Saigon and Siem Reap Cruise by RV Jayavarman 8 Days
Depart from: Saigon (Vietnam) or Siem Reap (Cambodia)
Itinerary 1: Saigon - Cai Be - Chau Doc - Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham - Kampong Chhnang - Tonle Sap - Siem Reap
Itinerary 2: Siem Reap - Tonle Sap Lake - Tonle Sap - Kampong - Chhnang - Kampong Cham - Wat Hanchey - Phnom Penh - Chau Doc - Cai Be - Saigon Duration: 8 days/7 nights
Prices quoted in US$ nett per person
Valid until 31 Dec 2012
Cabin
01 Jan - 31 Mar
01 Apr - 30 Apr
01 Jun - 05 Oct
06 Oct - 19 Oct
20 Oct - 31 Dec
Double
Single
Double
Single
Double
Single
Double
Single
Double
Single
Superior
1620
2430
1290
1950
1140
1690
1360
2040
1690
2550
Deluxe
1870
2790
1490
2240
1310
1970
1570
2360
1970
2940
Signature
2010
3010
1610
2410
1410
2110
1690
2530
2110
3160
Departure Dates in 2012
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
14, 28
11, 25
10, 24
7, 21
Maintenance
2, 16, 30
14, 28
11, 25
8, 22
6, 20
3, 17
1, 15, 29
Day 1: Saigon - Cai Be
“The Sea of Mangroves” Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon while settling into your cabin. The ship will begin by meandering along busy ports and waterways. Soon after, the change is abrupt and you’ll find yourself in the UNESCO listed Mangrove Biosphere Reserve of Can Gio which had been destroyed during the Vietnam War by toxic chemicals. Amazingly, the 75 hectares of forest has come back to life through a reforestation.
Enjoy a cocktail reception at the Funnel Bar and Lounge followed by a Welcome Dinner on the Sun Deck. Drop anchor just outside of Cai Be for the night.
Day 2: Cai Be - Chau Doc
“Vietnamese inventiveness” Today’s tour starts with the visit of Cai Be’s colorful floating market. Cruise among local sampans coming from all provinces of the delta full of fruits and vegetables. Proceed to Dong Hoa Hiep island located between Vinh Long and Cai Be. During a 40 minute cruise, discover beautiful landscapes along the river and observe the typical Mekong Delta rural life. These evergreen islands among the Mekong River still remain unknown to many people.
Back on the sampans, we will lead to you to observe the activity of the biggest rice stock market in Cai Be. Further stops will allow you to see traditional brick and tile factories and how locals use palm leaves for houses. Cruise 20 minutes further to Phu An hamlet passing by Cai Be’s beautiful cathedral. Visit some interesting home factories to see how rice paste, rice cookies and coco candies, are made, along with the longan fruit drying process.
Lunch will await you at Le Longanier, a superb Indochinese villa located in a lush tropical garden by the river, surrounded by fruit orchards. After lunch, group 1 takes a stroll along the canals to experience the local environment first hand while group 2 explores the edges of the canals on bicycle. After touring the canals, head to the An Kiet ancient house to have tea with the descendants of the former imperial residents. Board the Jayavarman for a relaxing evening cruise towards Chau Doc. Moor midstream overnight.
Day 3: Chau Doc - Border Crossing
“Taste of aqua cultural life” Welcome to the circus of fish. The early birds will be treated to Thai Chi lessons on the Sun Deck. Brace yourself for a boat excursion to the exciting floating villages and catfish farms witnessing masses of bassa fish being fed, hand in hand with a shore excursion to the village of the local Muslim Cham community.
Take a ride through this fascinating town of rich French colonial architecture and see its bustling market flooded with tropical fruits in full display by women in cone shaped palm leaf hats. Observe beautiful textiles being woven on old wooden looms; a tradition that has been passed from generation to generation.
By mid-afternoon, The Jayavarman casts off for the border towards Phnom Penh.
Day 4: Phnom Penh
“Pearl of the East” Off we go early in the morning to witness a truly indescribable scene while approaching Phnom Penh’s river promenade. After breakfast, embark on a city tour in this dynamic, historical capital of Cambodia which has retained its French colonial charm. Sightseeing in the morning will include the dazzling white and gold architecture of the Royal Palace, outstanding displays of Khmer crafts at the National Museum and the temple on a hill - Wat Phnom.
