Mekong Princess

Deals

AM: Later in the morning, our guide will come to pick you up at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City to transfer to the Mekong Princess docking at Saigon Port - 05 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Ward 13, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City for embarkation. Please give us your hotel name with address and be ready at your hotel around 10:00 A.M – 11:00 A.M to wait for our shuttle service.

Once aboard, a safety briefing as soon as you embarked will take place in the Ramvong Lounge. You will be welcomed by your Vietnamese and Cambodian ship’s crew, before embarking on the most extraordinary journey of discovery. 

PM: Lunch, with highly attentive oriental hospitality, will be served soon after departure, as we cruise along the Saigon River. Having settled into your luxurious suites, you can relax and enjoy the new scenes and watch the world pass by.

We sail at midday through Saigon river, Soai Rap river, Nuoc Man canal, Vam Co river and Cho Gao canal to the ‘Mighty Mekong River’.

Late in the day, we anchor in the heart of the Mekong Delta, time to enjoy crafted cocktails by our skilled bartenders and watch the sun sets, and sampans passing by. A traditional Vietnamese “A La Carte” dinner will be served in the Indochine onboard Restaurant, embracing a subtle fusion of dishes for the most delicate palates.

AM: This morning, sampans take you through a channel lined with mangroves to visit a local coconut candy maker. After watching the candy-making process, walking through the village to visit an orchard where fruits native to Vietnam can be seen in various stages of maturity on the vine. After a fresh fruit tasting, you continue to a pier where you board small, local boats (two guests per boat) for a trip through the narrow creeks lined with Nipah palm before returning to the ship.

PM: This afternoon, the ship sails through an area of the Mekong Delta barely touched by tourism to Can Tho city, the capital riverside city of Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Guests will take a short and orientated city tour with visiting to the Zihuang Pagoda (Chua Ong) and enjoying the welcome unicorn dances. Explore yourself on own around the charming city before having dinner onboard. The ship docks in Can Tho overnight.

*Onboard activity: Lecture of Vietnam, Vietnam’s People, Culture & colonial History.

AM: Early this morning, continental breakfast will be served. Bus ride to the pier in Can Tho to board the sampan for a cruise through the fascinating Cai Rang floating market. The sampan will weave in and out of the many boats that sail into the market each morning to sell produce and other items the residents of the Mekong Delta need in their daily lives. As they weave through the market, there will be many opportunities for amazing photographs, while enjoying fresh fruit and the Vietnamese “anti-aging drink,” fresh coconut water. We will make a stop as well at a local dry noodle making house, where we witness the amazing process of how they are made. On the way back to the ship, we will stop at Ninh Kieu Wharf to visit the Zihuang Pagoda (Chua Ong) and enjoying the unicorn traditional dance performed by local teenagers; after that, we will take a short ride the famous “Binh Thuy Ancient House” better known as the “Lover’s House” from French novelist Marguerite Duras, then return to the Mekong Princess for a well-deserved Breakfast.

PM: After lunch, continue excursion by sampan to Hoa An village, where is untouched and well-known with flower growing and handmade craft. Our first stop at flower gardens where we will see many different kinds of flowers and learn how to grow and take care of them. Then, a short walking to a local house and chat with the host to see how they live and work in their daily life. 

After a short break, continue our excursion on motor trishaw to another village. We stop by at the conical hat-making families, have memorable time chatting with local family members and learning how to create products. Enjoy your walk in the peaceful village with rice fields, fruit trees in between visiting few local families. 

The Princess sails and anchors near Gieng Island.

*Onboard activity: Lecture of Vietnam, the Past & Present by your local Vietnamese host.

AM: After breakfast, we board sampans that will take us into Gieng Island. After a short walk around the local sampan village, where sampans are produced daily by local families, we take a canal drive to explore the mango gardens along the riverbanks. We will try one of most popular local transportation named “xe loi” (motor trishaw) driving through this island to visit a Phanxico Monastery.

PM: This afternoon, we visit the local island village of Hong Ngu, not far from the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Hong Ngu produces a large number of the traditional, Khmer scarves exported to Cambodia. Woven in many homes around the village, here we have the opportunity to see the weaving process under several homes. Some villagers are also embroidery artists, displaying their art in and around the homes. The inhabitants of this area had only encountered a few western visitors prior to the arrival of the Mekong Princess, they are especially friendly and welcoming. Guests will also visit the local temple dedicated to a unique religion founded in this area of Vietnam, Hoa Hao.

