Emerald Azzurra Day 1

Emerald Azzurra: facts and figures

Emerald Azzurra and her sister ship Sakara are floating luxury hotels. Every luxurious amenity from spa services to world-class cuisine is available on board. 

Stepping aboard into stunning surroundings

As the coach pulled up to the port of Civitavecchia, Rome, Emerald Azzurra’s sleek design struck a dramatic image against the blue sky.

Check in took next to no time. I handed over my passports and I was given my suite key and then I ushered to speak to crew Carlos and Ozzy who conducted a one-on-one safety briefing with each passenger. Yay, no crowded muster drill.

Let’s take a tour 

But, my favourite feature? The bed. Super, duper comfortable, it was like sleeping on the softest cloud. I also loved the blockout blind. Put the two together, and apparently ( my nephew would attest) I fell asleep in 27 seconds.

Sailaway to Capri and beyond

As the yacht pulled away from Civitavecchia, the lovely entertainer gently sung the famous Fleetwood Mac song, Everywhere, as she strummed her guitar in time to the gentle sway of the ocean. A perfectly fitting tune to mark the beginning of our adventure on Emerald Azzurra.

Emerald Harmony - Majestic Mekong Day 5  - Sa Dec Wet Markets 

If you’re squeamish, don’t go to wet market in Sa Dec, Vietnam.

Me, I’m a little squeamish, but I also have an insatiable appetite for curiosity, and to explore the sights, smells and sounds of a foreign was exciting.

As tourists, we often forget that we can be intruders into people’s every-day life. Sac Dec markets is where the locals come to sell and buy their produce, this is their world. And, remembering this will ensure that you act respectfully. I mean, don’t we expect the same at home?

Market Meanderings 

It was hot and sticky and chaotic, but I followed our tour guide walking together as a group to ensure no one got run over! There were overloaded motorbikes whizzing in and out of the narrow lanes, beeping their horns to alert the foot traffic get out of the way.


The tantalising colours were beguiling, but there was time to explore all that later as the first stop was inside. Undercover in the humidity, was ever conceivable fruit and vegetable imaginable. Piled high in bright mounds, the produce was as fresh as it could get. Loud voices made exchanges of money for food in the labyrinthian laneways. Fascinated by chillies of every colour and shape, the kind vendor offered me some to try. I politely declined, not knowing if the heat would be too intense.

Dodging humans and machines, outside was even more chaotic. I was careful to not step in the way of bikes, nor to step in the produce on the ground. 

Now before you cast any judgement, this food source was a) a necessity in time of war and starvation and b) a delicacy in their culture. Look, I’d never eat one, but it was fascinating, nevertheless.

Do you know what I loved the most? Meeting the vendors, exchanging a few words and being greeted with the largest smiles. I’d highly recommend always taking the time when you’re in a new city to visit the markets. It will always give you an authentic experience.

Street Food on Board

I Want Candy 

This afternoon was the last excursion for the cruise, and I felt rather melancholy. Tomorrow would be the last day aboard and would be a full sailing day. We headed out to Cai Be to a coconut candy making workshop. Coconut + Candy = Honey’s favourite things. We watched the workers make fine rice paper ( I even had a go and was disastrously unsuccessful), popped rice for snacks, some type of spirit and the candy itself. 

Emerald Harmony - Majestic Mekong - Day 5
Tam Nong Bird Sanctuary

How's the Serenity?

Today’s excursion was a DiscoverMore option offered by Emerald Harmony, in other words not included in the fare, but it was well worth paying the cost (about $125). Each boat had about 8 passengers, in addition to a tour guide. Slowly, the boat made its way through narrow waterways as our guide pointed out wildlife on either side.

The rich biodiversity was wonderful to see and there were so many different types of birds including sarus cranes, grey-headed lapwings and Asian openbill storks. I even spotted two water buffalo, lazily hanging out near the canal. Bright pink lotus and waterlily jutted from the canals and lush greenery created the perfect backdrop to the whole scene.

Dinner came quickly, and the ship was in full swing again. Have I mentioned how delicious the food has been? Tonight, was French Influence Dinner, and it seems like Head Chef revels in outdoing himself every, single, day. Duck, asparagus Soup, marbled sirloin, stuffed aubergines… the selections were exquisite.

Welcome to Vietnam - Emerald Harmony, Day 4

The beautiful timber boats were a wonderful way to cruise along the Mekong, with our first to at a floating fish farm. Be warned, the smell of the fish food was overpowering but nevertheless it was interesting to see a working farm.

And then, it was time to take a ride in rickshaw – in my opinion the most fun excursion of the whole cruise thus far. As the driver peddled through the streets of Tan Chau, I waved furiously at the locals who were going about their daily lives.

I’ve been in a lot of places of worship, hundreds perhaps, but never had I visited a place like Cao Dai Temple.  Cao Dai is a relatively new religion created in the 1920s by Vietnamese spiritualists who drew upon, and added to, ideas from the four most influential religious philosophies in Vietnam: Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Christianity.

The bright pastels filled every space in the temples. Statutes, murals, stain glass windows – it was hard not to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of colours. I didn’t quite understand what I was seeing or what any of it meant, but at the crux of this religion lies family values and peace. The massive eye symbolising their god, the creator, was a little disconcerting, if I am to be honest.

Evergreen Island

Back on the Sampan and off to a farming village on Evergreen Island. As its name suggests, it’s a lush area with numerous small farms where local families till the land. We walked past crops of vegetables and fruits our way to visit a family who was welcoming us into their home.

Keeping the Traditions Alive

But the day had not ended yet. Lunch on board and back out on the lovely sampans once again, this time to visit Long Khan Island where the age-old tradition of scarf weaving was still going strong. 

While I had enjoyed yet another jam-packed day of cultural excursions, heading back aboard Emerald Harmony felt like coming home. Except in this ‘home’ my dinner was waiting for me, my cabin was impeccable and entertainment was even included.

Heading up to the Sun Deck, chairs had been set-up once again, this time for a traditional Vietnamese Lion Dance. High energy and loads of fun, I clapped and cheered along with the other guests as the dancers performed acrobatics and stunts.

Trigger warning: Please be aware this post contains images of the remains of the victims of the genocide in Cambodia. Images contain mass graves and clothing of the victims and the cells in S21 prison. I grappled deeply with taking and sharing these images and writing this blog post, but I was encouraged to share this experience by our Cambodian tour guide in an effort to educate, acknowledge and respect the 3 million Cambodians who died under the Pol Pot regime. 

Remembering the Genocide in Cambodia

Tuol Seng

Utterly emotional spent, I didn’t want to go to the genocide museum at Tuol Seng. A former school, the buildings showed the faces of the victims. Staring into the eyes of these black and white portraits, I grappled with the fact that these innocent people were catalogued in some kind of macabre badge of honour by their murders.