CRUISE THE MEKONG

Discover South East Asia · April 20th 2024 - April 30th 2024

There can be no tapestry of river life as fascinating and varied as the River Mekong. Indeed there can be no more striking a cultural contrast as that between the bustling Vietnam delta and the tranquility of Cambodia.

We pass from the vibrant French colonial port of Saigon, through the vast delta so rich in human life and endeavour, to travel along the main channel into the rich countryside of Cambodia.
With a full day in charming Phnom Penh we then explore remoter waterways as we progress to the great monuments of Angkor and a two night stay at the 5 star Sofitel Angkor Hotel.

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Itinerary

This 11 night holiday features 8 nights onboard the premium ship, The RV Indochine II, before we disembark and head to the 5* Sofitel Angkor Hotel for the final 2 nights and our tours of the Angkor Temples.

April 20th - HO CHI MINH CITY

Staff will be on hand at the airport to meet all passengers arriving on the day to escort them to the meeting point.
We will all get together at the Liberty Central Riverside Hotel restaurant between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Lunch at the hotel.
In the afternoon, a tour of the city to see the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Saigon Central Post Office. Next, we’ll head to Cholon, the Chinese-influenced section of the city, to tour its hectic market and the Thien Hau temple. You’ll then be transferred to our ship. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll have dinner and spend the night on the ship, which will remain moored. Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 21st - HO CHI MINH CITY

We’ll leave by coach for the Cu Chi tunnels, an immense network of underground tunnels that were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War. After lunch, join us for a visit to the Museum of Vietnamese History. We’ll then begin to cruise to the splendid Cho Gao canal. We’ll spend the night on board. Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 22nd - CHAO GAO

During our passage through the Chao Gao Canal, you’ll discover the daily life in Vietnam—organised around fishing, farming, and transport. In My Tho, we'll visit a bee farm and enjoy some honey tea and exotic fruit. We'll then take a ride in small sampans along the canal lined with mangrove palms. After having lunch on board, we’ll visit Vinh Long, located in the middle of the Delta region between two of the Mekong’s distributaries. We’ll discover a brick and pottery factory, a fruit-tree nursery, puffed riced, rice-paper wrappers, and rice alcohol. We’ll spend the night on board. Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 23rd - SA DEC

We’ll visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man who Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover on. After our excursion, enjoy some free time in Sa Dec. We’ll return on board and cast off as you sit down to lunch. Our ship will begin to cruise to Cambodia. We’ll spend the night on board.
Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 24th - CHAU DOC

After breakfast and our arrival in Chau Doc, we’ll visit a local fish farm, the Ba Chua Xu Temple, and the Tay An Pagoda. We’ll enjoy lunch on board and arrive in Phnom Penh in the evening. We’ll enjoy dinner on board this evening. Set out on a brief tour of the area by "tuk-tuk,"" the easiest way to get around the city. We’ll remain in port overnight. Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 25th - PHNOM PENH

We’ll enjoy a tour of the fabulous Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, which is inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles. After, join us for a visit to the National Museum of Cambodia. We’ll have lunch in the city. In the afternoon, you can pay a visit to the Tuol Svay Prey School, a former detention, torture, and execution center run by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war. Afterwards, enjoy some free time at the market. We’ll return to the ship and enjoy a performance of classical Khmer dancing and music. We’ll have dinner on board and remain in port overnight.
Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 26th - KAMPONG TRALACH

Once we arrive in Koh Chen, you can explore this small village where craftspeople specialize in silver and copper work. Enjoy lunch on board. We’ll head to Kampong Tralach to visit the beautiful Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda, we need to cross the village of Kampong Tralach in ox carts, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. Our ship will remain anchored overnight.
Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 27th - TONLE SAP LAKE

We’ll visit Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on Tonle Sap Lake. Fish farming is abundant here. The region is also known for its traditional pottery combining ancient knowledge with modern techniques —Chhnang itself means "pot." We'll also enjoy a tasting of regional products. Enjoy lunch on board. We’ll cruise to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Tonight, we’ll have our final cocktail and dinner on the ship. Our ship will remain anchored overnight. Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 28th - SIEM REAP, ANGKOR TEMPLES

We’ll spend the morning cruising the river before disembarking and having lunch on shore. After, we'll visit the Angkor Wat temple: the epitome of Khmer architectural art and the most famous and imposing of all the monuments in Angkor. Enjoy a stroll through the Angkor Night Market. Dinner and overnight in the 5* Sofitel Angkor Hotel. Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 29th - SIEM REAP, ANGKOR TEMPLES

This morning, we’ll visit the mysterious Beng Mealea temple, whose ruins were once utterly consumed by jungle. The temple was built in the 12th century and used the same floor plan as Angkor Wat. We’ll have lunch in the city. We’ll visit the Senteurs d'Angkor, a local business with a diverse collection of silk and carvings, as well as a superb range of traditional beauty products and spices, all made locally. We’ll also visit a silk farm to learn about the complex process of creating the luxurious fabric. We’ll end the day with Phare, the Cambodian circus, and spend the night at the hotel. Performance: Concert with our onboard soloists.

April 30th - SIEM REAP, ANGKOR TEMPLES

This morning, we’ll tour Ta Prohm, a Cambodian temple dedicated to the family of Jayavarman VII. We’ll then explore Angkor Thom. Stroll through the grounds of the former Royal Palace and discover the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch will be served at the hotel.

We’ll bid you farewell at approximately 2:00p.m. Please do not book your flight before 5:00p.m.
Performance: No performance tonight, we say លាហើយ (leahaey) until our next cruise!

