Cruise Saigon - PhnomPenh 6D5N

Fully-panelled in wood, this cruise boat has been designed in the local style keeping charm and comfort in mind. Modestly sized and with the safety of a steel hull, its low draught makes it possible to access even the smallest and remotest of villages. With the tasteful decoration straight out of a bygone era, the Toum Tiou has ten cosy double cabins with private showers, a large lounge area, a panoramic viewing space to the front, a semi-covered bar and restaurant to the rear and a roof patio. Air conditioning, hi-fi system and a library have also been provided.

The captain, ship hands, hostesses, cooks and purser are discreet and efficient in the performance of their duties.

This traditional locally built boat started out as a freighter with a metal hull and a capacity of 150 tons, with two large but low-ceiling decks in order to maximize storage space. Like many other similar ships in this area, it sailed up and down the Tonle Sap and Mekong, stopping at Siem Reap, Kompong Cham, Kratie and Stung Treng.

We have stayed as close as possible to the original lines of the ship during the conversion process. In doing so, we have managed to retain its slightly curved and elegant lines.

The Toum Tiou measures 38 m long and 7 m wide amidships. It has ten rooms in all (3.3 m x 2.5 m), four on the main deck and six on the upper deck, each air-conditioned and with a bathroom (2.5 m x 1.4 m) including a toilet, shower and sink. The water on board is taken from the river and passed through a powerful filtration system and chlorinated in the final step of the treatment.

In order to make the best possible use of the common areas from the standpoint of both size and variety we have installed a library and reading room on the lower deck. There is also a covered space at the front of the middle deck, a restaurant to the rear and a semi-covered sundeck on top.

Day 1 Monday: Phnom Penh-Vinh Xuong (Vietnamese border)

7:45 am: Toum Tiou is open for embarkation.
8:00 am: Formalities and clearances.
8:30 am: The Toum Tiou leaves Phnom Penh for Kôh Dek Chau Island. Security briefing.
11:30 am: Arrive at Kôh Dek Chau Island. A short break along the way allows visitors to get a fascinating, close-up look at daily life in Cambodia.
On the fringes of civilization, the 600 people who live on Kôh Dek Chau will receive your visit with surprise and enthusiasm. School children will escort you along your way. You will go through the village that occupies the full length of the island, walking along a trail shaded by date palms.
12:30 pm: Re-embark the Toum Tiou. Depart for Kaam Samnaar (Cambodian border).Lunch will be served during the passage.
4:00 pm: The Toum Tiou arrives at the Immigration check point in Kaam Samnaar for clearance and departure formalities.
5:30 pm: The boat drops anchor for the night on the river between the borders.
Welcome drink and info meeting about the cruise, crew introduction. Welcome dinner. Spend the night on board.

Day 2 Tuesday: Vinh Xuong - Chau Doc

7:00 am: Opening of the immigration check point offices in Vinh Xuong. Clearance and departure formalities. Breakfast.
9.00 am: Depart for Chau Doc. The Vietnamese Guide boards, introduces himself. Interact with the guide.
12:30 pm: Lunch will be served during the passage.
1:30 pm: Arrive at Victoria Hotel on Chau Doc jetty.
Located to the north, at the beginning of the Mekong's famous delta, Chau Doc straddles both banks of the Mekong which fans out to the dimensions of a river mouth here. Floating fish farms have sprung up everywhere. Bamboo fish drying racks are set up a meter above the water's surface. The bourgeoning downtown area features some charmingly rustic colonial buildings, squeezed in by the marketplace-the colourful, vibrant heart of the city. As always, these busy parts of town, despite their sometimes strong odours, offer wonderful photo opportunities.
2:30 pm: Depart for a visit to the fish raising rafts and the Cham minority village by local boat.
Return to the Victoria hotel for a walk to the Chau Doc market. Visit the Sam Mountain which is 237 m high. Its well-known Buddhist sanctuaries offer an unobstructed view over the mosaic of glistening rice paddies below. To the left is Cambodia and you can see the flow of the Mekong on the horizon as it breaks into an infinite number of silver ribbons. Visit the Lady Chua Xu temple and Tay An Pagoda on the way.
6:30 pm: Return to the boat after sunset.
7:00 pm: Dinner will be served at the Victoria Hotel's restaurant. The Toum Tiou will remain moored overnight at the jetty of the hotel. You are free to enjoy the hotel facilities (swimming pool, billiards, bar, Internet) or stroll through Chau Doc.

