Welcome aboard with Heritage Line for your Mekong River adventure. After you have checked in, learn about the highlights of this cruise before lifting the anchor. The lounge is set up for Mr. Jean-Michel, a professor from the Royal University of Phnom Penh, to deliver an eye-catching and entertaining lecture on modern Cambodian history. Before setting sail southward near the border with Vietnam, the presentation will last around an hour.

The rest of the morning and the whole afternoon is at your disposal. From now on, you can turn into cruise mode and hopefully experience the calming effects that the cadence of this mighty river emanates. The afternoon is perfect for massages, relaxation on a terrace deck sunbed, or private balcony kickbacks.

You also may like to visit the bridge, as the captain always has a little story to share about the Mekong river. Or, if you are curious to learn more about Khmer gastronomy, join a culinary workshop to sharpen your knowledge about local cuisine.

As you sip drinks and nibble on treats during afternoon tea, you will reach the border and finally arrive in Vietnam. From here, it is just a short distance to Tan Chau, a pleasant, slow-paced border town with a sizeable Chinese, Kinh, and Khmer community. The ship will moor near the city with views of the riverbanks.

Welcome to the fish sanctuary of Vietnam. Once on shore, see Tan Chau’s vibrant town life. Hop on a xelois, which are local vehicles still used as taxis in this area. Your Xeloi driver will slowly navigate through the streets to observe all the workshops, houses, and shops while feeling the laid-back vibe of this place. Make a stop at the colorful local market near one of the town’s temples, interact with the vendors of this friendly town, and try your hand at bargaining with them.

To see what Tan Chau is famous for, board one of the local boats and head to a floating fish farm to get an exclusive look into the world’s largest inland aquaculture industry. This floating structure has netting hanging down into the water to enclose the fish, which are raised and fed daily. The specialties of this region are tilapia and the Basa catfish, or Pangasius, which are unique to the Mekong River basin and are rapidly gaining popularity in the international seafood market.

Back on board, and before lunch is served, you may take a dip in the pool. After the meal, the expert guides offer a presentation about life in the Mekong Delta as the ship continues to My An Hung, near Sa Dec province.

My An Hung Village in the Mekong Delta is a beautiful illustration of a genuine native village. Upon arrival, you will receive a remarkable insight into the private household of a local family and visit the seasonal vegetable fields to see what they are currently cultivating. Visit a local family's house for a Vietnamese tea tasting. Vietnamese tea is often bitter, so locals sweeten it with honey, a regional delicacy also produced by our hosts. The family will present a wide variety of fruits growing in the region and freshly cut from the tree. And as an artist group performs a traditional, artistic dragon dance, we snack on these vitamin bombs.

The sunsets and the light now bathe everything in a golden hue. The surrounding natural beauty is a perfect backdrop for a riverbank gathering with cocktails and dancing with the crew in this remote and secluded location.

This morning the ship arrives at one of the larger islands in the vast stream of the Mekong, Binh Thanh Island. Several communities have settled here and made their living by growing water hyacinths.

During this exclusive visit to one of the untouched areas, you will have the chance to wander through the village and get a deep understanding of native life. One of the local artisans will demonstrate the entire process of traditional mat-making. You can try weaving yourself. You will also meet a local elderly couple who will share their story of living on this island. They are always happy to chit-chat with our guests.

Back on the ship, continue to sail toward Cai Be while taking your lunch. Cai Be is a charming town famous for its Catholic-French church and the manufacturing of traditional crafts and food products. You will learn from the guide about the long-lasting trading culture and how each boat has a special marker to let buyers know what goods they are selling.

You will sail along the green canal network and watch the farmers working in the fields from a local boat. A visit ashore to a workshop shows the manufacturing of rice paste, rice paper, rice cookies, and rice wine. Due to the abundance of palm trees in Cai Be, the area is renowned for producing coconut sweets.

Back on board, the crew will invite you to a farewell event and some cheerful moments before dinner, including music and Cambodian dancing together with the team. Enjoy your final dinner aboard and relive the week’s adventures in your mind’s eye with a glass of wine at the open bar.

Enjoy your last breakfast aboard your floating home. Disembark the ship after breakfast and take a bus transfer from My Tho to Saigon. It is only around 70 kilometers on the highway, and you arrive in Saigon by mid-morning.