Spiritual Cambodia and The Mekong

Explore Siem Reap and World Heritage Angkor Archaeological Park before embarking on the luxury Mekong Serenity for a seven-night Mekong River cruise into Vietnam. See the sun rise at Angkor Wat, experience a Buddhist blessing, visit Phnom Penh and discover charming islands and riverside towns.

Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive Siem Reap

Welcome to Siem Reap. Be met on arrival and transfer to your luxurious hotel in the heart of the city. Once you’ve settled in, enjoy the day at your leisure. Tonight, choose from a selection of local restaurants for your dining experience.

Freedom of Choice – Sokkhak River Restaurant

Feast on a fusion of classic French recipes and modern Khmer dishes in beautifully landscaped gardens overlooking the river. At Sokkhak River, the chefs put a modern twist on Cambodian classics.

Freedom of Choice – Mouhot’s Dream

Sit down to dinner at Mouhot’s Dream in the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort. Set beside the tranquil Sala Lake, the restaurant pays homage to renowned French explorer Henri Mouhot.

Freedom of Choice – Malis

Be treated to a delightful ambieance in a stunning garden setting overlooking the Siem Reap River. Offering exquisite Cambodian cuisine, Malis restaurant has created a menu of traditional dishes adapted to the present.

Freedom of Choice – Butterfly Pea

Dine in an intimate traditional Khmer house, one of the few remaining in Siem Reap. Dining is also available in the tropical garden. Delight in authentic Cambodia cuisine mixed with Thai and Chinese influences.

Freedom of Choice – Fellini

Savour authentic Italian cuisine in a beautifully designed space at Fellini. The restaurant brings the flavours of the ‘Old Country’ to Cambodia.

Freedom of Choice – Spoons

Sample authentic, creative Cambodian cuisine at Spoons. This local favourite produces great food and is renowned for its community spirit, serving as a training restaurant for underprivileged young adults. 

Day 2: Siem Reap

Begin your exploration of the World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park with a visit to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital of the Khmer Empire. Built during the heyday of the Empire in the 12th century, this is an extraordinary complex of Hindu and Buddhist monuments. Head to the intriguing Bayon Temple, with its carved stone smiling faces of gods, goddesses, and other mythological beings. Visit the Terrace of Elephants, which used to be the base for the king’s grand audience hall and the Terrace of the Leper King, which housed the royal crematory. Journey to Ta Prohm, known for the thick jungle of fig trees and vines that have enveloped the structure, giving it a lost world feel. Commonly referred to as the ‘Tomb Raider temple’ due to it being used as a location in the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider which starred Angelina Jolie, Ta Prohm is a captivating glimpse into the past and testament to a bygone era. En route to the hotel, enjoy your Signature Experiences.

Signature Experience – Local Charity Visit

Visit ODA, Opportunities of Development through Art, a OneTomorrow partner. ODA provides free English education and an introduction to computer skills to children living in Siem Reap’s remote villages, with the aim to improve future employment opportunities.

Signature Experience – VIP Circus Show and Backstage Visit

Be welcomed backstage at Phare Circus to meet some of the performers and witness a mesmerising performance from your VIP seats. Combining captivating acrobatics, theatre and storytelling, this unforgettable spectacle showcases the country’s rich culture and talent.  

Day 3: Siem Reap

Rise early this morning and travel back to Angkor Archaeological Park for a special Signature Experience. Afterwards, join a guided exploration of this well-preserved temple, then return to your hotel for breakfast. This afternoon, set out on your Freedom of Choice activity. Tonight, your Signature Experience awaits. Set amid a stunning garden, this promises to be an enchanting and memorable evening.  

Signature Experience – Sunrise at Angkor Wat 

Visit Angkor Archaeological Park to witness a spectacular sunrise at the magnificent Angkor Wat. Observe the iconic temple complex shimmer in the reflective ponds in front of this World Heritage-listed monument, while brilliant shades of orange and pink light up the sky.

Signature Experience – Gallery Visit with Khmer Dinner and Apsara Performance

Treat yourself to a private visit to Theam’s Gallery and discover this talented Cambodian artist, known for his unique sculptures, paintings, and intricate crafts. Indulge in a tantalising five-course Khmer dinner, while enjoying a traditional Apsara dance performance accompanied by live musicians.

Freedom of Choice – Tuk Tuk Ride to Senteurs d’Angkor 

Perhaps enjoy an exciting tuk tuk ride to the Senteurs d’Angkor workshop, a handicraft centre where you can observe the artisans in their workshops and gain an appreciation for their ancient crafts. Discover how they integrate contemporary designs inspired by Khmer know-how. 

Freedom of Choice – Quad Bike Adventure 

Embark on an exhilarating quad biking experience in the Cambodian countryside outside Siem Reap. Venture along quiet off-road tracks, see rice fields, forgotten temples and local communities. 

Freedom of Choice – Bicycle Tour 

Journey to the countryside villages next to Siem Reap. Surrounded by rice paddies and ancient ponds, you’ll cycle along quiet back trails to experience local rural life at its most picturesque. Observe daily farming activities. 

Freedom of Choice – Horse and Cart Ride 

Climb aboard a hand-made horse cart and set off on an authentic journey into the heart of rural Khmer life. Travel off the beaten path, navigating a variety of terrain through the beautiful countryside. 

Freedom of Choice – Khmer Cooking Class 

Travel to a market and meet your Khmer chef, then continue to Lum Orng, Cambodia’s first farm-to-table restaurant, famed for its New Mekong cuisine, to prepare a selection of dishes to taste.  

