of the impact of napalm and Agent Orange on the people and the countryside.
We moved on from there to the Central Post Office, a late 19th century building that is still a working PO but also a tourist attraction partly due to the two large painted maps on the walls.
The other major stop was the Independence Palace otherwise known as the Reunification Palace that was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the war, including old telephones and a helicopter on the roof.. The original building was destroyed in 1962 and the new palace was completed in 1966. The palace is extensive and is very much as it was from the time of the war.
In the evening, we visited the Saigon Opera House – a building dating back to 1898. We saw the Vietnamese Bamboo Circus which has regular shows at the Opera House that feature storylines about the history of Vietnam and life across the years.
Cruise Day 1 - Embarkation at My Tho, Vietnam
The following morning was the start of our Luxury Mekong & Temple Discovery Cruise. We made our way to the Park Hyatt Saigon which was the official meeting point to drop off our bags and attend a short orientation meeting. We then had some free time before meeting up with the other guests for lunch before travelling down to My Tho, to join the ship, the Scenic Spirit.
The total number of passengers on board was only 68 and they broke everybody up into three groups each with its own tour director. Ours was a guy called Tuan. It was good to meet some of our fellow guest, the majority were from Australia which was unsurprising as it’s an Australian based company.
After lunch, we walked back to the hotel to get onto the coach for the 90 minute trip to the port of My Tho. We had plenty of space as each group had their own coach so most people had their own row of two seats.
When we arrived at the ship, we were met by the senior crew and were greeted by the Captain, First Officer and Main Tour Director along with a number of crew members with refreshing drinks and cold towels – something that was a much anticipated pleasure given the temperatures. We were then escorted into the bar for some drinks and a welcome speech before our butler, Ken, came over to us to show us to our suite.
Waiting outside our room were two spa attendants who were there to provide us the welcome neck massage in our suite. So, our introduction to the cruise was our butler, Ken, opening up a bottle of champagne whilst we each received excellent massages.
Our suite was huge – around 850sqf so we had plenty of space to unpack. We had upgraded to a Royal Panorama Suite, one of two on board that had their own private terrace area with jacuzzi tub and day beds right at the front of the ship. We enjoyed breakfast on the patio most mornings when it was cool enough and we definitely liked our jacuzzi tub when we got back from excursions.
We also had Ken organize a drinks and canape reception for our group one evening. Ken stayed and poured drinks, handed out canapes and even wrangled a gecko that arrived that afternoon after a thunderstorm.
Dinner was a five course meal (as it was every night) and the service was wonderful. Somehow, the staff in the restaurant memorised everybody’s names and drinks preference on the first night – even if you were seated in a different section.
One day we had a selection of local foods, including bugs. We presented a plate to the table, but no-one was brave enough to eat anything!
Cruise Day 2 - Cai Be to Sa Dec
Our first day on the Mekong and we realise how much the river is part of daily life. From washing to fishing and transporting huge ships full of gravel, there is something happening all the time. There were many small family fishing boats casting nets for fish. Some of the large ships were so weighed down so much that you couldn’t see the sides of the boats.
We board a sampan and looked like the tourists we were with all our life-jackets. First stop was the floating market of Cai Be with all the produce trading from boat to boat. We stopped at a few cottage industries like popcorn making and thin pancakes.
Lunch was back on the boat and we realise that we have come at the hot season (April / May) and are drained just from one excursion. While we eat from the amazing buffet, the boat moves on to our next destination.
The market at Sa Dec is larger and busier than we thought it would be. Most purchases are made from the back of motorcycle – the main form of transportation. There are pockets of whimsy in the flower markets and colourful fruits and vegetables, but this is an authentic working market and is not made pretty for the tourists. Bargaining is expected unless there is a price already marked on the item.
Our next stop is the family home of Mr Huynh Thuy Le who was the lover included in Marguerite Duras’ novel L’Amant. We were given a cup of tea and were able to see through the house, which is now a museum. Sa Dec is also known for its flower gardens and walking in this one is a relaxing break.
Back on the boat we sit and watch the temples, vegetation and boats on the river and feel grateful for the opportunity to experience this life. Dinner sees us enjoying another 5 course meal amid meeting the other interesting guests on the cruise.
Cruise Day 3 - Tan Chau
We travel by a bike rickshaw to visit a local silk making cottage industry. They hang the large sheets of woven and died silk on frames in the sun before making them into scarves and clothing for us to purchase.
Tan Chau silk is made from silkworms raised on mulberry bushes and is a well known brand in Vietnam. There is more technology used in the process today to increase the productivity and quality.
Next we visited Evergreen Island, a small rural community where we saw the chili’s that they were harvesting. We were able to visit a traditional home on stilts and see where they live and eat. It is very humbling to see how they live with so few possessions, including chickens and maybe a cow.
That evening we had a feast onboard with cocktails to start on the sundeck and then a themed meal to farewell Vietnam and cross the border into Cambodia. Vietnamese food has culinary influences from French, Chinese and India cuisines. There was lots of fish accompanied by chili or fish sauce.
Cruise Day 4 - Tan Chau to Phnom Penh
After crossing the border into Cambodia, the ship sailed to Phnom Penh where there were excursions over two days. We decided to experience the spa while others went to see Phnom Penh’s colonial buildings and the Central Market.
The spa onboard is so relaxing. We went for the Khmer massage that includes stretching as well as massage. All at a very reasonable price and very good.
