photographer | speaker | educator
darina neyret
VIETNAM & CAMBODIA
September 21-28, 2025
Hosted by award-winning photographer Darina Neyret and yoga instructor Stephanie Flanders Martin, with an itinerary curated by Ama Waterways, this is a remarkable chance to explore a fascinating and beautiful part of the world with a hand-picked group of like-minded people.
This creative retreat does not focus only on instruction and is not a workshop, but rather is geared towards an unforgettable experience that fosters inspiration, community and adventure.
You will have numerous opportunities to learn and practice photojournalistic photography and practice and collaborate with other participants, discuss any number of topics, explore beautiful locations and enjoy award-winning cuisine.
Reconnect, refresh, and awaken your spirit with a Creative Retreat on a Mekong River Cruise.
What to expect
a creative adventure
& retreat
VIETNAM & CAMBODIA
Begin your extraordinary journey in the lively city of Ho Chi Minh, formerly cherished as the "Pearl of the Orient." Here, the captivating blend of the old and new sets the stage for an adventure like no other through Vietnam and Cambodia. Set sail on the mighty Mekong River, where time seems to stand still and traditions cherished for centuries continue to thrive in the everyday lives of the people.
As you cruise along the river's winding paths, immerse yourself in the rich cultural tapestry of this enchanting region. Visit rural villages where the rhythms of life are guided by nature, explore historic pagodas that whisper ancient stories, and wander through vibrant markets bursting with colors, scents, and sounds that delight the senses. Enjoy a serene moment of reflection with a special blessing ceremony by monks in a tranquil Buddhist monastery, and marvel at the skill of local artisans as they craft exquisite handicrafts and mouthwatering delicacies, keeping the age-old artistry alive.
This is more than just a cruise—it's an opportunity to open your heart to new experiences, embrace the beauty of timeless traditions, and create unforgettable memories. Experience all this and more on a life-enriching adventure along the magical Mekong River.
This morning, you will visit the Royal Palace, the spectacular Silver Pagoda and National Museum, which has an outstanding collection of Khmer crafts. Alternatively, you may wish to shop for unique treasures at the bustling, yellow colored Central Market after you visit to Royal Palace. After lunch on board, the excursion takes you to Cambodia’s infamous Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol Sleng S21 detention center (Genocide Museum). After returning to the ship, enjoy Khmer folk dancing performed by local children in the Saigon Lounge. (B,L,D)
Day four
Phnom Penh
Royal Palace and National Museum
• OR Royal Palace and Central Market
Killing Fields and Genocide Museum
Transfer via motorcoach from Ho Chi Minh City to AmaDara at My Tho Port for your 7-night river cruise and then meet fellow travelers at a Welcome Dinner as the ship cruises to Cai Be. (L,D)
Day One
Ho Chi Minh City, Transfer to My Tho
EMBARKATION
Welcome Dinner
Local boat ride to Sa Dec. Visit to local market and temple. Take a local boat to Cai Be. You will have an opportunity to visit candy and rice paper making workshops, or you may also choose to add an active walking tour to the historic Kiet House followed by a visit to candy and rice paper workshops. Later in the day, journey to Sa Dec, a sprawling town on the Mekong Delta, where French writer Marguerite Duras spent part of her youth. You will visit the colorful market, Cao Dai Temple, home to the unique religion of Caodaism in Southern Vietnam. It is a fusion of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Confucianism. (B,L,D)
Day TWO
Cai Be
Local boat ride. Visit local workshops.
Or local workshops and active walking tour to historic Kiet House
Sa Dec
Enjoy a visit to Tan Chau, a small Mekong River town unspoiled by tourism. Be treated to an authentic experience on a traditional “xe-loi” (trishaw) ride around the town, with stops at silk-making and rattan mat workshops. You may also choose the trishaw ride with visits to craftsmen’s workshops, followed by an active walking tour to “Evergreen Island.” As a third alternative, explore the stunning Mekong Delta on an intimate tour through Vietnam's Tra Su Forest and Sanctuary. Board a traditional sampan boat and glide through this diverse ecosystem that includes more than 70 species of birds, including the painted stork and oriental darter, and lush greenery encompassing majestic cajuput trees, lotuses, water lilies and a carpet of bright green moss in the rainy season that appears to glow as you gently drift through it. Later in the day, cruise from Vietnam to the Cambodian border en route to Phnom Penh. (B,L,D) *Please Note: Tra Su Forest visit is capacity controlled.
