Sail with Ken on the Mekong River in January 2027

Exotic river cruises like the Mekong often sell out up to 24 months in advance.  Most desirable dates for 2026 are already booked, making now the perfect time to secure your January 2027 voyage!

January is the perfect time to cruise the Mekong river, escaping the winter:

• Best Weather Conditions – January falls in the dry season, ensuring pleasant temperatures (23°C - 30°C / 73°F - 86°F) and minimal rainfall for a smooth sailing experience.
• Ideal Water Levels – The Mekong River is at optimal levels, allowing unrestricted access to remote villages and floating markets.
• Avoids the Crowds – While it’s peak travel season, early January still offers a more relaxed experience before the Vietnamese Lunar New Year rush.
   

Trip Overview

• 2-night Ho Chi Minh City pre-cruise
• 7-night Mekong River cruise
• 2-night Siem Reap post-cruise
• 2-night Hanoi post-cruise
• 1-night Ha Long Bay post-cruise
• 1-night Hanoi post-cruise

Cruise Ship - AmaMaya

Sail with us on the brand-new AmaMaya, set to debut in late 2026!  As this stunning new ship is still under development, full details will be provided closer to launch.  In the meantime, for reference purposes, we invite you to explore the sister ship AmaDara for reference, as AmaMaya will offer a similarly luxurious and immersive experience on the Mekong River.

Pricing

TravelOnly With Ken Pricing Per Person Based on Double Occupancy:

• Pricing is based on stateroom category availability at the time of booking. Due to high demand, availability may change before updates are reflected.
• Pricing is only guaranteed once a deposit is placed. The deposit is C$500 per person, with C$250 refundable if cancellation is made 121 or more days before departure.
• Final payment due 90 days before sailing.
• Make this already amazing experience more incredible, by adding an optional 3-night Thailand Bangkok Extension at the end of your trip for an additional cost of C$1,714 per person (including Intra-Asia air from Hanoi to Bangkok).  This optional Bangkok extension is not included in the above pricing. 
   

Compare with Other Cruise Lines (pricing is subject to change):

• Viking River Cruises: Starting from C$14,298 per person, based on 2027 January 14-night river & land package (C$13,299) plus Ha Long Bay extension (C$999).
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruises: Starting from C$13,318 per person, based on 2026 January 14-night river & land package (C$11,209) plus Ha Long Bay extension (C$2,109).
   

What's Included

Spacious Staterooms

• 7 nights luxury accommodation in a twin-balcony (French balcony and outside balcony) stateroom
• Flat-panel screen that features in-house movies
• Desk and sitting area
• Bottled water replenished daily

An Array of Amenities

• Personalized service from a highly trained Cruise Manager during both cruise and land packages
• Sun Deck with pool
• Fitness room and three spas
• Saigon Lounge with panoramic views and bar
• Daily entertainment including cultural performances

Award-Winning Dining

• All onboard dining in a variety of venues.  Please let us know prior to your departure date if you have any special dietary requirements
• Regionally inspired cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients
• The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant
• Welcome Cocktail and Dinner
• Unlimited wine with lunch and dinner
• Complimentary local beer, house-brand spirits and soft drinks during cruise
• Snacks and refreshments served daily in the Main Lounge

A World of Exploration

• Airport transfers with purchase of air from AmaWaterways
• Immersive tours in every destination
• Knowledgeable guides
• Personal headset for easy exploration
• Gentle, regular, active and late-riser tour options

Land Program

• 2 nights hotel accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza (or similar), including buffet breakfast
• 2 nights hotel accommodation in Siem Reap at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort (or similar), including daily buffet breakfast
• 3 nights hotel accommodation in Hanoi at the Sofitel Legend Metropole (or similar), including daily buffet breakfast
• 1 night stay on board an elegantly appointed ship in Ha Long Bay
   

What's Not Included

International Flights

• AmaWaterways offers flight services through AmaAir, providing competitive pricing. Contact us for more details.

Airport Transfers if Not Purchased  From AmaWaterways

• If you arrange your own flights or choose not to purchase transfers through AmaWaterways, airport transfers are not included.

Gratuities

• Recommended gratuity guidelines for your reference.

Paid Facilities & Amenities

• Services such as massages, hair salon treatments, onboard laundry etc. are available for an additional fee.

Some Meals on the Land Portion 

• All meals are included during the river portion.  While many meals are included during the land portion of the itinerary, some may not be. It's advisable to review the daily itinerary below for specific meal inclusions.

