The Original Mekong Cruise

Fly overnight from London Heathrow to Ho Chi Minh City, via Bangkok.

The phoenix of former Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is a confusion of old and new, soaring towers and riverside stilt-houses, thriving commerce and thrilling culture. A tour of the city introduces its landmarks, viewing the 19th-century, twin-towered, Notre Dame Cathedral, the unmistakeably French colonial Central Post Office, and the Reunification (aka Independence) Palace, the 1960s structure built on the site of the former French colonial seat of government. Discover Cholon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, visiting its hectic market, and the Ba Thien Hau Pagoda, dedicated to Mazu, the sea goddess. Embark on the RV Indochine for your eight-night cruise, and enjoy a welcome cocktail.
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Visit the labyrinth of tunnels running beneath the city’s Cu Chi district, dug by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam/American war, to house troops, transport, and supplies. The extensive network here is a just a small part of the thousands of miles of tunnels burrowed between Saigon and the Cambodian border.  Continue to the History Museum, charting the evolution of Vietnam with exhibits from the Bronze Age to the 19th century; and return to the cruiser to begin your journey, sailing on the narrow Chao Gao Canal.
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Cruise to My Tho, one of the dozen or so towns on the Mekong Delta, and get a taste of local livelihoods with visits to a bee farm, sampling honey tea and exotic fruit; a brick and pottery factory; and a traditional producer of all things ‘rice’, from puffed rice to rice paper and rice alcohol.
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In Sa Dec, visit the ‘Huynh Thuy Le ancient house’. Admired for its Sino-French architecture, the riverside residence of Huynh Thuy Le is famed as the setting for a similarly east-meets-west love affair, between him and French writer Marguerite Duras. Her novel, The Lover, is based on the house and the man. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the charming little town, before setting sail for Cambodia.
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Set on the Vietnam-Cambodia border, the colourful, characterful town of Chau Doc has made its wealth from the river, with stilt-houses over the water, floating fish-farms beneath the surface, and barges plying a course between tiny, green islets. Visit the Ba Chua Xu Temple, a busy religious site, to which devotees bring offerings of food and flowers; and the ‘national historical site’ of Tay An Pagoda, a solemn and sacred place, much visited by monks and pilgrims. Cruise to Phnom Penh.
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Visit the Royal Palace residence of Cambodia’s king. A sumptuous focal point of Phnom Penh, and a fine example of Cambodian architecture, its grounds encompass the shimmering marble ‘Silver Pagoda’ Buddhist temple. Continue to the National Museum, housing a huge collection of Khmer cultural relics, from ancient to post-Angkor periods. After lunch in the city, perhaps visit the sombre sites of Khmer Rouge atrocities, the Tuol Svay Prey School turned into a place of detention and torture. Time at leisure to explore the colourful market. On-board this evening, enjoy an Apsara dance theatre show.
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In the village of Koh Chen, see the work of local craftspeople, specialising in silver and copper. A visit to the Wat Kampong Leu Vihara involves a journey by ox cart, crossing the village of Kampong Tralach (‘winter melon port’), and following a dusty track between lush rice paddies. In an isolated spot amid the rice field, the Vihara is a modest pagoda, but blessed with authentic charm, and boasting beautiful frescoes.
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Visit Kampong Chhnang. An easy-tempo provincial capital, a busy port town, and a market hub for local products of rice and bananas, it has several strings to its bow, but the one Kampong Chhnang is famed for is all in the name, which translates as Port of Pottery. With high quality clay sourced from nearby Golden Mountain, the ancient art of handcrafting ceramics has been passed down through the centuries and is now a major source of revenue for the province. Continue upriver to sail on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in southeast Asia, and a UNESCO listed Biosphere Reserve, sprinkled with stilt-house ‘floating villages’. Enjoy a cocktail and Gala Dinner this evening.
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The cruise ends in contemporary Siem Reap, the gateway to ancient, amazing Angkor, the world’s largest religious complex. Its temples adorned with intricately carved stonework, or tangled in the tree roots of the jungle which has hidden it for so long, it was abandoned in the 15th century, yet is still steeped in haunting mythology. Disembark and transfer to 4-star Tara Angkor Hotel for three nights. Visit the Roluos group of temples with Preah Ko, Bakong and Lolei temple. Visit Satcha Handicraft Centre to discover Khmer traditional handicraft products. Apsara dance theatre and dinner.
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Visit the magnificent South Gate temples including Angkor Thom, Bayon, Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, Terrace of Elephants and jungle temple of Ta Phrohm.
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Visit Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre temples, then Angkor Wat, one of the world’s largest religious monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Transfer to Siem Reap airport for the return flight via Bangkok. Arriving later the same day at Heathrow.
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