Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap Aboard Mekong Prestige II

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, your guide welcomes you and escorts you to the hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you can take an optional walking tour of the bustling Ho Chi Minh City. Walk the famous streets of Dong Khoi (formerly Rue Catinat) and Le Cong Kieu Street, both streets have great photo opportunities. Head back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner.

The boat departs for another day of nature discovery along the river to Luang Prabang. Stop to visit a hill tribe village, where you can watch the traditional process of making Lao whiskey.

Embark on an exciting city tour of Vietnam’s largest city. Visit the War Remnant Museum and its exhibition about the American phase of Vietnam War. Head to the Reunification Palace, the former headquarters of the President of South Vietnam. Explore Notre Dame Cathedral, the spiritual and cultural hub of the French presence in the Orient before taking in the General Post Office, elegant in its French colonial architecture. The final stop is Ben Thanh market, which is always loaded with all manner of good from cakes and candies to fresh food and vegetables.

A journey (approximately 60km) outside Ho Chi Minh City takes you to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible under-ground tunnel network constructed by Viet Cong to fight the American and South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War. Learn how the tunnels were built, the living conditions and the hardships people had faced in the tunnels. You can also descend into the real tunnels where the Viet Cong hid and fought.

After breakfast, you will be driven to Sofitel Plaza hotel, the meeting point of RV MEKONG PRESTIGE II CRUISE at 9 am for the transfer arrangement to My Tho, located 70 kilometers away. The transfer includes a stop at the Cholon Market and visit to a lacquer factory. Arrival in My Tho and welcome on board the RV MEKONG PRESTIGE II CRUISE. Lunch on board. Departure in the afternoon. Welcome Dinner on board & traditional Music Show.

Arrival at Cai Be in the morning. After breakfast we take a morning junk trip around Cai Be to visit a floating market and go ashore to see the French Gothic Cathedral. Take a stroll along the river bank and visit a local manufacturer producing rice paper, and coconut sweets. Return to the ship for lunch. Cruise past Vinh Long Province to arrive at Sa Dec for an afternoon walk. We see the house of Marguerite’s Chinese Lover. The house is a small museum of « The Lover » in Sadec. Visit to a Caodaist Temple and stroll through the colorful local market.

Arrival at Tan Chau in the morning, a remote town on the main Mekong River. After breakfast, transfer on small boats to visit a fishing farm. We go ashore to visit a local workshop producing woven mats, and take a short walk in the village to visit a silk weaving workshop. A rickshaw ride round this fascinating town takes you back to the pier for lunch. Depart for the Cambodian border. Evening cruise up the broad Mekong River to Phnom Penh.

Arrival in Phnom Penh in the morning. The capital city of Cambodia still retains its old French colonial architecture in riverside streets. Visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. The National Museum is another highlight, with outstanding displays of Khmer crafts. Lunch on board. Afternoon excursion to the former High School « S21 », converted to a detention center under the Red Khmer’s rule between 1975 and 1979, followed by a visit to Wat Phnom after which the city was named. Dinner on board. Traditional Khmer Apsara Dancing Show on board.

Early morning sailing from Phnom Penh to Chong Koh or Oknathey (both located in Silk Island). Visit this silk weaving village for a morning walk at leisure and a visit to the local workshop. The excursion includes a visit to a Pagoda and a meeting in a primary school. We cruise past the Mekong’s timeless villages and River life with extensive fishing activities. Return to Phnom Penh and afternoon at leisure. Dinner on board.

Morning journey upriver heading towards Oudong. Arrival at Prek Dam in the early afternoon, 40 kilometers from Phnom Penh. Excursion by coach to reach Oudong, the former capital city of Cambodia, between 1618 and 1866, Visit of the Vipassana Dhura Pagoda, located at the foot of a hill on the top of which were erected numerous Stupas dating of the last Khmer Kings. This is a place of meditation for Buddhist Monks. After the visit buses depart for Kampong Tralach to visit the very charming Vihara of the Wat Kampong Leu Pagoda dating back to the last century to see the beautiful wall paintings. Return to the ship by ox-drawn carriage. Dinner on board.

Morning sailing on the Tonle Sap River, which connects the Mekong River to the Tonle Lake. Arrive at Kampong Chhnang, located approximately 90 km from Phnom Penh. This is a busy rural port town with bustling markets. Then board local boats to visit the authentic floating village. The life of the entire population is connected to the river with local people using the canal system which crisscross this little town. We go ashore to stroll through the scenic market. Lunch & Dinner on board.

We cross the lake early in the morning* (Please note that when there is low water, the transfer to Siem Reap will be made by coach or speed boat). The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 km in length, with interesting and varied bird life resulting from the varied the water levels in the lake and river depending on the time of year and rainfall. Disembarkation after breakfast and transfer to Siem Reap Sokha Angkor Resort, the finishing point of RV MEKONG PRESTIGE II CRUISE.

Upon arrival to Siem Reap Sokha Angkor Resort, you will be greeted by your guide who will escort you to your waiting vehicle for a short drive to your hotel. Once arrive to your hotel, you will have the rest of time to relax before dinner.

Important notice: it may not be possible to cross Lake Tonle if the water is low. Alternative arrangements will be made to cross the lake either by bus or speed boat to meet the pier. Passengers will be informed of details before departure.
The cruise schedule and program timing are indicative and subject to modification.

Drive to Angkor Wat for a mystical sunrise and explore this architectural wonder and its world-class bas-reliefs at dawn, when it is quietest. Angkor Wat, one of the wonders of the ancient world, was completed by 1150 AD. The temple complex is one of the most intricate and dramatic religious structures ever conceived. Its friezes in bas-relief form a visual guide to Hindu mythology. Explore the stone galleries, terraces and grounds before returning to the hotel for breakfast.

Next, visit the mysterious and much-photographed Ta Prohm, the jungle temple, where huge trees grow among the ancient stones, then continue to the fortified city of Angkor Thom, the last great capital of the Khmer empire. From the South Gate of Angkor Thom, visit the impressive Bayon temple with its 216 monumental, enigmatically smiling faces, and learn about the fascinating myths and legends behind the Elephant Terrace and Leper King Terrace. Return to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Your guide will meet you at the hotel, from where you will be driven through the Cambodian countryside to the photogenic village of Kompong Khleang – one of the largest Tonle Sap communities, though not well-known by tourists – to learn about the daily life of a subsistence fishing family. Take a boat tour to see the stilt houses and the daily work of the floating community from the water.

After visiting the village, continue to the lost temple of Beng Mealea. This sprawling, atmospheric complex is embedded in the jungle. It extends over a square kilometer and, like the busier Ta Prohm temple, is overgrown by tropical vegetation, perfect for an afternoon photography session.

Please note: During the flood season (August to February), Kompong Khleang village can only be reached by boat. At other times it is accessible by road.

Depending on your departure time, you may explore the beautiful surroundings at your leisure. You will be driven to Siem Reap International Airport for your onward flight.