After lunch in a local restaurant, examine the painful, heart wrenching reminders of Cambodia’s ugly past under the Khmer Rouge regime with an excursion to the infamous “Killing Fields”; the former detention, torture and execution centers during the Cambodian civil war. Introduction and onsite lecture by a local history professor.
Thereafter, to ease the nerves a variety of cocktails will be at your disposal, followed by Cambodia’s traditional Apsara dance performance. Experience the brilliance and richness of the culture, the soothing sounds of traditional music, the calming scent of incense sticks and a delicious Khmer food buffet.
Day 5: Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham
"Monks and hilltops” Depart before the break of dawn from Phnom Penh with a stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village for a leisure walk. We cruise past the Mekong’s tranquil villages and mind blowing river life with scores of fishermen on duty. Visit Wat Nokor, a wat built within the ruins of an ancient temple that holds a timeless story. Then, travel to the Cheung Kok Ecotourism Village, a small village developed with support from Assistance Médiation Internationale (AMICA). Travelers can visit the village and take part in activities to experience village life. Profits from tourism go towards re-investment into long-term projects.
Day 6: Kampong Cham - Wat Hanchey
“Cambodia’s province and the wetlands” Wake up in the wee hours of the morning, truly energized to embark on a journey upriver to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers some of the best views in Cambodia. Dating from the 8th century, these ancient structures do justice to the architecture of the Chenla Empire which predated the glories of the mighty Angkor. Enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding well organized rice paddy plains, as well as a travelers blessing performed by the local monks.
Day 7: Kampong Cham - Kamping Chhnang - Tonle Sap
“Waterworld” Before the sun rises, The Jayavarman sets sail to Kampong Chhnang via Prek K’dam along the meandering Tonle Sap River, which narrows through leafy swaths of the South East Asian jungle. Take a walk through Kampong Louang, one of the last silversmith villages, to see the entire community involved in making various silver items to sell. Get back aboard The Jayavarman to eat lunch while cruising towards Kampong Chhnang. After lunch, take a motorboat excursion from Kampong Chhnang to see the wetlands, floating houses and fish farms in the region. Make a stop at a Heritage Line sponsored floating school to interact with the children and teach them some English! This is the day to truly experience rural Khmer life. In the evening, a mouth watering Farewell Dinner will be served on the Sun Deck.
Day 8: Tonle Sap - Siem Reap
“Angkor Awaits” This great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 km in length. The birdlife is profuse and from the middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. Witness stillness and tranquillity on the way to Siem Reap.
The water level varies a great deal according to the time of the year and the amount of rainfall recorded. Thus, changes may occur for the different seasons.
High Water Program (approx. between July and December): Cross the Tonle Sap Lake at dawn and 11:00 disembark at Siem Reap Port for onward coach transfer to the hotel by 12:00 pm.
Low Water Program (approx. between December and June): Cruise early morning to Prek K’dam where you will disembark Jayavarman after breakfast. Board a coach at 9:00am which will take you to see a pre-Angorian temple on your way to Siem Reap. A packed lunch and refreshments will be available along the way. Arrive in Siem Reap early afternoon.
Inclusions:
Entrance fees
Transportation
Tour guide services (English speaking)
Taxes, fuel, pilots, port dues
Full board
Welcome and farewell dinner, mineral water, coffee and tea during breakfast
Transfers in Siem Reap from or to the meeting point
Exclusions:
Phnom Penh port taxes per passenger of 65 USD levied by the Cambodian Port Authority Gratuities
Visa
Fuel surcharges if available
Note:
Peak season surcharge - 250 USD for the New Years Eve cruise and Christmas cruise per cabin.
Extra bed supplement - 70% off on regular cruise price (price per cabin). Extra beds are available in Deluxe rooms only.
Single occupancy - 25% off on regular cruise price
Departure Dates in 2012
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
7, 21
4, 18
3, 17, 31
14, 28
Maintenance
9, 23
7, 21
4, 18
1, 15, 29
13, 27
10, 24
8, 22
Day 1: Siem Reap - Tonle Sap Lake
"Waterworld" On arrival at Siem Reap airport, you are already expected by our driver who will bring you to the hotel. The first day is free for leisure. Gather your first impressions of Siem Reap and find a charming restaurant to have lunch. After 4:30 pm you can already use your temple pass and enjoy the magic atmosphere of these ancient places when the sun sets down. In the evening, choose one of our recommended restaurants to have dinner or stroll through the city and find one along your way.
