by Geri Bain for Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com
Silently, our rowboat glides through waters thick with lotus flowers, water lilies, and vegetation and along narrow passageways lined by towering evergreen cajuput (melaleuca) trees whose outstretched branches host hundreds of nesting birds. Later, we hike to an observatory tower for panoramic views of the 2100-acre Tra Su Cajuput Forest and Bird Sanctuary, which shelters over 70 bird species.
We are in Vietnam, and this is one of many amazing tours my 30-year-old-daughter and I enjoy on a week-long AmaWaterways Mekong River cruise. We are traveling on the five-star AmaDara. Our cruise begins in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and ends in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Here, in the first of a three-part story, we share highlights from our journey through southern Vietnam.
Our trip begins with two pre-cruise nights at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. The hotel is within walking distance of almost everything we want to see, and its rooftop pool and Bremiere spa are great for unwinding after our 26-hour journey from New York City.
The Sofitel reflects the city’s blend of French Colonial and traditional and modern Vietnamese influences in its decor, service and dining. The lobby has a croissant/pastry cart as well as an area displaying and selling fine local lacquerware and other crafts. It has both French and Vietnamese restaurants, and an extensive breakfast buffet that features Pho (soup) made to order, a croissant and pastry station and extensive selections of foods from around the world.
Our favorite meal in Ho Chi Minh City is at ST25 by KOTO, our hotel’s tony Vietnamese restaurant. It is popular with locals and guests for its ambiance and its creative twist on traditional dishes like spiced Barramundi (fish) roasted in banana leaves with mắm tôm sauce (fermented shrimp paste). It takes its name from the acclaimed Vietnamese rice variety, ST25.
One of the wonderful things about this restaurant is that it trains, hires and supports at-risk and disadvantaged youth, and the training is in life-skills, not just hospitality. Everyone working there has come through the program, including our personable maitre d. The service is impeccable and every dish is an artfully presented unique treat, from the yellowtail kingfish in avocado puree and black sesame appetizer to the Barramundi, a delicious fish roasted in banana leaves with chili, turmeric, spring onion and a mắm tôm sauce (fermented shrimp paste).
A friend had advised us to pack lightly and bring an empty suitcase because Vietnam prices warranted buying a whole new wardrobe. The values are definitely there; two shopping experiences stand out.
The first is Phuong Giang, a small shop that came highly recommended, where we page through style books, select a fabric and get measured; the dress is delivered to our hotel the next day for a follow-up fitting at the time we request. The cost is under $75.
Also memorable is Ben Thanh Market, a bustling, clean and orderly indoor market that sells everything from running track suits to suitcases at jaw-droppingly low prices. For example, Nike shirts and shorts are about $5. I buy a chic pleated maxi dress for $18 USD that is similar to ones I’d seen for more than $100 in the U.S.
Happily, the museums in Ho Chi Minh City we visit have excellent English signage. We start out at Independence Palace, a.k.a. Reunification Palace, the opulent former seat of French Colonial and South Vietnamese governments, where we see the stately meeting rooms where diplomats and heads of state were greeted, held important meetings and were entertained, and the War Remnants Museum, where news clippings, photos, munitions and other artifacts reveal the ravages of the “American War.”
Since we’re especially interested in learning more about the cultural and historic roots of Vietnam, we visit two other excellent museums: the Museum of South Vietnamese Women, which focuses on women’s roles in farming, family and war during more than 1,000 years of foreign invasions, and the History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, whose exhibits start with prehistoric times. We spend about two to three hours in each and they provide great context for the sights we will see during our cruise.
On our third morning, we meet up with our AmaWaterways group in the hotel lobby and board buses for a lively, informative ride to our home for the next seven nights, the AmaDara. Built in Vietnam, the five-star, 62-cabin river cruise ship reflects the Mekong’s French Colonial and Asian aesthetic in its hardwood floors, wood furnishings, and colorful artwork depicting local life.
Exploring the ship, we find a small air-conditioned workout space, three spa treatment rooms, a plunge pool, large indoor and outdoor cocktail/coffee lounges and a large dining room. Before dinner, Huy, our energetic and knowledgeable cruise manager, provides the first of our daily talks about the destinations we’ll visit. We begin getting to know some of our crew members, who are almost all from the region.
We appreciate that the dining room always serves a choice of several regional foods like sweet and salty pork bowl and fish “amok”, cooked in a rich, spiced coconut milk sauce, as well as international dishes. And we love that menu items are plated and displayed with a list of ingredients as we enter the dining room—especially helpful for some less familiar dishes.
After dinner, a group of folk musicians comes aboard to perform. The music is unlike Western music and each musician demonstrates their instrument before performing. Then, after the performance, we are invited to chat with the musicians and if we like, try out their instruments.
The next morning, I join a pre-breakfast stretch class on the sundeck with Hanna, the ship’s wellness coach. She offers a surprising number of daily yoga, qigong and other classes, and I can still hear her gentle reminders to breathe deeply and take in the healthy air of the Mekong.
