AMAWATERWAYS
8 Days | Vietnam, Cambodia
and the Riches of the Mekong
Southbound

SIEM REAP TO HO CHI MINH CITY

Day 1 | Prek Kdam. Tonle Sap Lake. Embark. Kampong Chnnang. After a transfer by motorcoach, you will board your river cruise ship at Prek Kdam, a small village on the Tonle River. Meet your fellow travelers at a Welcome Dinner as the ship cruises to Kampong Chhnang. (L,D)

Day 2 | Kampong Chnnang. Koh Chen. After breakfast, a local boat will take you into the lakeside wetlands that form the mouth of the Tonle Sap River. Enjoy the stunning variety of bird life here,as well as tranquil floating villages. In the afternoon, take a leisurely walk to the Koh Chen village. You will also visit home workshops specializing in silversmithing and copper-smithing. (B,L,D)

Day 3 | Oudong. Kampong Tralach. Phnom Penh. This morning you will be transferred to Oudong, the former capital of Cambodia, and tour a monastery where you will receive a special Buddhist blessing. In Kampong Tralach, you will have a truly memorable excursion – an oxcart ride through the rice paddies surrounding a small village. Later, your ship will depart for Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, where an afternoon orientation tour will give you a wonderful introduction to the city. Return to the ship for dinner and an onboard Khmer folk performance presented by local children. The vessel moors overnight in Phnom Penh. (B,L,D)

Day 4 | Phnom Penh. This morning you will take an excursion to Cambodia’s infamous Killing Fields and also visit the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol Sleng S21 detention center (Genocide Museum) just outside the city. After lunch on board, your afternoon tour explores the highlights of the city, famous for its French colonial architecture, busy cafés and colorful nightlife. Visit the Royal Palace, the spectacular Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, which has an outstanding collection of Khmer crafts. An overnight on the waterfront provides an opportunity to dine on your own in one of many nearby restaurants, if you so choose. (B,L,D)

Day 5 | Phnom Penh. Border Crossing. Tan Chau, Vietnam. Spend a day cruising the Mekong River and crossing the border into Vietnam. Your vessel moors at the small town of Tan Chau, Vietnam. (B,L,D)

Day 6 | Tan Chau. Sa Dec. This morning, you’ll visit Tan Chau, a small Mekong River town unspoiled by tourism. You will have the opportunity to take one of two tours this morning. Your first option to is take a traditional “xe-loi” (trishaw) ride around the town, with stops at a silk-making workshop and another that produces rattan mats and slippers. Alternatively, you will take a boat ride through the narrow channels of the Mekong River to several scenic locations, including a small village known as “Evergreen Island.” Return to Tan Chau, where you will visit a workshop that makes rattan mats in the village. This afternoon, your ship cruises to Sa Dec, where it will moor overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 7 | Sa Dec. Xeo Quyt. Cai Be. In the morning, board a local boat for Sa Dec. Once ashore, you will tour the town where French writer Marguerite Duras spent many years in her youth. Visit a colorful local market, and the house of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, Duras' Chinese paramour. Afterwards, board a motor coach for Xeo Quyt, once used as a base during the French and U.S. wars and now an important ecological site. After lunch on board, a local boat will take you to Cai Be’s floating market. You will also have an opportunity to visit candy and rice paper workshops or, alternatively, see the historic Kiet house. This evening, enjoy a festive Farewell Dinner on board. (B,L,D)

Day 8 | Ho Chi Minh City. Disembark. Your cruise comes to an end as the ship docks at My Tho Port. Transfer to the airport for your homeward flight. (B)

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents.

SOUTHBOUND ITINERARY 8 DAYS | SIEM REAP TO HO CHI MINH CITY Click HERE to view 8-day NORTHBOUND itinerary.