from 0 review
11 Days
Specific Tour
1 person
___
Tour Route: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – Cho Gao – My Tho – Vinh Long – Cai Be – Sa Dec – Chau Doc – Phnom Penh – Koh Chen – Kampongtralach – Kampongchhnang – Tonle Sap Lake – Siem Reap – Angkor Temples
Start/ End: Saigon/ Siem Reap
From the heights of the Himalayas to the southern coasts of the East Sea, winding over 2,700 miles, the Mekong is much more than just irrigation for Indochina – everywhere it flows, it fascinates men and shapes their lives. Come take an expedition on this grand and plentiful “water snake,” from Ho Chi Minh City, still largely influenced by the French colonial days, to Phnom Penh, Tonle Sap Lake, and the ruins of Angkor, following the footsteps of Henri Mouhot. Our meditative trip takes you along the Mekong River on board a ship combining charm and colonial-style comfort.
Meet at the Liberty Central Riverside Hotel restaurant between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, a tour of the city to see the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Saigon Central Post Office. Next, we’ll head to Cho Lon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, to tour its hectic market and the Thien Hau temple. You’ll then be transferred to our ship. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We’ll have dinner and spend the night on the ship, which will remain moored.
We’ll leave by coach for the Cu Chi tunnels, an immense network of underground tunnels that were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. After lunch, join us for a visit to the Museum of Vietnamese History. We’ll then begin to cruise to the splendid Cho Gao canal. We’ll spend the night on board.
During our passage through the Cho Gao Canal, you’ll discover the daily life in Vietnam – organized around fishing, farming, and transport. In My Tho, we’ll visit a bee farm and enjoy some honey teaand exotic fruits. We’ll then take a ride in small sampans along the canal lined with mangrove palms. After having lunch on board, we’ll visit Vinh Long, located in the middle of the Delta region between two of the Mekong’s distributaries. We’ll discover a brick and pottery factory, a fruit-tree nursery, puffed rice, rice paper wrappers, and rice alcohol.* We’ll spend the night on board.
We’ll visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man on who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover. After our excursion, enjoy some free time in Sa Dec. We’ll return on board and cast off as you sit down to lunch. Our ship will begin to cruise to Cambodia. We’ll spend the night on board.
After breakfast and our arrival in Chau Doc, we’ll visit a local fish farm, the Ba Chua Xu Temple,and the Tay An Pagoda. We’ll enjoy lunch on board and arrive in Phnom Penh in the evening. We’ll enjoy dinner on board this evening. Set out on a brief tour of the area by “tuk-tuk,” the easiest way to get around the city. We’ll remain in port overnight.
We’ll enjoy a tour of the fabulous Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which is inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles. After, join us for a visit to the National Museum of Cambodia. We’ll have lunch in the city. In the afternoon, you can pay a visit to the Tuol Svay Prey School, former detention, torture, and execution center run by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war. Afterward, enjoy some free time at the market. We’ll return to the ship and enjoy a performance of classical Khmer dancing and music. We’ll have dinner on board and remain in port overnight. The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please.
Once we arrive in Koh Chen, you can explore this small village where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work. Enjoy lunch on board. We’ll head to Kampong Tralach to visit the beautiful Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda, we need to cross the village of Kampong Tralach in ox carts, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
We’ll visit Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on Tonle Sap Lake. Fish farming is abundant here. The region is also known for its traditional pottery combining ancient knowledge with modern techniques – Chhnang itself means “pot.” We’ll also enjoy a tasting of regional products. Enjoy lunch on board. We’ll cruise to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Tonight, we’ll have our final cocktail and dinner on the ship. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
We’ll spend the morning cruising the river before disembarking and having lunch on shore. After, we’ll visit the Angkor Wat temple: the epitome of Khmer architectural art and the most famous and imposing of all the monuments in Angkor. Enjoy a stroll through the Angkor Night Market. Dinner and overnight in hotel (Accommodations will be at either a 4-star or 5-star hotel according to the cruise you choose).
This morning, we’ll visit the mysterious Beng Mealea temple, whose ruins were once utterly consumed by the jungle. The temple was built in the 12th century and used the same floor plan as Angkor Wat. We’ll have lunch in the city. We’ll visit the Senteurs d’Angkor, a local business with a diverse collection of silk and carvings, as well as a superb range of traditional beauty products and spices, all made locally. We’ll also visit a silk farm to learn about the complex process of creating luxurious fabric. We’ll end the day with Phare, the Cambodian circus, and spend the night at the hotel.
This morning, we’ll tour Ta Prohm, a Cambodian temple dedicated to the family of Jayavarman VII. We’ll then explore Angkor Thom. Stroll through the grounds of the former Royal Palace and discover the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch will be served at the hotel. We’ll bid you farewell at approximately 2:00 p.m. Please do not book your flight before 5:00 p.m.
Your next chapter flows with river cruises!
Your trusted gateway to unforgettable river cruise adventures across Southeast Asia. We specialize in curated cruise experiences along the Mekong River, connecting travelers with top-rated itineraries, expert local guides, and exceptional onboard service.