Visa Fees

• Travellers are responsible for obtaining and paying for any necessary visas. See Visa requirements below.

Travel Cancellation, Interruption, and Medical Insurances  

• Travel insurances are highly recommended to protect against unforeseen circumstances.  You can purchase insurance independently or through TravelOnly with Ken.  
• AmaWaterways offers Travel Waiver Plus, a cancellation for any reason protection (C$175 per person), which allows travellers to cancel the trip up to 31 days prior to start of AmaWaterways services.  If a cancellation is made within this timeframe, a Future Cruise Credit covering the cancellation penalties is provided, and any remaining balance is refunded based on AmaWaterways' official Travel Waiver Plus policy. 

Join Us On This Extraordinary Itinerary

Day 1 (January 2, 2027 Pre-Cruise) 
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, still affectionately referred to by locals as Saigon, is Vietnam’s former capital. Once known as the “Paris of the Orient,” it is now an industrial, cultural and educational hub.
 

Day 2 (January 3, 2027 Pre-Cruise) 
Ho Chi Minh City

Always bustling, Ho Chi Minh City is a city of contrasts blending old and new, and east and west. In the morning, explore some of the city’s most famous landmarks, including the former Presidential Palace, the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and the War Remnants Museum. In the afternoon, visit Cu Chi, an immense underground network built during the Vietnam War. (Breakfast, Lunch are included)
 

Day 3 (January 4, 2027 Embarkation) 
Ho Chi Minh - My Tho

In the morning, visit Ben Thanh Market—one of the oldest and most iconic structures in Ho Chi Minh City. Transfer via motorcoach from Ho Chi Minh City to AmaDara at My Tho Port for your river cruise and meet your fellow travelers at a Welcome Dinner as the ship cruises to Cai Be. (B,L,D are included)
 

Day 4 (January 5, 2027) 
Cai Be - Sa Dec

Take a local boat to Cai Be. You will have an opportunity to visit candy and rice paper making workshops, or you may also choose to add an active walking tour to the historic Kiet House followed by a visit to candy and rice paper workshops. Later in the day, journey to Sa Dec, a sprawling town on the Mekong Delta, where French writer Marguerite Duras spent part of her youth. You will visit the colorful market, Cao Dai Temple, home to the unique religion of Caodaism in Southern Vietnam. It is a fusion of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Confucianism. (B,L,D are included)
 

Day 5 (January 6, 2027) 
Tan Chau - Boarder Crossing

Enjoy a visit to Tan Chau, a small Mekong River town unspoiled by tourism. Be treated to an authentic experience on a traditional “xe-loi” (trishaw) ride around the town, with stops at silk-making and rattan mat workshops. You may also choose the trishaw ride with visits to craftsmen’s workshops, followed by an active walking tour to “Evergreen Island.” As a third alternative, explore the stunning Mekong Delta on an intimate tour through Vietnam's Tra Su Forest and Sanctuary. Board a traditional sampan boat and glide through this diverse ecosystem that includes more than 70 species of birds, including the painted stork and oriental darter, and lush greenery encompassing majestic cajuput trees, lotuses, water lilies and a carpet of bright green moss in the rainy season that appears to glow as you gently drift through it. Later in the day, cruise from Vietnam to the Cambodian border en route to Phnom Penh. (B,L,D are included) 
*Please Note: Tra Su Forest visit is capacity controlled.
 

Day 6 (January 7, 2027) 
Phnom Pen, Cambodia

This morning, you will visit the Royal Palace, the spectacular Silver Pagoda and National Museum, which has an outstanding collection of Khmer crafts. Alternatively, you may wish to shop for unique treasures at the bustling, yellow colored Central Market after you visit to Royal Palace. After lunch on board, the excursion takes you to Cambodia’s infamous Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol Sleng S21 detention center (Genocide Museum). After returning to the ship, enjoy Khmer folk dancing performed by local children in the Saigon Lounge. (B,L,D included)
 

Day 7 (January 8, 2027) 
Oudong - Phnom Penh

Visit Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital from the early 17th century until 1866. Today, Oudong is a place of pilgrimage for Cambodians. While here, be treated to a memorable Buddhist Blessing Ceremony at a monastery. You may walk around Oudong’s monastery or take an active walking tour to see panoramic views of the Oudong plain. Later in the day, experience Phnom Penh via a tuk tuk ride and be enchanted by the city's French Colonial architecture and tree-lined boulevards set amidst monumental Angkorian architecture. (B,L,D are included)
 

