  
Day 1: Saigon – Can Tho “The Sea of Mangroves” (L, D)
Embarkation 11:00 AM ; Departure: 12:30 PM
Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City while comfortably settling in your cabin when meandering along the busy ports and waterways. Soon after, the change is abrupt and you’ll find your-self in the UNESCO listed Mangrove Biosphere Reserve of Can Gio which had been destroyed during the Vietnam War by toxic chemicals. Amazingly, the 75 hectares of forest was restored through re-a forestation in no time. Cocktail reception at the funnel bar & lounge.
Day 2: Can Tho – Chau Doc “Vietnamese inventiveness” (B, L, D)
See “Cai Rang”- Asia’s largest and most impressive floating market whilst shipping your favorite latte on the breakfast deck. Wooden poles at the front of each boat display wares for sale, such as jackfruit, sugar cane, morning glory stems or even freshly baked baguettes.Takea small boat to see the market up close and continue navigating the narrow canals. Watch as local workers fire their brick kilns, make coconut candy and rice paper by hand. Listen to the fruit orchard owner’s explanation while tasting the various fruits plugged from the trees. A lunch picnic in one of the fruit orchards will be presented by the Jayavarman crew. The Jayavarman sets sail for a cruise towards Chau Doc along the traffic of sand and rice barges in a scenery portraying smoking kilns of brick factories, fruit drying homes and rice paddy fields. A stop at the historical My Hoa Island with its unique rattan houses will mark the end of an eventful day of excursions.
Day 3: Chau Doc – border crossing – Phnompenh “Taste of aqua cultural life” (B, L, D)
Welcome to the circus of fish. The early birds will be treated to Thai Chi lessons. Brace yourself for a boat excursion to the exciting floating villages and catfish farms witnessing tons and tons of bassa fish being fed, hand in hand with a shore excursion to the village of the local Muslim Cham community. 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. Observe a skill passed on from one generation to another. That is, beautiful traditional textiles being woven on old wooden looms. By mid - afternoon, the Jayavarman casts off for the border towards Phnom Penh.
Day 4: Phnom penh “Pearl of the East” (B, L, D)
Off we go early in the morning to witness a truly indescribable scenery while approaching Phnom Penh’s river promenade. After breakfast, embark on a city tour in this dynamic, historical capital of Cambodia which has retained its French colonial charm. Sightseeing in the morning, will include the dazzling white and gold architecture of the Royal Palace, outstanding displays of Khmer crafts at the National Museum and the temple on a hill - Wat Phnom. After lunch in a local restaurant, examine the painful, heart wrenching reminders of Cambodia’s ugly past under the Khmer Rouge regime with an excursion to the infamous “Killing Fields”, the former detention, torture and execution centers during the Cambodian civil war. Introduction and onsite lecture by a local history professor. Thereafter, to ease the nerves: a variety of cocktails will be at your disposal, followed by Cambodia’s traditional Apsara dance performance. Experience the brilliance and richness of the culture, the soothing sounds of traditional music, the freshness of incense sticks and a delicious Khmer food eastern buffet.
Day 5: Phnom Penh – Kampong Cham “Monks and hilltops” (B, L, D)
Depart before the break of dawn from Phnom Penh with a stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village for a leisure walk. We cruise past the Mekong’s timeless villages and mind blowing river life with scores of fishermen on duty. Visit the pagoda of the mountain “Man”, Phnom Pros. Thereafter, the mountain “Woman”, Phnom Strey - truly, rural Cambodia at its best. After lunch, our cruise continues towards Peam Chi Kang Village visiting the mysterious monastery and school. Feel free to explore this peaceful and friendly community.
Day 6: Kampong Cham – Wat Hanchey “Cambodia’s province and the wetlands” (B, L, D)
Wake up in the wee hours of the morning, truly energized to embark on a journey upriver to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers some of the best views in Cambodia. Dating from the 8th century, these ancient structures do justice to the architecture of the Chenla Empire which predated the glories of the mighty Angkor. Enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding well organized rice paddy plains.
Day 7: Kampong Cham – Kampong Chnang – Tonle Sap “Water world” (B, L, D)
Before the sun rises, set sail to Kampong Chnang via Kampong Tralach along the meandering Tonle Sap River, which narrows through leafy swaths of the South East Asian Jungle. Visit various pagodas and humanitarian projects sponsored by Heritage Line. A motorboat excursion in Kampong Chnang, the wetlands and floating houses of the great Tonle Sap Lake. Experience the rich tapestry of rural Khmer life. In the evening, a mouth watering farewell dinner will be served at the sun deck.
Day 8: Tonle Sap – Siem Reap (B)
This great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 km in length. The birdlife is profuse and from the middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. Witness stillness and tranquility on the way to Siem Reap. Disembarkation and transfer to the hotel: 11:00 noon. The water level varies a great deal according to the time of the year and the amount of rainfall recorded. Thus, changes may occur for the different seasons.
Afternoon, Visit Preah Khan temple. Built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Continue your visits to Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool and representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake, and visit as well Ta Som and Srah Srang (“The Royal Baths”), undoubtedly used in the past for ritual bathing.
Day 9: Siemreap (B, D)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning, visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond.
Afternoon, Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and Bayon temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), until sunset.
Dinner at Apsara Theatre & Overnight in Siemreap.
Day 10: Siemreap (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning, visit Prasat Kravan with its unique brick sculptures and Ta Prohm. One of the area’s most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was abandoned and swallowed by the jungle, looking very much the ways most of the Angkor temples appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. Visit as well Takeo, Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon.
Afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight onward. |
