INTRODUCTION
Discover some of South East Asia's most spectacular destinations as the Jayavaman meanders the Mekong from Saigon to Siem Reap. Combining destinations rarely visited by tourists, this classic and captivating river journey into the glorious past, features cultural heritage, royal architecture, ancient traditions and insights into rural Vietnam and Cambodia.
ITINERARY
Day 1: UK - Ho Chi Minh City
Travel to London Heathrow by complimentary private car (within 65 miles) and depart on your scheduled flight to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh
A private driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel, The Grand for one night.
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho
"The Mekong Blues"
Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon as you travel 70 kilometres south by land to My Tho to embark on your boutique ship. You will be served a refreshing welcome drink as the Ship steadily glides along the Mekong. Enjoy the fading sunset on the balcony followed by a briefing at the lounge. Later, a welcome dinner awaits.
When approaching Cai Be, the ship drops anchor to moor midstream where the river is several kilometres wide. (B,D)
Day 4: Cai Be - Sa Dec - Chau Doc
"Vietnamese inventiveness"
The day - in fact everyday - starts with an invigorating tai-chi lesson on the sundeck, just as the sun begins its gentle glow. Coffee and tea awaits the early bird.
The day's tour starts with a visit to Cai Be's boisterous and colourful floating market on board a traditional sampan*. During the languid ride, discover breathtaking landscapes along the river and admire the rustic life on the Mekong Delta.
The cruise will halt intermittenly to allow you to observe how rice paste, rice cookies and coconut candies are made, along with the Longan fruit drying process.
In the afternoon the cruise continues to Sa Dec. Upon arrival, embark a traditional sampan to tour Binh Thanh Island and its man-made canals. Here, every villager is involved in the process of growing and processing water hyacinths into natural fibre floor mats and rattan baskets.
The tranquil evening cruise reaches Chau Doc. The Ship will moor midstream overnight.
*sampan - a flat bottomed traditional Vietnamese wooden boat
(B,L,D)
Day 5: Chau Doc - border crossing
"Circus of fish"
Welcome to the fish sanctuary of Vietnam. Begin your day with a hearty breakfast at the Indochine Dining Hall or in the quiet sanctuary of your balcony. Brace yourself for a short excursion in Chau Doc, a pleasant town near the Cambodian border with sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer communities. You will also visit the colourful local market near an ancient temple. This is followed by a trip to the quay, where you will be take a boat excursion to the floating villages and rustic catfish farms before returning to the Jayavarman for lunch.
By mid-afternoon, the cruise liner will make its way to the border for Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It is an opportune time to relax on-board, sharpen your culinary skills with the hands-on cooking classes.
(B,L,D)
Day 6: Phnom Penh
"Pearl of the East"
Phnom Penh was once the Paris of the East. Despite its rapid development, it has retained a lot of its rustic charm and elegance. After breakfast, be captivated by a comprehensive lecture on Cambodia's modern history. This will be followed by a city tour of this dynamic, historical capital city of Cambodia which has managed to preserve huge slices of its French colonial allure. Sightseeing in the morning will include visiting the dazzling white and gold edifice of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and witnessing exceptionally beautiful Khmer craft at the National Museum.
After lunch at a local restaurant, the excursion continues to the Genocide museum and the Killing Field in town - a stark reminder of the genocide that transpired during Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime.
Return to the ship after the museum visit. A variety of cocktails will be served followed by a traditional Apsara dance performance onboard. Experience the brilliance and richness of this culture, the soothing sounds of traditional music, the calming scent of incense sticks and a barbeque on the sundeck.
(B,L,D)
Day 7: Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham
"Along the Mekong"
The ship departs before the break of dawn with a stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village. Back on board, the ship cruises past the Mekong's tranquil villages, exhilirating river life and sun-hardened fishermen on their make shift boats.
You will tour the rural Angkor Ban village where time stood still. Be transported back a hundred years into an era unsullified by modernity. The houses here are truly rustic, made by hand and without any concrete. But most of all, you will feel overwhelmed by the unbridled warmth of the villagers.
Travellers can take part in the daily activities of the villagers to experience village life first hand. The ship then cruises towards Kampong Cham.
(B,L,D)
Day 8: Kampong Cham - Wat Hanchey
"Cambodia's quaint province and the wetlands"
This morning's excursion takes you on a land journey to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Travellers either take a motor-taxi or climb the 291 steps to the top. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers one of the most breath-taking views in Cambodia. Built in the 8th century, this ancient structure, together with a bigger and newer addition underscores the superb architecture of the Chenla Empire which predates the mighty Angkor temple complex. Return to the ship to witness a blessing ceremony performed by orange-clad local monks.
When the tide allows, you may enjoy a surprise sojourn to the nearby beach to swim in the tea-coloured Mekong river, an experience that will, no doubt, dominate dinner conversations in the weeks to come.
The cruise then continues to Kampong Cham to visit Wat Nokor, a wat built within the ruins of an ancient temple which holds a timeless story. On the way back to the ship, you will encounter a two kilometre rickety bamboo bridge.
(B,L,D)
Day 9: Kampong Cham - Kampong Chhnang
"Waterworld"
Before the sun peeks over the horizon, the cruiser sets sail towards Kampong Chhnang on the Tonle Sap River - an amazingly narrow river - which glides through leafy Southeast Asian jungle. You will be greeted by cacophonous children who waive enthusiastically early in the morning when they bring their livestock for a bath in the meandering Tonle Sap River.