Day 3 Wednesday: Chau Doc-Sa Dec

7:00 am: Early departure for Sa Dec, breakfast will be served during the passage.
2:00 pm: After lunch, arrival at Sa Dec. A short panoramic tour of Sa Dec and transfer by bus to Trung Vuong primary school. Continue to Kien An Cung Pagoda. Stroll around Sa Dec Market along the Sa Dec River bank. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating in its unspoiled authenticity and undisturbed by tourists. It provides a glimpse of the delta where a few colonial houses still remain, including the "Chinaman's house" (from Duras' novel "The Lover", also made into a movie).
4:00 pm: Return to the boat with a stopover at a nursery of flower and bonsai trees. Famous for its horticulture (it has many varieties of fabulously exotic flowers), Sa Dec was known as the "Garden of Cochin Chine" during colonial times.
5:15 pm: Toum Tiou leaves Sa Dec for Vinh Long.
6:00 pm: We will anchor a few miles away on the way to Vinh Long. Dinner will be served on board and you can retire to your cabin for the night.

Day 4 Thursday: Sa Dec-Vinh Long

6:30 am: Toum Tiou continues toawrds Vinh Long.
7:00 am: Breakfast will be served during the passage.
8:00 am: Arrive at Vinh Long, local boats pick up passengers for visiting a brick and pottery factory, the Binh Hoa Phuoc Islet Nursery of Fruit Trees, as well a typical local house and a show room of traditional farming tools.
Vinh Long, which translates as "Majestic Dragon", is right in the middle of the delta, between two arms of the Mekong. The soil of Vinh Long is enriched by silt deposits, making it ideal for growing mandarins and other citrus fruits. Life here is organized around the water. Houses on stilts, hawkers in boats and hundreds of small craft crisscross in all directions. The hospitality of the locals makes it a tourist destination par excellence.
10:50 am: Depart for Cai Be Floating Market, going across the Mekong River en route.
1:00 pm: Toum Tiou leaves Cai Be for My Tho. Lunch will be served on board during the passage.
5:30 pm: Arrive at My Tho. The Toum Tiou drops anchor on the river in the proximity of Thoi Son Island. A local band embarks to play traditional music for 45 minutes. Dinner will be served on board and you can retire to your cabin for the night.

Day 5 Friday: Cai Be-My Tho

7:00 am: Breakfast.
8:00 am: Local boats come alongside Toum Tiou to pick up passengers and transfer them to the mainland.
Departure for Vinh Trang Pagoda by car and enjoy a short panoramic tour of My Tho town on the way. Continue to the Dong Tam Snake Farm and My Tho Market.
Situated on the banks of a northern arm of the Mekong, My Tho, which translates as "fragrant herb", is where tourists come to discover the beauty of the delta. It's a quiet, prosperous city of about 100,000 inhabitants, famous for its many fruit orchards, gardens and the huge rice fields that surround it. The climate is warm and pleasant year round. The surrounding countryside is home to one of the most luxuriant gardens of Vietnam, with its coconut palms, banana and mango trees.
10:45 am: Return to the pier. Cruise along the river to Thoi Son Island by local boat. Visit the island and experience the local people's daily lives and enjoy delicious seasonal fruits.
1:00 pm: Re-embark the Toum Tiou. Depart My Tho for Saigon. Lunch will be served on board. You will get ample time to relax and pack and prepare for the arrival.
6:00 pm: Toum Tiou drops anchor on the river en route.
7:00 pm: Farewell cocktail (one glass of local liquor or juice) with the Master of the ship and Cruise Manager. Captain's farewell dinner (Enriched menu and one glass of wine). Spend the night on board.

Day 6 Saturday: My Tho-Saigon

7:00 am: Depart for Saigon.
1:00 pm: Toum Tiou arrives at Saigon port. Customs formalities and clearance.
1:30: Disembark the vessel. The local tour agent will pick up passengers and transfer them to the hotel after a last lunch on board.