Itinerary
- Day 1
Ho Chi Minh City to Cai Be
You'll get picked up from your Ho Chi Minh City hotel around 9:30 am and head to My Tho to board your river cruise ship. After settling into your cabin and checking out the ship's facilities, you'll cruise along the Mekong River with views of rural areas and busy ports. By evening, you'll have cocktails and dinner on the sun deck, then anchor near Cai Be for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Dinner on the sun deck)
Included Activities
- River cruise ship embarkation at My Tho
- Ship orientation and amenities familiarization
- Information talk in the lounge
- River cruise along the Mekong past riverside landscapes and ports
Landmarks Mekong River My Tho - Day 2
Cai Be to Gieng Island
Breakfast comes first on the ship, then you'll visit a family craft workshop in Cai Be to see how they make rice paper, coconut sweets, and dry longan fruit. A smaller boat takes you to Tan Phong Island to check out a local orchard, taste tropical fruits, and take a buggy ride around. Later you'll cruise through Binh Thanh Island's canals by sampan to see traditional mat-making and meet local families, ending your day on Gieng Island.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast on board), Lunch (Lunch on the boat), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit family-run craft workshop in Cai Be (rice paper, coconut sweets, longan drying)
- Boat trip to Tan Phong Island
- Visit local family orchard and sample tropical fruits
- Buggy ride across Tan Phong Island
- Visit water hyacinth hand-weaving workshop
- Traditional sampan boat cruise through Binh Thanh Island canals
- Village walk and observation of traditional mat-making process
- Meeting with local families
Landmarks Tan Phong Island Binh Thanh Island Sa Dec Gieng Island - Day 3
Gieng Island to Phnom Penh
You'll start with a walk through mango groves on Gieng Island (Mango Island), then visit an incense stick workshop and a traditional boat-building workshop. After lunch on the ship, a sampan takes you to Evergreen Island where you'll spend time with a local farming family and help with whatever agricultural work is happening that season. Later you cross into Cambodia at Vinh Xuong border and drive overnight toward Phnom Penh.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch on board the cruise ship), Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk on Gieng Island (Mango Island) through mango tree groves
- Visit incense stick workshop and learn hand-making process
- Visit traditional boat-building workshop
- Taste fresh mango with local tea at centuries-old local house
- Sampan boat trip to Evergreen Island
- Visit local farming family on Evergreen Island
- Participate in seasonal farming activities (seedling preparation, planting, or harvesting as available)
Landmarks Gieng Island Evergreen Island Vinh Xuong border crossing Mekong River - Day 4
Phnom Penh
You'll explore Phnom Penh by cycle rickshaw to see the French colonial architecture, including the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. The day includes visits to S21 prison from the Khmer Rouge era and the Sosoro history museum, plus a stroll through the French Quarter and past Wat Phnom monument. Back on the ship that evening, you'll listen to a survivor's account of S21 imprisonment, then enjoy a barbecue dinner and traditional Cambodian Apsara dance performance on the sun deck.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant), Dinner (Barbecue dinner on the sun deck)
Included Activities
- Cycle rickshaw tour of Phnom Penh
- Visit Royal Palace
- Visit Silver Pagoda
- Visit S21 prison
- Visit Sosoro history museum
- Stroll through French Quarter
- Visit Wat Phnom monument
- Talk with S21 survivor in ship's lounge
- Barbecue dinner on sun deck
- Cambodian Apsara dance performance with Khmer musicians
- Evening waterfront stroll
Landmarks Royal Palace Silver Pagoda S21 prison Sosoro Wat Phnom French Quarter - Day 5
Kampong Tralach - Kampong Laeang
You'll depart before sunrise heading to the Tonle River for an oxcart excursion through rural areas around Kampong Tralach. Travel along riverbanks and winding roads passing through rice fields to reach a small village. Learn about local community projects and visit a 300-year-old temple with a Buddha shrine. Back on the boat, sail upstream on the Tonle River during lunch and watch traditional Khmer costume displays by the crew. Later, reach Kampong Laeang and explore by tuk-tuk, meeting locals and watching pottery making at a pre-Angkorian temple. Take in the panoramic views of marshlands and rice fields before returning to the ship anchored in the river.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning departure to Tonle River
- Oxcart excursion through rural Kampong Tralach
- Visit small village and local aid projects
- Visit 300-year-old temple and Buddha shrine
- Upstream cruise on Tonle River
- Traditional Khmer costumes presentation by crew
- Tuk-tuk exploration of Kampong Laeang
- Meet local residents
- Pottery making observation
- Visit pre-Angkorian temple
- Panoramic views of marshlands and rice fields
Landmarks Tonle River Kampong Tralach Kampong Laeang Kampong Chhnang - Day 6
Angkor Ban - Kampong Luang
Start your morning walking through Kampong Luang silversmith village, where you'll watch copper, silver and bronze artisans working at their crafts. After that, head to Wat Prang, a quiet former royal Buddhist temple where you can spend some time. In the afternoon, travel to where the Tonle and Mekong rivers meet at Prek Bang Kong village to see silk weavers going about their work. From there, you'll go to the historic house of H.E. Sam-El to learn about the area's history. End the day by heading back to your accommodation, where an optional sundowner cocktail by the pool is available if you'd like to relax and reflect on what you've seen.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk through Kampong Luang silversmith village and observe copper, silver and bronze working
- Visit Wat Prang, a former royal Buddhist temple
- Chat with monks and learn about their daily lives and rituals
- Visit Prek Bang Kong silk weaving village and observe silk making process
- Visit the historic house of H.E. Sam-El, architect of the royal family
Optional Activities
- Sundowner cocktail by the pool before dinner
Landmarks Kampong Luang Wat Prang Prek Bang Kong Tonle River and Mekong River Confluence - Day 7
Kampong Cham
An early morning departure takes you to Angkor Ban village, a quiet community with traditional houses that feels like it's stopped in time. You'll visit the local monastery to see monks during their morning classes and talk with villagers about their traditional ways of life. Lunch happens on the ship as you travel to Kampong Cham, and the afternoon includes a cooking class where you'll learn to make authentic Khmer dishes.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast in the dining room), Lunch (Lunch on board), Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning departure to Angkor Ban
- Visit Angkor Ban village
- Monastery visit and meeting with monks during morning classes
- Interactions with local villagers
- Cooking class in Khmer cuisine (example activity)
Optional Activities
- Cooking class in Khmer cuisine
Landmarks Angkor Ban Kampong Cham - Day 8
Kampong Cham to Siem Reap
You'll leave the ship in Kampong Cham around 9 am, then drive to Siem Reap, which takes about 4.5 hours. After arriving in the early afternoon, you'll transfer to your separately booked hotel. Your river cruise tour ends here in Siem Reap.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Kampong Cham Siem Reap
