APT Spiritual Cambodia and The Mekong

On arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, receive Fast track Service before being met and transferred to a centrally located hotel for ship registration formalities. Journey to My Tho and embark your ship. Set sail from My Tho and soak up the scenery during your cruise towards Cai Be. Tonight, a Vietnamese welcome dinner awaits, showcasing the diverse flavours from the region.
Signature Experience – VIP Fast Track Service.
Stay: Seven Nights, Mekong River, Mekong Serenity.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.

Board your traditional sampan for your first excursion on the banks of the Mekong. Step ashore to visit French gothic Cai Be Church, built in the Roman architectural style, as well as the colourful port area filled with crumbling colonial buildings and flowering gardens. The church’s bell tower, with its set of four bells cast in France in 1931, is the tallest bell tower in the Tien Giang Province. Afterwards, you’ll visit rice paper and coconut candy manufacturers and learn how these Vietnamese staples are made.
Head back to the ship to refresh before sitting down to savour a delicious lunch whilst continuing to cruise to the quaint town of Sa Dec. Upon arrival, explore Sa Dec by foot and meet some of the sellers at the colourful market. Continue to where French writer Marguerite Duras met her Vietnamese-Chinese lover, Huynh Thuy Le. Tour his former home and learn the story behind Duras’ best-selling novel, ‘The Lover’. After, visit a traditional Cao Dai temple. Watch visitors and pilgrims come and go and appreciate the beauty of the colourful building. Sail towards Tan Chau as dinner is served.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Transfer to a small boat to cruise the tiny tributaries around the town of Tan Chau. Disembark for a rickshaw tour and visit a local rattan weaving workshop. Then, explore Evergreen Island to see authentic rural Mekong life. This afternoon, appreciate some downtime and watch the scenery pass as the Mekong Serenity cruises towards the Cambodian border.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Enjoy your Freedom of Choice activity then spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. You may wish to head ashore and explore more of Phnom Penh independently or simply relax on board.
Freedom of Choice activities - Killing Fields and Genocide Museum; Cyclo Ride; Visit the National Museum; Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Journey to Oudong, Cambodia’s former royal capital, where you will enjoy a Signature Experience. Following the visit, return via Koh Chen village and visit local copperware workshops. Back on board, cruise to Oknha Tey, known for its silk weaving traditions. Stroll among the stilt houses and gain an insight into the traditional silk weaving process. Watch as the village women create beautiful Khmer fabrics from their wooden looms.
Signature Experience – Buddhist Blessing Ceremony.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Sail to Angkor Ban, where you'll disembark and enjoy a captivating walking discovery of this historic village. Remarkably, Angkor Ban stands as one of the rare Cambodian villages that remained unscathed during the tumultuous Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. Here, people still live in traditional wooden homes and keep ancient cultural traditions alive. This afternoon, your ship continues sailing upstream to Wat Hanchey.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

If you are feeling active this morning, walk to the hilltop pagoda of Wat Hanchey for expansive views over the Mekong. Here, you may find some novice monks along with many temples, pagodas, and stupas, some built this century while others date back to the eighth century. Savour lunch on board before enjoying a Signature Experience. Celebrate with a farewell dinner on board this evening.
Signature Experience – Tuk Tuk Tour of Koh Pen.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Bid farewell to the crew and disembark the Mekong Serenity early at Kampong Cham. Travel to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat, passing through picturesque countryside and remote villages where you can observe rural life. On arrival at your hotel, enjoy a light lunch and some relaxation time before your Signature Experiences.
Signature Experience – Local Charity Visit.
Signature Experience – VIP Circus Show.
Stay: Three Nights, Siem Reap, Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Wake early this morning to witness sunrise at the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. As the sun rises, soak up the atmosphere as you marvel at this ancient wonder. After the sun has risen, delve into the history and significance of this sacred site with a guided tour inside the vast temple complex and the sprawling grounds before returning to the hotel for a late breakfast.
Continue your exploration of the World Heritage-listed Angkor Archaeological Park with a visit to Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital of the Khmer Empire. Built during the heyday of the Empire in the 12th century, this is an extraordinary complex of Hindu and Buddhist monuments. Head to the intriguing Bayon temple, with its carved stone smiling faces of gods, goddesses and other mythological beings. Visit the Terrace of Elephants, which used to be the base for the king’s grand audience hall, and the Terrace of the Leper King, which housed the royal crematory.
Journey to Ta Prohm, known for the thick jungle of fig trees and vines that have enveloped the structure, creating a feeling akin to stepping into a lost world. Ta Prohm is commonly referred to as the 'Tomb Raider Temple' due to it being used as a location in the blockbuster 2001 film ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’, which starred Angelina Jolie. The temple offers a captivating glimpse into the past and is a testament to a bygone era. Tonight, enjoy your Freedom of Choice dinner.
Signature Experience – Sunrise at Angkor Wat.
Freedom of Choice dining options - Sokkhak River Restaurant; Mouhot’s Dream; Malis; Butterfly Pea; Fellini; Spoons.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

Embark on your selected activity today. Tonight, your Signature Experience awaits. Set amid a stunning garden, this promises to be an enchanting and memorable evening.
Signature Experience – Gallery Visit with Khmer Dinner and Apsara Performance
Freedom of Choice activities - Tuk Tuk Ride to Senteurs d’Angkor; Quad Bike Adventure; APOPO HeroRATs Tour and Landmine Museum; Horse and Cart Ride; Khmer Cooking Class; Siem Reap Shopping Adventure; Khmer Massage.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast.