Mekong Luxury River Cruise

On arrival at the airport in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll meet your local guide who will assist with your transfer to your centrally-located hotel. The rest of the day is yours free to relax and begin your adjustment to the local time zone.

Head out of town with your guide to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels. Cu Chi is actually the name of the district that covers an extensive underground network of tunnels (approx. 200 km / 125 mi) dug initially by the Viet Minh, and later expanded by the Viet Cong. The tunnels contained hospitals, accommodations, and schools. They were used extensively for refuge and storage, and also as a military base for the Viet Cong close to Saigon. The 1968 Tet Offensive was launched from Cu Chi with surprising effect. A section of the tunnels has been widened to allow tourists to get a feel for what life underground must have been like.

After, return to Ho Chi Minh City where you spend the afternoon exploring Saigon’s historic landmarks, including the Reunification Palace and its striking modern architecture, the War Remnants Museum, and the Notre Dame Cathedral. This visit allows you to admire many French colonial buildings such as the main post office and the former Hotel de Ville (city hall). Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

In the evening, you’ll witness the AO cultural show, a unique art performance combining music and acrobatics. The performers use props including bamboo poles, baskets, and juggling balls in the choreography.

*Note the AO show is scheduled on specific days of the month only. If the show is not available during your travel dates, we will arrange a visit to the home of famous husband-wife musicians with a traditional music performance instead.

You’ll have some free time in the morning before your transfer to the pier in My Tho (45 mi) where you board the lovely Jayavarman boat for a luxurious cruise through the Mekong Delta and along the Mekong River to Cambodia. Enjoy a refreshing welcome drink and a briefing on the cruise. This will be followed by a delicious welcome dinner.

The majestic Jayavarman is considered the father of the Heritage Line’s “family” of cruise ships. It was named after Angkor’s most venerated king, a devout Buddhist who ruled from 1181-1218. The Jayavarman combines the art deco charm of 1930’s France with the romance of Indochina. With its intricate woodcarvings, Khmer bas-reliefs, and Vietnamese lacquer paintings, this beautiful ship resembles a floating art gallery. The boat will drop anchor for the night near Cai Be.

Today and every day on your cruise, you can start your day with an invigorating Tai Chi lesson on the sun deck, just as the sun begins to rise, followed by a lovely cup of coffee or tea. After a hearty buffet breakfast, board a traditional sampan (a flat-bottomed traditional Vietnamese wooden boat) to Cai Be’s boisterous and colorful floating market.

During the leisurely ride, discover breathtaking landscapes along the river and take in the rustic life on the Mekong Delta. The boat will make frequent stops to allow you to observe how rice paste, rice cookies, and coconut candies are made, along with the longan fruit drying process. After touring the canals, you’ll visit an ancient house surrounded by fruit orchards before returning to the ship for lunch.

In the afternoon, the cruise continues on to Sa Dec. Upon arrival, you’ll board a sampan to Binh Thanh Island and its manmade canals. Here, every villager is involved in the process of growing and processing water hyacinths into natural fiber floor mats and rattan baskets. You’ll return to the Ship for a tranquil evening cruise towards Chau Doc, where the ship will drop anchor.

Begin the day with a hearty breakfast in the dining hall or the quiet sanctuary of your balcony. Get ready for a short excursion in Chau Doc, a pleasant town near the Cambodian border with sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer communities. You also visit the colorful local market near an ancient temple, followed by a trip to the quay where you take a small boat to the floating villages and rustic catfish farms to learn about Basa fish breeding in the Mekong Delta.

Return to the ship for lunch and some leisure time, or if you’d prefer, sharpen your culinary skills with a hands-on cooking lesson or tour the ship with the Cruise Director. Better yet, do all three!

“The Highway Blues” beckons as you float into a state of mild bliss caused by the hypnotic murmur of the ship’s engine. By mid-afternoon, the cruise liner will make its way to the border for Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia.

After breakfast, you will be captivated by a comprehensive lecture on Cambodia’s modern history. This will be followed by a city tour of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, which was once considered the “Pearl of Asia” and the most charming of the French-built cities in Asia. Despite its rapid development, it has retained a lot of its rustic charm and elegance. This dynamic, historical city has managed to preserve much of its French colonial allure. Visit the dazzling white and gold edifice of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and witness exceptionally beautiful Khmer craft at the National Museum.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit the Genocide Museum and the Killing Field in town. Be prepared to be heart-wrenched by this stark reminder of the genocide that transpired during Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime.

