Vietnam, The Mekong & Cambodia

Journey through the heart of Indochina on this unique and immersive tour

Led by Miranda Bruce-Mitford lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, this tour offers a splendid combination of travel by land and water, exploring the history, cultural complexities and staggering natural beauty of Vietnam and Cambodia. We uncover Vietnam’s ancient past, partly shrouded in the myths of dragons and kings, and explore Cambodia’s great Khmer kingdom centred at Angkor. We will also investigate sites relating to colonialism, communism, the Viet Cong and the Khmer Rouge in order to understand these nations’ more recent history. 

In Ho Chi Minh we board our river boat and embark on an exploration of the Mekong and its waterways. This vast, vibrant life-giving river starts as snowmelt in the Tibetan plateau and ends in the huge delta, renowned for its intricate network of canals and paddy fields before flowing into the South China Sea. Travelling along the narrow Chao Gao Canal, we cruise up the Delta towards Cambodia, relaxing into the rural way of life, stopping at villages, temples and pagodas along the way. Disembarking at Siem Reap, we continue to Angkor where we spend three days visiting the magnificent temple complexes built by the Angkor dynasty between the 9th and 13th centuries.