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Day 1: Siem Reap
– Tonle Sap Lake -
“Waterworld”
Tonle Sap Lake
is the heart of Cambodia. It is filled with more fish than any
other lake, and surrounded by vast numbers of rare birds. 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. We will start our journey in
either high water or low water.
High water program (approx. between July and middle of
December)
At 11:00 AM gather at the meeting point and transfer to The
Jayavarman, where the crew is looking forward to embracing our
guests. Welcome cocktail and lunch on the cruise liner. The
Jayavarman sets sail towards the little known stilt village of
Kampong Phluk. Climb aboard small rowing boats and let the local
children take you on a tour of this flooded forest.
Welcome dinner on the Sun Deck. Mooring and overnight on the
lake.
Low
water program (approx. between middle of December and June)
At 8 AM, gather at the meeting point and transfer by coach
to Prek K’Dam on the Tonle Sap River. Enjoy snacks and cold
drinks on the way with a brief stop at Kampong Thom, one of the
first settlements in the pre-Angkorian period.Embarkation in
Prek K’Dam and welcome cocktail early afternoon. The Jayavarman
sets sail upstream towards Kampong Chhnang and the great Tonle
Sap Lake. We wind our way through the jungle and as the river
narrows, it makes you feel at peace with yourself and the
community. Later that evening meet your fellow passengers on
board for Welcome Dinner on the Sun Deck.
Day2: Tonle Sap–
Kampong Chhnang – Kampong Cham “Cambodia’s province &the
wetlands”
High water program
Before the sun rises, The Jayavarman sets sail to cross the
Tonle Sap Lake. As the ship is about to exit the lake, the
marshlands exhibit spectacular scenery along the river banks of
Kampong Chhnang province. We take a truly wonderful motorboat
excursion from Kampong Chhnang to see the wetlands, floating
houses and fish farms in the region. Join in on a humanitarian
project lead by World Bank Illiteracy projects when we make a
stop at a Heritage Line sponsored floating school to interact
with the children and teach them some English!
The afternoon cruise will
follow the meandering Tonle Sap River, which narrows through
leafy swaths of the South East Asian Jungle touching Phnom Penh.
In the late afternoon we enter the upper Mekong River bound to
Kampong Cham to stop for a walk through a rural village.
Low
water program
Kampong Chhnang is a busy rural port town with bustling
markets and lots of children to greet us on our way around. We
will take a wonderful motor boat excursion into the wetlands
that form the mouth of the river. Here a stunning variety of
birdlife may be seen and of considerable interest are the great
fish traps, some half a kilometer long, which net a huge tonnage
of fish after each monsoon as the fish migrate from the falling
lake into the Tonle Sap River. Make a stop at a
Heritage Line sponsored floating school to interact with the children
and teach them some English!
The afternoon cruise will follow the meandering Tonle Sap River,
which narrows through leafy swaths of the South East Asian
Jungle.
Day 3: Kampong
Cham – Wat Hanchey “Monks and hilltops”
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, as well as a travelers blessing
performed by the local monks. After lunch and a short cruise
downstream we drop anchor at the shores of Kampong Cham. Visit
Wat Nokor, a wat built within the ruins of an ancient temple
that holds a timeless story. Then, travel to the Cheung Kok
Ecotourism Village, a small village developed with support from
Assistance Médiation Internationale (AMICA). Travelers can visit
the village and take part in activities to experience village
life. Profits from tourism go towards re-investment into
long-term projects. Back on board The Jayavarman sets sail
towards the capital Phnom Penh.
Day 4: Phnom
Penh “Pearl of the East”
Get up early in the morning to witness a truly indescribable
scene 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 and the Silver
Pagoda, 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” and the grim Tuol
Sleng or S21 the former detention, torture and execution center
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 and opulent Apsara dance performance.
Experience the brilliance and richness of the culture, the
soothing sounds of traditional music, the calming scent of
incense sticks and a delicious Khmer food buffet.
Day 5: Phnom
Penh – border crossing
Wake up to the sun rising over the Mekong for Thai Chi on
the Sun Deck. The Jayavarman then casts off for a day of
cruising the main Mekong Channel. This is pretty much an
international shipping route. Psyche yourself up for Pre-K
Touch, a lively jungle village. After that, visit well laid out
fruit orchards. Late afternoon we set off to the Vietnamese
border for the usual formalities, which in this part of the
world takes a bit of time. During the afternoon cruise, take the
time to relax on the Sun Deck, get a massage in the Spa, or take
part in Heritage Line’s Vietnamese cooking class. The ship moors
midstream overnight.
Day 6: Chau
Doc – Cai Be “Taste of aqua cultural life”
Welcome to the circus of fish. Brace yourself for a boat
excursion to the exciting floating villages and catfish farms
witnessing masses of Bassa fish being fed, hand in hand with a
shore excursion to the village of the local Muslim Cham
community. Stroll through a silk waving village and observe
beautiful textiles being woven on old wooden looms; a tradition
that has been passed from generation to generation. 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.
By late-afternoon, The Jayavarman casts off, heading towards Cai
Be.
Day 7: Cai Be “Vietnamese
inventiveness”
Today’s
tour starts with the visit of Cai Be’s colorful floating market
on board a traditional sampan, the “Cai Be Princess”. Cruise
among local sampans coming from all provinces of the delta full
of fruits and vegetables. During a 40 minute cruise, discover
beautiful landscapes along the river and observe the typical
Mekong Delta rural life. Further stops will allow you to see
traditional brick and tile factories and how locals use palm
leaves for houses. Cruise 20 minutes further to Phu An hamlet
passing by Cai Be’s beautiful gothic cathedral. Visit some
interesting home factories to see how rice paste, rice cookies
and coco candies, are made, along with the longan fruit drying
process.Lunch will await you at Le Longanier, a superb
Indochinese villa located in a lush tropical garden by the
river, surrounded by fruit orchards. After lunch, hop on a bike
or take a stroll along the winding canals of this peaceful
village to experience it first hand. After touring the canals,
head to the An Kiet ancient house to have tea with the
descendants of the former imperial residents and listen to the
family story. Board the Jayavarman for a relaxing evening cruise
with a Farewell Dinner on the Sun Deck while heading towards
Saigon.
Day
8: Saigon “The Sea of Mangroves”
Your cruise with The
Jayavarman comes to a close as the ship winds its way to Saigon
through the UNESCO listed Mangrove Biosphere Reserve. During
the Vietnam War, it had been destroyed, but amazingly the 75
hectares have come back to life through reforestation efforts.
Disembark at 10:00am and continue your journey in the buzzing
city of Saigon. |