What's included

Accommodation onboard in the category cabin you choose
All tours listed on the itinerary
All meals
English speaking tour guides and headsets for all excursions
Nightly entertainment when onboard from our professional soloists and musical director
Two nights at the 5* Sofitel Angkor Hotel

What's not included

Flights and transfers
Travel insurance

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Ho Chi Minh City

District 1 is the place to be if you want to travel back in time to when the city was heavily influenced by the French during the colonisation of the country.
The Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Saigon Central Post Office are all splendid testimonies to what the French call “The Pearl of the Far East.”
Our ships dock in the heart of Ho-Chi-Minh City, the financial core of the country.
The Chinese District, Cholon, where nearly half the population lives, is teeming with life and vibrant marketplaces. Yet, a quick step inside one of the grand temples brings a sudden sensation of peace and serenity.

Sa Dec

Sa Dec, or the Garden of Cochinchina, was where Marguerite Duras experienced her tumultuous, forbidden affair as a French-colonial teenager with a Chinese man eight years her senior. Her acclaimed novel The Lover, recounting the experience, was made into a film in 1992.
The former house of Huynh Thuy Lê, the man whom Marguerite Duras based her book on, is now a famous tourist spot. We’ll return to the ship by walking through a local market, packed with dozens of vendors selling a variety of goods.

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is a buzzing, modern metropolis that remains entrenched in a certain colonial nostalgia. Its main sites include the sumptuous Royal Palace complex—the apex of Khmer art—and the National Museum, which houses magnificent collections in its Museum of Fine Arts.
The Central Market, a bright yellow Art Deco landmark, is packed with treasures and souvenirs and is surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a city on the perpetual go.

The Temples of Angkor

Twisted like sleeping serpents, the temples of Angkor are a source of national pride for a country trying to rebuild itself. The complex is huge, and history has deemed it to be the most impressive advanced city in the world during its time. This former epicenter of the powerful Khmer empire between 802 and 1431 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are over 1,000 temples in the complex, including the prized Angkor Wat; the Bayon Temple, best known for its 216 smiling faces; the Elephant Terrace, a former viewing stand during public ceremonies; Ta Prohm, one of the most stunning and popular temples in the complex.

Angkor Wat

The Angkor Wat temple, which lends its name to the entire complex, is itself one of the largest religious sites ever built. Constructed between 1113 and 1150, it was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu that was later converted into a Buddhist temple.
Angkor Wat is surrounded by a large moat that helps protect it and stabilise the foundation. The main entrance is lined with statues of guardian lions. The heart of the temple is the central tower, surrounded by four smaller towers and a series of walls. One of the reasons for the temple’s fame are the intricate basrelief friezes integrated into its architecture. The site has sustained significant damage from overgrowth, earthquakes, and war, but remains an important source of national pride for the country and a focus of ongoing restoration efforts.

Little street of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

1 - Ho Chi Minh City

Sa Dec; Socialist Republic of Vietnam - august 18 2018 : Huynh Thuy Le house

2 - Sa Dec

Phnom Penh Royal Palace complex

3 - Phnom Penh

Angkor Temples

4 - The Temples of Angkor

Angkor Wat Temple, Siem reap, Cambodia

5 - Angkor Wat

The RV Indochine II

At a Glance

This cruise will see us sail through two countries: Vietnam and Cambodia on the spectacular Mekong River.

We will then transfer to the 5* Sofitel Angkor Hotel for the final two nights as our base to visit the Angkor Temples in Cambodia.

All the excursions and the hotel stay are included in the cost of the trip, as are all your meals from lunch on the first day, through to lunch on the final day. You can enjoy unlimited tea and coffee, along with water throughout your stay onboard the Indochine II.

This trip will take place during the dry season, so you don’t need to worry about showers or storms.

We will always employ English speaking tour guides and supply listening devices to ensure you can hear it all.

You will be joined onboard by three Theatrical Adventures representatives along with our soloists and musical director.

UK nationals will not need a visa to travel into Vietnam. Visa’s for Cambodia can be ordered in advance for just $30.

Excursions

ALL INCLUDED

Visit the Reunification Palace, Notre Dam Cathedral & Saigon Central Post Office
Tour Cholon & visit Thein Hau temple
Visit Cu Chi tunnels & the Museum of Vietnamese History
Visit to a Bee Farm & take a ‘sampan’ ride down mangrove lined canals
In Vinh Long, we visit a brick and pottery factory
Visit the house of Huynh Thuy Le
Tour a Fish Farm, the temple Ba Chua Xu and see the Tay An Pagoda
Take a ‘tuk-tuk’ tour of Phnom Penh
Guided tour or the Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
Visit the National Museum of Cambodia
Visit Tuol Svay Prey School & free time in a market
Visit the Vihara at the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda
Taste regional products in Kamong Chhnang
Guided tour at Angkor Wat temple and vist to Angkor market
Tour Beng Mealea temple
Visit Senteurs d’Angkor
Visit the Cambodian Circus
Tour Ta Prohm

Onboard

All cabins are exterior facing and include a private balcony (4 m²). They are all spacious and comfortable at (22.5 m²) and are ensuite. Cabins 201, 202, 221 and 224 (Category A*) come with a 6m² mini-terrace.

Your cabin includes:

TV
Private bathroom with shower
Air-conditioning
Safe
Hairdryer
Dresser
Toiletries

Onboard features:

Wifi
Laundry Service
Pool
Massage Salon

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Theatrical Adventures always deliver world class entertainment - I have sailed with them on the Nile, Rhine and Danube and spend the full cruise laughing my socks off!

R C Hamiliton

I love how quickly I integrated into the whole thing - the since the cruise ended last month, I have already had my 'gang' round for dinner and it was like meeting up with life long friends. We already have out next booking in!

Moselle Passenger

I have just returned from a cruise around Northern Europe with a different company. It didn'nt even compare to a Theatrical Adventure. No fun and rubbish entertainment. We'll be travelling with you next time.