Riches of the Mekong River

Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City

Day One & Two | Siem Reap – Kampong Cham, Cambodia – Embarkation

From Siem Reap, travel via motorcoach to Kampong Cham where you will embark on your seven-night cruise on the AmaDara. Afternoon excursions take you to the Twin Mountains, known as Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei (male and female mountains). According to Khmer legend, the twin mountains were formed after a competition between men and women of an ancient Cambodian kingdom to determine which gender would propose marriage. It is said that the women lit a fire at night, making the men think the sun was rising. Consequently, the men stopped working and the women won. So, men still need permission from the woman’s parents, and Phnom Srei is higher than Phnom Pros. The evening will conclude with a Welcome Dinner with fellow guests.

Day Two | | Angkor Ban – Oknhatey

Visit Angkor Ban in the morning, one of the few Cambodian villages that was not destroyed by the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. In this region, people still live in wooden abodes and maintain their old cultural traditions. Amidst the hustle and bustle of local villagers’ daily agricultural activity, hundreds of wooden houses are preserved on stilts, shaded by banana trees. On the lush banks of the Mekong River, Oknhatey or “Silk Island” is the ship’s next stop. There is a rich tradition of silk weaving on this island. While here, you’ll observe the traditional silk weaving that has been preserved for centuries. The ship moors in the village of Oknhatey.

Previous Next

Day Three | Oudong – Kampong Tralach – Phnom Penh

Continuing your cruise, you will sail to the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. On this morning excursion, you will visit Oudong, the former royal capital of Cambodia between the early 17th century and 1866. Nowadays, Oudong is a pilgrimage site for Cambodians. Take part in a Buddhist Blessing Ceremony at one of the monasteries while here. Visit Oudong and experience a truly authentic excursion, an oxcart ride through Kampong Tralach, a local village. Afterwards, take a tuk tuk ride through Phnom Penh and enjoy the city’s French Colonial architecture and tree-lined boulevards set against Angkorian monuments. Saigon Lounge hosts Khmer folk dancing performed by local children after you return to the ship.

Previous Next

Day Five & Six | Phnom Penh – Border Crossing – Tan Chau – Sec Dec, Vietnam

As your ship crosses the Vietnamese border, take a cruise along the Mekong River. Discover Tan Chau, a small town on the Mekong River that’s unspoiled by tourism. By taking a traditional “xe-loi” (trishaw) around the town, with stops at silk-making and rattan mat workshops, you will be able to experience an authentic experience, followed by a boat ride across the Mekong River to “Evergreen Island.” Or, return to Tan Chau after visiting a rattan mat workshop, then take a boat ride to Evergreen Island. Cruise to Sa Dec later in the day.

Previous Next

Day Seven | Sa Dec – Xeo Quyt – Cai Be

Upon ashore in Sa Dec, visit the town where French author Marguerite Duras spent many years as a child. Visit a colorful local market and the 19th-century home of Duras’ Chinese paramour, Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, whose life inspired her prize-winning novel “The Lover.” Travel to Xeo Quyt, an important ecological site that was once a military installation during World War I. There will be opportunities to visit candy and rice paper making workshops and the historic Kiet Old House. The day ends with a festive farewell dinner aboard the ship in Cai Be.

Day Eight | Disembarkation – My Tho – Ho Chi Minh City

Take the AmaDara to My Tho Port for disembarking and transfer to Ho Chi Minh City. Indochina’s former capital is known as the “Paris of the Orient,” and it is today a hub of industrial, cultural, and educational activities. The Ben Thanh Market is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s oldest and most iconic structures, as are the former Presidential Palace, the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the War Remnants Museum.

Day Nine – Ten | Ho Chi Minh City

Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extensive underground network created during the Vietnam War. Enjoy your afternoon exploring more of Ho Chi Minh City at your leisure.

Previous Next Curate your Itinerary