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Pre
& Post Cruise Tours from Saigon / Siem Reap
Departure
Dates 2009/2010 from Saigon City
RV Mekong Pandaw Upstream Departure Dates
RV Pandaw Downstream Departure Dates (click
here)
Jun:
13
Jul: 11, 25
Aug: 8, 22
Sep: 5, 19
Oct: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Nov: 7, 14, 21, 28
Dec: 5, 19, 26
Jan 2010: 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Feb 2010: 6, 13, 20, 27
Mar 2010: 6, 13, 20
DETAILED
PROGRAMME
Day
1: My Tho
Registration is at 0830 at the Renaissance Riverside
Hotel in Saigon (8-15 Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1)
and transfer at 0900 to the Delta Port of My Tho by
coach arriving at 1100 for check in followed by port and
immigration formalities. My Tho is the hub of the
Delta, but not of great cultural interest, so once on
board we set sail at 1300 and have lunch. In the
afternoon we moor near Cai Be and make a fascinating
trip by traditional junk to explore evergreen islands
and at the former Imperial residence, the An Kiet House.
Surviving members of the Kiet family will welcome us
with tea and we can wander in the fruit orchards around
the house. Overnight moor mid-stream Cai Be.
Day
2: Cai Be
We take a morning junk trip around Cai Be to see a
floating market, and go ashore to visit the French
Gothic Cathedral and colourful port area, with its
colonial buildings, delightful flower gardens and local
rice paper manufacturers. We return to the ship and
cruise over to Vinh Long to visit a Bonsai Garden and
fruit farm, followed by visit to a brick and pottery
factory. We return to the ship and cruise past Vinh Long
City and evergreen islands. The remainder of the day is
spent cruising through the Mekong Delta.
Day
3: Chau Doc / Border Crossing
From the main Mekong channel at Tan Chau we travel
down the canals and backwaters by local ferry boat. At
Chau Doc we transfer to small boats to visit a Cham
tribal village. We also visit a cat fish farm. We take a
trishaw ride round this fascinating town of fine
French-colonial buildings and see its bustling market.
Return to the ship by boat for lunch and cast off for
the Cambodian border for the usual formalities, which in
this part of the world, take time. Evening cruise up the
broad Mekong channel, which is an international shipping
route. Moor overnight just downstream from Phnom Penh.
Day
4: Phnom Penh
The capital of Cambodia retains its French charm.
The old colonial architecture makes an attractive
backdrop to busy cafes, and the renovated river "corniche"
is full of life. The city has several impressive wats,
including Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom and the newly-painted
Wat Lang Ka. Pride of place goes to the spectacular
Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in Cambodia where
artefacts embodying the brilliance and richness of Khmer
culture were preserved by the Khmer Rouge. The National
Museum is another highlight, with outstanding displays
of Khmer crafts. An afternoon excursion is arranged to
the Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol
Sleng or S21 detention centre situated in the suburbs of
the city.
More happily, Phnom Penh has a lively night life, and
some passengers choose to dine ashore or try one of the
capital’s many watering holes; a favourite being the
Foreign Correspondents’ Club.
Day
5: Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham
Early morning departure from Phnom Penh and a stop
at the little-known Chong Koh silk weaving village for a
morning walk at leisure. We cruise past the Mekong’s
timeless villages and river life with extensive fishing
activities. The scenery is very lovely here, and in the
distance, forested hills rise. On the river above Phnom
Penh there is little shipping, just real Cambodian life.
In the afternoon we stop at Peam Chi Kang village to
visit the wat or monastery and school. Passengers are at
leisure to explore this peaceful and friendly community.
In the wat the splendid village racing boats are stored.
Day
6: Kampong Cham Area
Morning journey upriver to the hilltop pre-Angkorian
temple of Wat Hanchey. Dating from the 8th century,
these ancient brick structures characterise the
architecture of the Chenla Empire which predated the
glories of Angkor. Sail back downstream over lunch for
an exploration of the Kampong Cham Area. We travel by
bus to the 12th century Angkorian temple of Wat Nokor.
This colourful temple is unique in Cambodia, as a modern
wat is set within the ruins of an ancient temple. We
continue to the eco village of Cheungkok supported by
the French-Cambodian NGO AMICA and the Kampong Cham
orphanage, supported by the Pandaw Trust programme.
Legends abound about the origins of these hills, and
there are many pagodas and shrines on the hilltops.
Day
7: Tonle River
We glance by the capital Phnom Penh in the early
morning to change pilots, and then sail the Tonle River
which connects Tonle Lake with the Mekong and Bassac
Rivers that merge at Phnom Penh. This river journey is a
highlight of the trip. We wind our way through jungle,
and as the river narrows we feel we can almost reach out
and touch the houses and people who come out to cheer
our ship on. Temples abound along the river banks at
Kampong Chhnang, and we see the rich tapestry of
Cambodian rural life. This is a busy rural port town
with bustling markets. Mooring mid-stream, we make a
truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the lakeside
wetlands that form the mouth of the river. Here a
stunning variety of birdlife may be seen and of
considerable interest are the great fish traps, some
half a kilometre long, which net a huge tonnage of fish
after each monsoon as the fish migrate from the falling
lake into the Tonle River.
Day
8: Tonle Sap - Siem Reap
The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 Km
in length. Here bird life is profuse, and from the
middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. There
is a great stillness and tranquility as we pass floating
fishing villages.
Because the water levels of the lake and river vary a
great deal according to the time of year and rainfall,
we will then either:
1. High water, approximately August - November. Cross
the Tonle Lake at dawn and 1000 disembark at Siem Reap
Port for onward coach transfer to the KULEN II
RESTAURANT (1 Street Sivatha Svay Dangkum Commune) in
Siem Reap by 1100. For passengers staying at our partner
hotel in Siem Reap the transfer to the Victoria Resort
and Spa is included.
2.
Low water, approximately November - August. Coach
transfer at 0700 from Prek Dom on the Tonle River
to the KULEN II RESTAURANT (1 Street Sivatha Svay
Dangkum Commune) in Siem Reap stopping at Kampong Thom.
Packed lunch and refreshments provided. Arrive by 1200.
For passengers staying at our partner hotel in Siem Reap
the transfer to the Victoria Resort and Spa is included.
The cruise price includes
Entrance fees, gratuities for crew (only for Mekong
cruises, not included in Myanmar cruise prices), guide
services (English language), port dues, main meals,
locally made soft and alcoholic beverages, jugged coffee
and selection of teas and tisanes, mineral water.
Transfers to and from the ship at the start and end of a
voyage are included (except for the cruises mentioned
below).
The cruise price excludes:
International flights, port dues (if levied),
laundry, all visa costs, fuel surcharges (see terms and
conditions), imported beverages such as wines, premium
spirits and liqueurs, fancy soft drinks like Perrier,
espressos and cappuccinos at bar.
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