The ship sails and anchors in Tan Chau overnight.

*Onboard activity: Cooking Class Demonstration by our Executive Chef.

AM: Our Princess will dock at Phnom Penh port. After completing immigration procedures to Cambodia, local cyclo drivers meet you for an exciting city tour of Phnom Penh. You begin your ride along the riverfront to the Royal Palace, where a leisurely walk takes you through the grounds and perfectly manicured gardens, with opportunities to visit the Throne Hall and Moonlight Pavilion. Upon crossing into the second section of the complex, you walk amongst enormous stupas and spirit houses, on the way to the famous Silver Pagoda, home of Cambodia’s Emerald Buddha and Maitreya Buddha, encrusted with more than 9,000 diamonds. Following a short break, your cyclos take you to the National Museum. Housing the largest pre-Angkorian and Angkorian holdings in Cambodia, the National Museum ends the morning tour with a comprehensive look at many of the artifacts excavated around the Angkor Archeological Area in Siem Reap, as well as other areas around the former Khmer Empire.

PM: The ship docks in Phnom Penh overnight.

*Onboard activity: Fruit Carvings & Tropical Fruits Demonstration; Lecture of Cambodia’s Geography and Life along the Mekong River by your host.

AM: This morning, private motor-coach take you on a scenic 45-minute drive from the ship, arriving at Choeung Ek, the killing fields depicted in the movie, and the center of the darkest days of Cambodian history. You may walk through the fields, visit the small museum and Memorial Stupa, and learn more about the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime. On the return drive to Phnom Penh, a stop is made at Tuol Sleng (infamously known as S-21), which was converted by the Khmer Rouge from a large school to a prison and torture headquarters.

PM: This afternoon is free at leisure for your own exploration the charming city of Phnom Penh.

This evening before dinner, enjoying the entertainment onboard with a cultural performance including Apsara, Cambodia’s national dance, as well as several traditional folk dances.

The ship docks in Phnom Penh overnight.

AM: The Princess leaves Phnom Penh and sails to Angkor Ban. We start the afternoon tour with a visit to the charming and authentic town of Angkor Ban. Here, we witness the daily life of the local people, starting with a visit to the pagoda with a special blessing ceremony for our guests by local monks, then we keep going on visiting to a local family’s home, to meet them and discuss their lifestyle. We continue through the village to the local school where we join the children in their classroom and experience what their typical school day is like.

PM: Ship sails to Kampong Cham and docks overnight.

AM: Enjoy a sumptuous Breakfast Buffet in the Indochine Restaurant. After breakfast, we disembark the Mekong Princess in Kampong Cham and transferred by motor-coach to your hotel in Siem Reap at noon.

AM: Early this morning, our guide will come to pick you up at your hotel in Siem Reap. Please give us your hotel name with address and be ready at your hotel at 7:00 A.M to wait for our shuttle service.

You will be transferred by motor-coach from Siem Reap to Kampong Cham and embark the RV Mekong Princess for lunch. Once aboard, a safety briefing as soon as you embarked will take place in the Ramvong Lounge.

PM: After enjoying a cruising afternoon at leisure, enjoy a Cambodian Welcome Dinner on board.

The ship sails to Angkor Ban and docks overnight.

*Onboard activity: Lecture of Cambodia’s Geography and Life along the Mekong River by your host.

AM: We start the day with a visit to the charming and authentic town of Angkor Ban. Here, we witness the daily life of the local people, starting with a visit to the pagoda with a special blessing ceremony for our guests by local monks, then we keep going on visiting to a local family’s home, to meet them and discuss their lifestyle. We continue through the village to the local school where we join the children in their classroom and experience what their typical school day is like. Ship sails to Phnom Penh and docks at the center port.

PM: This afternoon, local cyclo drivers meet you for an exciting city tour of Phnom Penh. You begin your ride along the riverfront to the Royal Palace, where a leisurely walk takes you through the grounds, with opportunities to visit the Throne Hall and Moonlight Pavilion. Upon crossing into the second section of the complex, you walk amongst enormous stupas and spirit houses, on the way to the famous Silver Pagoda, home of Cambodia’s Emerald Buddha and Maitreya Buddha, encrusted with more than 9,000 diamonds. Following a short break, your cyclos take you to the National Museum. Housing the largest pre-Angkorian and Angkorian holdings in Cambodia, the National Museum ends the morning tour with a comprehensive look at many of the artifacts excavated around the Angkor Archeological Area in Siem Reap, as well as other areas around the former Khmer Empire.