**You will need this information for your visa applications:
Exit Point from Vietnam: Song Tien Landport
Entry point to Cambodia: Koh Rokar
Day three
Tan Chau
Trishaw ride to craftsmen’s workshops
• OR Trishaw ride to craftmen’s workshops and active walking tour to Evergreen Island
• OR Tra Su Forest and Sanctuary*
Border Crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia
Visit Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital from the early 17th century until 1866. Today, Oudong is a place of pilgrimage for Cambodians. While here, be treated to a memorable Buddhist Blessing Ceremony at a monastery. You may walk around Oudong’s monastery or take an active walking tour to see panoramic views of the Oudong plain. In Kampong Tralach, you will have a truly authentic excursion – an oxcart ride through a local village. Later in the day, experience Phnom Penh via a tuk tuk ride and be enchanted by the city's French Colonial architecture and tree-lined boulevards set amidst monumental Angkorian architecture. (B,L,D)
Day five
Oudong
Buddhist Blessing Ceremony
Kampong-Tralach
Phnom Penh
Tuk tuk tour
Go on a walking tour of Angkor Ban, one of the few villages in Cambodia that was not destroyed under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Here people still live in their traditional wooden abodes and keep their old cultural traditions alive. Hundreds of wooden houses stand intact on stilts, shaded with banana trees, among the hustle and bustle of the daily agricultural on-going of the local villagers. After visiting here, the ship sets sail for Kampong Cham, where you will go on an afternoon excursion to Wat Nokor, perhaps the most treasured monument within the ancient complex of Banteay Prey Nokor. Fusing the Old-World with the “new,” this centuries-old temple now boasts a contemporary pagoda within its walls inside which you will delight in the colorful depictions of Buddha’s life. Cap the day off with a festive Farewell Dinner on board. (B,L,D)
Day seven
Ankgor Ban
Walking tour
Kampong Cham
Wat Nakor
In the morning, set sail for Oknhatey Village. Oknhatey is the “Silk Island,” located on the lush banks of the Mekong River and known for its rich tradition of silk weaving. While here, you will visit a local elementary school and observe the traditional silk weaving, an art that has been preserved for centuries. Your cruise continues to sail to Angkor Ban. (B,L,D)
Day six
Oknhatey Village
Visit a Silk Village and local school
Your cruise concludes in Kampong Cham, where you disembark and motorcoach transfer to Siem Reap. (B)
*Guests booking cruise only will be transferred from the ship to Sofitel Angkor hotel in Siem Reap. We recommend that you schedule your onward flight to depart Siem Reap after 6:30pm today to avoid potential missed connections.
Day eight
Kampong Cham
DISEMBARKATION
Transfer to Siem Reap
I want to go! let's book it!
Airfare to and from Vietnam
Travel insurance
Airport taxes
Personal purchases during excursions.
Visas or country entry fee's that are/may be required
SPACIOUS STATEROOMS
7 nights luxury accommodation in a twin-balcony stateroom
Flat-panel screen that features in-house movies
Desk and sitting area
Bottled water replenished daily
AN ARRAY OF AMENITIES
Personalized service from a highly trained Cruise Manager during both cruise and land packages
Sun Deck with pool
Fitness room and three spas
Saigon Lounge with panoramic views and bar
Daily entertainment including cultural performances
AWARD-WINNING DINING
All onboard dining in a variety of venues
Regionally inspired cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients
The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant
Welcome Cocktail and Dinner
Unlimited wine with lunch and dinner
Complimentary local beer, house-brand spirits and soft drinks during cruise
Snacks and refreshments served daily in the Main Lounge
A WORLD OF EXPLORATION
Airport transfers with purchase of air from AmaWaterways
Immersive tours in every destination
Knowledgeable guides
Personal headset for easy exploration
Gentle, regular, active and late-riser tour options
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
WHAT'S INCLUDED
A 30 minute photojournalistic/ lifestyle session with Darina and a gorgeous, fully designed, editorial style magazine documenting the entire 7-day trip.
ALSO INCLUDED
category A sun DECK
category B upper DECK
category C main DECK
Shared bedroom (separate beds) with shared bathroom.
