RV Pandaw - Siem Reap - Saigon 8 Days

In 2003, with the Mekong Pandaw, we were the first ship to attempt this extraordinary journey in its entirety surmounting complex bureaucratic and navigational obstacles. In 2004 we brought the former Pandaw III now renamed the Tonle Pandaw over from Myanmar to join the Mekong Pandaw. The two Pandaws explore two countries, two cultures and two ways of life linked by one great river. This is the only luxury cruises vacation on the Mekong River. A shipping link between Saigon and Angkor is immensely practical for the traveller as it makes it possible to connect three important destinations on one trip with easy plane connections at either end: Saigon the exotic Frenchified former capital of South Vietnam, Phnom Penh, the quaint Cambodian capital, and the stupendous World Heritage monuments at Angkor. One need no longer check in and out of hotels and endure bumpy roads to visit these magnificent places
 

The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 Km in length. Here bird life is profuse, and from the middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. There is a great stillness and tranquility as we pass floating fishing villages. Because of seasonal high winds and varying water levels, we will start our journey one of the following ways:

1. High water, approximately August to November.
At 11: 00 o’clock register at Koulen II restaurant in Siem Reap (1 Street Sivatha Svay Dangkum Commune) to transfer to the ship at Siem Reap Port. Passengers staying at the Victoria Resort and Spa will be collected at 1115 from the hotel. On the way to the ship excursion by motor boat to the floating villages of Tonle Sap. Embark the ship at 1300 and lunch onboard. Cross the great lake in the afternoon and drop the anchor after sunset. Moor overnight at the edge of the Tonle Lake.

2. Low water, approximately November to August.
At 1200 Register at Koulen II Restaurant in Siem Reap (1 Street Sivatha Svay Dangkum Commune) to transfer by coach to Prek Dom on the Tonle River, enjoying a snacks and cold drinks on the way with a stop at Kampong Thom. Passengers staying at our partner hotel Victoria Resort and Spa will be collected from the hotel at 1215. Arrive by 1700 and cruise to Kampong Chhnang for overnight mooring.

 

High Water: Early morning sailing with a brief stop at Kampong Chhnang after breakfast. Cruise all day passing Phnom Penh to enter the Mekong River. Proceed upstream and stop for an afternoon walk at a rural village.
Low Water: Kampong Chhnang is a busy rural port town with bustling markets. Mooring mid-stream, we make a truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the lakeside wetlands that form the mouth of the river. Here a stunning variety of birdlife may be seen, and of considerable interest are the great fish traps. We touch the capital Phnom Penh in the afternoon to change pilots and enter the Upper Mekong bound for Kampong Cham and stop for an afternoon walk at a rural village

 

We take a morning junk trip to Dong Hoa Hiep Island to Cai Be to see a floating market, and go ashore to visit the French Gothic Cathedral and colorful port area, with its colonial buildings, delightful flower gardens and local rice paper manufacturers. We explore evergreen islands and visit the former Imperial residence the An Kiet House. In the afternoon we continue our sightseeing by boat to Vinh Long to visit the Bonsai Gardens and see brick works.

 

Early morning sail from Cai Be for My Tho, where we disembark at 0830 for coach transfer to Renaissance Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (8-15 Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1) arriving approximately at 10: 30.