From the Angkor Temples to the Mekong Delta (port-to-port cruise)

This morning, you will tour Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom. Stroll among the enigmatic faces of the Bayon Temple, and discover the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch in the city before visiting the Senteurs d’Angkor, a local business with a diverse collection of silk and carvings, as well as a superb range of traditional beauty products and spices, all made locally. End the day with Phare, the Cambodian circus, and spend the night at the hotel

This morning you will visit the Angkor Wat temple: the epitome of Khmer architectural art and the most famous and imposing of all the monuments in Angkor (visitors must cover their shoulders and wear long pants or a long skirt). Lunch will be served at the hotel.
In the afternon travel by road(1) to Koh Chen and discover traditional villages along the way. On arrival board your ship, the crew will welcome you and help you get comfortably settled into your cabin.

This afternoon cruise through Tonle Lake. You will have dinner on board and formally meet your crew. The ship will remain anchored overnight.

(1) Approximately 5-6hour bus journey to Koh Chen.

Discover of the small village of Koh Chen, where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work. Lunch on board then set out to visit the beautiful Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda, you need to cross the village of Kampong Tralach, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. Your ship will remain anchored overnight.

Kampong Chhnang is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap. Fish farming is abundant here. The region is also known for its traditional pottery combining ancient knowledge with modern techniques—Chhnang itself means “pot.” You will experience a tasting of regional products before returning on board. Lunch and cruising to Phnom Penh. On arrival in Phnom Penh there will be a brief tour of the area by “tuk-tuk,” the easiest way to get around the city. Return to the ship fopr a performance of classical Khmer dancing and music. Your ship will remain overnight in Phnom Penh.

This morning take a tour of the fabulous Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which is inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles. Continue to visit the National Museum of Cambodia. Lunch today will be in the city. In the afternoon, you can pay a visit to the Tuol Svay Prey School, a former detention, torture, and execution center run by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war. Afterwards, there will be some free time at the market. After your tour, return on board and begin to sail to Chau Doc, a town on the border between Cambodia and Vietnam, whose territory became Vietnamese 300 years ago. Your ship will be anchored overnight.

Located on the border between Cambodia and Vietnam, the prosperous city of Chau Doc has developed around fish and fish farming. Pay a visit to the Ba Chua Xu Temple and the Tay An Pagoda. Lunch on board and begin to cruise toward Sa Dec. You will have dinner and spend the night on board.

Visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover on. After your excursion, there will be some free time in Sa Dec. Have lunch on board and cruise to Vinh Long. Set out in smaller boats and travel through canals and orchards before arriving in Cai Be. Discover a brick and pottery factory as well as a traditional factory producing puffed riced, rice-paper wrappers used to make nems, and rice alcohol. Return on board the ship and begin to cruise. You will have dinner and spend the night on board.

This morning you will visit a bee farm and sample some honey tea and exotic fruit. Next, take a ride in small sampans along the canal lined with mangrove palms and have a glimpse of villagers going about their daily lives. Lunch will be on board and then you will set out to cross the very narrow canal, heading for Ho Chi Minh City and spending the night on the ship, which will remain moored in central Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is the most populous city in Vietnam. Take a tour of the city to see the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Saigon Central Post Office. Next visit the Museum of Vietnamese History. Lunch will be served on board. In the afternoon you can choose to spend some free time on board or leave by coach for the Cu Chi tunnels(2), an immense network of underground tunnels that were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. After the excursion, return to the ship. Tonight, there will be a farewell cocktail and dinner and spend the night at the port.

(2) The transfer by coach takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes each way.

Breakfast on board before disembarking. This morning will be spent visiting Cholon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, including its hectic market. After lunch in town, you will bid farewell at approximately 2:00 p.m. Please do not book your flight before 5:00 p.m.

• Your cruise in the cabin category of your choice
• Double-occupancy accommodations in a first-class hotel
• All meals
• Onboard drinks included (except for drinks from the special list) – drinks during all meals in Siem Reap and during the lunches in Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City (water + 1 soft drink or 1 beer + 1 tea or coffee per person for each meal)
• Visits and excursions mentioned in the program
• The services of an English-speaking local tour guides and onboard CroisiEurope tour director – the CroisiEurope agent in Siem Reap
• Travel assistance and repatriation insurance
• Tips: To make your vacation worry-free tips are included as follows: 35€ per passenger for tips which will be entirely paid to the personnel from the countries to be visited and 45€ per passenger for crew members. This amount was determined while taking into consideration the local customs and etiquette.

• International flights and their taxes
• Transfers
• Cambodian and Vietnamese visas
• Cancellation and baggage insurance
• Drinks on board from our special lists – drinks other than those mentioned