The ship docks in Phnom Penh overnight.

AM: This morning, private motor-coach take you on a scenic 45-minute drive from the ship, arriving at Choeung Ek, the killing fields depicted in the movie, and the center of the darkest days of Cambodian history. You may walk through the fields, visit the small museum and Memorial Stupa, and learn more about the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime. On the return drive to Phnom Penh, a stop is made at Tuol Sleng (infamously known as S-21), which was converted by the Khmer Rouge from a large school to a prison and torture headquarters.

PM: The afternoon is free at leisure for your own exploration the charming city of Phnom Penh.

This evening before dinner, enjoying the entertainment onboard with a cultural performance including Apsara, Cambodia’s national dance, as well as several traditional folk dances.

Early Sunday morning, the Mekong Princess will make her way towards to Border of Cambodia- Vietnam and complete formalities.

AM: This morning we visit the local island village of Hong Ngu, not far from the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Hong Ngu produces a large number of the traditional, Khmer scarves exported to Cambodia. Woven in many homes around the village, here we have the opportunity to see the weaving process under several homes. Some villagers are also embroidery artists, displaying their art in and around the homes. The inhabitants of this area had only encountered one western visitor prior to the arrival of the RV Mekong Princess, they are especially friendly and welcoming. Guests will also visit the local temple dedicated to a unique religion founded in this area of Vietnam, Hoa Hoa.

PM: In the afternoon, we board sampans that will take us into Gieng Island. After a short walk around the local sampan village, we take a canal drive to explore the untouched floating area with duck farms, monkey bridges, and tropical orchards along the riverside. We will try one of most popular local transportation named “xe loi” (motor trishaw) driving through this island to visit a Catholic Church, built around the same time as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon in the 1870s.

The ship sails to Hoa An and anchors overnight.

AM: This morning, continue excursion by boat to Hoa An village, where is untouched and well-known with flower growing and handmade craft. Our first stop at flower gardens where we will see many different kinds of flowers and learn how to grow and take care of them. Then, a short walking to a local house and chat with the host to see how they live and work in their daily life.

After a short break, continue our excursion on motor cart to another village. We stop by at the conical hat-making, have memorable time chatting with local family members and learning how to create products though hands-on experience. Enjoy your walk in the peaceful village with rice fields, fruit trees in between visiting few local families.

PM: This afternoon, the ship sails through an area of the Mekong Delta barely touched by tourism to Can Tho city, the capital riverside city of Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Guests will take a short and orientated city tour with visiting to the Zihuang Pagoda (Chua Ong) and enjoying the welcome unicorn dances. Explore yourself on own around the charming city before having dinner onboard.

*Onboard activity: Lecture of Vietnam, the Past & Present by your local Vietnamese host.

AM: Early this morning, continental breakfast will be served. The sampans will weave in and out of the many boats that sail into the market each morning to sell produce and other items the residents of the Mekong Delta need in their daily lives. As they weave through the market, there will be many opportunities for amazing photographs, while enjoying fresh fruit and the Vietnamese “anti-aging drink,” fresh coconut water. We will make a stop as well at a local dry noodle making house, where we witness the amazing process of how they are made. We will then return to the Mekong Princess for a well-deserved Breakfast.

PM: After completing the port formalities, we will leave Can Tho, downstream the Bassac river to sail through Mekong River. The ship anchors and docks overnight in the heart of the Mekong Delta in Ben Tre province

*Onboard activity: Fruit Carvings & Tropical Fruits Demonstration by our Executive Chef.

AM: This morning, sampans take you through a channel lined with mangroves to visit a local coconut candy maker. After watching the candy-making process, walking through the village to visit an orchard where fruits native to Vietnam can be seen in various stages of maturity on the vine. After a fresh fruit tasting, you continue to a pier where you board small, local boats (two guests per boat) for a trip through the narrow creeks lined with Nipah palm before returning to the ship.

PM: We sail through the ‘Mighty Mekong River’ to Cho Gao canal, Vam Co river, Nuoc Man canal, Soai Rap river and Saigon river.

The ship docks overnight at Saigon Port. 

*Onboard activity: Cooking Class Demonstration by our Executive Chef.

AM: Enjoy a sumptuous Breakfast Buffet in the Indochine Restaurant. After breakfast and completing the port formalities, we disembark the Mekong Princess at 8:00 A.M in Saigon port and transferred by motor-coach to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.