Lunch was an onboard buffet and we were savouring this while others were luxuriating in the high tea at Ruffles, Hotel Le Royal and then the Elephant Bar for cocktails afterwards.
After dinner, we embarked on a night tour of Phnom Penh from a ‘tuk-tuk’ with a trailer attached to a motorcycle. Everything carries on when it gets dark, including open air hair solons washing and cutting hair on the sidewalk. We drove past the Independence Monument on the way back to the Scenic Spirit.
Cruise Day 5 - Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham
Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia and a modern city with about 2 million people. However, we went back in time today to visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Temple. This is the residence for the King of Cambodia and consists of several buildings.
The Silver Pagoda showcases a small number of the over 5,000 silver tiles that adorn the pagoda. This Buddhist temple is used for national and royal ceremonies. What is of note are the gold-top pagodas and ornate temples. This is well worth the visit and the tour guide informed us of the history and interesting corners to visit inside the pagoda.
The option that afternoon was to wander through the silversmith village of Kho Chen. We decided to stay on board and saw these boys hanging out on the shores of the river.
The banks all along the river are gradually being graded and covered in gravel – hence that large amounts of gravel in ships along the river. We also saw several gold-tipped temples as we sailed, plus the everyday living of people fishing, a petrol station and homes on stilts along the river side.
Cruise Day 6 - Kampong Tralach to Oudong
We decided to stay on board this morning while others expereinced the ox cart ride through a local village. They also were taken on a coach tour to the pagoda and monestry at Oudong where guests were introduced to the resident monks
Each night after dinner we would arrive back in our suites and find the itinerary for the next day, some nighttime chocolates and sometimes a little gift such as friendship bracelets and scarves.
Cruise Day 7 - Wat Hanchey to Kampong Cham
We drove to the top of a hill to visit Wat Hanchey, a pagoda and monastery, and meet some of the resident Buddhist monks, including some in training, and wearing saffron robes. The terrace overlooks some of the raised funeral blocks as well as stunning views of the Mekong River.
To make this a more spiritual journey, there is a path and 300 steps to take from the river to arrive at the monastery.
The beautiful temples, buildings and statues reflect the history of both Hindu and Buddhist worship. The monastery is also important to the local community as they host important festivals and ceremonies.
Day 8 - Mekong Cruise to Siem Reap
This is the end of the cruise and we boarded a bus to take us to the city of Siem Reap. Along the way we stopped at the Kampong Kdei Bridge, an Angkor-era Naga bridge. The bridge has multi-headed serpents carved at each end built in the Khmer era.
Alongside the bridge were a herd of oxen that made a picturesque sight.
We also visited the Santuk stone cutting village, Where artisans use sandstone to sculpt intricate works such as Buddha statutes and animals.
For the next few nights we are at the hotel in Siem Reap. The lounge was comfortable for drinks after dinner and there was a delicious breakfast buffet. The pool area is mainly indoors with a spa-like atmoshphere.
We were disappointed that our status room on the cruise was not reflected in a room upgrade. We were happy with the stay, but next time would book the Siem Reap part separately as it would likely be cheaper than tagging onto the cruise.
Day 9 - Siem Reap - Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat was the highlight of the trip and was awesome. These are timeless places of mystery and reflection. It seems strange to think that the grey stone we see now used to be covered in gold as the current temples are.
The tour this day included Angkor Wat with the walk across the lily pond, towards the temple and then inside the temple. We were impressed how large and silent the temple was, excluding the tourists! Our next visit in the bus was to Angkor Thom (Great City) which is the newest city.
We also visited Ta Prohm where the trees are slowly growing over the crumbling monuments and buildings. This is where ‘Tomb Raider’ was filmed. The scenery is amazing and it is humbling to walk around these huge temples and even larger trees with the roots encompassing the temple walls.
Then we went to the multi-faced Bayon temple. This is the temple mountain, rising above Angkor Thom. These temples were built between the 9th and 16th centuries and show different aspects of the faces of Buddha. There were also well preserved carvings showing daily life like eating, traveling and dancing.
Day 10 - Siem Reap - Angkor Wat
We got up early to be bussed again to Angkor Wat to see the sunrise. It was an amazing magical experience and everything was very still, even with crowds of people. Except, the timing was for the sun to rise above the temple rather than the actual sunrise so some of the colours were not what we hoped for. We then had breakfast supplied by an NGO supported local bakery school.
Entrance to Angkor Wat temple in the daytime.
We persuaded the group to go up in a tethered balloon to see Angkor Wat from the air. This was an amazing experience, not to see the temple close up, but to see all the trees around and the relationship with the other temples in the area.
Later that afternoon, we visited the Pouk Silk farm and handcraft factory. The tour took us through the process from harvesting the silk from the silk worms to spinning the silk and weaving the finished product. This was one of the best demonstrations of a craft we have seen.
That night we were delighted by a gala dinner at a 10th century temple – Prasat Kraven. The temple was lit up with lights and candles. We were welcomed by a traditional Chhai Yam dance then cocktails with a Khmer ethnic dance performance. Throughout the evening we were stunned by several different dances with some featuring Aspara dancers. The waiters appeared from inside the temple with several course of delicious food. Then there were photos with the dancers. A special end to a spectacular trip.
Day 11 - Depart Siem Reap and- Angkor Wat
We then moved to another hotel with a nice outdoor pool where we spent our time relaxing and reflecting on our cultural and spiritual journey.