Book before 9/30
$3640 +tax
Book on/after 10/1
$4140 +tax
Shared bedroom (separate beds) with shared bathroom.
Book before 9/30
$4190 +tax
Book on/after 10/1
$4690 +tax
Shared bedroom (separate beds) with shared bathroom.
Book before 9/30
$4440 +tax
Book on/after 10/1
$4940 +tax
All adventurers sailing with us will receive a 30 minute photojournalistic/lifestyle session with Darina and a gorgeous, fully designed, editorial style magazine documenting the entire trip!
We understand this investment may be significant for some of our clients, which is why we offer Synchrony financing. This financing option provides up to 6 months at no interest, allowing you to pay for your investment in manageable monthly payments. Apply at Synchrony Bank. Just ask us how.
Book Your Trip
Sold Out
Rooms are not held and are based on inventory available,
so book early to reserve the category you wish.
INQUIRE NOW
Have you been wanting to experience a full photoshoot with Darina? Imagine doing that in Vietnam or Cambodia! You can upgrade your included 30 minute session to a 2 hour session. Your selected images will receive my signature retouching and be archivally printed. Enjoy a bespoke album or folio box for the rest of your life, remembering and re-living the magic of this incredible trip forever and share with your friends and family.
What this upgrade includes:
A 2 hour photoshoot in the location of your choice.
Three outfit changes.
20 of your favorite images fully retouched, archivally printed and matted in their own handmade folio Box.
$1940 add-on + tax (a $2800 value).
Only 1 available.
Enhance your adventure with a bespoke photoshoot upgrade!
Join Darina and her hubby for a 2 day add-on to angkor Wat and Ta Prohm!
DAY 9
Ta Prohm Temple
Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei
DAY 10
Angkor Thom in the morning.
Return flight home
$740 add-on +tax
This sounds amazing, I want to find out more!
Magnificently overgrown trees hug and grasp the walls at Ta Prohm. Real-life monkeys (gibbons and langurs among them) sometimes wander by all the temples in the majestic Angkor park – including the grandest of all them all: Angkor Wat.
To walk through the majestic Angkor Wat temple is to begin your journey into the heart of Cambodia. Built between 1113 and 1150, on lands populated at least since the 8th century AD, it is the largest religious monument in the world and once held the largest empire in the world (in the 12th century when it was the capital of the Khmer Empire and ruled a large part of Southeast Asia.) It is also, in essence, a trip back in time – holding the secrets of Cambodia’s history in its temple walls.
Bas-reliefs and stone inscriptions in the walls tell the story of life in both the palace and the marketplace – along with great naval battles and images of favorite leaders and warriors. No written records have survived, other than stone inscriptions so most of what we know comes from these images, along with archaeological excavations. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, the modern name for Angkor Wat loosely means ‘Temple City’ or ‘City of Temples’ in the Khmer language. Wat is the Khmer word for temple grounds (and the Sanskrit word for ‘enclosure’) while Angkor means ‘city’ or ‘capital city.’
The symbol of Angkor Wat is powerful here in Cambodia, and it’s remained front and center at the fabric of this country – from their money to their flags (starting with their first national flag in 1863, when Cambodia was colonialized by the French up through their independence and beyond).
What's Included in the Siem Reap Portion of Your Land Package
3 or 2 nights hotel accommodation in Siem Reap at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort (or similar)
Tour of Angkor Thom, known as "The Great City," which includes Bayon Temple, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.
Visits to Ta Prohm, the "Kingdom of the Trees" and Banteay Srei, the "Citadel of Women"
Special Apsara dance show at your hotel featuring local Cambodian/Khmer folk dancers
Excursion to Angkor Wat
Daily breakfast at the hotel
Complimentary transfer between our beautiful AmaDara and your hotel in Siem Reap
What are the Passport Requirements?
Make sure you have a valid passport:
-at least 6 months left on passport expiration from scheduled return date
-4 empty visa labeled pages
Is This a Workshop?
While this retreat will have educational components, it's not really a workshop. We will focus far more on experiences, exploring, and community building.
What is the Weather Like?
The weather in Vietnam and Cambodia in September marks the transition from the rainy season to the dry season in many parts of the country. There may be many warm muggy days, chances of rain and some hot weather. Bring a light rain jacket!
