Lan Diep Cruise – Saigon – Siem Reap – 12 days 11 nights

We arrive in Ho Chi Minh City. Pick up at the airport and transfer to a local restaurant to have lunch. (Luggage is transferred directly to RV Lan Diep). After lunch we’ll have a panorama tour of China Town, passing by Binh Tay market and visit of Thien Hau Pagoda, dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. We then visit the Fine Arts Museum and short drive around downtown with photo stops at the Notre Dame Cathedral, Municipal Post Office and City Square. At leisure for shopping at Ben Thanh market. Transfer to Saigon port. We board our ship and then have a welcome cocktail and dinner. Overnight on board in Ho Chi Minh City. At leisure to explore HCMC at night.

We have breakfast this morning before our visit of Ho Chi Minh City, originally named Saigon and built by the French in 1850 at the beginning of French colonial times and the principal port of Vietnam. Visit the Cu Chi tunnel. Lunch at a local restaurant. Panoramic tour of downtown with visit of a lacquer workshop, the National History Museum & water puppet show. Short drive around the downtown with photo stops at the Notre Dame Cathedral, Municipal Post Office and City Square. We return on board. Dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast on board. After the formality clearance at the port, set sail to My Tho along the magnificent Chao Gao Canal, which passes from the Saigon River to the Mekong Delta. The Delta is made up of four main arms and thousands of canals, both large and small. We have lunch as we arrive in My Tho. The town is named after the river My Tho which means “beautiful reed”, and it is peaceful and prosperous. Known for its many vegetable gardens, and its fruit orchards, the climate here is hot and pleasant all year long. The surrounding countryside includes one of the most luxuriant gardens in Vietnam with coconut, banana mango and longan trees. We visit My Tho islands in small boats. Along the maze that makes up the network of small canals, pretty country villages appear and we see the local craftsmen at work. We return on board and continue our cruise to Caï Be. Dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast on board. Visit Cai Be, the town is located in the middle of the delta region, between two arms of the Mekong. Local boats take to visit Cai Be floating market and the handicraft village where to see households who make green rice cakes, rice pancakes, salt, furniture, benches, bricks etc. in a traditional way. We return on board and lunch while we continue our cruise to Chau Doc, a town at the border between Cambodia and Vietnam which became part of Vietnamese territory some 300 years ago. Dinner and overnight stop in Chau Doc.

After breakfast, we’ll have a guided tour in Chau Doc including Temple of Lady Chua Xu, Tay An Pagoda, Fish raising rafts and Cham minority village. Situated in the heart of a gigantic grid of rice fields, the city of Chau Doc embraces both banks of the Mekong and the floating farms overspill into the waters. Chau Doc is a very prosperous town which developed around fishing and farming. Inside the town, a few colonial buildings with their old fashioned charm still remain. The market which surrounds them is the vibrant heart of the city and a multitude of colours. Transfer by small boat to visit a Cham village, a village of silk weavers and fish farms. We return on board and lunch while navigating to the Vinh Xuong Border, where we complete customs during the morning and continue our journey to Phnom Penh. Dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast on board. Phnom Penh City Tour: Founded in 1434, the capital of Cambodia retains much of its French colonial charm, thanks to the rehabilitation of part of its architectural heritage. Visit the Silver pagoda, paved over 5000 silver tiles which it owes its name. Constructed in wood in 1892 it was then rebuilt in 1962, and the Royal palace, symbolic heart of the nation and one of the finest examples of Cambodian architecture in classical Khmer style.

Lunch at a local restaurant in the city. In the afternoon we visit the National museum housing the Fine Arts museum, built in 1917 by the French in traditional Khmer architectural style. Beautiful lapidary museum, which the sublime statue of Javayarman VII sits with the head slightly tilted in a meditative posture. Lunch in a local restaurant and this afternoon we have the option to visit the Tuol Svay Prey School S21, former centre of detention, torture and execution used by the Khmer Rouge during the War. We return on board and enjoy an Apsara dance show and dinner on board. Moor for the night in the port of Phnom Penh.