Day 8 (January 9, 2027) 
Oknhatey - Angkor Ban

In the morning, set sail for Oknhatey Village. Oknhatey is the “Silk Island,” located on the lush banks of the Mekong River and known for its rich tradition of silk weaving. While here, you will visit a local elementary school and observe the traditional silk weaving, an art that has been preserved for centuries. Your cruise continues to sail to Angkor Ban. (B,L,D are included)
 

Day 9 (January 10, 2027) 
Angkor Ban - Kampong Cham

Go on a walking tour of Angkor Ban, one of the few villages in Cambodia that was not destroyed under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Here people still live in their traditional wooden abodes and keep their old cultural traditions alive. Hundreds of wooden houses stand intact on stilts, shaded with banana trees, among the hustle and bustle of the daily agricultural on-going of the local villagers. After visiting here, the ship sets sail for Kampong Cham, where you will go on an afternoon excursion to Wat Nokor, perhaps the most treasured monument within the ancient complex of Banteay Prey Nokor. Fusing the Old-World with the “new,” this centuries-old temple now boasts a contemporary pagoda within its walls inside which you will delight in the colorful depictions of Buddha’s life. Alternatively, visit the Twin Mountains, known as Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei (the male and female mountains). Cap the day off with a festive Farewell Dinner on board. (B,L,D are included)
 

Day 10 (January 11, 2027 Disembarkation) 
Kampong Cham - Siem Reap

Disembark in Kampong Cham and transfer by motorcoach to Siem Reap, gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former capital of the Khmer empire. You’ll visit nearby Ta Prohm, known as the “Kingdom of the Trees,” for the way in which the temple stones have become intertwined with thick forest vegetation. (B,D are included)
 

Day 11 (January 12, 2027 Post-Cruise) 
Siem Reap - Angkor

Begin your morning exploration of the temple complex at Angkor Wat, the most iconic of all Angkorian temples, built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century to honor the Hindu god, Vishnu. An afternoon excursion takes you to see the fascinating jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, Banteay Srei, which means “Citadel of Women,” as it has been said that the carving is too fine to have been done by the hand of man. During the evening, be treated to a special “Apsara Dancing Show” at your hotel, featuring local Cambodian/Khmer folk dancers. (B,D are included)
 

Day 12 (January 13, 2027 Post-Cruise) 
Siem Reap - Hanoi

After breakfast, you will have a guided sightseeing tour of Angkor Thom meaning “the great city” and the last capital of the Khmer Empire. This is home to Bayon Temple, best known for its gigantic smiling stone faces, as well as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Later in the day, take a short flight to Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. (B is included)
 

Day 13 (January 14, 2027 Post-Cruise) 
Hanoi

From ancient temples to French Colonial architecture and modern-day skyscrapers, along with beautiful parks and lakes, Hanoi is an eclectic and lively city. A morning sightseeing tour will showcase some of Hanoi’s most famous historic and cultural sites, including The Temple of Literature and Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest temples in Vietnam. You will also visit the infamous prison that American POWs sarcastically dubbed the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War. In the afternoon, experience an authentic rickshaw ride (known as a “cyclo”) in the Old Quarter, followed by a traditional Water Puppet Show. (B is included)
 

Day 14 (January 15, 2027 Post-Cruise) 
Hanoi - Ha Long Bay

Take a scenic drive from Hanoi to one of Vietnam’s most renowned locations, Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Board an elegantly appointed ship designed with all the modern conveniences to ensure smooth sailing for an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience. The backdrop of the bay’s magnificent scenery and dramatic limestone cliffs and rock formations provide you with the perfect setting for a memorable sojourn. (B,L,D are included)
 

Day 15 (January 16, 2027 Post-Cruise) 
Ha Long Bay - Hanoi

Spend the morning sailing across the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay with more than 2,000 small islands rising from the water like a dragon’s back. Later in the morning, disembark the ship and transfer back to Hanoi where you can enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. (B,L are included)
 

Day 16 (January 17, 2027 Post-Cruise) 
Depart Hanoi

Bid farewell to Vietnam and prepare for your homeward flight (B is included)
  

Visa

• Vietnam multi-entry Visa required
• Cambodia single-entry Visa required
• Optional Bangkok extension Visa exempted for visitors from US and Canada

Passport & Visa details for your reference. 

TravelOnly With Ken  will advise on Visas required at time of booking.