Phnom Penh Cruise Tour to Siem Reap by Lan Diep Cruise
Best places to visit: Phnom Penh – Koh Chen - Kampong Chnang – Kampong Luong- Siem Reap
3 days
Daily Tour
20 people
English, Cezch
Put the mythical Southeast Asian capitals of Phnom Penh and Saigon side by side and you have a meeting of two countries separated by an invisible line at the river. But the line becomes real when you compare their very different cultures, landscapes and pace of life. After the “Land of the Nine Dragons”, the rice granary of Vietnam, we arrive at the impressive pastoral riverbanks of Cambodia. We are struck by the pace of activity and the cascade of things to see, including the nostalgic port of Saigon, the brickworks and trawlers of My Tho, the floating market in Cai Be, the temples and pagodas, the aquatic gardens of Vinh Long, Marguerite Duras’ hometown of Sa Dec, the boat yards of Long Xuyen, the houses over fishing rearing pens in Chau Doc, before docking at Phnom Penh
Itinerary :
Day 1: Phnom Penh – Koh Chen / Oudong – Kampong Tralach (lunch/dinner)
07:45 Lan Diep is open for embarking
08:00 Departure of the Lan Diep for Koh Chen (Chinese Island). Security briefing.
08:45 Arrival to Koh Chen, small village of whose inhabitants specialize in silver and copper smiting. They make ornamental items, including delicately engraved tropical fruits, used in traditional ceremonies at the pagoda or for marriages. The distant hills of Cambodia’s old capital, Oudong, and its royal stupas can be seen a few kilometers away from the ferry. At the top of the hill, the ruins of Anthareu temple.
11:45 Passengers re-embark the Lan Diep. Lunch on board on the way to Kampong Tralach. 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 laterite 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 for Wat Tani Pagoda in the province of Kampot.
17:30 Passengers re-embark. The Lan Diep drops anchor few miles away. Welcome drink and info meeting about cruise, crew introduction. Welcome dinner.
Overnight on the Lan Diep Cruise.
Day 2: Kampong Chnang – Kampong Luong (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
07:00 Departure of the Lan Diep early in the morning. Sail to Kampong Chnang. Breakfast during navigation. Arrive to Kampong Chnang. Located some 56 miles from Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chnang is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle 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.
11:30 Passengers re-embark the Lan Diep. Lunch on board on the way to Kampong Luong. Arrive at Kampong Luong. Local boats are coming along the Lan Diep 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.
18:00 Passengers re-embark. The Lan Diep stays overnight under the protection of the flooded forest. 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).
Overnight on the Lan Diep Cruise.
Day 3: Kampong Luong – Siem Reap (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
07:00 Departure of the Lan Diep early in the morning. Time to pack and relax a half a day by crossing the Tonle Sap Lake.
13:00 Passengers disembark, local tour agent pick up passengers and transfer to hotel after a last lunch onboard.
Includes:
• 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
Excludes:
• 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.
