Pandaw River Cruises
  Sign up
Luxury small ship river cruises in Asia
To Book Call TOLL FREE 1-877-872-6329
GO
Worlds Best Cruise Line Worlds Best River Cruise Suite 2023 Winner Conde Nast 2023 Best River Cruise Operator Winner TripAdvisor Travellers Choice TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

EXPLORE THE MEKONG FURTHER

DEEPER AND FURTHER ON THE MEKONG RIVER

10 NIGHTS FROM US$4,800.00

New ten night Mekong itinerary

Sailing port to port from central Saigon to Siem Reap inland port, venture deep into Vietnam’s vast Mekong Delta, explore the norther reaches of the Mekong River at the dolphin grounds at Kratie and discover the picturesque Tonle Sap as we cross the the 150 mile-long lake. This is a new itinerary never attempted in total before and only operable aboard Pandaw’s ultra-low draft vessels and only during the high water season until October.

No ship could be more appropriate for this expedition than the much-loved Mekong Pandaw that was the first ship to pioneer the river in 2002 and historically open the river border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Only the Mekong Pandaw has the shallow draft to go so far on these rivers and the low air draft to get under recently constructed bridges. Thanks to improvements in inland water navigation in these countries we can now take the ship from Saigon to Siem Reap with no long road transfers required on arrival or departure, something unimaginable in previous years.

This pioneering route is very much aimed at Pandaw club members who seek more immersive experiences in the countries Pandaw ships ply and wish to spend more days in the comfort and lively atmosphere of our beautifully crafted ships.

With 24 staterooms the Mekong Pandaw has been refitted with a sumptuous spa, library and gym this ship, built in Burma from golden teak. This is the most spacious of all Pandaw’s nineteen ships with broad promenades running around each deck and a vast sun deck of over 600 square meters on top.

CHECK AVAILABILITY & BOOK ONLINE

or call TOLL FREE 1-877-872-6329
represented by Sayang Holidays
10 NIGHTS FROM US$4,800.00

New ten night Mekong itinerary

IMAGES

EXPEDITION MAP

YOUR SHIP

OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS

PRE CRUISE EXTENSIONS

Pre Tour Saigon & Surroundings (Hotel Des Arts)

Read More

Pre Tour Saigon & Surroundings (The Myst Dong Khoi)

Read More

5 Night Vietnam's Heritage Road: Hue, Hoi An & Saigon Pre Tour

Read More

POST CRUISE EXTENSIONS

Exploring Angkor (Jaya House Riverpark) Post Tour

Read More

Exploring Angkor (FCC Angkor) Post Tour

Read More

OPTIONAL PACKAGE ADDONS

Private Dining

Read More

Pre-Bookable House Wine Package

Read More

Free Flow Drinks

Read More

Free Flow Drinks & Wine Package

Read More

Language Guides (Classic Mekong cruise portion only)

Read More

Pandaw Spa (Vietnam & Cambodia)

Read More

ITINERARY

Upstream      Downstream

DAY 1 SAIGON

Embark 1200 at Saigon city port and sail according to the tide for My Tho passing through a complex network of shipping canals linking the Saigon River with the Mekong itself.

More about Saigon
Saigon
Saigon

DAY 2 BEN TRE

Today we journey by sampans through mangroves and bamboo forests to the fruit orchards of Ben Tre. This is an area rich in birdlife which we will explore via local transport before transferring to a local rowboat. We will journey slowly through the bamboo covered canals before arriving at a village specialising in making local products. In the evening you will be entertained by a Vietnamese dance troupe on deck.

DAY 3 CHAU DOC - VIETNAM/CAMBODIA BORDER

In the morning we go alongside at the picturesque border town of Chau Doc. Taking minivans for a short drive to Sam Mountain, location of Phuoc Dien Tu or the Hang Pagoda. We climb the steps to the top to visit the pagoda with breath-taking viewpoints available along the way for those who do not want to climb the full distance. We then return to the river and visit the floating fish farms by sampan, making a stop at a Chham Village on the way to observe the lives of Vietnamese Muslims. A traditional Lion dance is presented at the Cham Village. Upon return to ship, we navigate a web of canals before dropping anchor on the Vietnam/Cambodia border to undergo Immigration formalities.

Chau Doc - Vietnam/Cambodia Border
Chau Doc - Vietnam/Cambodia Border

DAY 4 ANGKOR BAN VILLAGE

Sunrise cruise to Angkor Ban village to see how local villagers live and visit the library which was donated by Pandaw to Angkor Ban secondary school.

NOTE: if you want to donate books, please bring along some Children’s books in English language (suitable for age 8 to 15 yrs) which you can personally gift to the library.

