RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days

*BRIEF ITINERARY:
Day 1 –  Siem Reap
Day 2 –  Wat Hanchey
Day 3 –  Chong Koh, Angkor Ban (Cambodia)
Day 4 –  Kampong Chhnang (Cambodia)
Day 5 – Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
Day 6 –  Chau Doc (Vietnam)
Day 7 – Sa Dec – Cu Lao Gien (Vietnam)
Day 8 – Cai Be Floating Market – My Tho – Ho Chi Minh City

Day 1 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Siem Reap cruising trip

In the morning, you will be transferred from your hotel to your river cruise vessel for your cruise down the Mekong through Cambodia and Vietnam. Enjoy time on board the ship as you cruise through Tonle Sap (Great Lake). After the rainy season, this massive body of water can cover around 10,000 square miles and is the perfect breeding ground for fish, which play a vital role in providing food for people living on the lake. This evening, enjoy a welcome reception.

Day 2 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Wat Hanchey cruising trip

Highlighted Excursions: Wat Hanchey Temple Complex, Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey Monastery, and Nokor Bachey Temple.

You arrive at Wat Hanchey, a beautifully situated temple complex with incredible views overlooking the Mekong River. Take your time enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and marvel at the quality of the 7th-century artifacts and then enjoy a traditional water-blessing by the local monks.

You visit the twin holy hilltops of Phnom Prosand Phnom Srey (Man Hill and Woman Hill), both of which are topped by multiple temples and frolicking monkeys. You’ll then descend to the baseof the hills to view the massive gilded statues of Buddha. Afterward, you can travel to Nokor Bachey Temple, built during the same period as the temples constructed at Angkor Wat, it boasts awealth of intricate wall carvings and several ancient Buddha statues and Royal Cambodian Theme Dinner.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Overnight: River Orchid Cruise

Day 3 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Chong Koh, Angkor Ban (Cambodia) cruising tour

Highlighted Excursions: Chong Koh walking tour and Angkor Ban walking tour

Chong Koh is a small village famous along the Mekong for its silk and cotton weaving; as you walk along the village’s main road, you’ll see looms under nearly every home and women offering beautifully crafted scarves and tablecloths.

You’ll pop into a villager’s home to learn about how fruits and vegetables are used by the locals to treat illness. Afterward, you visit the village school to observe and interact with school children. Don’t be surprised if your arrival is greeted by squeals of delight—the children love visitors, and love to practice their English.

Later, you sail to the very rural village of Angkor Ban. You can enjoy a walking tour of this charming horse-and-cart hamlet, visiting traditional Khmer homes and talking with monks at the local Buddhist monastery.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Overnight: River Orchid Cruise

Day 4 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Kampong Chhnang (Cambodia) cruising tour

Featured Excursions: Tonlé Sap river cruise and Kampong Chhnang walking tour

Here, you cruise the Tonlé Sap River to the city of Kampong Chhnang and stop for a walking tour of Kampong Chhnang, a bustling riverfront community supported by the local fish trade. You return the River Saigon for a sunset cruise as you cruise the Tonlé River returning to the Mekong River

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Overnight: River Orchid Cruise

Day 5 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Phnom Penh (Cambodia) cruising tour

Featured Excursions: Choeung Ek Memorial Stupa and grounds, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and Phnom Penh city tour

The orchards and fields surrounding Choeung Ek belie what took place here during the violent reign of the Khmer Rouge. It is impossible to remain unmoved when visiting this area known as the “Killing Fields.” Afterward, you’ll visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as “S-21,” a former high school transformed by the Khmer Rouge into a torture and interrogation center. The fear, sadness, and disbelief conveyed in many prisoners’ mug shots will touch you, while the brave defiance displayed by others will remind you of the indomitable power of the human spirit.

Following your powerful morning excursion, you take an afternoon cycle tour of Phnom Penh’s wide boulevards and French-infused architecture. After a visit to the impressive Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, you’ll tour the National Museum, which features a grand collection of artifacts from the Angkor Wat Temple Complex.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Overnight: River Orchid Cruise

Day 6 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Chau Doc (Vietnam) cruising tour

Highlighted Excursions: Chau Doc Harbor cruise, fish farm, and
Holy Temples at the base of Sam Mountain

In the Mekong Delta, residents live, work, and even shop on the water. Today, you’ll be immersed in local life touring lively Chau Doc harbor, which teems with traditional Vietnamese floating markets and homes. You have a chance to see housewives paddling their sampans from boat to boat, bartering and socializing with the harbor’s many vendors. Then you’ll visit a floating fish farm to learn about this important local industry and where you’ll feed the thousands of tilapia and other fish being raised. Later, you’ll board a shuttle to visit the base of Sam Mountain, one of the holiest sites in southern Vietnam,
where millions (estimated 8 to 10 million) of Vietnamese visit as part of an annual pilgrimage.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Overnight: River Orchid Cruise

Day 7 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Sa Dec cruising tour to Cu Lao Gien (Vietnam)

Highlighted Excursions: Sa Dec Canal Cruise, brick and rice processing
factories, Huyn Thuy Le house, and Cu Lao Gien Cathedral

Today’s sampan cruise through Sa Dec’s narrow canals is the perfect opportunity to observe locals going about their daily routines. You’ll visit a local factory where bricks and tiles are made with clay from the Mekong River. Here, you’ll also learn how rice husks from the rice processing facility next door are used to fuel the brick factory’s kilns that fill the Sa Dec landscape—just one example of the Vietnamese people’s remarkable ingenuity. Return to your luxurious sampan and sail past bustling markets into the center of town for a tour of the former home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le made famous by its connection to best-selling French novelist, Marguerite Duras. After lunch onboard, we’ll sail to the island of Cu Lao Gien to tour one of the oldest Cathedrals in Southern Vietnam.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Overnight: River Orchid Cruise

Day 8 – RV River Orchid Cruise Tour from Siem Reap to Saigon – 8 Days: Cai Be Floating Market cruising tour to My Tho and then towards Ho Chi Minh City

Highlighted Excursions: Cai Be sampan cruise, An Kiet House, Caibe Floating Market

We will visit early morning floating market – Caibe: The most busy or crowed market in the Mekong Delta River then our cruise on the magnificent cruiser comes to an end as the ship winds its way to My Tho, approximately 70km south of Saigon on the upper Mekong river in Vietnam. We bid farewell to the cruise as our journey comes to a close. But the memories – and the friendships made on board – linger on for a lot longer.

We disembark at around 9:30 am and we join the transfer to madding crowd of Saigon. Drop off will be at the meeting point in Saigon. We will continue to tailor made your extension tour to Cu Chi Tunnels, Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang and Hoian…

• Note: Although it is our intention to operate the itinerary as detailed proposal, we will do our utmost to stick to the set itinerary, however we cannot be held responsible for any last minute changes that might occur. It may be necessary to make some changes as a result of climatic conditions, alterations to cruise schedules or other operational factors.

 End of services!

Transfers to and from The River Saigon Cruise at start and end of voyage
Accommodation in luxury AC en-suite cabin with twin/double basic on the River Orchid Cruise
English speaking guides
All meals, coffee and tea, mineral water
Admission fees for all sightseeing places.[/include] [exclude]

All visa cost
Personal expenses
Drinks at bar, laundry
Tips and gratuities
Port tax[/exclude]