Luxury cruises from Saigon via Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

Discover Indochina along the Mekong River

DAY 1: HO CHI MINH CITY – MY THO
The ship is all spruced up and ready for you. She departs for My Tho. Enjoy a refreshing ‘welcome drink’ and a briefing on the cruise.

DAY 2: MY THO – CAI BE – VINH LONG – SA DEC
The ship departs at the break of dawn. Begin the day with a sumptuous breakfast whilst the ship navigates delicately along the marvellous canal of Cho Gao. We arrive at My Tho. The ship drops anchor close to Thoi Son Island on the banks of a northern arm of the Mekong. My Tho, which means ‘fragrant herb’ draws thousands of tourists each year, eager to embrace the untouched beauty of the Mekong Delta. It is a prosperous city of some 100,000 inhabitants and is famous for its myriad fruit orchards, gardens and vast rice fields. The climate is warm and pleasant throughout the year. The surrounding countryside is home to one of the most verdant gardens of Vietnam, encircled by coconut palms, as well as banana and mango trees.
Local boats are sent to the ship to transfer you to the mainland.
We embark on a short panoramic tour of My Tho, stopping halfway for a visit to its colourful market. We return to the pier and cruise by local boat to Dragon Island where we enjoy a glimpse of everyday life.
Passengers re-embark the ship. She departs My Tho for Cai Be. A special lunch spread is served before the ship drops anchor at Cai Be. Local boats collect you for a delightful cruise around Cai Be Floating Market.
We continue cruising and stop at Vinh Long for a tour of a brick and pottery factory and the famous Binh Hoa Phuoc Islet Fruit Tree Nursery. We visit a typical local dwelling and a showroom of traditional farming tools.
Vinh Long, Vietnamese for ‘Majestic Dragon’ sits merrily in the middle of the delta, protected by the two great arms of the Mekong. The soil of Vinh Long is enriched by silt deposits, making it ideal for growing mandarins and other citrus fruit.
Life here centres on the water. Houses are perched precariously on stilts that cling to the river banks. Hawkers peddle knick-knacks from their boats. Hundreds of small boats traverse the river every day. The unbridled warmth of the locals makes this a destination par excellence. We return to the ship and depart for Sa Dec. The ship drops anchor at Sa Dec and a delectable dinner awaits.

DAY 3: SA DEC – CHAU DOC
The day begins with a sumptuous breakfast. You take in a short tour of Sa Dec before we transfer to Trung Vuong Primary School. We then continue our cruise to the Kien An Cung Pagoda.
We stroll around the bustling Sa Dec Market. The small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating in its unspoiled beauty and authenticity. We return to the ship and depart for Chau Doc. Lunch is served on board. We arrive at Chau Doc where local boats ferry us to visit rafts and the Cham Village, home to an ethnic minority group of both Vietnam and Cambodia.
If times permits, we will be able to drink in the spectacular sunset on the Sam Mountain which peaks at 237 metres. Its well-known Buddhist sanctuaries offer an unobstructed view over the mosaic of glistening rice paddies below. To your left is Cambodia, with the flow of the Mekong on the horizon breaking into an infinity of silver ribbons. Midway, we visit the Lady Chua Xu Temple and Tay An Pagoda. We return to the ship where dinner is served. The ship moors overnight.

DAY 4: VINH XUONG BORDER – PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
The ship leaves at the break of dawn for the Vietnamese border at Vinh Xuong. Breakfast is served. Once formalities have been taken care of, we depart for Phnom Penh, with lunch served en route to the capital city. We arrive in Phnom Penh in the late afternoon. Passengers are free to enjoy the city in the evening.

DAY 5: PHNOM PENH
Breakfast is served before we depart for a tour of the Royal Palace, its Silver Pagoda and the famed Russian Market. We return to the ship for lunch and an afternoon at leisure. We recommend that you set time aside to visit the notorious Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. In the evening, you are entertained by the graceful and beguiling ‘Apsara Dance’, whilst you enjoy dinner onboard.

DAY 6: PHNOM PENH – KAMPONG TRALACH
Breakfast is served before a morning at leisure. We depart Phnom Penh at 11.30am, with lunch served en route to Kampong Tralach. We visit the spectacular Wat Kampong Tralach Leu Pagoda before returning to the ship. Dinner is served onboard and the ship moors overnight.

DAY 7: KAMPONG CHHNANG – CHNOK TRU
At dawn, the ship sails for the port of Kampong Chhnang. Located some 56 miles northeast of Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chhnang is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonlé Sap. It is famous for its fish farms and pottery. Not to be overlooked either are the products of the Thnot tree - a mellow-tasting, caramel-coloured sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine. The tree grows abundantly in the area and is one of Cambodia’s national symbols.

DAY 8: CHNOK TRU – SIEM REAP
The ship departs early in the morning, with plenty of time for you to pack your bags and relax as the ship navigates its way across the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. We arrive at Phnom Krom Pier, approximately 5 miles from Siem Reap.

* Note: When water levels are too low (sometimes between mid-December and August) it may not be possible to visit the floating village at Chnok Tru. Alternatively, you will visit a floating village at Kampong Chhnang and anchor near Koh Chen. We will then transfer you by air-conditioned coach (5-6 hours) from Koh Chen to Siem Reap.