Mekong delta tours

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Day 1 : Ho Chi Minh - MY THO embark SHIP - CAI BE (B/L/D)
Registration is at 0830 at the Renaissance Riverside Hotel in Saigon and transfer at 0900 to the Delta Port of My Tho by coach arriving at 1100 for check in followed by port and immigration formalities. My Tho is the hub of the Delta, but not of great cultural interest, so once on board we set sail at 1300 and have lunch. In the afternoon we moor near Cai Be and make a fascinating trip by traditional junk to explore evergreen islands and at the former Imperial residence, the An Kiet House. Surviving members of the Kiet family will welcome us with tea and we can wander in the fruit orchards around the house. Overnight moor mid-stream Cai Be.

Day 2 Cai Be/Chau Doc (B/L/D)
In the morning, visit the floating market of Cai Be with local boats. Stop and tour the French Gothic Cathedral and colourful port area. Then tour several small riverside villages to see locals hand make coconut candy and rice paper. Return to the ship for lunch and continue sailing to Chau Doc to arrive in the early evening. Overnight onboard.

Day 3 Chau Doc/Border (B/L/D)
Enjoy a morning rickshaw ride around this French style town. Then board smaller boats to visit a local Cham Minority Tribal village and a cat fish farm. Return to the ship for lunch and sail on towards the border with Cambodia for border formalities. End the day moored near Phnom Penh. Overnight onboard.

Day 4 PHNOM PENH (B/L/D)
The capital of Cambodia retains a French colonial charm. The crumbling colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to lively cafes and the redeveloped river front promenade. Your morning tour will highlight several impressive Wats (temple-monasteries) and the magnificent Royal Palace. Return to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon you may wish to join an optional excursion to the infamous Killing Fields. The evening is free to explore Phnom Penh on your own. Overnight onboard.

Day 5 Phom Penh - Kampong Cham (B/L/D)
Your first stop is at the Chong Koh silk weaving village for a morning walk at leisure. Then continue cruising this less travelled part of the Mekong. In the afternoon stop at Peam Chi Kang village to visit the local monastery and school (educational gifts, pens, crayons will be appreciated by the kids). Return to the ship and continue sailing. Overnight onboard.

Day 6 Kampong Cham Area (B/L/D)
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 Hills. Legends abound about the origins of these hills, and there are many pagodas and shrines on the hilltops. Overnight onboard.

Day 7 Tonle River (B/L/D)
We glance by the capital Phnom Penh in the early morning to change pilots, and then sail the Tonle River which connects Tonle Lake with the Mekong and Bassac Rivers that merge at Phnom Penh. This river journey is a highlight of the trip. We wind our way through jungle, and as the river narrows we feel we can almost reach out and touch the houses and people who come out to cheer our ship on. Temples abound along the river banks at Kampong Chhnang, and we see the rich tapestry of Cambodian rural life. This is a busy rural port town with bustling markets. Mooring mid-stream, we make a truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the lakeside 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 kilometre long, which net a huge tonnage of fish after each monsoon as the fish migrate from the falling lake into the Tonle River. Overnight onboard.

Day 8 Siem Reap - Angkor (B)
The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 Km in length. Here bird life is profuse, and from the middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. There is a great stillness and tranquility as we pass floating fishing villages. Because the water levels of the lake and river vary a great deal according to the time of year and rainfall, we will then either: 1. High water, approximately July - November. Cross the Tonle Lake at dawn and disembark at Siem Reap Port for onward coach transfer to the Angkor Century Hotel 2. Low water, approximately November - March. In the early morning depart by speedboat and disembark at Siem Reap Port for onward coach transfer to the Angkor Century Hotel 3. No water, approximately March to July. In the early morning depart by coach from Phumi Prek Chik Village on the Tonle River, stopping for sightseeing at Angkor Thom to see Prem Srei Kuk temples, arriving by midday at Angkor Century Hotel. End of our our service.