What Should I Wear?
We suggest bringing comfortable shoes and various outfits you feel comfortable being photographed in. It's always a good idea to pack sun hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen, as well as a light sweater in case the evenings get cool. Remember to pack swimwear, flip-flops!
What Photo Gear Should I Bring?
When packing your photo gear, it's best to keep things lightweight. For professionals, bring your preferred lens and a camera body that can take RAW files. I love a good 24-70mm for traveling so I can capture landscapes as well as document details and people. Additionally, I encourage you to bring any other equipment that helps unleash your creativity, as long as it's not too bulky or heavy.
Do I Need to Get Vaccinated?
There are no notices currently in effect for Vietnam. But being up to date on your routine vaccines is always a good thing!
Do I Need a Visa?
US citizens need a visa to enter both Vietnam and Cambodia. Vietnam visas must be obtained before departure, while Cambodia visas are granted upon arrival. Citizens from other countries should check the requirements. We can always help you with that.
-Multi entry visa for Vietnam
-Single entry visa for Cambodia
NOTE- we get visas closer to the departure date.
Share a room with a stranger? That makes me nervous.
I completely understand! While I usually prefer a private room myself, sometimes you gotta opt for the shared room ticket at retreats because it’s more affordable. Sharing a room can be much more wonderful than you might expect! You might just make a new best friend.
Rest assured, every shared room comes with separate single beds, so you won’t be sharing a bed with anyone else.
OR you might also consider inviting a sister, friend, or loved one to join you for this trip! You could each purchase a shared room ticket and stay together.
We also have the possibility of booking private rooms, we can check for you!
WHAT'S THE REFUND POLICY?
Is this refundable? What if I can no longer attend?
Due to the nature of this in person event, we cannot offer refunds. You should purchase travel insurance to protect your trip which we require you to do.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
I'm Darina, a citizen of the world and internationally known, award-winning photographer based in Vancouver, WA (near Portland, OR). My love for travel and diverse cultures fueled my lifelong obsession with music, movies, and pop culture – I guess you could call me a 'culture vulture'!
My journey from hobbyist to professional began when my soul sister, Sylvia, asked me to photograph her wedding in Tulum. Witnessing the emotional impact of those photos sparked such enthusiasm!
I work to move people with my camera at every shoot.
With an unwavering love for telling plucky, memorable stories, I continue to chase inspiration every day, camera first. Running my own business (solopreneur life!) can be challenging, but I have a fantastic network of photographers for support. I began in my living room, shoving the couch aside and learning the magic of light and illusion. Now, my spacious studio allows me to create freely.
When I'm in session with people, it's pure joy. I celebrate you, fill the room with music, and get those real expressions and laughter we all love. This job truly is my greatest love (except for my best friend and husband of 18 years, of course!).
As Emma Thompson's character in Late Night says, "I hope I earned the privilege of your time".
Stephanie has been in the health and wellness field for the past 8 years, after a 32 year career in the restaurant industry. Stephanie loves to teach Myofascia/Yoga Blended Classes, Restorative and Vinyasa Flow Classes. She is also our travel agent!
Stephanie holds her 200 hour yoga certification from Full Circle Yoga and her 500 hour certification with Yoga Medicine, studying with Tiffany Cruikshank and so many other amazing instructors at Yoga Medicine. She is a Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist and has continued on her journey with Yoga Medicine as she now works towards her 1000 hour certification.
Her current training includes: Barre Above Certified, Restorative Yoga and the Nervous System-Yoga Medicine, Yin Yoga with Jennifer Raye, Spine and Yoga-Yoga Medicine, Mental Health & Yoga-Yoga Medicine, Mindful Trauma Informed Yoga-Yoga Medicine, Yin and Meditation-Yoga Medicine, Anatomy-Yoga International with Tiffany Cruickshank, Functional Anatomy-Yoga International with Tiffany Cruickshank, Sequencing-Yoga Medicine, Lymphatics & Yoga-Yoga Medicine, + over 100 hours of training in MyoFascial Release & Yoga training with Yoga Medicine and RAD Yoga-a division of RAD.
In addition to her Stress Management, Yoga Certifications, and Mindfulness Meditation certification, her Stephanie and her husband own TEAM Referral Network Franchises.
