Here is some highlights about this program Siem Reap to Saigon:

Cultural Highlights: To complement your tours and shore excursions, take part in smiletourscruise’s Cultural Highlights—immersive learning and enhancement activities both on board and ashore:

• Visit the renowned Tonle Sap Lake

• Tour the magnificent ruins of Angkor

• Enjoy traditional Apsara temple dancing and other folkloric performances

• Visit colorful floating markets on the banks of the Mekong

• View onboard film screenings that will enhance your journey These in-depth experiences are included as an essential part of discovering more about the places through which you cruise, and each activity is planned specifically to illuminate each itinerary.

Culture Curriculum: Sometimes you want to dig a little deeper. We offer a series of on board multimedia talks to shed light on the history and culture of the places you visit.

Learn about:

• The rise and fall of the Khmer empire

• The archeological excavations at Angkor

• History of Vietnam and Cambodia

• History and culture of the Champa people and other ethnic groups

• Key words and phrases in the local languages These presentations provide a context for your own observations, enhancing your travel experience.

Upstream Saigon – Siem Reap 8 Days by The Jayavarman Cruise  Itinerary:

Day 1: Saigon – My Tho    
Meals: lunch/ dinner
Acommodation: the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 2: Cai Be – Chau Doc  
Meals: Breakfast/ lunch/ dinner
Acommodation: the Jayavarman Cruise  

Day 3: Chau Doc – border crossing
Meals: Breakfast/ lunch/ dinner
Acommodation: the Jayavarman Cruise  

Day 4: Phnom Penh
Meals: Breakfast/ lunch/ dinner
Acommodation: the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 5: Phnom Penh – Kampong Cham
Meals: Breakfast/ lunch/ dinner
Acommodation: the Jayavarman Cruise  

Day 6: Kampong Cham – Wat Hanchey
Meals: Breakfast/ lunch/ dinner
Acommodation: the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 7: Kampong Cham – Kampong Chhnang – Tonle Sap
Meals: Breakfast/ lunch/ dinner
Acommodation: the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 8: Tonle Sap – Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast/ lunch/

Upstream Saigon – Siem Reap by RV Jayavarman Cruise

Grade:

The Lost Civilization

High Water Program (approx. between July and December)

Low Water Program (approx. between December and June)

8 Days Upstream High Water Itinerary fr0m Saigon To Siem Reap By RV Jayavarman Cruise:

Day 1: Saigon – My Tho (dinner)   

Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon you will go to My Tho for embarkation. My Tho is 70km South of Saigon and located on the upper Mekong river in Vietnam. Enjoy a cocktail reception at the Funnel Bar and Lounge followed by a Welcome Dinner on the Sun Deck. dr0p anchor just outside of My Tho for the night. Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 2: Cai Be – Sa Dec – Chau Doc (breakfast/lunch/dinner) 

The day – in fact everyday – starts with an invigorating Tai Chi lesson on the sun deck, just as the sun begins its gentle glow. Coffee and tea awaits the early bird. The day’s tour starts with a visit to Cai Be’s boisterous and colorful floating market on board a traditional sampan (a flat bottomed traditional Vietnamese wooden boat). During the languid ride, discover breathtaking landscapes along the river and quaff the rustic life on the Mekong Delta. The cruise will halt intermittently to allow us to observe how rice paste, rice cookies and coconut candies are made, along with the Longan fruit drying process. After touring the canals, we head to an ancient house surrounded by fruit orch@rds before heading to the Ship for lunch. In the afternoon, we cruise to Sa Dec.
Upon arrival, we embark a traditional sampan to tour Binh Thanh Island and its manmade canals. Here, every villager is involved in the process of growing and processing water hyacinths into natural fibre floor mats and rattan baskets. We then board the Ship for a tranquil evening cruise towards Chau Doc. Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ship will moor midstream overnight near Chau Doc.

Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 3: Chau Doc – border crossing (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

Welcome to the fish sanctuary of Vietnam. Begin your day with a hearty breakfast at the Dining Hall or in the quiet sanctuary of your balcony. Brace yourself for a short excursion in Chau Doc, a pleasant town near the Cambodian border with sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer communities. We will also visit the colorful local market near an ancient temple. This is followed by a trip to the quay, whe-re we will be feted to a boat excursion to the floating villages and rustic catfish farms whe-re we will learn exciting facts about the breeding of Basa fish in the Mekong Delta. Then, it is back to the ship for a lunch.
By mid-afternoon, the cruise liner will make its way to the border for Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It is an opportune time to relax on board, sharpen your culinary skills with our hands-on cooking classes or tour the ship with our impeccable Cruise Director. Or, better yet, do all three. “The Highway Blues” beckons as we float into a state of mild bliss caused by the hypnotic murmur of the ship’s engine. After hours of cruising, we will feel the rush of entering into a new country and to embrace new adventures.
Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight midstream near Phnom Penh.
Note: Due to high water in the Mekong Delta between July and December the following program applies: This morning, you will start your excursion on a local boat (sampan) and discover the border town of Tan Chau. Firstly, the journey takes you to the “evergreen” islands whe-re you will be thrilled to learn the life of the locals.
The inhabitants of these islands live on houses poised on high stilts – a centuries-old tradition in this part of the Mekong Delta. We stop to visit a fish farm located in the Tan Chau canal – this farm consists of floating houses and the villagers make their living by cultivating fish. You continue by boat to Tan Chau pier, disembark here and stroll around this colorful local market with lots of regional products. You return to the cruise Ship after your market visit.

Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 4: Phnom Penh (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

Phnom Penh was once the Paris of the East. Despite its rapid development, it has retained a lot of its rustic ch@rm and elegance. After breakfast, we will be captivated by a comprehensive lecture on Cambodia’s modern history. This will be followed by a city tour of this dynamic, historical capital city of Cambodia which has managed to preserve huge slices of its French colonial allure. Sightseeing in the morning will include visiting the dazzling white and gold edifice of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and witnessing exceptionally beautiful Khmer craft at the National Museum.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we will visit the Genocide Museum and the Killing Field in town. Be prepared to be heart wrenched by this stark reminder of the genocide that transpired during Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime.
We go back to the Ship after our museum visit. Take a rest on your cabin balcony or the lounge and get prepared for an exciting evening event. The evening starts with a variety of cocktails served on the sun deck. Take a seat and enjoy the following Apsara dance performance. Experience the brilliance and richness of this culture, the soothing sounds of traditional music, the calming scent of incense sticks and a barbeque on the sun deck. It is indeed a truly marvellous experience, dining in the open with the stars and the moon as our companions.
Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in Phnom Penh. Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 5: Phnom Penh – Kampong Cham (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

We will depart before the break of dawn fr0m Phnom Penh with a stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village. We will then return to the Ship and will cruise past the Mekong’s tranquil villages, exhilirating river life and sun-hardened fishermen on their shift boats.
We will tour the rural Angkor Ban village whe-re time stood still. We are transported back a hundred years into an era unsullified by modernity. The houses here are truly rustic, made by hand and without any concrete. But most of all, we feel overwhelmed by the unbridled warmth of the villagers.
Travelers can take part in the daily activities of the villagers to experience village life first hand. Then, we are back to the Ship to cruise towards Kampong Cham. Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 6: Kampong Cham – Wat Hanchey (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

