Downstream Cambodia Cruise Holiday to Vietnam by Toum Tiou Cruise

Day 1 – Toum Tiou Cruise from Siem Reap to Kampong Luong (dinner)

15:00 Meeting in front of FCC hotel in Siem Reap. Transfer by local tour agent for Phnom Krom boat-pier.Transfer form the pier by local boat to the Toum Tiou.

16:00 Check-in at the boat docked near Phnom Krom in Siem Reap. Security briefing.
Departure Kompong Pluk, a charming village near Siem Reap.

17:30 Arrival near Kampong Pluk.
Toum Tiou stays overnight under the protection of the flooded forest. If the timing is allowing it, short visit of Kompong Pluk.

19:00 Welcome drink and info meeting about cruise, crew introduction.
Welcome dinner. Overnight onboard.

Day 2 – Kampong Chhang Cruising Trip to Kampong Tralach (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Departure of the Toum Tiou early in the morning. Sail to Kampong Luong, breakfast during navigation.
09:00 Arrival at Kampong Luong. Local boats are coming along the Toum Tiou and picking passengers for the visit.

Almost totally overlooked by tourists because of its remoteness and difficult access, the village is completely self-sufficient. A floating school, factories to make ice for fish preservation, church, pagoda, service stations, pigsty, stores, boat or television repair shops, video club, karaoke bar, police station… everything is on the water. All trades are represented and everybody from children to grandparents goes by boat through the network of canals that cross this little town.

11:30 Passengers re-embark the Toum Tiou. Lunch on board on the way to Kampong Chnang. 

16:00 Arrival to Kampong Chnang.

Located some 56 miles from Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chnang is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonlé Sap. Fish farming is also widely practiced in the area. The area is famous for its pottery ware, unchanged in style for centuries, which is produced in sufficient quantities to supply the entire country. And not to be overlooked are the products of the Thnot tree (sugar palm – a real national symbol) that abounds in the area: a mellow tasting, caramel-colored sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine.

18:00 Passengers re-embark. The Toum Tiou drops anchor few miles away.

19:00 Dinner and overnight onboard.

Day 3 – Kampong Tralach Cruising Tour to Phnom Penh (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

07:45 Departure of the Toum Tiou early in the morning. Sail to Kampong Tralach, breakfast during navigation.

8:30 Arrival at Kampong Tralach to visit its wonderful Vihara belonging to Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To get to it, we cross Kampong Tralach Krom village along a small road perpendicular to the river, crossing some gorgeous stretches of emerald rice paddy as we leave the river behind.

The Vihara dates back to early last century. It was probably built on an older site, as indicated by the latérite foundations, and is home to some outstanding mural paintings. These, however, are starting to suffer from weathering. They remain one of the last survivors of cultural destruction that continues unabated due to widespread indifference.

Standing by itself in the middle of rice fields, it is a modest pagoda that receives very few visitors. Its isolation may well be its undoing, as was the case last May for Wat Tani Pagoda in the province of Kampot.

10:30 Passengers re-embark the Toum Tiou. Lunch on board on the way to Phnom Penh.

14:00 Arrival in Phnom Penh.
Balance of the day free exploration on own. Suggestions can be made up on the interest of passengers. FCC, Russian market, other boutiques (antiques), etc.

19:00 Return to the boat. Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 4 – Phnom Penh Cruising Trip (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

08:00 Breakfast, departure for the “KILLING FIELDS” – Tuol Sleng Museum, old center of detention, of torture and execution between 1975 and 1979. The visit of this place is essential to understand what could be the fatal madness perpetrated by the Khmer Rouges.

12.00 Return to Phnom Penh, lunch in a local restaurant.

15:00 Half day city sightseeing tour including the Royal Palace and the National Museum.

19:00 Return to the boat, local group performs on board traditional “APSARA” show for 45 minutes.

Day 5 – Koh Dek Chau Cruising Tour Chau Doc (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

A short break along the way, it allows to get a fascinating, close-up look at daily life in Cambodia.
On the fringes of civilization, the 600 people who live on Kôh Dek Chau will receive your visit with some surprise. School children will escort you along your way. You will go through the village that occupies the full length of the island, walking along a trail shaded by date palms.

10:30 Re-embarking, departure for Kaam Samnaar (Cambodian border).

14:00 Toum Tiou arrives at Immigration check point in Kaam Samnaar. Clearance of departure formalities.

16:30 Departure for Chau Doc.

