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Culture, history and local life along the Upper Mekong -
(Phnom Penh to Saigon)
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Code: |
CART 04 |
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Routes: |
Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) - My
Tho - Cai Be - Chau Doc - Border - Phnom
Penh - Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham -
Kampong Cham - Kampong Chnang - Tonle
Sap - Siem Reap / Tonle Sap - Tonle
River/ Upper Mekong - Kampong Cham -
Phnom Penh - Cruising the Mekong - Chau
Doc - Chau Doc - Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) |
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Duration: |
8 Days |
Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) - My Tho
Day 2: Cai Be
Day 3: Chau Doc
Day 4: Border - Phnom Penh
Day 5: Phnom Penh
to Kampong Cham
Day 6: Kampong Cham
Day 7:
Kampong Chnang
Day 8: Tonle Sap
Cambodia and Vietnam
provide the backdrop to a fascinating journey
along the river with onshore excusions and boat
trips. Explore evergreen islands and a former
mandarin's residence. Take a trishaw ride around
the French colonial town of Chau Doc with its
fine French - colonial buildings and bustling
market. Visit a Cham tribal village in Vietnam.
While in Cambodia, pre - Ankor temples and local
villages and the magnificent Angkor Wat awaits.
The only way to travel.
Detail Itinerary
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh
(Saigon) - My Tho
15.00 - Day 1: My Tho
We transfer passengers from the Renaissance
Hotel in Saigon to the Delta Port of My Tho by
coach avoiding tidal delays on the Cao Gao
canal. The time saved in cruising this more
industrial sector gives us more time in the
wilder areas upstream. The transfer time is
approximately two hours. My Tho is the hub of
the Delta but not of great cultural interest so
once on board we set sail and have lunch. In the
afternoon we moor near Cai Be and make a
fascinating trip by traditional House. Here
surviving members of the Kiet family will
welcome you with tea and we can wander in the
fruit orchards around the house. On the way back
we stop at Dong Hoa Hiep Island to see boat
yards, brick works and traditional roofers.
Overnight moor midstream at Cai Bei..
Day 2: Cai Be
We make a morning junk trip around Cai Bei to
see a floating market and walk ashore to visit
the French Gothic Cathedral and colourful port
area with its colonial buildings and delightful
flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice
paper manufacturies. Remainder of day cruising
through the Mekong Delta and moor overnight at
Chau Doc.
Day 3: Chau Doc
Travel from the main Mekong channel at Tan Chau
down the canals and backwaters by local ferry
boat. At Chau Doc we transfer to small boats to
visit a Cham tribal village. We also visit a cat
fish farm. We make a trishaw ride round this
fascinating town with it fine French-colonial
buildings and bustling market. Return to the
ship by boat for lunch and cast off for the
Border for (lengthy) formalities. Evening cruise
up the broad Mekong channel, which is an
international shipping route. Moor overnight
just downstream from Phnom Penh.
Day 4: Border - Phnom Penh
the capital of Cambodia, retains a French charm.
The crumbling colonial architecture makes an
attractive backdrop to lively cafes and the
redeveloped river "corniche" is full of life.
The city has several impressive Wats, including
Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom and the newly painted Wat
Lang Ka.Pride of place goes to the spectacular
Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in Cambodia
where artifacts embodying the brilliance and
richness of Khmer culture were preserved by the
Khmer Rouge. The National Museum is another
highlight, with outstanding displays of Khmer
crafts. An afternoon excursion is arranged to
the Killing Fields and the grim Khmer Rouge
detention centre called S21 situated outside the
city. (Optional) Phnom Penh has a lively night
life and some passengers choose to dine ashore
or try one of the capital's many watering holes,
a favourite being the Foreign Correspondent's
Club.
Day 5: Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham
Early morning departure from Phnom Penh and stop
at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving
village for a morning walk at leisure. We cruise
the Mekong seeing timeless villages and river
life and see extensive fishing activities. The
scenery is very lovely here and in the distance
forested hills rise. On the river above Phnom
Penh there is little shipping, only real
Cambodian life. In the afternoon we stop at Peam
Chi Kang village to visit the wat or monastery
and school. Passengers are at leisure to explore
this peaceful and friendly community. In the wat
the splendid village racing boats are stored.
Day 6: Kampong Cham
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 Hill. Legends abound about the
origins of these hills and there are many
pagodas and shrines on the hilltops.
Day 7: Kampong Chnang
We touch the capital Phnom Penh in the early
morning to change pilots and then sail the Tonle
River which connects the Tonle Lake with the
Mekong and Bassac Rivers that merge at Phnom
Penh. This river journey is a highlight of the
trip. It winds its way through jungle and as the
river narrows you feel you can reach out and
touch the houses and people who ecstatically
cheer our ship on. Temples abound along the
river banks
At Kampong Chhaanan the river narrows and one
can view the rich tapestry of Cambodian rural
life. This is a busy rural port town with
bustling markets. Mooring midstream we make a
truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the
lake side 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 km long, that net
a huge tonnage of fish after each monsoon as the
fish migrate from the falling lake into the
Tonle river.
Day 8 : Tonle Sap
The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over
150km in length. Here bird life is profuse and
in the midst of the lake one cannot even see the
shores. There is a great stillness and
tranquillity on the Tonle Lake and we pass
floating fishing villages. Due to seasonal high
winds and water levels we transfer passengers by
speed boat from the mouth of the lake to Siem
Reap from November to March. Even doing this
navigation on the lake can be very tricky and in
the event the waters are too low for the speed
boats it may be necessary to transfer passengers
by coach via Angkor Thom on the new Phnom Penh -
Siem Reap highway. We arrive at Siem Reap by
lunchtime for transfer to your hotels.
Cruising on the RV Mekong
The original Pandaw was a Scottish built paddle
steamer refitted to a high standard of comfort
with deluxe staterooms. The intention was to
recreate the atmosphere of the colonial steamers
that carried royal princes, viceroys and a
succession of famous artists, writers and poets.
The RV Mekong
and the MV Tonle is a similar design to the Pandaws with a
spacious dining room on the Main Deck, an ample cocktail bar
on the Upper Deck and a large sun deck area above, half
covered by an awning, which affords the best views of the
river life around. The the RV Tonle Sap will cruise in the
same waters. Cruise upstream from Saigon - Siem Reap or
downstream from Siem Reap to Saigon
NOTES: VISAS
Vietnam : Passengers
will be required to have a Vietnam visa before travelling,
or pre-arranged on arrival at an International Airport.
Cambodia: Visas on arrival may be issued at the river
border or aiports.
Cruising on the RV Mekong and RV Tonle Pandaw -
Boat Description
The original Pandaw was a Scottish built paddle steamer
refitted to a high standard of comfort with
deluxe staterooms. The intention was to recreate
the atmosphere of the colonial steamers that
carried royal princes, viceroys and a succession
of famous artists, writers and poets. The RV
Mekong and the MV Tonle is a similar design to
the original Pandaws with a spacious dining room
on the Main Deck, an ample cocktail bar on the
Upper Deck and a large sun deck area above, half
covered by an awning, which affords the best
views of the river life around.
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