Day 1: PHNOM PENH / EMBARKATION
- - Our guide awaits you at 11:30 A.M at the Mekong Princess docking at Phnom Penh port. Once aboard, a safety briefing as soon as you embarked will take place in the Ramvong Lounge. After lunch, local cyclo drivers meet you for an exciting city tour of Phnom Penh. You begin your ride along the riverfront to the Royal Palace, where a leisurely walk takes you through the grounds and perfectly manicured gardens, with opportunities to visit the Throne Hall and Moonlight
Pavilion. Upon crossing into the second section of the complex, you walk amongst enormous stupas and spirit houses, on the way to the famous Silver Pagoda, home of Cambodia’s Emerald Buddha and Maitreya Buddha, encrusted with more than 9,000 diamonds. Following a short break, your cyclos take you to the National Museum. Housing the largest pre-Angkorian and Angkorian holdings in Cambodia, the National Museum ends the morning tour with a
comprehensive look at many of the artifacts excavated around the Angkor Archeological Area in Siem Reap, as well as other areas around the former Khmer Empire. - - After the excursion, guests will return to the Mekong Princess docking at Phnom Penh port. After completing exit procedures, the ship will continue the journey to Vietnam.
Day 2: BORDER CROSSING – HONG NGU – GIENG ISLAND - - This morning, after completing immigration procedures to Viet Nam, we visit the local island village of Hong Ngu, not far from the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Hong Ngu produces a large number of the traditional, Khmer scarves exported to Cambodia. Woven in many homes around the village, here we have the opportunity to see the weaving process under several homes. Some villagers are also embroidery artists, displaying their art in and around the homes. The inhabitants of this area had only encountered a few western visitors prior to the arrival of the Mekong Princess, they are especially friendly and welcoming. Guests will also visit the local temple dedicated to a unique religion founded in this area of Vietnam, Hoa Hao.
- - In the afternoon, we board sampans that will take us into Gieng Island. After a short walk around the local sampan village, where sampans are produced daily by local families, we take a canal drive to explore the mango gardens along the riverbanks. We will try one of most popular local transportation named “xe loi” (motor trishaw) driving through this island to visit a Phanxico Monastery.
- - The ship sails to Hoa An and anchors overnight.
Day 3: HOA AN VILLAGE – CAN THO - - This morning, your excursion by sampan will take to Hoa An village, which is untouched and well-known with flower growing and handmade craft. Our first stop at flower gardens where we will see many different kinds of flowers and learn how to grow and take care of them. Then, a short walking to a local house and chat with the host to see how they live and work in their daily life.
- - After a short break, continue our excursion on motor trishaw to another village. We stop by at the conical hat-making families, have memorable time chatting with local family members and learning how to create products. Enjoy your walk in the peaceful village with rice fields, fruit trees in between visiting few local families.
- - This afternoon, the ship sails through an area of the Mekong Delta barely touched by tourism to Can Tho city, known as Tay Do - the capital of the Mekong Delta. Guests will take a short and orientated city tour with visiting to the Zihuang Pagoda (Chua Ong) and enjoying the welcome unicorn dances. Explore on your own around the charming city before having dinner onboard.
- - The ship docks in Can Tho overnight.
- - We begin our morning after an early breakfast, aboard the sampans for a cruise through the fascinating Cai Rang floating market near Can Tho. The sampans will weave in and out of the many boats that sail into the market each morning to sell produce and other items the residents of the Mekong Delta need in their daily lives. As they weave through the market, there will be many opportunities for amazing photographs, while enjoying fresh fruit and the Vietnamese “antiaging drink,” fresh coconut water. Before returning to the ship, we stop at a local noodle factory, where we witness the amazing process of how they are made.
- - After completing the port formalities, we will leave Ninh Kieu Wharf, Can Tho city, downstream the Bassac river to sail through Tra On rivulet mouth, Nicolai canal, Mang Thit canal, Cho Lach rivulet mouth and Mekong river. The ship anchors and docks overnight in the heart of the Mekong Delta in Ben Tre province.
Day 5: BEN TRE – HO CHI MINH CITY - - This morning, sampans take you through a channel lined with mangroves. We will try one of most popular local transportation named “xe lam” (three-wheeler) to visit a local coconut candy maker.
After watching the candy-making process, walking through the village to visit an orchard where fruits native to Vietnam can be seen in various stages of maturity on the vine. After a fresh fruit tasting, you continue to a pier where you board small, local boats for a trip through the narrow creeks lined with Nipah palm before returning to the ship. - - We sail through the ‘Mighty Mekong River’ to Cho Gao canal, Vam Co river, Nuoc Man canal, Soai Rap river and Saigon river.
- - The ship docks overnight at Saigon Port.
Day 6: HO CHI MINH CITY – SAIGON PORT / DISEMBARKATION - - Enjoy a sumptuous Breakfast Buffet in the Indochine Restaurant. After breakfast and completing the port formalities, we disembark the Mekong Princess at 8:00 A.M in Saigon port and transferred by motor-coach to the Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel at around 8:30 A.M.
Day 1: CAN THO / EMBARKATION
- - Our guide awaits you at the Mekong Princess docking at Ninh Kieu Wharf. We will start to welcome from 10:00 A.M to 10:45 A.M and set sail from 11:00 A.M. Once aboard, a safety briefing as soon as you embarked will take place in the Ramvong Lounge.
- - The cruise will leave Can Tho, downstream the Bassac river to sail through Tra On rivulet mouth, Nicolai canal, Mang Thit canal, Cho Lach rivulet mouth.
- - The ship anchors and docks overnight in the heart of the Mekong Delta in Ben Tre province.
Day 2: BEN TRE – HO CHI MINH CITY - - This morning, sampans take you through a channel lined with mangroves. We will try one of most popular local transportation named “xe lam” (three-wheeler) to visit a local coconut candy maker. After watching the candy-making process, walking through the village to visit an orchard where fruits native to Vietnam can be seen in various stages of maturity on the vine. After a fresh fruit tasting, you continue to a pier where you board small, local boats for a trip through the narrow creeks lined with Nipah palm before returning to the ship.
- - We sail through the ‘Mighty Mekong River’ to Cho Gao canal, Vam Co river, Nuoc Man canal, Soai Rap river and Saigon river.
- - The ship docks overnight at Saigon Port.
Day 3: HO CHI MINH CITY – SAIGON PORT / DISEMBARKATION - - Enjoy a sumptuous Breakfast Buffet in the Indochine Restaurant. After breakfast and completing the port formalities, we disembark the Mekong Princess at 8:00 A.M in Saigon port and transferred by motor-coach to the Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel at around 8:30 A.M.