Departure
Date:
-
November
2009: 8
-
December
2009: 2, 16, 30
-
January
2010: 13, 27
-
February:
10, 24
-
March 2010: 10, 21
-
July: 4, 14, 28
-
August: 11, 25
-
September: 8, 22
-
October: 6, 20
-
November: 3, 17
-
December: 1, 15, 29
Day 1: Phnom Penh – border crossing
Board The Jayavarman at 8:00. The Jayavarman then
casts off for a day of cruising the main Mekong
Channel. This is pretty much an international
shipping route. Psyche yourself up for Pre-K Touch,
a lively jungle village. After that, visit well laid
out fruit orchards.
Late afternoon we set off to the Vietnamese border
for the usual formalities, which in this part of the
world takes a bit of time. During the afternoon
cruise, take the time to relax on the Sun Deck, get
a massage in the Spa, or take part in Heritage
Line’s Vietnamese cooking class. In the evening
enjoy a welcome cocktail in the Funnel Bar and
Lounge.
The ship moors midstream overnight.
Day 2: Chau Doc – Cai Be
Welcome to the circus of fish. Brace yourself for a
boat excursion to the exciting floating villages and
catfish farms witnessing masses of Bassa fish being
fed, hand in hand with a shore excursion to the
village of the local Muslim Cham community. Stroll
through a silk waving village and observe beautiful
textiles being woven on old wooden looms; a
tradition that has been passed from generation to
generation.
Take a ride through this fascinating town of rich
French colonial architecture and see its bustling
market flooded with tropical fruits in full display
by women in cone shaped palm leaf hats.
By late-afternoon, The Jayavarman casts off, heading
towards Cai Be. Wheel house biking class will be
held in the early evening.
Day 3: Cai Be
Today’s tour starts with the visit of Cai Be’s
colorful floating market on board a traditional
sampan, the “Cai Be Princess”. Cruise among
local sampans coming from all provinces of the delta
full of fruits and vegetables. During a 40 minute
cruise, discover beautiful landscapes along the
river and observe the typical Mekong Delta rural
life. Further stops will allow you to see
traditional brick and tile factories and how locals
use palm leaves for houses. Cruise 20 minutes
further to Phu An hamlet passing by Cai Be’s
beautiful gothic cathedral. Visit some interesting
home factories to see how rice paste, rice cookies
and coco candies, are made, along with the longan
fruit drying process.
Lunch will await you at Le Longanier, a superb
Indochinese villa located in a lush tropical garden
by the river, surrounded by fruit orchards. After
lunch, hop on a bike or take a stroll along the
winding canals of this peaceful village to
experience it first hand. After touring the canals,
head to the An Kiet ancient house to have tea with
the descendants of the former imperial residents and
listen to the family story. Board the Jayavarman for
a relaxing evening cruise with a Farewell Dinner on
the Sun Deck while heading towards Saigon.
Day 4: Saigon
Your cruise with The Jayavarman comes to a close as
the ship winds its way to Saigon through the UNESCO
listed Mangrove Biosphere Reserve. During the
Vietnam War, it had been destroyed, but amazingly
the 75 hectares have come back to life through
reforestation efforts. Disembark at 10:00am and
continue your journey in the buzzing city of Saigon.
