Saigon - Siem Reap or Vice Versa - 7 Days with Lecochinchine Cruise

UPSTREAM CRUISE: SAIGON - SIEM REAP

DAY 01: SAI GON – CAI BE – MY THUAN – SA DEC (L, D)
08h15 A.M: Pick up from your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (District 1 or 3) and depart to Mekong Delta.
10h30 – 11h00 A.M: Arrival at Mekong Delta. We take a morning local boat trip to Dong Hoa Hiep Island and go ashore to visit the French Gothic Cathedral and colorful port area, with its colonial buildings, delightful flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice paper manufacturers. We explore evergreen islands and visit the former Imperial residence the traditional House, where surviving members of the Kiet family will welcome us with tea, and we can wander in the fruit orchards around the house. Embark on our cruise and enjoy welcome drink on boat. Lunch is served on boat. The Cochinchine boat sets sails toward Sa Dec and moor midstream for the night. Diner and overnight on board.

DAY 02: SA DEC – LONG XUYEN (B, L, D)
Rising up early for another nice day we contemplate sunrise while having breakfast on board.
Visit the Sa Dec local market, following the tracks of French novelist Marguerite Duras.
Walk/Cycle amongst the ever blossoming Sa Dec flower village and local industries. Explore bricks and tiles kilns and the manufacture of earthenware pots on a bank of river.
Back to boat and enjoy welcome back drink while lunch is served.
The Le Cochinchine set sails through the canals of Lap Vo with a magnificent landscape that come along the river banks: rural walks, farming, nursering farm, fishing, and boating, smiling school children all in full swing. Visit sugar craft factory if time allows us.
Enjoy traditional herbal foot massage on boat.
Diner and while Le Cochinchine cruises towards Long Xuyen. Overnight on board.

DAY 03: LONG XUYEN – CHO MOI – HOA HAO (B, L, D)
Breakfast on board over the sunrise.
Explore the long Xuyen market one of the most bustling floating markets in Mekong Delta with hundreds of small boats barging and jostling for space as owners attempt to sell their goods.
Visit Ong Ho Island to enjoy the scenery and walk/cycle around villages on the island where farmers, children, and villagers pass tendering their daily load. See local farmers trading their produce on the water as they have done for centuries. You will have a unique opportunity to discover a side of Delta life that few travelers experience.
Enjoy lunch on boat while our cruise carries on our journey through Cho Moi, Hoa Hao and Chau Doc.
Our boat cruises through the floating fish-farm village producing tons and tons of fish beneath hundreds of floating houses, enjoy landscape of the village, and discover local people life.
Enjoy the aperitif on the sun desk and taking in view of the river. Diner and overnight on boat.

DAY 04: CHAU DOC – PHNOM PENH (B, L, D)
This morning, we have a boat ride from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh departing at 7h30 A.M. The boat takes us along the Mekong River. It continues on to the Vietnamese (Vinh Xuong) - Cambodian (Kaom Samnar) border and then to Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia. The journey takes approximately 4 hours.
Arrival at our hotel in Phnom Penh, the capital of Kingdom of Cambodia. A visit to Phnom Penh is a very interesting experience indeed. It is a city with an interesting pulse and it gives you a very true taste of Asia. We will visit the Wats Phnom, National museum, silver Pagoda and Royal Palace. Overnight at hotel in Phnom Penh.

DAY 05: PHNOM PENH – SIEM REAP (B, L, D)
This morning there will be a transfer to Phnom Penh airport to Siem Reap. Arrival Siem Reap, transfer to the hotel.
We will visit the Floating Village on Tonle Sap Lake and take boat trip to see the daily life on the village. The natural wonder of Tonle Sap offers an insight into the old tradition of riparian life and the natural splendor of the countryside.
Afternoon, continue visit to WatThmey or Killing Field, contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. After that, visit to Wat Memorial Monument. Later this afternoon, early evening, you will be taken by TukTuk, a small open-sided taxi common in Cambodia, to cruise around the suburb of Siem Reap town.
Dinner and overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

DAY 06: ANGKOR WAT TEMPLE (B, L, D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Visit Angkor Thom, the South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, built from the late 12th century to the early 13th century by King Jayavarman VII and consists of 54 towers, the Royal Enclosure, the Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King, then visit Ta Prohm, surrounded by jungle.
Visit Angkor Wat, the largest temples in world and covers an area of 200 hectares and surrounded by moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. Tonight we will enjoy diner with traditional Khmer folk performance of Apsara at the local restaurant.
Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

DAY 07: SIEM REAP - DEPARTURE (B)
Breakfast at hotel.
At leisure to visit the market or "Les Artisans d'Angkor - Chantiers Ecoles" of Siem Reap (if time permits). Transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for your departure flight.
End of all services here!

