Deal

Embark your Pandaw vessel in central Saigon and relax on the spacious sundeck as you set sail past the towering skyscrapers of Vietnam’s bustling metropolis. After lunch you will meet the crew and enjoy onboard entertainment as you sail toward the Mekong Delta

Early morning you’ll set sail through the Cho Gao Canal, a vital waterway link for the transportation of goods to and from the city which was constructed in 1876 by the French and offers a fascinating insight to life along the water. You’ll reach Ben Tre in the morning and journey by sampans through mangroves and bamboo forests to the fruit orchards abundant in the area. This is a region rich in birdlife which you’ll explore via local transport before transferring to a local rowboat. Next, journey slowly through the bamboo covered canals before arriving at a village specialising in making local products. Back on board you’ll sail deeper into the delta toward Chau Doc.

In the morning, enjoy a short drive to Sam Mountain, location of Phuoc Dien Tu or the Hang Pagoda. You’ll climb the 400 steps to the top to visit the pagoda, then you’ll sail alongside the picturesque border town of Chau Doc where you’ll visit the floating fish farms by sampan. Make a stop at a Cham Village and observe the lives of Vietnamese Muslims and witness a Lion dance. Upon return to the ship, you’ll navigate a web of canals before dropping anchor on the Vietnam/Cambodia border to undergo Immigration formalities.

This morning you’ll enjoy an orientation of Phnom Penh by Cyclo visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda followed by the National Museum with its marvelous collection of Angkorian statuary. In the afternoon you’ll visit the Killing Fields and Genocide museum to learn more about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Stay overnight in Phnom Penh city port with its lively bars, restaurants and night life.

Today you’ll leave the dock at Phnom Penh early morning and sail up the winding channels of the Tonle Sap river to Kampong Tralach. Travel by ox-cart around the river-side villages, markets and temples to get a sense of life along the river. In the evening you’ll enjoy cocktails around a village fire pit joined by village folk keen to show you their traditional dancing.

In the morning, travel by coach to the ancient capital of Cambodia, Oudong. On the way you’ll stop to visit the Vipassana Dhura Meditation Centre before taking a drive around the old capital. You’ll re-join your ship at Prek Kdam before returning to the Mekong. After lunch you’ll sail to Koh Nghe Tei (Silk Island) to study the entire silk-making process from worms to weavers. You’ll have the chance to purchase from them their lovely silk scarves and other fabrics. This village is a centre of the ancient martial art of L’bokator which roughly translates as ‘pounding a lion’. It includes weapons techniques and is one of the oldest combat techniques in Cambodia and believed to date back to the Angkor empire.

Today you’ll delight in a sunrise cruise to Angkor Ban village to see how local villagers live and visit the library which was donated by Pandaw to Angkor Ban secondary school.