Mekong River - Upstream - High water

You meet at the Saigon welcome lounge in the morning before traveling 70 kilometers south by road to My Tho. After boarding the vessel and checking in, you begin sailing upstream along the Mekong. Enjoy a lunch buffet in the restaurant, followed by the official welcome with canapés and prosecco as you get to know fellow travelers. During dinner, the ship reaches the Tan Phong Island area near Cai Be, where it anchors midstream. In the evening, you can watch classic movies or documentaries in the evening cinema.

Wake early to enjoy the dawn scenery over the Mekong Delta before joining the daily morning Tai Chi class. After breakfast, travel by local boat to Tan Phong Island, a small island located in the middle of a Mekong River tributary.

During a visit to a workshop in the town of Cai Be, you 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 labor and special production techniques. After the workshop, you are heading to Tan Phong Island, a smaller island in the middle of the vast Mekong. You are visiting a local family and their fruit garden, offering you various kinds of tropical fruits to taste. A buggy ride through the island lets you have a glimpse of the local day-to-day life as it unfolds. You stop at another family’s house. They specialize in weaving water hyacinth plants into artistic crafts by hand.

Optional Morning Excursion
Culinary: Via tender, you head towards Tan Phong Island to visit a workshop where you can see skilled workers weaving dried water hyacinths into artistic crafts. You explore some parts of the local island life during a 15-minute motorized buggy ride along small pathways, eventually stopping at a house of a local family to visit their orchard. Get to know various kinds of fruits the Mekong Delta has to offer and engage in an interactive cooking experience with the local family, preparing some local dishes together.

Relax and enjoy some time on your private balcony or at the bar as you continue your voyage upstream. In the afternoon, you 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 the lounge for a presentation about life on the Mekong Delta as the ship sails toward your mooring spot for the night in Tan Chau.
 

After your morning Tai Chi session and a delightful breakfast, embark on an exploration of this area, renowned primarily for its aquaculture.

Upon disembarking, immerse yourselves 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. Your journey takes you to the local market, where you mingle with residents as they go about their morning shopping routines. Continuing on, visit a Cao Dai temple and meet with one of the priests, who enlightens you about the unique beliefs and spirit of Cao Dai. Your 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, gain insight into the essential knowledge required to manage such a unique enterprise in this region.

Optional Morning Excursion
Culinary: Once on-shore, you walk five minutes to the nearby market. Join your guide in selecting and buying fresh ingredients for the upcoming cooking session. You take cyclos for a charming ride through town to the local Cao Dai temple. During a quick visit, you get to know some insight into this particular religion as well as the special dietary practices of Cao Dai followers. You head to the temple kitchen for a hands-on cooking class, preparing special dietary dishes in an interactive and culturally enriching experience together with the local kitchen team.

Continuing your journey, you ascend the river for the remainder of the day, crossing into Cambodia and heading towards Phnom Penh. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at your leisure. It's time to embrace the soothing rhythm of this river and fully immerse yourself in the "cruise mode." You can opt for a spa treatment, relax on the sun deck, or unwind on your private balcony. As you pass under the bridge, the captain always has an interesting story to share about "his" river. Additionally, the kitchen team invites you to participate in a culinary workshop where you can learn about popular Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes. The boat docks at Phnom Penh, either mid-stream or at the pier.

Welcome to Phnom Penh, a city once renowned as the "Paris of the East." Despite its rapid development, it has retained much of its rustic charm and elegance. Phnom Penh is a remarkable city with a history and culture that spans centuries, still palpable at every street corner.

The full-day sightseeing tour begins right after breakfast, allowing you to explore the city's highlights. You start with a cyclo ride, meandering through the town, and then visit historic places such as the palace and the Silver Pagoda. Your journey takes you to the "S21" prison, a poignant and dark chapter in Cambodia's history during the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. Afterward, you pause for a delightful lunch in town before continuing to visit one of the country's most famous history museums, "Sosoro," and concluding the tour with a leisurely stroll through the city's French quarter, including the iconic and aptly named monument of Wat Phnom.

In the evening, have an engaging expert lecture in the lounge. To cap off this eventful day, you indulge in a delightful open-air barbecue and gala dinner accompanied by a classic Apsara dance performance. Afterward, feel free to explore the city at night, savoring Phnom Penh's vibrant nightlife or taking in the lively river promenade.

Leave Phnom Penh early to make your way to Angkor Ban. The morning Tai Chi session sets the mood for the day as you begin your tour of Angkor Ban.

