Join this 4-day Lower Mekong river cruise from Saigon to Phnom Penh aboard the luxurious French-Colonial-style riverboat, the Jayavarman. During your trip, learn about the culture and heritage with visits to rural villages, historic pagodas, and colorful markets. Engage with locals and witness skilled artisans who create exquisite handicrafts and delicacies. Take a motorized tuk-tuk tour of Phnom Penh to see the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum of Cambodia, which has the largest collection of Khmer art. Experience all this and more on this life-enriching cruise along the Mekong.
Highlights
Learn about the culture and life of the locals along the river with an expert guide
Visit the floating market in Cai Be and see local products and delicacies.
Discover Phnom Penh, once named "Paris of the East."
Board local boats and head to a floating fish farm in Tan Chau.
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
Upon arrival, you will receive a welcome greeting in the lounge in Saigon. Kick back with a second coffee as the staff collects your details for the boarding. Bid a fond farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon and travel 70 kilometers south over land towards My Tho to embark on our vessel. After checking into your luxurious floating “home” for the next several days, your first inclination may be to step on your balcony to watch the ship set sail on its fascinating Mekong River voyage.
A lunch buffet is served in the restaurant as the vessel steadily glides upstream. As twilight bathes the Mekong Delta in a golden haze, take the opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers and join in our official welcome with canapés and prosecco.
During dinner, the ship will likely reach Tan Phong Island area near Cai Be, where we anchor midstream. This is your first glimpse of the bustling area where we will begin our Mekong adventure on land tomorrow. Join us for some late-night entertainment in the evening cinema, featuring interesting classic movies or thrilling documentaries.
Day 2: Tan Phong Island | Binh Thanh Island | Tan Chau
Wake early to embrace the stunning dawn scenery, a time when the Delta's inhabitants have already been active for hours. Energize yourself with our daily morning Tai Chi class before indulging in a lavish breakfast buffet. By local boat, we gain access to the secluded island of Tan Phong, a small island situated in the midst of one of the expansive Mekong River tributaries flowing toward the nearby sea.
During a visit to a workshop in the town of Cai Be, we'll have the opportunity to observe the production of rice paper, rice cookies, rice wine and coconut candies. This is a very interesting manual process involving manual labour and special production technics. After the workshop we are heading to Tan Phong Island, a smaller island in the middle of the vast Mekong. We are visiting a local family and their fruit garden offering us various kind of tropical fruits to taste. A buggy ride through the island let us have a glimpse of the local day to day life as it unfolds. We stop at another family’s house. They are specialized in weaving of water hyacinth plants into artistic crafts by hand.
Relax and enjoy some time on your private balcony or at the bar as we continue our voyage upstream. In the afternoon, we arrive at the Sa Dec region and anchor near one of the larger islands in the Mekong known as Binh Thanh. This island is home to several communities that sustain themselves by cultivating water hyacinths. Strolling through the village, you'll gain profound insights into local life and witness the complete traditional mat-making process. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to meet a local elderly couple who have spent their entire lives on this island. They enjoy engaging in conversations with foreign visitors.
Before dinner, join us in the lounge for a presentation about life on the Mekong Delta as the ship sails toward our mooring spot for the night in Tan Chau.
Upon disembarking, we immerse ourselves in the vibrant town life of Tan Chau by boarding "xelois" (the Vietnamese word for rickshaws). Your personal xeloi driver leisurely navigates through a network of streets, allowing you to observe workshops, street vendors, shops, and the intriguing day-to-day activities of the locals. Our journey takes us to the local market, where we mingle with residents as they go about their morning shopping routines. Continuing on, we visit a Cao Dai temple and meet with one of the priests, who enlightens us about the unique beliefs and spirit of Cao Dai. Our final destination is a fish farm that has been operated for many years by a local family, who make their livelihood from this distinctive business. Here, we gain insight into the essential knowledge required to manage such a unique enterprise in this region.
Back on board our “home”, we sail towards the Vietnamese-Cambodian border. Get ready for a fascinating and leisurely cruise through the deep Cambodian countryside towards Phnom Penh.
The whole afternoon is at your own disposal. From here, even the last passenger turns on their cruise mode and hopefully experiences the relaxing influence this mighty river emanates. The afternoon is perfect for massages, relaxation on a terrace deck sunbed or private balcony kick-backs. Conjure up a spell to merge with the river and float into a state of mild bliss.
You also may like to visit the bridge as the captain always has a little story to share about “his” river. Or, if you are curious to learn more about Khmer gastronomy, join a culinary workshop to sharpen your knowledge about local cuisine.
After your relaxing cruise during the whole afternoon into the evening hours, the boat arrives at Phnom Penh (docking mid-stream or at the pier). Enjoy your time onboard with our onboard entertainment, social at our public venues or relay in the privacy or your cabin (due to immigration regulation passengers may not be allowed to go on land this evening).
Day 4: Phnom Penh | Disembark | Return Home
1 Breakfast
Welcome to Phnom Penh - the city once named Paris of the East. Despite its rapid development, it has retained a lot of its rustic charm and elegance. It is an amazing town with centuries of incredible history and culture which can still be felt at many street corners.
Enjoy your last breakfast aboard your floating home before disembarking the ship. We hope you enjoyed this fascinating river cruise, just as our crew does every single time. Moreover, take the enchanting memories and friendships along with you and share the stories of this amazing river - the Mighty Mekong.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$1,150
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Superior Stateroom
Room Size: 20 sqm/215 sqft. (Double & Twin Beds) Located in the main deck, the Superior Staterooms feature a separate bathroom and large floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass doors that open onto a balcony.
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Deluxe Stateroom
Room Size: 23 sqm/248 sqft (Double & Twin Beds) The Deluxe Stateroom comprise of a combined bed and living room, chairs, private balcony and a spacious bathroom. Warm tones, dark wood antique furniture, and handmade, rustic copper sinks in the bathrooms bring back the sensation of an awe-inspiring colonial era.
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Signature Suites
Room Size: 27 sqm/290 sqft. (Double Beds) The Signatures Suites sit on the upper deck and in a quiet area at the front of the ship. Both are uniquely designed and have a king double bed, sofa, walk-in wardrobe, luxurious bathroom with shower, and a front-facing balconies. A butler takes care of these suites.
Initial deposit is 15% ($500 minimum), and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 Days prior to departure by Bank transfer or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
7 hours ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.