Journeys Worldwide

+61 7 32214788

info@journeysworldwide.com.au

Avalon Saigon, Mekong Discovery ex Ho chi minh city (saigon) to Phnom penh

Cruise Avalon Saigon, Mekong Discovery ex Ho chi minh city (saigon) to Phnom penh
Cruise Line Avalon Waterways
Ship Avalon Saigon
Destination Asian Rivers
Brief Description 7 Night Cruise sailing from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam onboard Avalon Saigon
Type of Cruise River
Departure Date 17 Oct 2024
Cruise Description On this unique and inspiring Southeast Asia river cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia, you’ll be immersed in the cultures and ancient traditions as you sightsee and spend time with locals in the most interesting places along the mighty Mekong River.

Via sampan, cruise into Vinh Long and experience Vietnamese culture with a visit to a workshop to learn how rice wine and traditional candies are made. See firsthand how handcrafted sampans are built at the home of a family in Cu Lao Gieng. Walk through a colourful market as the locals are busy with their daily routine of buying and selling produce. In the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, tour the National Museum and Royal Palace with its striking Silver Pagoda. Enjoy a song and dance performance by children from a local orphanage.

On a hilltop at the site of the 8th-century temple of Wat Hanchey, take in the stunning views before walking through the rural village of Angkor Ban to visit with welcoming schoolchildren. Continue this diverse river cruise and stop in a Silversmith Village to see craftsmen making silver artwork using ancient techniques. This once-in-a-lifetime Southeast Asia river cruise holiday is sure to create lasting memories!

Day 1
Your Suite Ship is Ready for Boarding. Transfer to the port on the Saigon River for embarkation. Get acquainted with the ship and relax before your welcome reception this evening.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO VINH LONG (L,D)

Day 2
Sweets, Sampans, and Sun Hats
DISCOVERY - Board a sampan this morning to Visit a local workshop in Vinh Long where you will see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional candies are made.
DISCOVERY - This afternoon, enjoy scenes of daily life on Cu Lao Gieng Island via sampan and local motor cart. Your Guided Excursion starts at a local workshop, where a skilled family handcrafts sampan boats. Then, visit the home of a local family that makes Vietnamese conical hats, or "Non la," from materials available to them such as palm leaves and bamboo. These iconic hats are primarily used as protection from the sun and rain but you may also see them used as a basket to carry home goods from the market. Lastly, stop at one of Vietnam's oldest Catholic churches.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO CHAU DOC (B,L,D)

Day 3
Colourful markets, Charming Locals, and Cotton Weavers
DISCOVERY - In Chau Doc take a Guided Walk through the local market and absorb the atmosphere as locals are busy buying and selling fish,
meat, and produce. Then embark on a River Excursion down the backwaters of the Mekong. Along the way, see traditional floating homes, speedboat merchants, religious sites, a market selling dried goods, and more.
DISCOVERY - After lunch, a sampan brings you to the village of Long Khanh A for a Cotton-Weaving Demonstration of a well-preserved artisan's tradition.
Return to the ship to set sail for the Cambodian border.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO PHNOM PENH (B,L,D)

Day 4
The Royal Treatment
CLASSIC - Take a City Tour by private cyclo to visit the Royal Palace with the spectacular Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum featuring
an outstanding display of Khmer artifacts. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy the city at your leisure. Consider a Guided Optional Tour of a local brewery with free-flowing local beer! Just before dinner, children from a local orphanage will perform a show featuring local song and dance. (B,L,D)

Day 5
A Dark History or Market Dynamics
CLASSIC - This morning, a Guided Visit of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing Fields offers a glimpse into the atrocities inflicted on the Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge regime, OR:
DISCOVERY - Visit the lively Central Market by tuk-tuk to see its unique Art Deco design. After lunch, depart Phnom Penh and enjoy some time at leisure on the ship.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO WAT HANCHEY (B,L,D)

Day 6
Water Blessings and Back-To-School Adventures
DISCOVERY - Visit Wat Hanchey, a hilltop temple dating back to the 8th century. Climb or be driven to the top where you will enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area and partake in a traditional water blessing given by local monks.
DISCOVERY - After lunch, enjoy a Walking Tour through the rural village of Angkor Ban. Here, you will visit a traditional Khmer house and interact with children at a local school.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KONPONG LOUANG (B,L,D)

Day 7
Calm in the Cambodian Countryside
DISCOVERY - Start your Guided Sightseeing at the silversmith village in Konpong Louang. Here, see talented craftsmen use age-old techniques to turn pure silver into works of art. In Kampong Tralach, board an ox cart for a ride through the beautiful Cambodian countryside. Along the way, stop to meet a local farmer and learn about his daily life.
This afternoon, enjoy scenic cruising on the Tonle River.
EVENING CRUISE TO PHNOM PENH (B,L,D)

Day 8
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Sailing Dates
03 Oct 2024
17 Oct 2024
31 Oct 2024
14 Nov 2024
28 Nov 2024
Pricing
Please enquire for pricing
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Arrive Depart
17 Oct 2024 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam Embark
18 Oct 2024 Vinh Long, Vietnam
18 Oct 2024 Cu Lao Gieng, Vietnam
19 Oct 2024 Chau Doc, Vietnam
19 Oct 2024 Sydney, NSW, Australia
20 Oct 2024 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
21 Oct 2024 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
22 Oct 2024 Wat Hanchey, Cambodia
22 Oct 2024 Angkor Ban, Cambodia
23 Oct 2024 Kampong Luong, Cambodia
23 Oct 2024 Kampong Tralach, Cambodia
24 Oct 2024 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Disembark
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

* Unless otherwise noted all pricing is on a per person twin share basis. All prices based on cash payment - credit card fees may apply. Cruise deposit, amendment and cancellation conditions apply. Special conditions may apply - please ask for full details at time of enquiry. All passports, vaccinations and visas are the responsibility of the travelling guest to secure prior to departure from Australia. Any pricing not in Australian Dollars will be converted on the day of payment into the relevant currency based on our daily rate of exchange. Please note that many of the prices shown on this website are not shown in real time. Whilst we endeavour to keep our pricing as up-to-date as possible, the advertised prices shown here may differ slightly from the live prices in our booking system. All pricing and offers are subject to availability at time of booking. Whilst all information is correct at the time of publication, offers are subject to change. We reserve the right to correct errors without penalty. Please submit any data errors/omissions you may notice on this site.

Unless otherwise expressly noted, all materials, including images, illustrations, designs, icons, and photographs appearing anywhere on this website are protected by worldwide copyright laws and treaty provisions. The copyright on such materials is held by the original creator of the materials. None of the materials may be copied, reproduced, displayed, modified, published, uploaded, posted, transmitted or distributed in whole or in part in any form or by any means other than as provided by Cruise Factory and The Small Ship Collective to its clients, or with the prior written permission of Cruise Factory and Cruise Traveller. All rights not expressly granted in these Terms are reserved. Any unauthorised use of the materials appearing on this website may violate copyright, trademark and other applicable laws and could result in criminal or civil penalties.