Cambodia-Vietnam: The Temples and the River

After landing in the Ancient Capital of Cambodia, Siem Reap there will be a transfer and a guide waiting to take you to check into your hotel. Once settled and checked in enjoy your lunch before setting out to see the National Museum which will give you the perfect introduction needed before uncovering one of the seven wonders of the world, Angkor Wat. After checking out the museum head back to the hotel and have the rest of the day to yourself. We can recommend and book a Secret Table for you, if you like.

After having breakfast, your guide will come and pick you up via a tuk-tuk where you will begin your journey exploring the ancient ruins. Your first stop will be the massive South Gate guarded by humungous statues depicting churning oceans of milk, then to the Angkor Thom which was built in the twelfth century, the look upon the fifty-four huge faces of Avalokiteshvara towering in the Bayon Temple, uncover the Royal Enclosure, the Phimeankas, hang out at the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the Baphuon Temple. In the afternoon, continue to drive around the massive Angkor Wat Complex to get a general overview before visiting the Preah Kha, Pre Rup, and the mysterious Ta Prohm. You will definitely need to come back and relax at the hotel after a long day exploring one of the biggest temple complexes on Earth.

Wake up to leave and catch the sun rise over the skyline of Angkor Wat. After catching the sunrise you will get a guided tour of the Temple Complex covering over eighty-one hectares and is comparable to the size of the Imperial Palace in Beijing. You will get to see the distinctive five towers that are emblazoned on the Cambodian Flag. This twelfth-century temple is considered to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. After your early morning tour of Angkor Wat, you will be brought back to the hotel to have breakfast. At around ten in the morning, a driver will come and pick you up to discover the sandstone Banteay Srei temple, known as the beautiful lady temple. You might get the chance to interact and communicate with the local people in the area after which you will take another excursion to explore Beng Mealea temple, a beautiful temple overcome by roots and moss. Head back to the hotel after exploring to relax. At seven thirty in the evening, you will have dinner at Banlle Vegetarian restaurant, where you will get to eat the finest and most creative meals designed by the very talented Chef Pola who will serve a unique iteration of Khmer and Western fused flavors. With your stomach full and your content head back to the hotel and relax.

Today you will have breakfast and check out to be ready to meet your guide who will take you to Siem Reap Pier, where you will take a private local boat to Battambang. As you take the boat, you will get to visit local floating villages on the Tonle Sap Lake, the biggest lake in Cambodia, one of the wonders of Asia. You will have the opportunity to visit Prek Toal, all the life in this village depends on fishing and the people live in floating houses that move around using paddles. You will truly get to see how local people have adjusted to living on the huge stretch of freshwater, that is the Tonle Sap. Take a moment to visit the Saray Water Hyacinth Handicraft Center, a funded community project to help support the local people in making crafts out of Hyacinth. After exploring the waters, enjoy some lunch on the boat as you float down towards Battambang. As you arrive in Battambang, a driver will be waiting for you to take your hotel, Les Maisons Wat Kor. After checking, you can relax and enjoy the rest of the day to yourself and please note that there will be dinner prepared for you at the hotel this evening.

Enjoy some breakfast, before being picked up by a guide at eight in the morning. Your tour will begin with exploring Battambang, a really provincial town, and the rice granary of Cambodia. You will visit the suspension bridge that crosses the Sangke River before stopping by a local Kramas seamstress, to see how traditional Khmer scarves are made. Stop by and have a conversation with an old woman from Battambang who used to manufacture natural Tobacco cigarettes. She will tell you about her life and the obstacles she has overcome. Your next stop would be a wood sculptor’s workshop where you will get to see woodworking magic happen. After the sculptures, you will get to watch how people make rice noodles by hand and how much artistry is involved in making it. Once you have learned about noodle making, head to another location where you will see how they make rice alcohol. During your tour of Battambang, you can stop at any point to have some lunch at your own pace. At this point, you will come to a place where you get to watch how the people of Battambang make their special treat, rice cakes. Stop by the town’s market, explore the governor’s house where the city is located, and the Provincial Museum which houses many beautiful artifacts that are found in local temples in the region. At this, the tour will conclude and you will get to return to your hotel in the early evening. You will get the rest of the night to yourself to do as you wish.

Have some breakfast before checking out. There will be a personal driver ready to take you on your long drive to Sihanoukville via Kampong Speu which will take around 6 hours. Once at the pier, you will wait for your speed boat to depart at three in the afternoon to Koh Rong. Once you have docked you can head to your hotel. Check in and enjoy the island at your own pace for you will have the rest of the day to yourself.

There will be no arrangements for these two days. You will have the freedom to do as you please and explore the island at your own pace. You can relax on the white sandy beaches and party at the many spots along Police Beach. Use these days to take a good breather, sunbathe, and frolic in the ocean.

Have some breakfast, then proceed to check out so that you can catch your boat at nine in the morning to Sihanoukville. Your driver will be waiting for you when you dock. Once you have met your driver, you will head onwards to Phnom Penh. You can stop for lunch along the way if you wish. Once you have arrived in the capital city of Phnom Penh, you can check in at your Iroha Garden, a hotel that used to be the residence of the first ambassador of China in Cambodia in the fifties. After a long drive, you can relax and have the day to yourself. With the capital city at your doorstep.