We will wake up in the small hours of the morning, truly energized to embark on a land journey to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Travelers either take a motor-taxi or climb 291 steps to the top. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers one of the most breath-taking views in Cambodia. Built in the 8th century, this ancient structure, together with a bigger and newer addition underscores the superb architecture of the Chenla Empire which predates the mighty Angkor temple complex. We even get to engage in light banter with some of the monks in the area. We will return to the Ship to witness a blessing ceremony performed by orange-clad local monks.
When the tide allows, we will enjoy a surprise sojourn in our zodiacs (inflatable boats) to the nearby bank to swim in the teacoloured Mekong River, an experience that will, no doubt, dominate dinner conversations in the weeks to come. We will then cruise towards Kampong Cham to visit Wat Nokor, a wat built within the ruins of an ancient temple which holds a timeless story. On the way back to the Ship, we will visit an orphanage. Along the way, we will have to maneuver a 2-kilometer rickety bamboo bridge. Our sense of balance lies in the balance! Overnight cruise to Kampong Chhnang.

Day 7: Kampong Cham – Kampong Chhnang – Tonle Sap (breakfast/lunch/dinner)   

Before the sun peeks over the horizon, the cruiser sets sail towards Kampong Chhnang on the Tonle River – an amazingly narrow river – which glides through leafy swaths of the Southeast Asian jungle. We are greeted by cacophonous children who waive enthusiastically early in the morning when they bring their livestock for a bath in the meandering Tonle River. Then we approach Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia’s “waterworld” whe-re everything is on stilts balanced on water rich soil– it’s an awesome sight whilst practising Tai Chi on the deck.
Here we take a motorboat excursion to the landing, followed by a short bus trip to see the Khmer-styled pottery at the Aundaung Russey village. Then, it is back to the river for an adventurous motorboat excursion to the wetlands, floating houses and fish farms in the region.
We then return to the Ship for lunch whilst cruising the narrow and meandering Tonle River. Your floating sanctuary will then cruise gently, in the afternoon, along the narrow and meandering Tonle River. In the evening, a sumptuous spread will be served. And for the big surprise – bring along your dance shoes and learn to jiggle the Cambodian way with our staff doubling up as dance instructors. (If you can’t dance, do not fret. Neither can our staff) Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in Kampong Chhnang.

Day 8: Tonle Sap – Siem Reap (breakfast/lunch)

This great lake dominates Cambodia and is the largest freshwater lake in Asia with abundant birdlife. This lake is so wide that one can not see its shores fr0m the middle of the lake.
Enjoy the stillness of the water and the quiet tranquility on the way to Siem Reap. The water level varies a great deal according to the time of the year and the amount of rainfall recorded. Thus, minor changes to the itinerary may occur during different seasons.
Our Heritage Line cruise liner comes to an end as we reach this city of the fabled Angkor temple complex. We bid farewell to the cruise as our journey comes to a close. But the memories and the friendships made on board linger on for a lot longer. We will cross the Tonle Lake at dawn and at 9.00h, we will disembark at the Siem Reap Port for onward coach transfer to the dr0p off point in town.
Including breakfast.

8 Days Upstream Low Water Itinerary fr0m Saigon To Siem Reap By RV Jayavarman Cruise:

Day 1: Saigon – My Tho (/dinner)   

Bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Saigon as we travel 70 kilometers south by land to My Tho to embark your boutique Ship. We will be served a refreshing welcome drink as the Ship steadily glides along the Mekong. We will bathe in the fading sunset on the balcony followed by a briefing at the lounge. Later, a welcome dinner awaits us.
When approaching Cai Be, the Ship dr0ps anchor to moor midstream whe-re the river is several kilometers wide. Including dinner. Overnight in Cai Be.

Day 2: Cai Be – Sa Dec – Chau Doc (breakfast/lunch/dinner) 

