Spend 9 days feeling the rhythm of the Mekong River and take advantage of the enriching excursions included on this adventure from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap. During this trip visit floating villages using small local boats, observe imposing gardens, admire magnificent landscapes of rice fields, stop at vibrant markets, and cruise the largest freshwater lake in southeast Asia.
Highlights
Discover the French colonial landmarks of Ho Chi Minh City
Cruise to Chau Doc, a town at the border between Cambodia and Vietnam
Enjoy a trip in a “tuk tuk”, the traditional mode of transport in Phnom Penh
Visit Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonlé Sap
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.
Meet at the Liberty Central Riverside Hotel restaurant between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, we will tour the city: Reunification Palace, Notre Dame cathedral and Central Post office. We’ll visit Cholon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, including its hectic market and Ba Thien Hau Pagoda dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail, have dinner and spend the night on board downtown.
We’ll leave by coach for the Cu Chi tunnels, an immense network of underground tunnels that Viet Cong soldiers used as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food, and weapon caches. Lunch will be done on board. Visit the Museum of Vietnamese History. We’ll then set out to cross the very narrow Chao Gao Canal. Night on board.
We continue our cruise toMy Tho along the magnificent Chao Gao Canal. Visit a bee farm and enjoy some honey tea and exotic fruit. Lunch on board. We’ll discover a brick and pottery factory as well as a traditional factory producing puffed riced, rice-paper wrappers used to make nems, and rice alcohol*. Night on board.
Visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man on who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover on. After our excursion, enjoy some free time in Sa Dec. We’ll return on board our ship and have lunch. Sailing towards Cambodia. Night on board.
Have breakfast, and spend the day afloat, first heading for the Cambodian border, where you must pass through customs during the morning, and continue your journey. Enjoy lunch and dinner on board, and arrive towards the end of the day in Phnom Penh. Late in the afternoon or after dinner, experience a trip in a “tuk tuk”, a motorized tricycle which is the traditional mode of transport in Phnom Penh. Stay in port in Phnom Penh for the night.
Founded in 1434, the capital of Cambodia retains much of its colonial charm, thanks to the rehabilitation of part of its architectural heritage. Visit the Silver Pagoda, a wooden construction from 1892, and subsequently rebuilt in 1962, and the Royal Palace, the symbolic heart of the nation and one of the finest examples of Cambodian architecture in classical Khmer style. Then, visit the National Museum built in 1917 by the French in traditional Khmer architectural style.
Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant, and this afternoon join a visit of Tuol Svay Prey S21 school, the former detention, torture and execution center used by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war. Have free time in the market, overflowing with all types of businesses. In the evening, attend an Apsara dance show by student dancers and musicians. Return on board for dinner, and stay in port overnight.
Visit Koh Chen, a small village where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work. Lunch on board. Visit the beautiful Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda we need to cross the village of Kampong Tralach in ox carts, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
Visit Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on Tonle Sap Lake. Here they also have many fish farms. The region is best known for its fine traditional pottery which is a major source of revenue for the entire country.Tasting of some local products. Lunch on board. We'll then continue our cruise on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in southeast Asia which forms the heart of the hydraulic system of the Mekong. Cocktail and gala dinner tonight. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
Day 9: Siem Reap | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Disembarkation and transfer to downtown Siem Reap. End of our services around 12:00 p.m. Please do not book your flight before 3:00 p.m.
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.
$2,4652-3 travelers
Rates are dynamic and fluctuate based on capacity. Contact us for a specific quote.
Please confirm embark/disembark locations before reserving flights, as this itinerary operates in reverse on alternating departures.
Main Deck
8 outside-facing cabins on the main deck equipped with two low beds that can be moved together; ample storage space; private bathroom with shower; air-conditioning; safe; hair dryer; and dresser.
Upper Deck
18 outside-facing cabins on the upper deck equipped with two low beds that can be moved together; ample storage space; private bathroom with shower; air-conditioning; safe; hair dryer; and dresser.
Notes
20% discount on children between 2-10 years
30% discount for 3rd person in triple cabin
Initial deposit is 30%, 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
This was our first trip to South America and we were a little nervous. But Adventure Life made things so easy! All our questions were answered before we left, and our guide, Vidal, was amazing! He gave us enough space to explore without rushing us along. He also knew where the best picture taking opportunities were, which was great.
Lindsay Gompf
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 254 reviews on
2 days ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
2 days ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
2 days ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
1 week ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.