Today you’ll arrive in Hanoi, receive Fast Track Service on arrival for a seamless journey through immigration and customs. Meet your APT representative who will transfer you to your luxurious accommodation. Enjoy the rest of the day to explore this fascinating city at your leisure. Hanoi is both bustling and beautiful with many peaceful lakes that contrast with the busy city to make this part of Vietnam truly unique. Take your time to explore this exciting city before enjoying a welcome dinner at Spice Garden, the hotel’s highly awarded and acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant.

A guided tour of Hanoi takes you to the city’s most famous historical and cultural sites. Highlights include Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature. You’ll also enjoy a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter and explore the maze of streets where each street conveys the name of the type of business that once operated there, such as Bamboo Street, Sugar Street and Silver Street. Then, explore more of this vibrant city on your selected Freedom of Choice experience. Tonight, choose your dining experience.

After your first Signature Experience of the day, set off by coach to Ha Long Bay and set sail among thousands of limestone islets. Savour an assortment of Vietnamese dishes during lunch as the Au Co slowly glides towards the southeast of Ha Long Bay, passing Trong Mai Islet. Visit Trinh Nu area and explore one of the finest sunlight-filled caves in Ha Long Bay before spending some time swimming or kayaking in its emerald waters.

Awake as the sun rises, perhaps rejuvenate your body and soul with a Tai Chi class. Later this morning, gain a first glimpse of Cat Ba Island before disembarking to discover Viet Hai Village. Following a village-style lunch, a secluded swim or chance to sunbathe is on the cards. Return to the ship and cruise towards the heart of Ha Long Bay. Sightsee around Cua Van Floating Village by kayak or traditional rowing boat. The area is considered one of the most beautiful destinations in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine. A barbeque dinner aboard the Au Co caps off an exciting day.

Set out on your Signature Experience. Visit a local garden and meet the farmers who work there while taking part in a number of different farming activities. You’ll then set out on an exploration of the water coconut palm jungle by basket boat. Depart Hoi An bound for Hue the former Imperial Capital. Travel via Da Nang and up and over the stunning Hai Van Pass, with views across Lang Co beach. This scenic mountain stretch is voted by some travellers as one of the world's most picturesque drives. Dine on authentic Hue cuisine at Nam Phuong restaurant inside the hotel. The restaurant is named after Vietnam’s last queen.

Venture to the Imperial Citadel which served as the nation’s political capital and religious hub. Stroll among the citadel’s monuments and hear stories of its construction under the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. Next, visit the historical Tien Mu Pagoda, an active Buddhist monastery that dates to 1601, which at seven storeys is the tallest pagoda in Vietnam. Marvel at the seven successive tiers, each of which is dedicated to a human form taken by the Buddha before exploring the gardens, flowers and ornamental plants surrounding the pagoda. Soak in the beautiful landscapes and passes some of Hue’s most important monuments during your Signature Experience.

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure before dinner.

Leave the city behind and relish in your Signature Experiences today. Tonight, your dinner is another Signature Experience.

Board your traditional sampan for your first excursion on the banks of the Mekong. Step ashore to visit Cai Be Catholic Church and the colourful port area filled with crumbling colonial buildings and flowering gardens. Built in the Roman architectural style, the bell tower, with its set of four bells cast in France in 1931, is the tallest of all the churches in the Mekong Delta. Afterwards, you’ll visit rice paper and coconut candy manufacturers and learn how these Vietnamese staples are made.

Head back to the ship to refresh before sitting down to savour a delicious lunch whilst continuing to cruise to the quaint town of Sa Dec. Upon arrival, explore Sa Dec by foot and meet some of the sellers at the colourful market. Continue to where French writer Marguerite Duras met her Vietnamese-Chinese lover, Huynh Thuy Le. Tour his former home and learn the story behind Duras’ best-selling novel, The Lover. After, visit a traditional Cao Dai temple. Watch visitors and pilgrims come and go and appreciate the beauty of the colourful building. Dinner is served as you cruise towards Tan Chau.

Transfer to a small boat for a cruise around Tan Chau and past a fishing farm. Disembark for a rickshaw tour and visit a local silk and rattan weaving workshop. Then explore an Evergreen Island to see authentic rural Mekong life Later, appreciate some down time and watch the scenery pass as the Mekong Serenity spends the afternoon cruising towards the Cambodian border and on to Phnom Penh.

Explore Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital where your receive your Signature Experience. Return via Koh Chen village and visit local copperware workshops. Back on board, cruise to Oknha Tey, known for its silk weaving traditions. Stroll among the stilt houses and gain an insight into the traditional silk weaving process. Watch as the village women create the beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms.

Sail to Angkor Ban, where you'll disembark and enjoy a captivating walking discovery of this historic village. Remarkably, Angkor Ban stands as one of the rare Cambodian villages that remained unscathed during the tumultuous Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. Here, people still live in traditional wooden homes and keep ancient cultural traditions alive. This afternoon, your ship continues sailing upstream to Wat Hanchey.

Bid farewell to the crew and disembark the Mekong Serenity early at Kampong Cham. Travel to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat, passing through picturesque countryside and remote villages where you can observe rural life. On arrival at your hotel, enjoy a light lunch and some relaxation time before your Signature Experiences.

Rise early this morning to witness sunrise over the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. As the sun rises, soak up the atmosphere as you marvel at this ancient wonder. After the sun has risen delve into the history and significance of this sacred site with a guided tour inside the vast temple complex and the sprawling grounds before returning to the hotel for a late breakfast.

Continue your exploration of the World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park with a visit to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital. Built during the heyday of the Khmer Empire in the 12th century, this is an extraordinary complex of Hindu and Buddhist monuments. Head to the intriguing Bayon Temple, with its carved stone smiling faces of gods, goddesses and other mythology beings. Visit the Terrace of Elephants, which used to be the base for the king’s grand audience hall, and the Terrace of the Leper King, which housed the royal crematory.

Journey to Ta Prohm, known for the thick jungle of fig trees and vines that have enveloped the structure, creating a feeling akin to stepping into a lost world. Commonly referred to as the 'Tomb Raider temple' due to it being used as a location in the blockbuster 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider which starred Angelina Jolie, Ta Prohm is a captivating glimpse into the past and testament to a bygone era. Enjoy your Freedom of Choice dinner this evening.

Embark on your selected activity today. Tonight, your Signature Experience awaits. Set amid a stunning garden this promises to be an enchanting and memorable evening.

After breakfast, transfer to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport for your onward flight.