Freedom of Choice – Siem Reap Shopping Adventure 

Explore Siem Reap’s vibrant arts and crafts scene, starting at the Angkor Handicraft Association. This Fair-Trade Village is home to a wide variety of artisans who produce handmade goods using traditional techniques. 

Freedom of Choice – Khmer Massage  

Day 4: Siem Reap, Kampong Cham, Embark Ship, Koh Pen, Angkor Ban

Bid farewell to Siem Reap and journey through remote Cambodian villages to Kampong Cham. Here, embark the Mekong Serenity, your home for the next seven nights. Following lunch on board, discover the island of Koh Pen with its stilted houses and local farming culture during your Signature Experience. You can see a varying range of crops growing depending on the season, including tobacco, betel nuts, watermelons, coconuts and many more tropical fruits. Tonight, as you sail towards Angkor Ban, a welcome dinner showcasing the diverse flavours of the region awaits.

Signature Experience – Tuk Tuk Tour of Koh Pen

Journey by local tuk tuk around a riverside village and gain an insight into village life. Travel along the shaded lanes, past stilted houses and see a varying range of crops growing.

Day 5: Angkor Ban, Oknha Tey, Phnom Penh

Take a walking discovery tour of Angkor Ban, one of the few villages in Cambodia that was not destroyed under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Here, people still live in their traditional wooden abodes and keep ancient cultural traditions alive. Later, your ship glides along the lush banks of the Mekong to Oknha Tey, renowned for its silk weaving traditions. Stroll among the stilt houses and gain an insight into the traditional silk weaving process. Watch as the village women create beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms. In the afternoon continue to sail along the Mekong and enjoy some time at leisure. Have a dip in the pool or relax on the Sun Deck.

Day 6: Phnom Penh

Today presents a wealth of included sightseeing choices. After lunch back on board, you may wish to explore Phnom Penh independently or simply relax.

Freedom of Choice – Killing Fields and Genocide Museum

On this sombre excursion, learn about a confronting part of Cambodian history during a sobering visit to the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.

Freedom of Choice – Cyclo Ride

Explore Phnom Penh by what was the most popular form of transportation throughout Southeast Asia in the 1960s, the cyclo. Weave past some of the city’s most iconic sites.

Freedom of Choice – Visit the National Museum

Accompanied by your private museum guide, discover the most important pieces within the National Museum of Cambodia. The collection includes the world’s finest display of Khmer sculptures, art and relics.

Freedom of Choice – Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

Discover Cambodia’s Royal Palace, the official residence of the King. Completed in 1870, the palace is a fine example of Khmer architecture with elements of French influence. The palace also houses the Silver Pagoda.

Freedom of Choice – Craft Brewery Tour

Set off on an adventure to two microbreweries, beginning with a visit to Hops Brewery, the city’s most popular. Enjoy a craft beer tasting and learn about the brewing process before continuing to Himawari Microbrewery. 

Day 7: Phnom Penh, Oudong, Koh Chen, Phnom Penh

Disembark in Phnom Penh and discover Oudong, a place of pilgrimage for Cambodians. While here, enjoy a Signature Experience. On the way back to your ship, take a leisurely stroll through the village of Koh Chen and visit some home workshops that make copperware. The afternoon is yours to explore Phnom Penh as you wish.  

Signature Experience – Buddhist Blessing Ceremony 

Take part in a traditional Buddhist blessing ceremony for good luck, health and safe journey, with resident monks at a monastery in Oudong. 

Day 8: Phnom Penh, Border Crossing, Tan Chau

Spend the day cruising towards the Vietnamese border. While border formalities are carried out, enjoy the onboard activities, which could include a lively presentation from your local guides, a fruit-carving demonstration, or even a cooking workshop where you will learn the art of creating Vietnamese spring rolls. Alternatively, relax your body with a rejuvenating treatment from the Spa and Wellness Centre. Cross into Vietnam and cruise to the riverside town of Tan Chau, the first stop after the border.

Day 9: Tan Chau, Evergreen Island, Sa Dec

Transfer to a small boat for a journey along the tiny tributaries that snake around the riverside town of Tan Chau. Cruise past a floating fish farm, then step ashore for a rickshaw tour of Tan Chau. On board your rickshaw, you’ll glide past small shops and meet locals who are always eager to say hello. Stop to pay a visit to a local silk and rattan weaving workshop. Later, step back in time during a visit to Evergreen Island, where you’ll experience authentic rural Mekong life. The remainder of today is left free for you to relax and take a moment to watch local life gently glide by as you cruise towards Sa Dec.

Day 10: Sa Dec, Cai Be, My Tho

Journey towards Sa Dec by small tender boat where French writer Marguerite Duras met her Vietnamese-Chinese lover, Huynh Thuy Le. Tour his former home and learn the story behind Marguerite Duras’ best-selling novel, The Lover. Later, pay a visit to a traditional Cao Dai temple. Watch visitors and pilgrims come and go and appreciate the beauty of the building. Return to the ship and sit down to a delicious lunch while you cruise towards Cai Be. Board your tender boat and step ashore to visit the French Gothic cathedral and the colourful port area filled with crumbling colonial buildings and flowering gardens. Afterwards, you’ll visit a rice paper manufacturer and learn about how this Vietnamese staple is made. Tonight, enjoy your farewell dinner on board as you cruise towards your final stop My Tho. 

Day 11: My Tho, Disembark Ship, Depart Ho Chi Minh City

Disembark in My Tho and continue to Ho Chi Minh City before transferring to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your onward flight.