19:00 Toum Tiou drops anchor before the canal of Chau Doc. Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 6 – Chau Doc Cruise Tour to Sa Dec and Vinh Long (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

08:00 Arrival at Victoria Hotel Chau Doc jetty.

Located to the north at the beginning of Mekong’s famous delta, Chau Doc straddles both banks of the Mekong which fans out to the dimensions of a river mouth here. Floating fish farms have sprung up everywhere.

Bamboo fish drying racks are set up a meter above the water’s surface. The bourgeoning downtown area features some charmingly rustic colonial buildings, squeezed in by the marketplace – the colorful, vibrant heart of the city. As always, these busy parts of town, despite their sometimes strong odors, offer wonderful photo opportunities…

Short panoramic tour of the city. This is the perfect timing to discover the effervescence of the local market. Back to the pier, departure for fish raising rafts and Cham minority village by local boat.

10:00 Toum Tiou leaves Chau Doc for Sa Dec. Lunch during navigation.

17:00 Arrival at Sa Dec – Short panoramic tour of Sa Dec and transfer by bus to Trung Vuong primary school.
Continuing to Kien An Cung Pagoda. Stroll around Sa Dec Market along Sa Dec River bank. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating in its unspoiled authenticity and undisturbed by tourists. It provides a glimpse of the delta where a few colonial houses still remain, including the “Chinaman’s house” (from Duras’ novel “The Lover”, also made into a movie).

19:00 Return to the boat, departure for Vinh Long. Dinner during navigation.
Toum Tiou drops anchor few miles before Vinh Long. Overnight on board.

Day 7 – Vinh Long Cruise to Cai Be and My Tho (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

07:00 Breakfast.

08:30 Arrival at Vinh Long, local boats pick up passengers for visiting a brick and pottery factory, the Binh Hoa Phuoc Islet Nursery of Fruit Trees as well a typical house and a show room of traditional farming tools.

Vinh Long, which translates as “Majestic Dragon”, is right in the middle of the delta, between two arms of the Mekong. The soil of Vinh Long is enriched by silt deposits, making it ideal for growing mandarins and other citrus fruits. Life is organized around the water. Houses on stilts, hawkers in boats, hundreds of small craft crisscross in all directions. The hospitality of the locals makes it a tourist destination par excellence. Departure for Cai Be Floating Market – going across the Mekong River en route.

11:30 Passengers re-embark at Cai Be, Toum Tiou leaves Cai Be for My Tho, lunch during navigation.

14:30 Arrival at My Tho – Toum Tiou drops anchor on river in the proximity of Thoi Son Island Local boats come alongside Toum Tiou to pick up passengers and transfer to the mainland. Departure for Vinh Trang Pagoda by car – Short panoramic tour of My Tho town on the way.

On the banks of a northern arm of the Mekong, My Tho, which translates as “fragrant herb”, where tourists come to discover the beauty of the delta. It’s a quiet, prosperous city of about 100,000 inhabitants, famous for its many fruit orchards, gardens and the huge rice fields that surround it. The climate is warm and pleasant year round. The surrounding countryside is home to one of the most luxuriant gardens of Vietnam, with its coconut palms, banana and mango trees.

15:30 Return at the pier – you will cruise on the river to Thoi Son Island by local boat to visit the island, explore local people’s daily life and enjoy locally seasonal fruits.

16:30 Re-embarking the Toum Tiou that leaves My Tho for Saigon
Lunch and leisure on board while navigating on the marvelous canal of Cho Gao.

19:00 Farewell cocktail (1 glass of local liquor or juice) with Master of Ship & Cruise Manager.
Captain’s farewell dinner (Enriched menu + 1 glass of wine). Toum Tiou drops anchor on river en route. Overnight on board.

Day 8 – Toum Tiou Cruise: My Tho – Hochiminh City or Saigon (breakfast,)

07:00 Departure for Saigon, breakfast and leisure on board.
11:00 Toum Tiou arrives at Saigon port – customs formalities clearance

See more:  others same program of RV Indochine or Landiep Cruise operating by Compagnie Fluviale du Mekong

Inclusions:

• Full board accommodation, including meals, coffee, tea & drinking water.

• French or English speaking guide.

• Visits mentioned in the program.

• Entrance fees.

• Transportation from departure port to arrival port

Exclusions:

• Personal Travel Insurance.

• Tours & meals other than those mentioned in the program.

• Transfers from/to airport and hotels.

• Personal expenses.

• Gratuities for the crew. Indochine Cruise

• Transfer from hotel to port and vice-versa.