The Lost Civilisation

Day 1 : Saigon > My Tho > Cai Be

Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon and travel 70km south by land to My Tho to board your ship and begin your cruise to Cai Be. After checking into your luxurious floating “home” for the coming days, your first inclination may be to step on your balcony to watch the ship set sail on its fascinating Mekong River voyage.

Day 2 : Cai Be > Sa Dec > Tan Chau

Wake up to Cai Be, a charming market town which is famous for its Catholic French church and the manufacturing of traditional crafts and food. The once enormous floating market of Cai Be gets smaller year by year since trading on the water is shifting towards modern markets. However, you can still see boat-to-boat trading of local goods, such as fruits and agricultural products. Learn about the age-old trading culture and how each boat has a special marker to let buyers know what goods they are selling.

By local boat, we sail along the green canal network and watch the farmers working in the fields. Go ashore to witness the making of rice paste, rice paper, rice cookies and rice wine. Cai Be’s surrounding areas are covered by palm trees, which is why the region is also famous for the production of coconut candy. While the vessel continues sailing upstream, you can enjoy time to yourself or head to the bar to and enjoy a true Vietnamese coffee as you watch the life on the riverbanks float by.

In the afternoon, the vessel reaches the area of Sa Dec and arrives at one of the larger islands in the vast stream of the Mekong, Binh Thanh Island. Several communities here make their living by growing water hyacinths. Visit a village where one of the local artisans demonstrates traditional mat making.

Back on board this evening, an expert guide offers a presentation on life on the Mekong Delta as the ship continues sailing to Tan Chau, a pleasant, slow-paced border town near the Cambodian border with a sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer community.

Day 3 : Tan Chau > Phnom Penh

Visit the bustling local market, then journey to the quay for a boat excursion to floating villages, rustic catfish farms and the local Cham Muslim community village. This afternoon sail towards the Vietnamese-Cambodian border. Get ready for a fascinating and leisurely cruise through the deep Cambodian countryside towards Phnom Penh.

Day 4 : Phnom Penh

Despite Phnom Penh’s rapid development, it has retained a lot of its rustic charm and elegance. It is an amazing town with centuries of incredible history and culture which can still be felt at many street corners. Your tour includes its Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum. Also visit the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields. Both historic sites display the sad and cruel chapter of the country’s history when the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia with terror and oppression. Alternatively, you may explore the city on your own in the morning before re-joining the group.

Day 5 : Phnom Penh > Kampong Chhnang

Sailing towards Kampong Tralach on the Tonle River you can watch from the terrace as the river at certain points is very narrow. The boat glides through leafy swaths of this jungle-like landscape. We reach Kampong Tralach, where laughing children wave enthusiastically at our arrival and traditional ox carts are still a common means of transportation. Our ox-powered vehicle takes us on a journey along the riverside and through back roads lined with rice-paddy fields until we arrive at a tiny village. Beginning a few short years ago, local underprivileged children have had the opportunity to receive an education at the “Green School”, a local project supported by Heritage Line. The students, who are dressed in green shirts, are always happy to meet us every week as the principal gives an introduction to the students and the school.

We then sail to the “water world” of Kampong Chhnang, where everything is balanced on sticks in water-rich soil. We take a local boat to the shore and hop on a mini bus to reach a nearby, unique rural village to explore the village’s specialties – Khmer style pottery and the process of making of palm sugar.

Back on board, relax until dinner is served and take in the beautiful countryside and its gentle evening sounds.

Day 6 : Tonle River > Koh Oknha Tey > Kampong Cham

Sailing towards the Mekong we arrive at the island of Koh Oknha Tey, which owes its fame to its high-class silk products. Go ashore to witness the curious process of making silk, starting from a tiny silkworm larva to cocoon, then dyeing, spinning and weaving the fibres into high-quality Cambodian silk.

Sail on along the Mekong River to Kampong Cham.

Day 7 : Kampong Cham

Today visit the enchanting pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey (7th century). Formerly built to honor the Hindu god, Hirahara, the complex is now a Buddhist temple, with breath-taking views over the Mekong. Observe the young, novice monks go about their daily lives: eating simple meals, praying, studying, or hanging out and making conversation while in their saffron-coloured robes.

After lunch, we stop at the tranquil monastery of Wat Nokor, then we cruise further up the Mekong to visit a local school and learn more about the education of the young Cambodian generation.

Day 8 : Kampong Cham > Siem Reap

Disembark after breakfast and transfer to Siem Reap.