Our next two days in Vietnam are packed with adventure and our days take on a rhythm of morning excursions, a refreshing midday break and lunch on board the ship in air-conditioned comfort, and then a second set of activities in the afternoon. We opt for the active excursions which have more walking or add a second site to the standard tour.
After breakfast, we head out in sampans (traditional small boats) to a candy and rice-paper workshop in Cai Be, where we watch and sample each step of the candy process, see rice paper being made by hand, and visit their small local crafts shop. We taste some local liquors, but on the advice of our guide, we skip the snake wine.
Active travelers continue on for a guided walk through Dong Hoa Hiep, an ancient village of fruit tree groves and ornate historic homes. The highlight is Mr. Kiet’s Ancient House, a faithfully restored upper-class 1838 home with intricately carved wooden archways and doors and a fine collection of antique furnishings, many with luminescent inlaid nacre. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site, the home is still occupied by the widow of Mr Kiet, who operates a small restaurant in the orchard garden.
Phuc, our guide, points out the three impressive ancestor shrines in the entry room which include photos of deceased relatives, religious statues, candles, incense burners and offerings of fruit and other items. He tells us that most Vietnamese homes have ancestor shrines near their entrance or in a prominent location; the richer the family, the more elaborate the shrine. He explains that departed family members are thought to watch over their descendants and offerings at the altars allow the living to show their gratitude and remain connected. The three shrines here are quite grand.
Our afternoon tour takes us to the wet market in Sa Dec, where we see live eels, snake fish, snails and duck embryos, still in the shell, which are a local delicacy. From there, we board sampans and boat over to the Cao Dai Temple, where brilliant paintings and sculptures illustrate the beliefs of this home-grown Vietnamese monotheistic religion. Combining elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Vietnamese folk religions and other practices, the Cao Dai religion is now the third largest religion in Vietnam.
On our last morning in Vietnam, we have two options: a trishaw tour of a village, stopping at silk and rattan workshops and a home visit, or an excursion to the Tra Su Cajuput Forest and Bird Sanctuary. Based on conversations with fellow passengers over dinner that evening, there was no wrong choice. We opt for nature, and are thrilled to have the chance to see this pristine eco-system.
This afternoon, we are required to remain on-board as the boat clears customs into Cambodia. AmaWaterways has collected our passports, arranges our visas and takes care of all the details. We take the opportunity to experience the region’s special deep-tissue massage spa treatments and join a cooking class.
It’s only been three days since we set out on AmaWaterways’ AmaDara, but it feels like much longer because of all we’ve seen and done. Our guide, Phuc, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City, must leave us at the border. He has been more than our guide; he has shared stories about his family and taught so much about Vietnamese culture and everyday life in the Mekong. We are sad to bid him farewell as we prepare to sail across the border to Cambodia. At the same time, we are excited for tomorrow, when we will wake up in Cambodia’s exotic capital, Phnom Penh.
The basics:
In 2025, AmaWaterways offers one-week Mekong River trips, except during May, June, and July, traveling between Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Siem Reap, Cambodia. Prices start at around $2,320 and include transfers between the ship and Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap and all sightseeing, wi-fi, meals, and on-board programs. Extra charges include airfare (discounted fares are available), visa fees, bar drinks (alcoholic beverages with meals are included), port charges (about $210 p.p.) and suggested tips ($80 per passenger for the crew and $20-$25 for the cruise manager). AmaWaterways also offers a choice of all-inclusive pre- and post-cruise options. The most comprehensive is eight nights, including stays in Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap/Angkor Wat,, and Ha Long Bay, and all transportation, priced at $2,779 per person.
Flights from the U.S. can take well over 20 hours. As with all cruises, it’s important to arrive at least a day early in case of flight delays. Considering the time change and potential for jet lag, I’d suggest a minimum two-night pre-cruise cushion—more if you have time.
Bargaining in markets is expected. Generally, when we tell a merchant we will think about it and start to walk away, the price drops. Then, we may ask if that is the best they can do, and the price sometimes drops again. If it’s a big purchase, it’s smart to stop at a few booths to get a sense of pricing and quality.
Be sure to check with your doctor or a travel medicine specialist for recommendations on vaccinations and other health precautions, and the U.S. Department of State, CIA.gov and the CIA World Factbook for helpful country information.
Note when filling out visa applications, flight and hotel reservations that dates in Vietnam and Cambodia are written day/month/year. I almost booked my flight for the wrong date. (April 1, 2025 would be written 01/04/2025).
Get the required visa at Vietnam’s website (evisa.gov.vn), where the fee is $25 (if you use a visa service it costs something like $197), and at Cambodia’s website (evisa.gov.kh), where the fee is $30, but give yourself enough time to get the confirmation.
Useful contacts:
Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor Siem Reap
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel
Next: AmaWaterways Cruises to Cambodia
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