Begin your day with a full gourmet breakfast, including champagne, before setting out to explore Cai Be.
Freechoice: Choose to travel via sampan to Tan Phong, a small island located near Cai Be town that is rich in alluvial soil suitable for tropical fruit orchards all year round. With a total area of more than 1,000 hectares, surrounded by silted sandbanks, canals and a mild temperature, Tan Phong has long been a friendly destination for eco-tourism. On arrival, try a hands-on experience at a workshop specialized in weaving water hyacinth into artistic crafts. Board a motorized buggy for a ride through endless fruit orchards, stopping to enjoy the tropical fruits and interact with a farm owner. Reboard the sampan and cruise to Cái Bè town to discover the local cottage industry where families make rice-paper and sweets from pop-corn, pop-rice and coconut.
You may choose to take a sampan from Scenic Spirit to Le Longanier, a French colonial-style restaurant. Enjoy morning tea with local fruits, snacks, coffee, and tea while being entertained by a live performance of traditional Vietnamese music.
Alternatively, stay aboard and join the expert bar team for a hands-on cocktail or mocktail-making session using fresh local ingredients.
Return to the ship for lunch as Scenic Spirit sails toward Sa Dec. Spend your afternoon taking in the riverside scenery, browsing the on-board library, or relaxing in the lounge with fellow guests.
Upon arrival in Sa Dec, board your sampan again for a guided tour of the vibrant wet market. Interact with local vendors and view their unique offerings, including live fish, frogs, and snakes. You can also visit the former home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the real-life inspiration for Marguerite Duras’ novel The Lover, as your guide shares the story behind this literary classic.
Back on board before dinner, enjoy a traditional lion dance on the Sundeck. The ship then departs for a six-hour sail to Tan Chau.