DAY 1: SIEM REAP / KAMPONG CHAM
Passengers will transfer by coach from the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa to Kampong Cham. A packed lunch will be provided on the coach and we will stop at Kampong Thom along the way.
DAY 2: KAMPONG CHAM AREA
Passengers will visit the hilltop temple of Wat Hanchey in the morning. In the afternoon, travel by bus to visit the Twin Holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey (Man and Woman Hill). Continuation to the ecotourism village of Choeungkok supported by the Frech-Cambodian NGO Amica.
DAY 3: TONLE RIVER / KAMPONG CHHNANG
Excursion up the Tonle River to Kampong Chhnang by either coach or the ship depending on water levels. Beyond Kampong Chhnang travel by the Pandaw Explorer to discover the vast wetlands around the mouth of the river. Here many fishtraps may be seen.
DAY 4: PHNOM PENH
Passengers will visit Phnom Penh and will be provided with their own private cyclo*. The Cyclo Centre Phnom Penh which provides the cyclos is a charity that provides basic welfare and medical services to cyclo drivers (www.cyclo.org.uk). In the afternoon, optional excursion (by coach) to the Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol Sleng or S21 detention centre. This tour is included in the cost of your cruise but must be requested at the time of booking in the comments box.
DAY 5: CRUISING THE MEKONG / BORDER CROSSING
We spend the day cruising in the main Mekong channel, an international shipping route for the Vietnamese border for the usual formalities.
DAY 6: CHAU DOC
Visit a Cham tribal village, a cat fish farm, and enjoy a trishaw ride round Chau Doc.
DAY 7: SA DEC / CAI BE
In the morning passengers will take an exciting Sampan boat excursion to Sa Dec via Vinh Long along canals and backwaters. Passengers will visit Sa Dec and see the local market and the ancient house of Mr, Huyn Thuy Le, the ‘lover’ of Marguerite Duras, a famous French novelist. At Cai Be, we will cruise through its colourful floating market which takes place daily in front of the Catholic Church.
DAY 8: MY THO / SAIGON
Early morning sail from Cai Be for My Tho, where passengers disembark in the early morning for a coach transfer to Renaissance Riverside Hotel. Arrive at the hotel late morning.
River Conditions Warning!
The rivers you will sail on are subject to seasonal rises and falls of water level, in some places as much as 30 meters. Water levels can change dramatically overnight and a sudden rise can impede our progress upstream considerably and even prevent us from passing under certain bridges. A sudden fall can result in our being unable to get into certain places or go as far upstream as we would hope. Groundings on sandbars are not infrequent and are part of the excitement of any Pandaw expedition. Published itineraries are indication only and subject to sudden change. In such events alternative itineraries will be provided and we do our best to ensure that if a stop is missed we make up for it with another stop. Passengers are thus forewarned and expected to be flexible and patient. River cruising in Asia can be a dramatic and adventurous experience – not like cruising the controlled waterways of Europe or America. Note also that we operate in areas with little or no developed infrastructure and subject to the strictures of local officialdom. Be prepared for this and it is all more the fun!
