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Aqua Mekong, Low Water Season (Down River) ex Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh

Cruise Aqua Mekong, Low Water Season (Down River) ex Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh
Cruise Line Aqua Expeditions
Ship Aqua Mekong
Destination Asian Rivers
Brief Description 7 Night Cruise sailing from Phnom Penh to My Tho aboard Aqua Mekong.
Type of Cruise River
Departure Date 29 Mar 2024
Cruise Description 7 Night Cruise sailing from Phnom Penh to My Tho aboard Aqua Mekong.

Low Water From December to August

Day 1 Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
Welcome aboard. We’ll leave you to settle into your floating retreat, with its window wall conferring an endlessly captivating panorama. Enjoy these private Mekong moments on your California king bed, terrace or daybed. Together we celebrate the onward journey towards the heart of this mighty river with a Khmer apsara performance, an indigenous tradition memorialized on the temple walls at Angkor Wat.

Day 2 Tonle Sap River – Koh Chen (Cambodia) – Kampong Prasat (Cambodia)
In the silversmith village of Koh Chen, witness artisans produce magnificent royal Khmer silverware. Keep an eye out for their famous silver bowls, regularly chosen by Cambodia’s king as gifts for visiting dignitaries. Continuing onwards to Udong, the royal capital from the 17th to 19th century, learn about the life of Buddhist monks and interact with them at the Vipassana Dhura Mandala meditation center. In the afternoon, a walking tour of Kampong Prasat offers an intimate look at local ways of life and their riverside habitat.

Day 3 Tonle Sap River – Kampong Chhnang (Cambodia) – Kampong Tralach (Cambodia)
In the cooler hours, we head into the lush countryside to visit traditional potters and palm-sugar producers, astride mountain bikes or chauffeured by shaded tuk-tuk. Into the rice paddies we pedal to watch wizened masters scale sky-piercing palms towering over us. Cruise across the glassy water and disembark among the lotuses for an ox-cart ride along the Tonle Sap riverbanks, past lacquered wooden houses where during these dry months residents take refuge in the relative cool of these outdoor impromptu living rooms.

Day 4 Mekong River – Koh Oknha Tey (Cambodia) – Preah Prosop (Cambodia)
On this river of time we admire dexterous Khmer artisans dyeing and weaving kroma, the ubiquitous item no Khmer lives without. Explore the riverbank on two wheels if you wish, past Buddhist temples and thatch houses perched on spindly wooden stilts while white oxen wade just offshore. After lunch, we board our marine-grade aluminum skiffs and head towards the tamarind trees of Preah Prosop, a remote village little changed over several lifetimes.

Day 5 Mekong River – Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
We show off the Cambodian capital to our passengers by motorized tuk-tuk, the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum of Cambodia, home to the world’s largest collection of Khmer art. For those who wish, we visit the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide and the Killing Field or shopping at Russian Market. We bid farewell to 4-night guests who are disembarking in Phnom Penh.

Welcome our 3-night passengers over custom sundowners like the Salted Watermelon Crush with Thai basil. Together we celebrate the onward journey towards the heart of this mighty river with a Khmer Apsara performance, an indigenous tradition memorialized on the temple walls at Angkor Wat.

Day 6 Mekong River – Ka’om Samnor-Vinh Xuong Border Crossing – Chau Doc (Vietnam) – My An Hung (Vietnam)
Say ‘Good Morning, Vietnam’ while we cross the border and sail towards Tan Chau, a vibrant border town where we take the local rickshaw called xe loi for a trip around town or pedal 18 kilometers on the peaceful island of Long Khanh. In the afternoon, we visit a typical Mekong Delta village called My An Hung where we will walk through verdant plantations. We will be invited to a local's home to taste local fruits while hearing traditional folk songs performed by villagers, followed by a unique Unicorn dance. A 17-kilometer biking option is also available for those who wish to explore the countryside on wheels.

Day 7 Mekong River – Binh Thanh/Sa Dec (Vietnam) – Cai Be (Vietnam)
Begin the day at Binh Thanh mat weaving village or opt to visit Sa Dec where we will peruse the vibrant market and see the famous house of Marguerite Duras' legendary lover, Mr. Huynh Thuy Le. We continue downstream for Cai Be, zigzagging in our sampan past lone fishermen on their long tail boats. Later, our skiffs moor at a wooden pier. Here in Cai Be, walk or bike ride among high-roofed open courtyard houses, some dating back more than 100 years, and currently inhabited by gracious locals who will invite us to glimpse their property.

Day 8 Mekong River – My Tho (Vietnam) – Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
After a hearty breakfast, we bid farewell to Aqua Mekong. En route to Ho Chi Minh, we stop at Vinh Trang Pagoda, one of the largest Mahayana Buddhist temples in the region. You will notice the mixed architectural style and see three large buddha statues plus an impressive collection of bonsai trees.
Sailing Dates
26 Jun 2020
10 Jul 2020
24 Jul 2020
07 Aug 2020
25 Dec 2020
08 Jan 2021
09 Jul 2021
06 Aug 2021
10 Dec 2021
02 Sep 2022
07 Jan 2022
21 Jan 2022
18 Feb 2022
18 Mar 2022
13 May 2022
10 Jun 2022
08 Jul 2022
05 Aug 2022
09 Dec 2022
17 Feb 2023
17 Mar 2023
31 Mar 2023
14 Apr 2023
04 Aug 2023
01 Sep 2023
02 Feb 2024
01 Mar 2024
29 Mar 2024
16 Aug 2024
22 Nov 2024
06 Dec 2024
20 Dec 2024
Pricing
Please enquire for pricing
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Arrive Depart
29 Mar 2024 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Embark
30 Mar 2024 Koh Chen, Cambodia
31 Mar 2024 Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia
31 Mar 2024 Kampong Tralach, Cambodia
1 Apr 2024 Koh Okhna Tey (Silk Island), Cambodia
2 Apr 2024 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
3 Apr 2024 Chau Doc, Vietnam
4 Apr 2024 Sa Dec, Vietnam
4 Apr 2024 Cai Bei, Cambodia
5 Apr 2024 My Tho, South Vietnam Disembark Transfer to Ho Chi Minh
5 Apr 2024 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

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