Charms of the Mekong - Cruise Only

Transfer via motorcoach from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho Port, where you board the AmaDara for your 7-night river cruise. Enjoy a warm Welcome Dinner with fellow guests as the ship sets sail for Cai Be.

* All cruise only guests should meet the team at Sofitel Saigon Plaza at 11:30 am in Ho Chi Minh City on Embarkation day to join the transfer to the ship in My Tho Port. It is recommended that you fly into Ho Chi Minh at least one day prior to embarkation; please inquire about important arrival arrangements prior to your cruise.

Embark on a local boat to Cai Be, where you can explore candy and rice paper-making workshops, or opt for an active walking tour to the historic Kiet House, followed by the same workshops. Later, continue to Sa Dec, a vibrant town on the Mekong Delta where French writer Marguerite Duras spent part of her youth. Visit the lively market and the Cao Dai Temple, a striking fusion of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Confucianism unique to Southern Vietnam.

Enjoy visiting Tan Chau, a small town on the Mekong River unspoiled by tourism. Be treated to an authentic experience on a traditional "xe-loi" (trishaw) ride around the town, with stops at silk-making and rattan mat workshops. You may also choose the trishaw ride with visits to craftsmen's workshops and an active walking tour to "Evergreen Island." As a third alternative, explore the stunning Mekong Delta on an intimate tour through Vietnam's Tra Su Forest and Sanctuary. Board a traditional sampan boat and glide through this diverse ecosystem that includes more than 70 species of birds, including the painted stork and oriental darter, and lush greenery encompassing majestic cajuput trees, lotuses, water lilies and a carpet of bright green moss in the rainy season that appears to glow as you gently drift through it. Later in the day, cruise from Vietnam to the Cambodian border en route to Phnom Penh.

*Please Note: Tra Su Forest visit is capacity controlled.

This morning, visit the Royal Palace, the spectacular Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum, which has an outstanding collection of Khmer crafts. Alternatively, you may wish to shop for unique treasures at the bustling, yellow-colored Central Market after visiting the Royal Palace. After lunch on board, the excursion takes you to Cambodia’s infamous Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol Sleng S21 detention center (Genocide Museum). After returning to the ship, enjoy Khmer folk dancing performed by local children in the Saigon Lounge.

Visit Oudong, Cambodia's former royal capital from the early 17th century until 1866. Today, Oudong is a place of pilgrimage for Cambodians. While here, be treated to a memorable Buddhist Blessing Ceremony at a monastery. You may walk around Oudong's monastery or take an active walking tour to see panoramic views of the Oudong plain. Later in the day, experience Phnom Penh via a tuk tuk ride and be enchanted by the city's French Colonial architecture and tree-lined boulevards set amidst monumental Angkorian architecture.

In the morning, set sail for Oknhatey Village. Oknhatey is the “Silk Island,” located on the lush banks of the Mekong River and known for its rich tradition of silk weaving. While here, visit a local elementary school and observe the traditional silk weaving, an art preserved for centuries. Your cruise continues to sail to Angkor Ban.

Go on a walking tour of Angkor Ban, one of the few villages in Cambodia that was not destroyed under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. People still live in their traditional wooden abodes and keep their old cultural traditions alive. Hundreds of wooden houses stand intact on stilts, shaded with banana trees, among the hustle and bustle of the daily agricultural ongoing of the local villagers. After visiting here, the ship sets sail for Kampong Cham, where you go on an afternoon excursion to Wat Nokor, perhaps the most treasured monument within the ancient complex of Banteay Prey Nokor. Fusing the Old World with the “new,” this centuries-old temple now boasts a contemporary pagoda within its walls, inside which you delight in the colorful depictions of Buddha’s life. Alternatively, visit the Twin Mountains, known as Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei (the male and female mountains). Cap the day off with a festive Farewell Dinner on board.

Your cruise concludes in Kampong Cham, where you disembark and motorcoach transfer to Siem Reap.

*Guests booking cruise only will be transferred from the ship to the Sofitel Angkor hotel in Siem Reap. It is recommended that you schedule your onward flight to depart Siem Reap after 6:30 pm today to avoid potential missed connections.