DOWNSTREAM CRUISE: SIEM REAP – SAIGON

DAY 01: ANGKOR WAT TEMPLE (D)
Meet up tour guide at your hotel and start Angkor Tour. We will the Floating Village on Tonle Sap Lake and take boat trip to see the daily life on the village. The natural wonder of Tonle Sap offers an insight into the old tradition of riparian life and the natural splendor of the countryside.
Afternoon: Visit the Roluos Group. The monuments of Rolous, which served as the capital of Indravarman I (reigned 877-89. PreahKo erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century dedicated by the King to his ancestors in 880. Bakong the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group temples, with his active Buddhist monastery just to the north of the east entrance. Lolei built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir (now rice fields) by Yasovarman I, the founder to the first city at Angkor. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

DAY 02: ANGKOR WAT (B, L, D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Breakfast at hotel. Visit Angkor Thom, the South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, built from the late 12th century to the early 13th century by King Jayavarman VII and consists of 54 towers, the Royal Enclosure, the Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King, then visit Ta Prohm, surrounded by jungle.
Visit Angkor Wat, the largest temples in world and covers an area of 200 hectares and surrounded by moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. Tonight we will enjoy diner with traditional Khmer folk performance of Apsara at the local restaurant.
Overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

DAY 03: SIEM REAP – PHNOM PENH (B, L, D)
Breakfast at the hotel. We then visit BanteaySrei temple (10th c), regarded as the jewel in the crown of Classical Khmer Art.
Continue to visit to Artisan D’Angkor, a handicraft center the Handicraft for the wood and stone carving processes. Continue visit to WatThmey or Killing Field, contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. After that, visit to Wat Memorial Monument.
In the afternoon, transfer to airport for the flight to Phnompenh. Transfer to the hotel check in. At leisure to walk in the city and and explore the local market. Overnight at the hotel in Phnom Penh.

DAY 04: PHNOM PENH – CHAU DOC (B, L, D)
Breakfast at hotel followed by the city tour.
A visit to Phnom Penh is a very interesting experience indeed. It is a city with an interesting pulse and it gives you a very true taste of Asia. We will visit the Wats Phnom, National museum, silver Pagoda and Royal Palace. Afternoon we will take the boat to Chau Doc, the boat ride leaves at 13pm and arrives Chau Doc at 5h30 P.M. Enjoy the cocktail drink on sundeck. Dinner and overnight on boat.

DAY 05: CHAU DOC – CHO MOI – LONG XUYEN (B, L, D)
Enjoy the breakfast on boat and contemplate the wonderful scenery of morning in the Mekong River. We take the sampan through the floating fish-farm village producing tons and tons of fish beneath hundreds of floating houses, discover the ethnic Cham village with famous Mubarak Mosque and observe local women at their traditional weaving.
Continue our way to Long Xuyen for the lovely sunset cruise. Promenade/Cycle along the Ong Ho Island, see daily life of the local people who live on both sides of the Mekong and small arroyos on the island.
Ample opportunity to take in beautiful view of local life, housing, villages, garden, fish farm and hosting smile children.
Enjoy foot massage and sipping cocktails over the sunset.
Dinner and overnight on board.

DAY 06: LONG XUYEN – SA DEC – MY THUAN (B, L, D)
Explore the Long Xuyen market one of the most bustling floating markets in Mekong Delta with hundreds of small boats barging and jostling for space as owners attempt to sell their goods. Board our boat and leisurely cruise down the Mekong River.
Visit the Sa Dec local market, following the tracks of French novelist Marguerite Duras.
Walks/Cycle amongst the ever blossoming Sa Dec flower village, local industries and Cao Dai temple. Back to boat and enjoy welcome back drink while lunch is served.
Continue our lovely cruise down the Mekong River toward My Thuan and Cai Thia where we embark on lovely cycling along the island taking in beautiful view of scenery, local people, and get insight into local life. Enjoy aperitif with canapé over the sunset on boat.
Le Cochinchine drops anchor at the entry of for the night. Dinner and overnight on board.

DAY 07: CAI BE FLOATING MARKET (B)
Breakfast on the boat.
We take a morning junk trip to Dong Hoa Hiep Island and go ashore to visit the colorful area, with its colonial buildings, delightful flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice paper manufacturers.
And then, explore evergreen islands and visit the former Imperial residence the traditional House, where surviving members of the Kiet family will welcome us with tea, and we can wander in the fruit orchards around the house.
Check out and disembark. Pick up and transfer to Saigon. Drop off at your hotel in down town of Saigon.
End of all services here!

What is included?

• 3 nights on Le Cochinchine cruise
• 3 nights at the hotels base on twin/ double sharing room
• Transfer as mentioned in the program, speedboat ticket.
• Meals as indicated (B= breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Diner).
• Admission fees and permits where applicable.
• Land transportation.
• Airport transfers.
• Service of crews and English speaking guide on board.
• Complimentary foot massage on board.

What is excluded?

• Separated quoted for flight Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
• Pre/post trip arrangement.
• Beverages.
• Travel insurance.
• Visa fee (Visa fee on arrival at Cambodia border: 30 USD, 2 photos 4 x 6 cm)
• Bank transfer fees.
• Other personal expenses.

Important Notes

• Programs are subject to change due to unpredictable events such as the vagaries of the weather and tide variations.
• Infants under 6 years old are free of charge sharing cabin with their parents.
• Children from 6 to 11 years old get a 50% discount.