Day 1 : Ho Chi Minh - MY THO embark SHIP - CAI BE (B/L/D)
Registration is at
0830 at the Renaissance Riverside Hotel in Saigon and transfer
at 0900 to the Delta Port of My Tho by coach arriving at 1100
for check in followed by port and immigration formalities. My
Tho is the hub of the Delta, but not of great cultural interest,
so once on board we set sail at 1300 and have lunch. In the
afternoon we moor near Cai Be and make a fascinating trip by
traditional junk to explore evergreen islands and at the former
Imperial residence, the An Kiet House. Surviving members of the
Kiet family will welcome us with tea and we can wander in the
fruit orchards around the house. Overnight moor mid-stream Cai
Be.
Day 2 Cai Be/Chau Doc (B/L/D) In the morning, visit the floating market of Cai Be with local
boats. Stop and tour the French Gothic Cathedral and colourful
port area. Then tour several small riverside villages to see
locals hand make coconut candy and rice paper. Return to the ship
for lunch and continue sailing to Chau Doc to arrive in the early
evening.
Overnight onboard.
Day 3 Chau Doc/Border (B/L/D) Enjoy a morning rickshaw ride around this French style town.
Then board smaller boats to visit a local Cham Minority Tribal
village and a cat fish farm. Return to the ship for lunch and sail
on towards the border with Cambodia for border formalities. End
the day moored near Phnom Penh.
Overnight onboard.
Day 4 PHNOM PENH (B/L/D) The capital of Cambodia retains a French colonial charm. The
crumbling colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to
lively cafes and the redeveloped river front promenade. Your
morning tour will highlight several impressive Wats
(temple-monasteries) and the magnificent Royal Palace. Return to
the ship for lunch. In the afternoon you may wish to join an
optional excursion to the infamous Killing Fields. The evening is
free to explore Phnom Penh on your own.
Overnight onboard.
Day 5 Phom Penh - Kampong Cham (B/L/D) Your first stop is at the Chong Koh silk weaving village for a
morning walk at leisure. Then continue cruising this less
travelled part of the Mekong. In the afternoon stop at Peam Chi
Kang village to visit the local monastery and school (educational
gifts, pens, crayons will be appreciated by the kids). Return to
the ship and continue sailing.
Overnight onboard.
Day 6 Kampong Cham Area (B/L/D)
Morning journey upriver to the hilltop pre-Angkorian temple of
Wat Hanchey. Dating from the 8th century, these ancient brick
structures characterise the architecture of the Chenla Empire
which predated the glories of Angkor. Sail back downstream over
lunch for an exploration of the Kampong Cham Area. We travel by
bus to the 12th century Angkorian temple of Wat Nokor. This
colourful temple is unique in Cambodia, as a modern wat is set
within the ruins of an ancient temple. We continue to the twin
holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, or Man and Woman
Hills. Legends abound about the origins of these hills, and
there are many pagodas and shrines on the hilltops. Overnight
onboard.
Day 7 Tonle River (B/L/D)
We glance by the
capital Phnom Penh in the early morning to change pilots, and
then sail the Tonle River which connects Tonle Lake with the
Mekong and Bassac Rivers that merge at Phnom Penh. This river
journey is a highlight of the trip. We wind our way through
jungle, and as the river narrows we feel we can almost reach out
and touch the houses and people who come out to cheer our ship
on. Temples abound along the river banks at Kampong Chhnang, and
we see the rich tapestry of Cambodian rural life. This is a busy
rural port town with bustling markets. Mooring mid-stream, we
make a truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the lakeside
wetlands that form the mouth of the river. Here a stunning
variety of birdlife may be seen and of considerable interest are
the great fish traps, some half a kilometre long, which net a
huge tonnage of fish after each monsoon as the fish migrate from
the falling lake into the Tonle River. Overnight onboard.
Day 8 Siem Reap -
Angkor (B) The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 Km in
length. Here bird life is profuse, and from the middle of the
lake one cannot even see the shores. There is a great stillness
and tranquility as we pass floating fishing villages. Because
the water levels of the lake and river vary a great deal
according to the time of year and rainfall, we will then either:
1. High water, approximately July - November. Cross the Tonle
Lake at dawn and disembark at Siem Reap Port for onward coach
transfer to the Angkor Century Hotel 2. Low water, approximately
November - March. In the early morning depart by speedboat and
disembark at Siem Reap Port for onward coach transfer to the
Angkor Century Hotel 3. No water, approximately March to July.
In the early morning depart by coach from Phumi Prek Chik
Village on the Tonle River, stopping for sightseeing at Angkor
Thom to see Prem Srei Kuk temples, arriving by midday at Angkor
Century Hotel. End of our our service.
Cost in USD based on
cabin
:
from 3 Oct 09 to 27 Mar 2010