You’ll then return to the ship where you’ll take a rest on your cabin balcony or in the lounge and prepare for an exciting evening event, which begins with a variety of cocktails served on the sundeck followed by a delightful Apsara dance performance. Experience the brilliance and richness of this culture, the soothing sounds of traditional music, the calming scent of incense sticks and a barbeque on the sundeck. This is a truly marvelous experience, dining in the open with the stars and the moon as your companions.

HIGH WATER SEASON SCHEDULE: Today you depart before the break of dawn from Phnom Penh, with a stop at the little-known Chong Koh silk weaving village. You will have the opportunity to watch the villagers weave the silk into scarves and other items that you can purchase if you like. There is also an interesting Buddhist temple and a monastery where a few young monks reside within the village.

You then return to the ship and once again head down the Mekong, cruising past tranquil villages as you watch life along the river and sun-hardened fishermen on their shift boats. You’ll disembark so you can spend time exploring the rural village of Angkor Ban, where time seems to standstill. You’ll be transported back a hundred years into an era unspoiled by the modern world. The houses here are truly rustic, made by hand and without any concrete. But most of all, you will feel overwhelmed by the warm hospitality of the villagers. If you like, you can take part in daily activities in order to experience village life first hand.

Return to the ship and continue cruising towards Kampong Cham where the ship anchors for the night.

LOW WATER SEASON SCHEDULE:  The boat sets sail early this morning to Kampong Chnang while you have breakfast. Located some 56 miles from Phnom Penh, this town is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap Lake and is famous for its pottery. The pottery methods they use have been unchanged for many centuries, and this area supplies the entire country with pottery. In addition, the area is known for producing products of the Thnot tree (sugar palm), a mellow tasting caramel-colored sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine.

You’ll then take a motorboat excursion and a short bus ride to Aundaung Russey Village to see Khmer-style pottery, then take a motorboat excursion through the wetlands to see floating houses and fish farms.

Return to the ship and cruise toward Prek K’dam where you disembark and take a walk through the silversmith village of Koh Chen, where the entire community of villagers are involved in the making of silver items. You can even purchase some of these items.

Return to the ship and dock near Phnom Penh.

HIGH WATER SEASON SCHEDULE: This morning, you’ll embark on a land excursion to the 8th-century temple of Wat Hanchey. You can either take a motor-taxi to the top or climb the 291 steps. Once at the top of the hill overlooking the river, you’ll experience the most breathtaking views in Cambodia. Wat Hanchey was built during the Chenla Empire, pre-dating the mighty Angkor temple complex. While exploring the temple, you may have the opportunity to chat with the monks in the area.

Return to the ship to witness a blessing ceremony performed by orange-clad monks. When the tide allows, you will enjoy a surprise excursion in your zodiac (inflatable boat) to the nearby riverbank for the opportunity to swim in the Mekong River, an experience that will perhaps dominate the dinner conversation in the weeks to come.

The cruise will then continue on to Wat Nokor, the largest temple complex in the Kampong Cham Province. A unique feature of this temple is that it is built of black sandstone instead of the more common red sandstone or brick of other temple complexes.

On the return to the ship, stop to visit an orphanage that is across a one-mile bamboo bridge. The children of the orphanage are generally from the Mekong region, most of whom have been placed here because their families could not afford to keep them. The children are provided an education and skills that will help them become successful adults. Donations are always welcome.

LOW WATER SEASON SCHEDULE: Today you depart before the break of dawn from Phnom Penh, with a stop at the little-known Chong Koh silk weaving village. You will have the opportunity to watch the villagers weave the silk into scarves and other items that you can purchase if you like. There is also an interesting Buddhist temple and a monastery where a few young monks reside within the village.

You then return to the ship and once again head down the Mekong, cruising past tranquil villages as you watch life along the river and sun-hardened fishermen on their shift boats. You’ll disembark so you can spend time exploring the rural village of Angkor Ban, where time seems to standstill. You’ll be transported back a hundred years into an era unspoiled by the modern world. The houses here are truly rustic, made by hand and without any concrete. But most of all, you will feel overwhelmed by the warm hospitality of the villagers. If you like, you can take part in daily activities in order to experience village life first hand.

Return to the ship and continue cruising towards Kampong Cham where the ship anchors for the night.

HIGH WATER SEASON SCHEDULE: The boat sets sail early this morning to Kampong Chnang while you have breakfast. Located some 56 miles from Phnom Penh, this town is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap Lake and is famous for its pottery. The pottery methods they use have been unchanged for many centuries, and this area supplies the entire country with pottery. In addition, the area is known for producing products of the Thnot tree (sugar palm), a mellow tasting caramel-colored sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine.

