Land-only DMC · Vietnam · Cambodia · Laos
Land programme · FIT or tailor-made group
Mekong Delta to Angkor, 8 days
Saigon, two nights in the delta at Can Tho and Chau Doc, the river crossing into Cambodia by boat to Phnom Penh, then Siem Reap and Angkor. One programme that crosses a border on the water, with the visa and luggage questions that come with it.
At a glance
- Duration
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Party
- 1 to 20 travellers
- Starts
- Saigon (SGN)
- Ends
- Siem Reap (SAI)
- Pace
- Moderate, one long river day
- Rates
- Net, on request
Who this programme is written for
Agents sell this one in two ways. As a stand-alone eight-day trip for clients who want water and temples rather than cities, and as the second half of a longer Vietnam programme that ends in Saigon. In both cases the point is the same: the clients leave Vietnam by boat, not by plane, and see the river change from the delta to the Cambodian capital.
That crossing is also why the programme needs more preparation than its length suggests. The scheduled boats leave only in the morning, the immigration posts are small, and the Cambodian e-visa — the visa most agents tell their clients to get — is not listed for this crossing. The section below on visas is the part to read before you sell it.
Day by day
Day 1
Arrive Saigon
Meet at Tan Son Nhat and transfer to the hotel. If the arrival is early, a short guided walk around the cathedral and post office in the late afternoon.
Day 2
Saigon to Can Tho
Road south into the delta, with a stop at a fruit orchard and a small-boat ride through the canals. Afternoon arrival in Can Tho, the largest city in the delta.
Day 3
Cai Rang market to Chau Doc
Early boat to the Cai Rang floating market, while trading is still under way. Then the road to Chau Doc, near the Cambodian border. Late afternoon at Sam Mountain for the view over the rice plain toward Cambodia.
The guide checks passports and visa documents with each client this evening, not at the pier.
Day 4
Chau Doc to Phnom Penh by boat
A morning speedboat up the Mekong. Reported departure times are around 07:00 and 07:30 and the journey takes about five to five and a half hours including the border formalities at Vinh Xuong on the Vietnamese side and Kaam Samnor on the Cambodian side. Our Cambodian guide meets the boat in Phnom Penh.
Luggage travels on the same boat. Large groups need two boats or a separate luggage arrangement, which we confirm with the boat when the group size is final.
Day 5
Phnom Penh
The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, then the Tuol Sleng genocide museum in the afternoon. The guide briefs the clients before Tuol Sleng; some agents ask for it to be optional, and we plan an alternative for anyone who stays out.
Day 6
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
Either a short flight from Techo International Airport, about 19 km south of the city, to Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport, or a full day by road with stops. We quote both and the agent chooses.
Day 7
Angkor
Angkor Wat at sunrise, Angkor Thom and the Bayon, Ta Prohm in the afternoon light. The Angkor Pass is included; the one-day pass covers this programme, and we switch to a three-day pass if the clients add a night.
Day 8
Depart Siem Reap
Free morning, then the transfer to SAI, about 50 km east of town.
Rates and what the land price covers
| Party | Standard | Superior |
|---|---|---|
| Private, 2 travellers | On request | On request |
| Private, 3 to 6 travellers | On request | On request |
| Tailor-made group, 7 to 20 | On request | On request |
| Single traveller or single room | On request | On request |
What the price includes
- Seven nights in named hotels, room category as quoted
- Private vehicle and driver in Vietnam and in Cambodia
- English-speaking guide in the delta and a Cambodian guide from Phnom Penh
- Small boats in the delta, the Cai Rang market boat, the speedboat Chau Doc–Phnom Penh
- Entrance tickets for the visits named, including an Angkor Pass
- Meals as listed
What it does not include
- International flights
- The Phnom Penh–Siem Reap flight if chosen: quoted separately
- Visas for Vietnam and Cambodia, including any visa issued at the river crossing
- Travel insurance
- Drinks, meals not listed, personal expenses
- Tips
The visa question at the river crossing
Vietnam lists Vinh Xuong as a border gate where foreigners can leave and enter on a Vietnamese e-visa, so the Vietnamese side is straightforward.
Cambodia is different. The land crossings listed for the Cambodian e-visa are Bavet, on the road from Saigon, and Trapeang Kriel, on the Laos border. Kaam Samnor, where the boat stops, is not on that list. Clients on this programme therefore plan for a Cambodian visa on arrival at the river crossing, or a visa issued in advance by a Cambodian embassy. If the official port list on the Cambodian e-visa portal shows Kaam Samnor on the day you sell, that changes; check it.
If your clients must use the e-visa, the alternative is the road crossing at Moc Bai and Bavet, which loses the river but keeps the e-visa valid. We quote it as a variant.
Sources: Vietnam tourism — Visa issuance at international border gates; Wikipedia — Visa policy of Cambodia; A Social Nomad — Vietnam to Cambodia (blog) · checked .
Photographs from the route
Who this programme is not for
- Clients who cannot sit in a boat for about five hours with limited facilities on board.
- Groups over 20, where boat capacity and luggage make the river crossing hard to run on a single morning.
- Travellers who will only travel on a Cambodian e-visa and refuse a visa on arrival: use the Moc Bai road variant.
- Clients who want a full Angkor programme: one temple day is a first look, not a study.
- Travellers sensitive to the subject matter of the Phnom Penh genocide museum, unless the agent asks for an alternative visit.
Plan your trip
Quote this programme
Send dates, number of travellers, hotel level and nationality. The reply is an itemised land quote by email.
Common questions
Questions agents ask
Does the boat run every day?
Morning boats are reported daily, but schedules change with the season and the operator. We confirm the boat for the travel date before the booking is final.
Can the programme run in the other direction?
Yes. Phnom Penh to Chau Doc works the same way, with the Vietnamese e-visa accepted at Vinh Xuong. The delta nights then come at the end of the trip.
What happens to the luggage at the border?
It stays on the boat for most of the crossing and passes through the checks with the travellers. Our guide hands over to the Cambodian guide at the Phnom Penh pier.
Can Laos be added after Siem Reap?
Yes, usually by a flight from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang. An overland route north through Stung Treng exists but suits only clients with time and a high tolerance for long road days.
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Start planning
Send a land quote request
Request type, group size and travel month are enough to start. Add your agency name so we can match the request to your contract. We reply by email with an itemised land quote or the questions needed to write one.