Pandaw Mekong River Cruise from Saigon to Siem Reap

Early this morning you will make your own way to the meeting point in central Ho Chi Minh City where you will check in, board, then embark on your Pandaw vessel, and relax on the spacious sundeck as we set sail past the towering skyscrapers of Vietnam’s bustling metropolis. You will enjoy lunch onboard, before meeting the crew and attend a safety briefing before enjoying some local entertainment on the deck as we sail toward the Mekong Delta. In the late afternoon we moor overnight on the Vam Co River.

Enjoy an early start this morning, as we 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. When we reach Ben Tre, we journey by sampans through mangroves and bamboo forests to the fruit orchards abundant in the area. This is a fertile farming region with half of Vietnam’s rice production coming from the Mekong Delta. It also hosts a rich artisanal culture which we will witness at a local village specialising in handicrafts. In the mid-afternoon return to Pandaw and we sail deeper into the delta toward Chau Doc, where we anchor for the evening.

In the morning, enjoy a shore excursion and a minivan drive to Sam Mountain, the location of Phuoc Dien Tu or the Hang Pagoda. After climbing the steps, we are greeted with stunning views across the mighty Mekong River, alternatively for those not keen on the stairs, you have the choice to explore the local market instead. Afterwards, we visit the nearby floating fish farms by Sampan before being treated to a private Lion dance performance at a local Village. Upon returning to the ship, we navigate a web of canals before dropping anchor on the Vietnam / Cambodia border to undergo Immigration formalities.

Pandaw has sailed early morning to arrive in Phnom Penh where you will enjoy an orientation tour of Phnom Penh by cyclo, visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda followed by the National Museum with its marvellous collection of Angkorian statuary. In the afternoon we visit the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum to learn more about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Overnight we dock in Phnom Penh city port so you can visit many of the cities evening attractions such as its lively bars, restaurants, and nightlife. The evening is at leisure to explore the city before returning to your hotel on the water.

Enjoy an early morning Tai Chi lesson on the sun deck, or simply enjoy a coffee on deck as you enjoy a sunrise cruise to from Phnom Penh to Peam Chi Korng, an untouched gem, and this is a hub of pottery in Cambodia. Savour another shore excursion and after a short tuk tuk ride from the banks of the Mekong River, we witness the local potters in action before continuing to explore the village and local fresh market where you can test your language skills.

Today we visit Koh Trong Island, a community-based tourism site since 2008. Explore the island’s fruit orchards by local transportation or bicycle and you have ample opportunity to sample the local delicacies before we head to a community reforestation project and plant trees to support the island. Tonight, the Pandaw will moor alongside the island.

Enjoy breakfast onboard before we head to Kampi by coach to spot the Irrawaddy dolphins abundant in the waters below Stung Trang. We board small fishing vessels now used to monitor the dolphin populations and provide dolphin spotting for tourists to raise awareness of their plight. Whilst numbers have increased in recent years, they remain endangered, and we learn more about the work of locals to support dolphin numbers and how Pandaw is supporting. This is a real highlight of the expedition! In the afternoon, we set sail downstream along the Mekong back toward Phnom Penh.

This morning we set sail early morning, sailing up the winding channels of the Tonle Sap River to Kampong Tralach. Enjoy a late morning shore excursion and travel by oxcart around the river-side villages, markets, and temples to get a sense of life in rural Cambodia. In the evening, enjoy cocktails served around a fire pit at a small fishing village where we will be joined by village folk keen to share tales and show us their traditional dancing.

Today we explore the backwaters of the vast Tonle Sap floodplains via sampans, with abundant fish farms around this important trading town. Returning to ship late morning, we enter the Tonle Sap Lake to moor overnight in open waters savouring the peace and tranquillity of this lake that in high water covers 6,200 miles and in low water shrinks to 1,000 square miles.

Continue the traverse of the great lake stopping to visit a floating village where houses, schools and restaurants are all accessed only by boat. Learn more about how these communities survive on the water and how their lives are changing with the development of Cambodia. In the afternoon we continue across the lake toward Siem Reap inland port. This is the perfect opportunity to spot the various bird life along the lake’s edges as well as crocodiles and snakes that are abundant in these shallow waters. Not to forget the giant Mekong catfish, the largest ever caught being 648 pounds in May 2004. There are 148 other species of fish in the lake which provide the main source of protein for the entire Cambodian population.

Disembark Siem Reap Port and transfer the short distance to Siem Reap city. The short 45-minute road journey means arrival to Siem Reap is at 10.00am -10:30am at the FCC Angkor Hotel, located next to the Royal Palace.