Mekong River - Downstream - High water

Begin your day at the Heritage Line welcome lounge in Siem Reap, where you check in and enjoy a second cup of coffee before departure. Soon after, take a short bus ride to the pier at Tonle Lake, located just outside the town center. From there, board a local boat that transfers you to the cruise vessel, your comfortable home for the coming days. Once on board, the crew escorts you to your stateroom and provides a brief orientation of the cabin’s facilities. Take some time to settle in before heading to the restaurant for lunch.

As the vessel moves across Tonle Lake, observe the changing landscape. The lake covers about 2,500 square kilometers during the dry season and expands to around 16,000 square kilometers in the wet season. Spend the afternoon relaxing until the cruise director invites you to a sunset event with canapés and prosecco.

Before dinner, attend an informative presentation about the geography of the Mekong River and Tonle Lake. Later in the evening, unwind with a movie in the lounge or return to your room to rest for the night.

Default Morning Excursion:
In the midst of the vast Tonle region, one of Cambodia’s amazing ecosystems. 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 locales, 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 the ship with lunch enjoyed and spectacular views on the Tonle River you sail south to Kampong Tralach. An afternoon tea is served at the bar before you continue with another excursion.

Default Afternoon Excursion:
Get ashore to discover rural Cambodia and its countryside. An ox-pulled cart transports you along the riverside and down winding back roads, flanked by picturesque rice paddies, until you arrive at a small village. Here, youhave 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.

With everyone back on board, you sail into the early evening. The ship will later anchor near Prek Bangkong.

As you wake this morning with Tai Chi, available for early birds, the scenery has changed completely. You are in the vast land of the Mekong stream.

Default Morning Excursion:
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 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.

With everyone back on board, the ship sails now upstream towards Angkor Ban.

Default Afternoon Excursion:
Angkor Ban features a monastery with an adjacent enchanting local village. You have the chance to meet monks during their morning class and engage in friendly conversations with the villagers. As you stroll through the hamlet, you then understand the local way of life in various aspects, collecting wonderful memories of Cambodia's rustic lifestyle. The village offers great photographic moments whilst interacting with the local community.

Optional Afternoon Excursion
Culinary: In addition to a shorter visit to the Angkor Ban village, the culinary excursion group extends their excursion to pass by the house of Mr B, who used to work as a young chef aboard the ship ‘Jayavarman’. After 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, and roasted rice, accompanied by a duck egg omelette.

Just a short distance of sailing back downstream and you arrive in Phnom Penh, where the ship moors mid-stream with views on the city skyline.

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.

Your 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. This 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 immerse within the Khmer culture. This afternoon starts with the visit of the Champey academy of arts, a school dedicated to preserve traditional arts. Observe young dancers training in the intricate Apsara dance and take the opportunity to learn basic “Kbach” techniques under their guidance. Alternatively, you can interact with students or simply witness traditional paintings and drawings created by local youth. Conclude the day with a leisurely stroll through the city’s French Quarter, including the iconic Wat Phnom temple.

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.

Before bidding farewell to Phnom Penh, join a captivating testimony held in the lounge of the ship. Having endured the S21 imprisonment and later taking an active part in the Khmer Rouge tribunal, Mr. Sum Rithy continues to bear witness to a difficult chapter of Cambodia’s history. Guests have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to talk, question and discuss a living witness of this dark Cambodian era.

Once the ship departed, the rest of the day is at your own disposal. Switch into cruise mode and experience the relaxing cadence this mighty river emanates. The afternoon is perfect for spa, relaxation on a terrace deck, or private balcony kick-backs. Conjure up a spell to merge with the river and float into a state of mild bliss. A visit to the bridge might be a pleasant amusement, as the captain always has a little story to share about “his” river. Or, learn more about Khmer gastronomy: join a local culinary workshop held by the head chef.

As you sip drinks and nibble on treats during afternoon tea, you approach the border and arrive in Vietnam. From here you continue the sailing into the heart of the bustling Mekong delta mooring near Gieng Island.

After the morning Tai Chi session and a delightful breakfast, you embark on an exploration revealing a vibrant kaleidoscope of diverse activities bringing the Mekong Delta to life.

Default Morning Excursion:
Gieng Island, also known locally as Mango Island, is perfect for strolling through under the shade of flourishing mango groves that shape the island’s landscape. A visit to a small incense workshop introduces you to the careful process of crafting these fragrant sticks by hand. Another local highlight is a traditional boat-building workshop, where generations of families assemble wooden vessels that are essential to life along the river. Before departing, you surely are going to taste some of these delicious and freshly picked mangoes with a local tea in the courtyard of a century-old local home. This is the moment when you all understand the rhythms and resilience of life on the Mekong - so simple, so joyful.

Optional Morning Excursion:
Culinary: Conclude your morning excursion with a culinary twist: Prepare with a local family an authentic “Banh In”, a soft, sweet treat made from glutinous rice flour and sugar. Always served with jasmine tea, the ‘Banh In’ is popular during Vietnamese national festivals such as Tet.

After back onboard a siesta after lunch, your expert guides offer a presentation about life in the Mekong Delta as the ship continues to My An Hung in the Sa Dec province.

Default Afternoon Excursion:
My An Hung Village is a wonderful example of a real local village in the Mekong Delta where time stood still. You receive wonderful insights into the private household of a local family and visit the seasonal vegetable fields to understand what the farmers is currently cultivating. A Vietnamese tea tasting at a local family’s house is accompanied by a presentation of a variety of fruits that are grown near-by, freshly cut from the tree. An artistic group performs displays the traditional dragon dance, while you can snack on the “vitamins bombs”.

Back on board, the ship sails into the sunset towards the destination of the next day. A complimentary cocktail hour and alfresco snacks accompanied by music and dance vibes are offered to enjoy the blue hour before dinner is served.

Wake early to embrace the stunning dawn scenery, a time when the Delta's inhabitants have already been active for hours. Energize yourself with a daily morning Tai Chi class before indulging in a lavish breakfast buffet. By local boat, you head out to one of the larger islands in the Mekong known as Binh Thanh.

Default Morning Excursions:
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.

Default Afternoon Excursion:
During a visit to a workshop in the town of Cai Be, you can 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 offers a glimpse of local daily life as it unfolds. You stop at another family’s house. They specialize in weaving water hyacinth plants into artistic crafts by hand.

Optional Afternoon Excursion:
Culinary: After a short buggy ride through lush fruit orchards, a local family welcomes you as a cooking apprentice to master the art of traditional Jackfruit Leaf Cakes. From picking fresh leaves and extracting their juice to shaping and steaming the cakes in their natural casings, you’ll experience every step of the process. And since the secret to great cuisine often lies in the sauce, you’ll also learn to prepare a perfect coconut dipping cream before savoring your creation with hot ginger tea.

Once everyone is back on board, the ship makes its final journey to My Tho, offering some little farewell party vibes along the way.

Enjoy your last breakfast aboard your floating home. You 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.

The team hopes you enjoy this fascinating river cruise as much as the crew always does. Take home enchanting memories and friendships, and share the stories of this amazing river - mighty Mekong.