The day – in fact everyday – starts with an invigorating Tai Chi lesson on the sun deck, just as the sun begins its gentle glow. Coffee and tea awaits the early bird.
The day’s tour starts with a visit to Cai Be’s boisterous and colorful floating market on board a traditional sampan (a flat bottomed traditional Vietnamese wooden boat). During the languid ride, discover breathtaking landscapes along the river and quaff the rustic life on the Mekong Delta. The cruise will halt intermittently to allow us to observe how rice paste, rice cookies and coconut candies are made, along with the Longan fruit drying process. After touring the canals, we head to an ancient house surrounded by fruit orch@rds before heading to the Ship for lunch.
In the afternoon, we cruise to Sa Dec. Upon arrival, we embark a traditional sampan to tour Binh Thanh Island and its manmade canals. Here, every villager is involved in the process of growing and processing water hyacinths into natural fibre floor mats and rattan baskets.
We then board the Ship for a tranquil evening cruise towards Chau Doc.
Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Ship will moor midstream overnight near Chau Doc. Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 3: Chau Doc – border crossing (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

Welcome to the fish sanctuary of Vietnam. Begin your day with a hearty breakfast at the Dining Hall or in the quiet sanctuary of your balcony. Brace yourself for a short excursion in Chau Doc, a pleasant town near the Cambodian border with sizeable Chinese, Kinh and Khmer communities. We will also visit the colorful local market near an ancient temple. This is followed by a trip to the quay, whe-re we will be feted to a boat excursion to the floating villages and rustic catfish farms whe-re we will learn exciting facts about the breeding of Basa fish in the Mekong Delta. Then, it is back to the ship for a lunch.
By mid-afternoon, the cruise liner will make its way to the border for Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It is an opportune time to relax on board, sharpen your culinary skills with our hands-on cooking classes or tour the ship with our impeccable Cruise Director. Or, better yet, do all three. “The Highway Blues” beckons as we float into a state of mild bliss caused by the hypnotic murmur of the ship’s engine. After hours of cruising, we will feel the rush of entering into a new country and to embrace new adventures.
Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight midstream near Phnom Penh.
Note: Due to high water in the Mekong Delta between July and December the following program applies: This morning, you will start your excursion on a local boat (sampan) and discover the border town of Tan Chau. Firstly, the journey takes you to the “evergreen” islands whe-re you will be thrilled to learn the life of the locals.
The inhabitants of these islands live on houses poised on high stilts – a centuries-old tradition in this part of the Mekong Delta. We stop to visit a fish farm located in the Tan Chau canal – this farm consists of floating houses and the villagers make their living by cultivating fish. You continue by boat to Tan Chau pier, disembark here and stroll around this colorful local market with lots of regional products. You return to the cruise Ship after your market visit. Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 4: Phnom Penh (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

Phnom Penh was once the Paris of the East. Despite its rapid development, it has retained a lot of its rustic ch@rm and elegance. After breakfast, we will be captivated by a comprehensive lecture on Cambodia’s modern history. This will be followed by a city tour of this dynamic, historical capital city of Cambodia which has managed to preserve huge slices of its French colonial allure. Sightseeing in the morning will include visiting the dazzling white and gold edifice of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, and witnessing exceptionally beautiful Khmer craft at the National Museum.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we will visit the Genocide Museum and the Killing Field in town. Be prepared to be heart wrenched by this stark reminder of the genocide that transpired during Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime.
We go back to the Ship after our museum visit. Take a rest on your cabin balcony or the lounge and get prepared for an exciting evening event. The evening starts with a variety of cocktails served on the sun deck. Take a seat and enjoy the following Apsara dance performance. Experience the brilliance and richness of this culture, the soothing sounds of traditional music, the calming scent of incense sticks and a barbeque on the sun deck. It is indeed a truly marvellous experience, dining in the open with the stars and the moon as our companions.
Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in Phnom Penh. Overnight on the Jayavarman Cruise

Day 5: Phnom Penh – Kampong Cham (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

