Sailing Vietnam & Cambodia’s Mekong River

This morning meet with a local expert on Vietnam’s modern development, followed by a tour of Saigon’s landmarks, including the Bitexco Tower, post office, and the Reunification Palace, headquarters of the South Vietnamese government during the Vietnam War. Lunch is at leisure. A visit to the War Remnants Museum is offered in the afternoon. In the evening we take in a performance of water puppetry—a  distinctive Vietnamese folk art, practiced here for over 300 years—then enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

This morning, visit the Cu Chi tunnel, part of a huge network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Those who wish may tour the War Remnants Museum, which gives a strong view of the war through the eyes of the Vietnamese. After lunch, drive to My Tho and stop at the great Vinh Trang pagoda, originally built in 1850. Continue to the Mekong River, embark Jahan for the start of the seven-night sail on the Mekong. Have welcome drinks and dinner aboard ship.

Take a local boat to experience rural life in the Mekong Delta. See the floating market of Cai Be, step into a rice “factory” to watch rice-based candies being made, and cruise among floating markets and fish farms.

Chau Doc has one of Vietnam’s most interesting markets, with an astonishing variety of tropical fruits, vegetables and other goods. Continue to a floating market on the river and a fish farm, where fish are fed through trap doors in the floating platforms. In the afternoon, continue sailing the Mekong.

Explore the Cambodian capital by cyclo (bicycle taxi) and visit the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia. Learn about the reign of the Khmer Rouge on a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This evening, enjoy an apsara dance performance.

This morning, cruise the Tonle Sap River. In the afternoon, drive a short way from the town of Kampong Chhnang to a village where pottery is still made for sale to local residents by traditional methods. See how the pots are made and learn about the uses of the palm tree, complete with a taste of palm sugar if so inclined. Then ride local boats along the Tonle Sap for a glimpse into a unique way of life: seeing the floating houses and shops that line the riverbanks here.

Visit a village where artisans make traditional pottery and board local boats to see the clustered houses and shops that float in midstream. At Kampong Tralach, take an oxcart ride through rice paddies to a local school.

Explore the community of Angkor Ban, with many old-style houses built on stilts—some of them very tall. There’s a chance to walk through town and meet the friendly local residents. There is a fine pagoda along the riverside and views of the fields across the river that runs into the Mekong. Stop at the bustling town of Kampong Cham and visit remarkable Wat Nokor, where a well preserved 11th-century temple forms the heart of a contemporary pagoda that remains in active use. The reliefs on the old temple are exceptional, as are the decorations of the more modern one.  Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner aboard the Jahan.

Disembark Jahan at Kampong Cham for the drive to Siem Reap, where lunch will be available upon arrival to the hotel. Spend the next three nights at outstanding La Résidence d’Angkor, built along the Siem Reap River in traditional Khmer style, with spacious rooms with teak furniture and bamboo screens. Siem Reap is the gateway to the great temple complex of Angkor, and this afternoon visit the evocative temple Ta Prohm. The jungle has been allowed to continue growing here, framing the structures with the twisted roots and branches of ceiba and fig trees, giving an idea of what archaeologists encountered when they began their work in the area. Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant.

Begin early in order to get to Angkor Wat in time for sunrise. This visionary 12th-century temple, the world’s largest religious monument, represents the apogee of Khmer art and architecture. Crowned by five towers, with elaborate bas-reliefs and a profusion of statues that dramatically depict complex religious tales, along with some 2,000 carved apsaras (beautiful female spirits), Angkor Wat is enthralling. Return to the hotel for a late breakfast. In the afternoon, visit Les Artisans d’Angkor to see how local artisans preserve age-old Khmer arts. Venture out some distance from the central sites to the fine temple of Banteay Srei, known for its exceptional carvings. Tonight, we have a very special treat: a private dinner by candlelight at one of Angkor’s temples, complete with Cambodian music and dance. The effect of seeing the temple gently illuminated and taking in the age-old performing arts is magical and is bound to stand out as a highlight of your travels.

This morning, take tuk-tuks (motorized taxis) to the great remains of Angkor Thom, seeing the Bayon Temple, known for its dozens of serene stone faces of King Jayavarman VII, and the Terrace of the Elephants. The afternoon is free to explore further, shop or just relax. If you should wish to depart this evening, your rooms are reserved until departure.

Transfer to the airport for flights home.