Mekong River Splendours

When you arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, a shuttle bus will take you to your hotel. Take advantage of your free time to discover the city, its monuments and the local gastronomy including Bun thit nuong and Hu tieu soup which are typical South Vietnamese dishes.

Your crew will give you a warm welcome at your meeting point in Ho Chi Minh City where your air-conditioned coach will transfer you to the Aqua Mekong in My Tho harbour. Settle into your luxurious floating retreat and experience a memorable first night aboard your five-star home on the legendary Mekong River.

Start the day by learning traditional carpet weaving in Binh Thanh village or visit the bustling Sa Dec market and the famous home of Marguerite Duras’ legendary lover, Mr. Huynh Thuy Le. In the afternoon, take a walk through the lush green plantations of My An Hung village in the Mekong Delta, visiting a local resident’s house to enjoy local fruits, listen to traditional folk songs of the villagers and participate in a unique unicorn dance. A 17 km cycling option is also available for those wishing to explore the idyllic countryside on wheels.

When the sun rises, you skiff along the Bassac Canal to the Chau Doc floating market for a real revelation, then you hop in your van to the Long Son Pagoda at the top of Sam Mountain to meet the Buddhist monks who have made this sacred hill their home. Take a scenic 18 km bike ride to Long Khanh Island or hop on a rickshaw to visit the Tan Chau market with your chef. After lunch, relax by the pool, try a traditional Khmer massage or learn to cook Mekong inspired dishes as you cross the border between Cambodia and Vietnam.

Navigate through the legendary land of the glittering ancient Khmer empire. At Koh Oknha Tey, see how Khmer craftsmen dye and weave krama, a silk scarf much appreciated by the locals and a precious cultural asset dating back to the Angkor period. Afterwards, walk along the idyllic river banks past Buddhist temples and traditional thatched and stilt-roofed houses and see farmers with white Brahmin cattle working in the rice fields. After lunch, board Aqua Mekong’s private fleet of launching boats and head to the tamarind groves of Preah Prosop, a remote village that has changed little in many lives and is home to a colourful Buddhist temple.

Discover the best of the Cambodian capital on motorised tuk-tuks, including the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the National Museum of Cambodia, home to the world’s largest collection of Khmer art. Depending on your preference, visit the Genocide Museum in Tuol Sleng or shop at the Russian market before disembarking from the Aqua Mekong.

Wake up to the beauty of rural Cambodia and skiff to the goldsmith village of Koh Chen for a direct encounter with the artisans who make beautiful pieces of Khmer royal silverware. Keep an eye out for their famous silver bowls, regularly chosen by the king of Cambodia as gifts for visiting dignitaries. In the afternoon, continue exploring Khmer life by the river in Kampong Chhnang. In this serene village, meet the traditional potters and palm sugar producers and watch them practise age-old handicrafts and techniques dating back to the 6th century that are still very relevant and valuable today.

Discover vast wetlands, birds and isolated communities on stilts around Tonle Sap Lake, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designated in 1997. In Chhnok Tru, visit an intriguing ice factory and learn from the locals what it’s like to live in a town whose school, church, pagoda, police station and even karaoke bar “float” on the water. After lunch, sail to the floating village of Moat Khla and attend a Buddhist blessing ceremony in this remote community accessible only by sea.

Continue exploring the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia, starting from the ergonomically designed skiffs of Aqua Mekong and heading to the 22,000 hectare Prek Toal Core Bird Reserve, one of the last refuges in South East Asia for large water birds such as spotted pelicans, milky stork, black-headed ibis and the elusive masked crowfoot. Disembark in the enigmatic town of Siem Reap, home to Angkor Wat.

Take the time to visit the city and its many historical monuments. From Siem Reap you can travel to Phnom Penh Airport by private transport. Then return to Montreal.