This place includes a monastery with a delightful local village behind it. You'll have the chance to meet monks during their morning class and engage in friendly conversations with the villagers. As you meander through the village, you get as close as possible to the local way of life, collecting wonderful memories of Cambodia's rustic lifestyle. This village is truly a gem to explore, offering photographic and touching moments while interacting with the local community.

Optional Morning Excursion
Culinary: Today, the culinary themed excursion is offering a nice highlight. In addition to the visit to the Angkor Ban village (see default excursion), the group is going to visit the house of Mr B., who used to work years ago as a young chef aboard the ship Jayavarman. When he got married, he moved to his wife’s home village. Together with his “mom-in-law” and the “chef” in the household (his wife), you prepare and cook a century-old soup recipe called “Samlor Korko”. The soup is kind of a fish soup made with many vegetables, spices, herbs, roasted rice, accompanied with a duck egg omelette.

You sail to Kampong Cham during lunchtime.

You are on the vast Mekong River at the town of Kampong Cham, which is an important trade and transportation hub, but it still maintains scattered small hamlets around the outskirts where the community's rhythm blends with the skilled hands of artisans. For instance, in Cheung Krok, locals craft various handmade items, whether it's food, fashion, or other everyday goods. The nearby Bamboo bridge, which is erected seasonally, serves as more than just a passageway; it's a gateway to the past.

Once back onboard, the ship turns around, sailing down the Mekong River again to reach your overnight mooring place, Prek Bangkong, later in the evening.

Early birds are welcome to join the daily Tai Chi on the open deck again.

At the confluence of the Tonle and Mekong Rivers lies the small village of Prek Bangkong, known for its silk weaving community. This village was also the former residence of the Royal family before they moved to the Royal Palace. However, the real stars in this area today are the silk weavers, artisans who craft silk from the very beginning. You will have the opportunity to closely observe and learn about this intricate silk production process. You conclude this excursion by visiting the heritage house of H.E. Sam-El, once a famous architect for the royal family.

As you continue to sail upstream into the Tonle River and prior to lunchtime, your guide offers a presentation about the geography of the Mekong and the Tonle Rivers. In the afternoon, you enjoy an exciting excursion to discover another part of rural Cambodian Kampong Tralach countryside. An ox-pulled cart will transport you along the riverside and down winding back roads, flanked by picturesque rice paddies, until you arrive at a small village. Here, you will have the opportunity to learn about a local NGO school and library project. Alternatively, you can choose to visit the nearby ancient 300-year-old temple and Buddha shrine.

Join a happy hour time at the bar while you sail into the sunset. You moor later near Kampong Laeang. After dinner, the nightly cinema has another classic film on display.

In the midst of the vast Tonle region, one of Cambodia’s amazing ecosystems. You will discover Kampong Laeang this morning, situated just across from the famous pottery town of Kampong Chhnang. Once ashore, you embark on tuk-tuks to travel the heart of rural Cambodian life. During this excursion, you explore various locals, discover the art of pottery making, and visit a charming pre-Angkorian temple. From a vantage point, you can enjoy panoramic views of the vast floodplains and lush rice fields (seasonal).

Optional Morning Excursion
Culinary: The culinary themed excursion offers in addition to the default cultural excursion the possibility to participate in a cooking demonstration. Get to know how to prepare together the quite famous snack called “Nom Kruak” which is a kind of cake made from white or brown rice. Originally cooked only one side only, the Khmer invented Nom Kruak and cooked it on both sides. This dish is a tasty pre-dinner snack often consumed by locals.

Back on board, the ship enters now the vast Tonle Lake. During the whole afternoon, accompanied by some onboard entertainment, enjoy the ocean-like views until you reach your mooring spot mid-lake at the doorstep of Siem Reap. End this day of sailing with a farewell dinner and party vibes.

Enjoy your last breakfast on board your floating sanctuary.

The Tonle Sap (The Great Lake) is the flowing heart of Cambodia, giving love and life to millions of people. This rich ecosystem and UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve has more fish than any other lake in the world and is home to an incredible variety of birds, including rare and endangered feathered life.

Here, your Heritage Line cruise comes to an end this morning. Prepare to disembark the ship and take a local boat to the shore, passing a vast floating community. Arrive at the Siem Reap pier and bring you to the drop off point in the city center.

The team hopes you enjoyed this fascinating river cruise, just as the 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.