Then the cruise approaches Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia's 'waterworld'.
Here you take a motorboat excursion to the landing, followed by a short bus trip to see the Khmer-styled pottery at the Aundaung Russey village. Then, it is back to the river for an adventurous motorboat excursion to the wetlands, floating houses and fish farms in the region.
The cruise then continues along the meandering Tonle Sap.
The water level rises and drops considerably throughout the year. Hence the journey begins in high or low water after lunch.
High Water Programme (approx. between August and middle of December)
Your floating sanctuary will then cruise gently, in the afternoon, along the narrow and meandering Tonle Sap. In the evening, a sumptious spread will be served. And for the big surprise - bring along your dance shoes and learn to jiggle the Cambodian way with our staff doubling up as dance instructors.
Low Water Programme (approx. between middle of December and August - September)
When you reach Kampong Tralach, you will disembark in a traditional ox cart before being introduced to the Heritage Line pro bono 'literacy project'.
www.cambodialiteracyproject.com
This is the day to truly experience rural Khmer life. In the evening, a sumptious spread will be served. And for the big surprise - bring along your dance shoes and learn to jiggle the Cambodian way with our staff doubling up as dance instructors.
(B,L,D)
Day 10: Tonle Sap - Siem Reap
"Angkor Awaits"
This great lake dominates Cambodia and is the largest freshwater lake in Asia with abundant birdlife. This lake is so wide that one can not see its shores from the middle of the lake.
Enjoy the stillness of the water and the quiet tranquility on the way to Siem Reap.
The water level varies a great deal according to the time of the year and the amount of rainfall recorded. Thus, minor changes to the itinerary may occur during different seasons.
The cruise comes to an end as it reaches the city of the fabled Angkor temple complex.
High Water Programme (approx. between August and middle of December)
You will cross the Tonle Sap Lake at dawn and at 9:00 am, disembark at the Siem Reap Port for onward coach transfer to the drop off point in town.
(B)
Low Water Programme (approx. between middle of December and August September)
You will cruise in the early morning to Prek K'dam where you will disembark the ship after breakfast. You will take a walk through the silversmith village of Koh Chen where the entire community of villagers are involved in making various silver items for sale before boarding a coach at 9:00 am for transfer to the drop off point. There will be a short stop at Skon, known as Spiderville for its fried spiders, a delicacy in this country, then you will arrive in Siem Reap in the early afternoon. You will then transfer to the Tara Angkor hotel and the rest of the day is at your leisure.
(B,L)
Day 11: Angkor Wat, Siem Reap - UK
Today's excursion includes visits to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire, Ta Prohm with its ancient ruins overgrown by jungle trees and vines, and the highlight - the magnificent Angkor Wat.
You will then be transferred to Siem Reap airport for your Bangkok Airways flight to Bangkok where you will connect with your Thai Airways flight back to Heathrow arriving the following morning. You will be met on arrival by a chauffeur who will transfer you back home (within 65 miles). (B)
ACCOMODATION
Ho Chi Minh
Grand Hotel
HHHH
Perfectly located downtown, Grand Hotel is an ideal choice if you want a prime location, classic colonial architecture and a generous helping of local flavour. Built in 1930 and completely restored in 1997, The Grand is nestled in Saigon's scenic riverside area and within walking distance to the main area of interest, handicraft shops and restaurants.
Rooms are well equipped with satellite television, minibar, IDD telephone, safe, air conditioning, hairdryer and internet access.
Grand Hotel’s restaurants offer an appealing range of cooking, from exotic oriental to international to suit the palates and tastes of the most discerning.
There is a Grand Health Club, a swimming pool, gymnasium, beauty salon, sauna, steam bath, Jacuzzi, and massage service.
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Mekong
Jayavarman
HHHHH+
A floating sanctuary of style and space inspired by the golden age cruise liner Normandie, "The Jayavarman"
is a 20th Century boutique style marvel marrying French colonial design with enchanting Indochine architecture."The Jayavarman" is Indochina's first of its kind boutique style river cruise liner and offers uncompromising luxury on 800 m² of public space including 4 decks. The guest accommodation consists of 27 expansive and carefully designed staterooms with floor to ceiling panoramic sliding glass doors onto a private balcony offering privacy and unmatched luxury.
Cabins on the Jayavarman:-
2 Signature Stateroom: 26m2 (Bao Dai Signature Stateroom + Jayavarman Stateroom)
11 Deluxe cabins: 24m2 (8 Double + 3 Twin)
14 Superior cabins: 21m2 (10 Double + 4 Twin)
Room facilities:-
Controlled air-conditioning - Mini Bar - Safe box - Internal telephone - Private bathroom with standing shower - Bathroom Amenities
Hair dryer - Bathrobe - Desk space
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Siem Reap
Tara Angkor
HHHH+
Warm Khmer hospitality and stylish rooms await you at the exceptional Tara Angkor hotel. With a large choice of hotels in Siem Reap, The Tara Angkor stands above the rest with its unique blend of modern architecture and traditional hospitality. Facilities include 206 magnificent rooms and suites, two restaurants, a lobby bar, and a swimming pool with jacuzzi, fitness and a sauna.
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