First Art Museum

Breakfast on board. Half day free (morning) in the capital city. Return on board for lunch while we navigate to Kampong Cham. Dinner and overnight on board. Moor for the night in Kampong Cham.

We have breakfast on board before we visit the city of Kampong Cham. City tour, visit the local market, the Angkorian temple of Nokor Bachey and the ruins of the pagoda on the hill of Phnom Pros. We return to the ship and sail to Wat Hanchey during lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit the Pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey on the hill. Wat Hanchey is a fascinating ancient hilltop pagoda dating back to the 8th century; there are several parts of this marvelous pagoda which pre-dates the Angkorian era. Wat Hanchey was an important centre of worship during the Chenla period.

The temple complex sits on top of a hill which offers a spectacular view of the river. We return on board and sail to Kratie. Dinner and overnight on board.

Early breakfast before visiting the delightful Cambodian town of Kratie. It is predominately known as the home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin, and many visitors flock here to float on the calm river waters hoping to spot one. But its position at the midway point between Phnom Penh and the hardcore hinterlands of the northwest jungles of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri provides more to do in and around this tiny town than keeping an eye out for aquatic life.

Here the excursions include a city tour of Kratie, a visit of the Wat Roka pagoda and perhaps – if the gods are smiling – to watch the Irrawaddy dolphins enchant the Mekong. Lunch on board and we continue to sail to Koh Chen. Dinner and overnight on board. Moor for the night before Koh Chen.

Note: During the low water (from mid-December to January), it will be impossible to sail to Kratie, therefore we will go by air-conditioned coach to visit Kratie. From February to April, we will then visit the Rubber Plantation or the Bamboo Bridge in Kampong Cham.

Have breakfast on board before we visit Koh Chen, a small village where the inhabitants are experts in silverwork and copper work. Here are made the ornaments and decorations used during traditional ceremonies in the pagoda or for weddings. Visit the private school of Mr. Thom Umson, a bright French teacher. Return to the ship and sail to Kampong Tralach.

We have lunch on board and arrive in Kampong Tralach to visit the beautiful Vihara of the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu Pagoda by oxcarts. We cross through the village of Kampong Tralach by oxcart to reach the pagoda on a small path running perpendicular to the river amidst a magnificent landscape of rice fields. The Vihara dates back to the beginning of last century and has many magnificent wall paintings which are starting to suffer from the effects of time. Completely isolated in the middle of the rice fields, the pagoda is quite unassuming and does not receive many visitors, so its isolation makes it a truly magnificent spot. We return on board and continue our cruise to Kampong Chhnang. Dinner and overnight stop.

We have breakfast on board and then visit Kampong Chhnang. Located some 90km from Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chhnang is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap. Here they also have many fish farms. The region is best known for its fine traditional pottery which is a major source of revenue for the entire country, and the region’s very name Kampong Chhnang means “the port of the pottery” in Khmer. Taste some palm sugar from the Thnot sugar palm (a real national symbol) before going around the village afloat small local boats. We return on board for lunch then continue our cruise to Tonle Sap Lake (1), the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia which forms the heart of the hydraulic system of the Mekong. Cocktail and gala dinner tonight. Overnight stop.

We spend the morning cruising, taking breakfast on board. Depending on the water levels, we cross the Tonle Sap Lake on board the RV LAN-DIEP (1). We arrive in the port of Siem Reap. End of our journey.

Note: During the low water, we are unable to cross the Tonle Sap Lake, we will then drop off the passengers in kampong Cham where they will be transferred by air-conditioned coach.

N.B. The itinerary, ports of call and visits are subject to modification by the ship owner and/or our representatives on the spot. The excursions may be amended or completed in the reverse order if it is deemed necessary. The ship’s captain reserves the right to modify the cruising itinerary to ensure the safe navigation of the vessel.

The banks of the river on which we travel can be very steep and slippery, depending on the water levels.

(1)Crossing the Tonle Sap Lake: when water levels are high, from August to the mid of November, the RV Lan-Diep crosses the lake. When water levels are low, from mid-November to July, transfer between Kampong Cham and Siem Reap would be organized by air-conditioned coach.

The alcohol abuse is dangerous for health, to consume with moderation.