You’ll then take a motorboat excursion and a short bus ride to Aundaung Russey Village to see Khmer-style pottery, then take a motorboat excursion through the wetlands to see floating houses and fish farms.

You’ll return to the boat, which drops anchor nearby, where you’ll put on your dance shoes and head to the lounge for music and dancing.

LOW WATER SEASON SCHEDULE: This morning, you’ll embark on a land excursion to the 8th-century temple of Wat Hanchey. You can either take a motor-taxi to the top or climb the 291 steps. Once at the top of the hill overlooking the river, you’ll experience the most breathtaking views in Cambodia. Wat Hanchey was built during the Chenla Empire, pre-dating the mighty Angkor temple complex. While exploring the temple, you may have the opportunity to chat with the monks in the area.

Return to the ship to witness a blessing ceremony performed by orange-clad monks. When the tide allows, you will enjoy a surprise excursion in your zodiac (inflatable boat) to the nearby riverbank for the opportunity to swim in the Mekong River, an experience that will perhaps dominate the dinner conversation in the weeks to come.

The cruise will then continue on to Wat Nokor, the largest temple complex in the Kampong Cham Province. A unique feature of this temple is that it is built of black sandstone instead of the more common red sandstone or brick of other temple complexes.

On the return to the ship, stop to visit an orphanage, across a one-mile bamboo bridge. The children of the orphanage are generally from the Mekong region, most of whom have been placed here because their families could not afford to keep them. The children are provided an education and skills that will help them become successful adults. Donations are always welcome.

HIGH WATER SEASON SCHEDULE: You’ll sail across Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Asia. Enjoy the quiet tranquility and stillness of the water as you make your way to Siem Reap.  You’ll say good-bye to the boat crew and meet up with your local guide who will assist with the transfer to your centrally located hotel in Siem Reap.

LOW WATER SEASON SCHEDULE: After breakfast, you’ll disembark from the ship and board a coach bus around 9:00 am and transfer to Kampong Cham to Siem Reap where you meet your local guide who will assist with the transfer to your centrally located hotel in Siem Reap. Along the way, make a brief stop at Skon, known as “Spiderville” for its fried spiders, a delicacy in this country.

NOTE: Water levels vary according to the time of year and amount of rainfall. Minor changes to the itinerary may occur during different times of the year or due to weather conditions.

Your guide will meet you at the hotel and take you out on a tour to discover the famous temple of Angkor Wat. This temple was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century. It illustrates some of the most beautiful examples of Khmer and Hindu art and features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, running along the outer gallery walls and narrating stories from Hindu mythology.

Continue on by private vehicle (or even cow-cart) to a remote, rarely-visited and untouched temple where a picnic lunch is set up. After lunch, relax under the trees with a soothing foot massage before heading out for the afternoon’s activities.

Your afternoon excursions include the ancient Ta Prohm Monastery “Jungle Temple,” where immense roots have taken hold of the stones. Here you’ll find some beautifully sculpted Devatas and an atmosphere that is unique and completely befitting to this temple. Return to the hotel where the rest of the afternoon is yours.

In the morning, you’ll visit the 10th-century temple, Banteay Srei, “the jewel of Khmer art.” This small pink sandstone temple, also known as “the Citadel of Women,” contains some remarkable carved lintels in very good condition.

Continue on with a visit to the Preah Khan Temple, built by Jayavarman VII in 1191 to honor his father. Of the same era is Neak Pean, an artificial island known as the “entwined serpents.” The large central basin is linked to four smaller ones, representing the four great rivers emerging from the earth’s four cardinal points. Of particular interest is the superb statue of Balaha, which represents the legendary savior of shipwrecked boats.

In the afternoon, visit the great city of Angkor Thom, beginning at the southern gate’s famous Bayon temple, built in the 12th century and dedicated to Buddhism. Bayon comprises 54 gigantic towers featuring 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara. Next, visit the 1150-foot long Elephant Terrace, used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and a base for the King’s grand audience hall, followed by the 12th-century Terrace of the Leper King, which represents many of the city’s most admired Apsara sculptures.

Return to the hotel for your overnight.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight. Or, perhaps add on a few days relaxing on the beach at Sihanoukville or one of Thailand’s many beautiful beaches. Check-out time from the hotel is 12:00 pm.