Sharing the Mekong River and a long border, Vietnam and Cambodia have rich histories that often intersect. While known in the West for 20th-century conflict, both nations boast natural beauty and centuries-old cultural sites that provide a backdrop to extravagant temples and booming retail districts.

Cambodia’s deep heritage – from the Silver Pagoda and its 9,000-diamond-encrusted Maitreya Buddha to the unprecedented, 12th-century Angkor Wat temple complex – blend with its modern growth, expanding schools and bustling shopping centers in cities like Phnom Penh. Vietnam’s growth has been even more profound, with remnants of French colonial life giving way to regional centers like Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It possesses an equally ancient heritage, with rural workers following their forebears in such trades as brick making and paper pressing in the shadows of iconic residences and temples.

Traveling the Mekong River from Cambodia into the delta of Vietnam, you will have intimate access to peoples and places, witness the local dances and crafts, shop ancient markets, and visit historic settings – from the killing fields to Cai Be’s French-Gothic cathedral – that have defined these nations both in war and peace.

Over eight days, you will visit nine cities and learn to see Cambodia and Vietnam as few Westerners do. To learn more about the itinerary, download the Mekong Navigator brochure.