Wake up in the capital city of Phnom Penh and have some breakfast. A guide will be waiting for you in the lobby to give you a tour of his city. You will begin your tour of the capital with the National Museum, which is also known as the Museum of Fine Arts. Then you will go to explore the Royal Palace, which was built in the late eighteen hundreds by King Norodom where you will get to learn about the royal history of Cambodia. You can also get to see The Silver Pagoda which is located on the premises. Once you have finished at the palace around the afternoon you will get to check out the Russian market that is opposite the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. After the Russian market, you can visit the local central market to enjoy some more food and shopping. After all the shopping and market head to the Hill of Wat Phnom considered to be the heart of the capital. You will be able to see all the locals coming to pay respects to the temple. Head back to the hotel to rest and relax.

Be sure to have your breakfast and check out before your transfer comes to pick you to drop you off at the pier where the The Jahan cruise ship will be moored. Once you have reached the cruise ship, board and settle in your cabin. One of the first activities aboard is an introduction lecture on modern Cambodia in the lounge given by Mr. Jean-Michel, a professor from the Royal University of Phnom Penh. After the talk, you can relax onboard and enjoy all the experiences the cruises offer such as a massage, or even get the chance to try a Cambodian cooking class. You can even visit the bridge to share stories with the captain.
As you sip drinks and nibble on tea, the ship will reach the border of Vietnam. The ship will moor near the city of Tan Chau with nice views of the riverbanks. Tan Chau is known for its slow-paced lifestyle with a mix of Chinese, Kinh, and Khmer communities. Enjoy the evening on the ship and look outward towards the river banks.

This morning you will have the opportunity to go to the shores of Tan Chau and hop on a “xeloi”, a local vehicle that is still used as a taxi in this area. Your personal xeloi driver will allow you to explore the city to uncover all the workshops, houses, and shops. Stop by a colourful local market near the town’s temple to shop and support the local people. After the market, you can board local boats and find out what Tan Chau is for. You are about to witness the largest inland aquaculture industry. You will see many floating structures, used to farm fish such as Tilapia, and the Basa Catfish. After learning about the fishing industry, head back on to the ship to enjoy some lunch.
After the meal, there will be a presentation about life in the Mekong Delta given by expert guides. You may also use this time to take a dip in the pool as the ship carries on to My An Hung near Sa Dec province. As you reach My An Hung Village you will be able to see what a real local village on the Mekong Delta is like and you will be invited to share tea with a local family in their house. You will be able to learn about their livelihoods and their cultivation practices which are influenced by the Mekong River. You will also get to experience a traditional artistic dragon dance performance. After eating, drinking, and watching dances. Head back on to the ship to relax and enjoy some cocktails with the crew on the ship for the night.

The morning the vessel will arrive at one of the large islands on the Mekong River, Bin Thanh Island. Wander into the untouched villages to meet with locals to understand how the native people make their living through hyacinths. You can get hands-on experience by making mats alongside the locals and sitting down with the elders of the village to learn from their past.
After the village, hop back onto the ship to have some lunch as the ship sails for Cai Be. Cai Be is famous its Catholic French church and for manufacturing traditional crafts and food products. Once home to an enormous floating market but as modern markets appear this floating market slowly diminishes in size but you will still see people who still trade boat-to-boat. You will get on a local boat to sail through the thorough network of irrigation canals to watch the farmers working in the fields. You stop ashore to visit a local workshop where they manufacture rice paste, rice paper, rice cookies, and rice wine. The city of Cai Be is surrounded by coconut palm trees which are also used in the production of Coconut candy. After exploring the agricultural region of Cai Be, head back onboard to enjoy a farewell event for your last night aboard the cruise.

Enjoy your last breakfast aboard the ship before disembarking to be met by your driver at the pier who will drive to your next stay on Unicorn Island called The Island Lodge. The river island sits in the middle of the river which flows in the middle of the My Tho city. You will have the rest of the day to yourself and to do as you wish whether it be just enjoying, relaxing on the island’s resort or going into the city to explore deeper.

Today you will have the day to yourself. Enjoy your breakfast and explore the area at your own pace. We do recommend you explore the local villages on the island and visit the local fish market to see how the locals live off the river. You will be able to see the people’s way of life and see how the river is so important to them. You can explore the island with a bicycle and go around the whole island which is only 13km to go around. Other than that recommendation it is entirely up to you how you want to go about your day.

Enjoy your breakfast on the island before checking out. A driver and a guide will be picking you up to take you to Ho Chi Minh City. On the way to the Ho Chi Ming City stop by Vinh Trang Pagoda with an iconic laughing Buddha statue amongst standing Amitabha figures and watch the snakes at the Dong Tam Snake Farm.
If time allows you will finish with a spa treatment and a shower before being dropped on at the airport to get on your flight back home.
It is also possible to extend for a stay in the city of Saigon.

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