Travel from Saigon to Siem Reap on this seven-night cruise. Highlights include witnessing daily life in a tribal village, visiting beautiful monasteries, learning about the…
View more
Tailor-made Tour 8 days from £1900 per person
Places Visited: Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho, Cai Be, Sa Dec, Chau Doc, Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham, Wat Hanchey, Kampong Chhnang, Tonle Sap, Siem Reap
This seven-night cruise allows you to explore a lost civilization, and dig deeper under the skin of Cambodia’s and Vietnam’s fascinating cultures. Glide along the Mekong, visit floating markets, learn about the fruit drying process, and enjoy traditional dance performances. Catfish farms, ancient temples, cooking classes, and Khmer crafts are just some of the highlights.
The choice is yours, choose between Heritage lines most romantic ship named after Shah Jahan or the stunning art deco of the Jayavarman.
Holiday Types
Cultural Holidays Family Holidays River Cruising Holidays
Suggested itinerary
Day 1
Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho, Cai Be
Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon as we travel 70 kilometers south by land to My Tho, to board the ship. When approaching Cai Be, the ship drops anchor to moor midstream where the river is several kilometers wide.
Day 2
Cai Be, Sa Dec, Chau Doc
The day - in fact everyday - starts with an invigorating tai-chi lesson on the sundeck. The day's tour starts with a visit to Cai Be's boisterous and colourful floating market. During the languid ride, discover breathtaking landscapes along the river. 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 heading to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we cruise to Sa Dec. Upon arrival, we embark a traditional sampan* 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. We then board the ship for a tranquil evening cruise towards Chau Doc.
Day 3
Chau Doc (border crossing), Phnom Penh
Welcome to the fish sanctuary of Vietnam. Enjoy a short excursion in Chau Doc, a pleasant town near the Cambodian border with sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer communities. We will also visit the colourful local market near an ancient temple. This is followed by a trip to the quay, where we will enjoy a boat excursion to the floating villages and catfish farms. Next, visit the local Cham Muslim community village. Then, it is back to the ship for lunch. By mid-afternoon, the cruise liner will make its way to the border for Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It is an opportune time to relax on-board, or sharpen your culinary skills with our hands-on cooking classes.
Day 4
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh was once the Paris of the East. Despite its rapid development, it has retained a lot of its rustic charm and elegance. Enjoy a city tour of this dynamic, historical capital city of Cambodia which has managed to preserve huge slices of its French colonial allure. Sightseeing in the morning will include visiting the dazzling white and gold edifice of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and witnessing exceptionally beautiful Khmer craft at the National Museum. After lunch, we will visit the Genocide museum and the Killing Field in town before returning to the ship. The evening starts with a variety of cocktails served on the sun deck, followed by a night of traditional entertainment, including Apsara dance performances.
Day 5
Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham
We will depart before the break of dawn from Phnom Penh with a stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village. We will then return to the ship and will cruise past the Mekong's tranquil villages. We will tour the rural Angkor Ban village where time stands still. We are transported back a hundred years into an era untouched by modernity. Travellers can take part in the daily activities of the villagers to experience village life first hand. Then, we are back to the ship to cruise towards Kampong Cham.
Day 6
Kampong Cham, Wat Hanchey
Embark on a land journey to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers one of the most breath-taking views in Cambodia. We will return to the ship to witness a blessing ceremony performed by local monks. When the tide allows, we will enjoy a surprise sojourn in our zodiacs (inflatable boats) to the nearby beach for a swim. We will then cruise towards Kampong Cham to visit Wat Nokor, a wat built within the ruins of an ancient temple which holds a timeless story. On the way back to the ship, we will visit an orphanage.
Day 7
Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang
Before the sun peeks over the horizon, the cruiser sets sail towards Kampong Chhnang on the Tonle Sap River. We approach Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia's 'waterworld' where everything is structured on stilts. Here we take a trip to see the Khmer-styled pottery at the Aundaung Russey village. Afterwards, enjoy an excursion to the wetlands, floating houses and fish farms in the region. We then return to the ship for lunch whilst cruising the narrow and meandering Tonle Sap. Your floating sanctuary will then cruise gently, in the afternoon, along the narrow and meandering Tonle Sap.
Day 8
Tonle Sap, Siem Reap
This great lake dominates Cambodia and is the largest freshwater lake in Asia with abundant birdlife. Enjoy the stillness of the water and the quiet tranquillity on the way to Siem Reap. We finally arrive at the fabled Angkor temple complex, where our journey comes to a close. We will cross the Tonle Sap Lake at dawn and will disembark at the Siem Reap Port.
Accommodation Options
Tailor-made Tour 8 days from £1900 per person
What's included
✓ 6 nights accommodation
✓ All internal transportation and transfers
✓ English-speaking guides
✓ Entrance fees to sites and monuments listed in tour itinerary
Places and Experiences in this tour
Similar Tours
Gary
Flora
Plan your Next Adventure
With the world now largely open again, now is the time to begin planning your next adventures in Asia. Our Travel Specialists are ready to take your call and discuss the adventure you have spent the last 3 years dreaming of.
Or call us on 0208 566 3739
TransIndus Brochures 2023