DAY 5 KOH TRONG ISLAND

Visit Koh trong Island, a community based tourism site since 2008. We explore the fruit orchards and sample the local delicacies before we head to a community tree project and plant trees together with the local people. Moor overnight alongside the island.

Koh Trong Island
Koh Trong Island

DAY 6 KRATIE AND THE DOLPHIN GROUNDS

Morning excursion by coach and sampan to spot the Irrawaddy dolphins abundant in the waters below Stuc Treng. Whilst numbers have increased in recent years, they remain endangered and we learn more about the work of locals to support dolphin numbers and how Pandaw is supporting. This is a real highlight of the expedition.

DAY 7 PHNOM PENH

Morning orientation of Phnom Penh by cyclo visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda followed by the National Museum with its marvelous collection of Angkorian statuary. In the afternoon we visit the Killing Fields and Genocide museum to learn more about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Overnight in Phnom Penh city port with its lively bars, restaurants and night life.

More about Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh

DAY 8 KAMPONG TRALACH AND THE TONLE RIVER

We leave the dock at Phnom Penh early morning and sail up the winding channels of the Tonle River to Kampong Tralach. We travel by ox-cart around the river-side villages, markets and temples to get a sense of life along the river. In the evening cocktails are round a village fire pit where we will be joined by village folk keen to show us their traditional dancing show us more of the delightful Khmer culture.

DAY 9 KAMPONG CHHNANG AND THE TONLE SAP

By local boat we explore the backwaters with fish farms around this important trading town. In the wetlands around the mouth of the lake are elaborate bamboo fish traps. Returning to ship, enter the Tonle Sap to moor overnight in open waters savoring the peace and tranquility of this lake that in high water covers 6,200 miles and in low water shrinks to 1,000 square miles.

Kampong Chhnang And The Tonle Sap
Kampong Chhnang And The Tonle Sap

DAY 10 TONLE SAP

Continue the traverse of the great lake stopping to visit a floating village and reaching Siem Reap inland port in the evening. Bird life along the lake’s edges is profuse and look out for the grey headed fish eagle. Crocodiles and snakes abound in these shallow waters which are home to the giant Mekong catfish, the largest ever caught being 648 pounds in May 2004. There are 148 other species of fish in the lake which provide the main source of protein for the entire Cambodian population.

DAY 11 SIEM REAP (ANGKOR)

Disembark Siem Reap Port and transfer the short distance to Siem Reap city by car.

More about Siem Reap
Siem Reap (Angkor)
Siem Reap (Angkor)

WHATS INCLUDED

Cruise Price Includes: Entrance fees, guide services (English language), gratuities to crew, main meals, local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas & tisanes. Transfer to Siem Reap from Ship on Day 11 (Upstream) or Transfer from Siem Reap to Ship on Day 1 (Downstream).

Cruise Price Excludes: International flights, port dues (if levied), laundry, all visa costs, fuel surcharges (see terms and conditions), all beverages except local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas & tisanes and tips to tour guides, local guides, bus drivers, boat operators and cyclo drivers, other transfers not stated in the itinerary.

TRANSFERS & JOINING

DAY 1 SAIGON

Meet directly at RV Mekong Pandaw, docked centrally in Saigon between 11am and 12pm.

Port Address: Saigon Port - 05 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Ward 13, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 11 SIEM REAP (ANGKOR)

After a leisurely breakfast onboard, transfer from Siem Reap inland port to central Siem Reap (approx. 45 minutes) and our meeting point at the FCC Angkor Hotel.

Hotel address: Next to the Royal Residence, Pokambor Avenue, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia.

VISA INFORMATION

Upstream
E-visa for Cambodia are not accepted at the river border. Visa on arrival for Cambodia will be arranged for you by the crew. Please bring 1x passport photo and fee of $35 USD.
Click here for full visa information.

Downstream
E-visa for Vietnam are now accepted at the river border. On your application, please enter SONG TIEN LANDPORT as your arrival port.
Click here for full visa information.

TESTIMONIALS

Have you been on this expedition? Send us a testimonial of your experience by Clicking Here.

TRAVEL BLOGS

Kindness defeats the Killing Fields: Falling in love with Cambodia and its determination to escape the horrors of the past

By Nigel Planer For The Mail On Sunday 21:01 30 Jun 2018   I'm in a village square in the middle of Cambodia ; a teenager is showin.... read more

 

Pandaw Cruises Pte Ltd ©2024 Pandaw Cruises Ltd. All rights reserved.

Close Cookie NoticeCookies on pandaw.com

We use cookies to provide a better experience. Carry on browsing if you are happy with this, or click here to manage cookies.