High water program (approx. between July and middle of December): At 11:00 AM gather at the meeting point and transfer to The Jayavarman, where the crew is looking forward to embracing the guests. Welcome cocktail and lunch on the cruise liner. The Jayavarman sets sail towards the little known stilt village of Kampong Phluk. We will climb aboard small rowing boats and let the local children take us on a tour of this flooded forest. Welcome Dinner on the Sun Deck. Mooring and overnight on the lake.
Low water program (approx. between middle of December and June): At 8 am, we gather at the meeting point for the transfer by coach to Prek K’Dam on the Tonle Sap River. We will stop at Kampong Thom, one of the first settlements in the pre-Angkorian period.
Embarkation in Prek K’Dam and welcome cocktail early afternoon. The Jayavarman sets sail upstream towards Kampong Chhnang and the great Tonle Sap Lake. We wind our way through the jungle and as the river narrows, it makes you feel at peace with yourself and the community. In the afternoon our Cambodian guide will meet you for a briefing and the bike fitting to ensure we can start biking the following morning well prepared and all tranquil. Later that evening meet your fellow passengers on board for Welcome Dinner on the Sun Deck.
Day 2: Tonle Sap - Kampong Chhnang - Kampong Cham
"Cambodia's province and the wetlands" High water program Before the sun rises, The Jayavarman sets sail to cross the Tonle Sap Lake. As the ship is about to exit the lake, the marshlands exhibit spectacular scenery along the river banks of Kampong Chhnang province.
Low water program Kampong Chhnang is a busy rural port town with bustling markets and lots of children to greet us on our way around.
Our first trip on the bike will take us through beautiful rural areas of Kampong Chhnang including Clay Pot Port. This charming town is settled on the bank of the Tonle Sap River. Nearby sights include two floating villages and a hamlet famous for its distinctive pottery where we visit a well known artist. We continue biking through the picturesque scenery of the Cambodian countryside dotted with villages and green rice paddies. Before returning to The Jayavarman for lunch, we make a stop at a school where the kids expect us to teach them some English!
The afternoon cruise will follow the meandering Tonle Sap River, which narrows through leafy swaths of the South East Asian Jungle touching Phnom Penh. In the late afternoon we enter the upper Mekong River bound to Kampong Cham to stop for a walk through a rural village.
Cycling: Around 30km
Day 3: Kampong Cham - Wat Hanchey
"Monks and hilltops" Early in the morning we embark on a journey upriver to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers some of the best views in Cambodia. When leaving the ship, we take the bikes with us and visit Wat Hanchey. After getting blessed by monks, we set off for a stunning day to explore the rural Kampong Cham on two wheels. Our tour leads us on raised lanes with charming stilt villages left and right, surrounded by water in the monsoon season. Under the shade of a tree we will have a pause for packed lunch before arriving in Kampong Cham, Cambodia’s third largest city. From this busy place we continue our ride towards Wat Nokor, a colorful temple built within the ruins of an ancient sanctuary that holds a timeless story.
Then we travel to the Cheung Kok Ecotourism Village, a small village developed with support from Assistance Médiation Internationale (AMICA). Travelers can visit the village and take part in activities to experience village life. Profits from tourism go towards re-investment into long-term projects. Back on board The Jayavarman sets sail towards the capital Phnom Penh.
Cycling: Around 30km
Day 4: Phnom Penh
"Pearl of the East" Early in the morning we pass a truly indescribable scene while approaching Phnom Penh’s river promenade. After breakfast, we get on the bikes for a city tour in this dynamic, historical capital of Cambodia which has retained its French colonial charm. Sightseeing in the morning will include the dazzling white and gold architecture of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and outstanding displays of Khmer crafts at the National Museum. We also visit the temple Wat Phnom and do an excursion to the Genocide museum to learn more about the Cambodian civil war under the Khmer Rouge regime. Lunch in a local restaurant.
Thereafter, we return to The Jayavarman where a variety of cocktails will be at your disposal to ease the nerves, followed by Cambodia’s traditional and opulent Apsara dance performance. Experience the brilliance and richness of the culture, the soothing sounds of traditional music, the calming scent of incense sticks and a delicious Khmer food buffet.
