MEKONG RIVER EXPLORE 8 DAYS

Today we being with an invigorating Tai Chi lesson on deck as the sun rises, that’s if you like and early start. The days itinerary then depend on the water levels. In high water the ship will set sail across the Tonle Sap Lake and before dawn you will see the spectacular marshlands along the river banks of Kampong Chhnang Province.

In the afternoon the ship meanders along the lake, at points taking narrow passages through the leafy jungle. We then take a break to visit the village of Aundaung Russey where you get an insight into Cambodian culture and see Khmer-styled pottery.

We then take a motorboat from Kampong Chhnang to see the wetlands, floating houses and fish farms. In the evening you continue your cruise in Cambodia pausing for the evening in Kampong Cham. In low water we visit Aundaung Russey village and Kampong Chnnang in the morning and then continue the cruise on the Tonle Sap in the afternoon. Further down the river you take part in an ox cart rally before being introduced to a local literacy project.

In the evening the cruise continues and docks in Kampong Cham.

The day begins with a Mekong river cruise that ventures upstream to the ancient hill-top temple of Wat Hanchey, one of the Cambodian temples that pre-dates even Angkor Wat! The view from the top is one of the best in Cambodia, you will also receive a special travellers blessing from the local monks. Lunch is served on board and a short cruise away is Kampong Cham where the ship drops anchor.

Once here we visit Wat Nokor, another amazing temple built within another temple; both are fantastic examples of Cambodian temples.

In the evening dinner is served as the ship continues on your cruise in Cambodia and drifts towards the counties capital.

We reach Phnom Penh in the early morning; the river promenade of Phnom Penh is a fantastic sight early in the morning.

After breakfast on board you will be taken on a city tour where you will see the main sights of the capital, such as the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, the National Museum and Wat Phnom another of the splendid Cambodian temples.

Lunch is then served in a local restaurant and afterwards there is an excursion to the infamous Killing Fields in Phnom Penh to learn about Cambodia’s turbulent past. After a busy day in the capital you can retreat back to the boat to relax with a cocktail and watch a dance show with traditional music and delicious Khmer buffet.

Today the cruise liner sets sail for a lazy day of cruising along the main Mekong Channel. As this is an international shipping route, you will witness large commercial ships plying this route.

Afternoon, we set off to the Vietnamese border for the requisite cross border paperwork. As the process tends to take some time, we bask in the glow of the afternoon sun on the sun deck, pamper ourselves at the Spa, or sharpen our culinary skills with a Cambodian and Vietnamese cuisine cooking class.

We begin the day with a short excursion in Chau Doc, a pleasant town near the Cambodian border with sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer communities. We also visit the colourful local market near an ancient temple. This is followed by a trip to the quay, where we will be feted to a boat excursion to the floating market and rustic catfish farms. Then, it is back to the ship for a lunch. In the mid afternoon, we will set off for My An Hung Village.

Walking to the family house through the vegetable garden to see the boat building yard and canals. We will cross a monkey bridge and see chilli, corn and beetle nut plantations amongst other vegetable fields. Once at the house we taste tea with honey with local delicacies and fruits before back to the ship to set off for Sa Dec in the late afternoon.

Note: Due to high water in the Mekong Delta between July and December the following program applies: This morning, you will start your excursion on a local boat (sampan) and discover the border town of Tan Chau. Firstly, the journey takes you to the “evergreen” islands where you will learn about life from the locals. The inhabitants of these islands live on houses poised on high stilts – a centuries-old tradition in this part of the Mekong Delta. We stop to visit a fish farm located in the Tan Chau canal – this farm consists of floating houses and the villagers make their living by cultivating fish. You continue by boat to Tan Chau pier, disembark here and stroll around this colourful local market with lots of regional products. You return to the cruise ship after your market visit.

In the morning, we embark a traditional sampan (a flat bottomed traditional Vietnamese wooden boat) to tour Binh Thanh Island and its man-made canals. Here, every villager is involved in the process of growing and processing water hyacinths into natural fibre floor mats and rattan baskets.

After lunch on board, the ship arrives in Cai Be. The tour starts with a visit to Cai Be’s boisterous and colourful floating market where traders gather in a cacophonous congregation. During the languid ride, we discover breathtaking landscapes along the river and quaff the rustic life on the Mekong Delta. The evergreen islands along the Mekong River remain unknown to many people. The cruise will halt intermittently to allow us to observe how rice paste, rice cookies and coconut candies are made, along with the longan fruit drying process.

After touring the canals, we head to an ancient house surrounded by fruit orchards before returning to the ship for dinner. We then board the ship for a tranquil evening cruise towards My Tho, with a wonderful farewell party awaiting us on the terrace deck.

Our magnificent cruiser winds its way to My Tho, approximately 70km south of Saigon on the upper Mekong River in Vietnam. We bid farewell to the cruise as our journey comes to a close. We disembark at around 8.30am where the cruise ends