Cycling: Around 20km
Day 5: Phnom Penh - border crossing
Wake up to the sun rising over the Mekong for Thai Chi on the Sun Deck. The Jayavarman then casts off for a day of cruising the main Mekong Channel. This is pretty much an international shipping route. Psyche yourself up for Pre-K Touch, a lively jungle village. After that, visit well laid out fruit orchards.
Late afternoon we set off to the Vietnamese border for the usual formalities, which in this part of the world takes a bit of time. During the afternoon cruise, take the time to relax on the Sun Deck, get a massage in the Spa, or take part in Heritage Line's Vietnamese cooking class. The ship moors midstream overnight.
Day 6: Chau Doc - Cai Be
"Taste of aqua cultural life" Welcome to the circus of fish. After breakfast we meet our Vietnamese biking guide aboard The Jayavarman and embark with the bikes on a boat excursion to the exciting floating villages and catfish farms witnessing masses of Bassa fish being fed. We continue our tour on the bikes and discover Chau Doc, a fascinating town of rich French colonial architecture before heading towards Sam Mountain which is surrounded by dozens of pagodas and temples such as Tay An Pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau temple and Lady Chua Xu Pagoda, dating from the 1820s. This is an inviting spot to have a lunch break and wander around. Then we continue biking to Sam Mountain. Those of us who want to take it easy will leave the bikes at the foot of the mountain and enjoy an airy motorbike ride uphill to gain a spectacular panoramic view of the Cambodian border and beyond. The more adventourous bikers can take the half hour challenge and cycle to the top. Back down from the mountain, we continue biking to the border town Tinh Bien. A stroll along the bustling frontier market will give us great insights of the trade between the Vietnamese and Cambodian. Before we cycle back to Chau Doc along Vinh Te canal, we will enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Back to the ship around 3 pm, we head towards Cai Be.
Cycling: Around 30km
Day 7: Cai Be
"Vietnamese inventiveness" Today’s tour starts with the visit of Cai Be’s colorful floating market on board a traditional sampan, the “Cai Be Princess”. Cruise among local sampans coming from all provinces of the delta full of fruits and vegetables. After the market tour, our bicycling adventure begins. In the morning we cycle through the lush, fertile country side, on a small rural road, enjoying the tranquil countryside. The ride will lead us to charming fruit orchards along the way where we will make a pause for some relaxation. Further on, we visit a small factory producing handicrafts made from coconut to end our morning tour.
Lunch will await us and the other cruise guests at Le Longanier, a superb Indochinese villa located in a lush tropical garden by the river, surrounded by fruit orchards. Our biking trip continues for another hour, heading towards the An Kiet ancient house to have tea with the descendants of the former imperial residents and listen to the family story. We will then board The Jayavarman for a relaxing evening cruise with a Farewell Dinner on the Sun Deck while heading towards Saigon.
Cycling: Around 12-15km
Day 8: Saigon
This great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 km in length. The birdlife is profuse and from the middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. Witness stillness and tranquillity on the way to Siem Reap. The water level varies a great deal according to the time of the year and the amount of rainfall recorded. Thus, changes may occur for the different seasons. High Water Program (approx. between July and December)
Cross the Tonle Sap Lake at dawn and 11:00 disembark at Siem Reap Port for onward coach transfer to the hotel by 12:00 pm. Low Water Program (approx. between December and June). Cruise early morning to Prek K’dam where you will disembark Jayavarman after breakfast. Board a coach at 9:00am which will take you to see a pre-Angorian temple on your way to Siem Reap. A packed lunch and refreshments will be available along the way. Arrive in Siem Reap early afternoon.
***** Please note you will leave RV The Jayavarman for good at the time you embark for the last visit.
Inclusions:
Entrance fees
Transportation
Tour guide services (English speaking)
Taxes, fuel, pilots, port dues
Full board
Welcome and farewell dinner, mineral water, coffee and tea during breakfast
Transfers in Siem Reap from or to the meeting point
Exclusions:
Phnom Penh port taxes per passenger of 65 USD levied by the Cambodian Port Authority Gratuities
Visa
Fuel surcharges if available
Note:
Peak season surcharge - 250 USD for the New Years Eve cruise and Christmas cruise per cabin.
Extra bed supplement - 70% off on regular cruise price (price per cabin). Extra beds are available in Deluxe rooms only.
Single occupancy - 25% off on regular cruise price
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