Before the sun peeks over the horizon, the cruiser sets sail towards Kampong Chhnang (we leave Phnom Penh after midnight) and the Tonle River – an amazingly narrow river – which glides through leafy swaths of the Southeast Asian jungle. We are greeted by cacophonous children who waive enthusiastically early in the morning when they bring their livestock for a bath in the meandering Tonle River.
Then we approach Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia’s “waterworld” whe-re everything is on stilts balanced on water rich soil– it’s an awesome sight whilst practising Tai Chi on the deck.
Here we take a motorboat excursion to the landing, followed by a short bus trip to see the Khmer-styled pottery at the Aundaung Russey village. Then, it is back to the river for an adventurous motorboat excursion to the wetlands, floating houses and fish farms in the region.
We then return to the ship for lunch whilst cruising the narrow and meandering Tonle River. We will cruise towards Prek K’dam whe-re we will take a walk through the silversmith village of Koh Chen whe-re the entire community of villagers are involved in making various silver items for sale.
Back on board, the Ship sails back towards Phnom Penh again and will moor for overnight midstream near Phnom Penh. Including breakfast, lunch and dinne

Day 6: Kampong Cham – Wat Hanchey (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

We will depart before the break of dawn fr0m Phnom Penh with a stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village. We will then return to the ship and will cruise past the Mekong’s tranquil villages, exhilirating river life and sun-hardened fishermen on their shift boats.

We will tour the rural Angkor Ban village whe-re time stood still. We are transported back a hundred years into an era unsullified by modernity. The houses here are truly rustic, made by hand and without any concrete. But most of all, we feel overwhelmed by the unbridled warmth of the villagers.
Travelers can take part in the daily activities of the villagers to experience village life first hand. Then, we are back to the Ship to cruise towards Kampong Cham.
Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in Kampong Cham.

Day 7: Kampong Cham – Kampong Chhnang – Tonle Sap (breakfast/lunch/dinner)   

We will wake up in the small hours of the morning, truly energized to embark on a land journey to the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Travelers either take a motor-taxi or climb 291 steps to the top. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the river, it offers one of the most breath-taking views in Cambodia. Built in the 8th century, this ancient structure, together with a bigger and newer addition underscores the superb architecture of the Chenla Empire which predates the mighty Angkor temple complex. We even get to engage in light banter with some of the monks in the area. We will return to the Ship to witness a blessing ceremony performed by orange-clad local monks.
When the tide allows, we will enjoy a surprise sojourn in our zodiacs (inflatable boats) to the nearby beach to swim in the teacolored Mekong River, an experience that will, no doubt, dominate dinner conversations in the weeks to come. We will then cruise towards Kampong Cham to visit Wat Nokor, a wat built within the ruins of an ancient temple which holds a timeless story. On the way back to the Ship, we will visit an orphanage. Along the way, we will have to maneuver a 2-kilometer rickety bamboo bridge. Our sense of balance lies in the balance!
Including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in Kampong Cham.

Day 8: Tonle Sap – Siem Reap (breakfast/)

We will disembark the Ship at after breakfast and board a coach at 8.30h for a transfer fr0m Kampong Cham to the dr0p off point in Siem Reap. We get to munch on snacks and enjoy cold drinks along the journey. We then arrive in Siem Reap in the early afternoon.
Including breakfast and lunch bo

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  8 days/7 nights “The Lost Civilization” Saigon Port (SGN) – Siem Reap (REP) and vice versa

  The classic among the Mekong River Cruises – 8 day cruise “Lost Civilization” for the cruise aficionados combines places rarely visited with opulent world heritage sites on board the luxury boutique cruise “Jayavarman” – the unforgettable cruise experience. Please have a look of details departure dates 2013.

   

  Year	2014
  Month	Jan (HS)	Feb (HS)	Mar (HS)	Apr (SS)	Jul (LS)	Aug (LS)	Sep (LS)	Oct (SS)	Nov (HS)	Dec (HS)
  SG – REP	4/18	1/15	1/15/29	12	12/26	9/23	6/20	4/18	1/15/29	13/27
  REP – SG	11/25	8/22	8/22	5/19	19	2/16/30	13/27	11/25	8/22	6/20

  •  Deparute Dates in 2014 & 2015, PLease contatact us for more exactly Embarkation & Disembarkation Date.

  Quotation: VND/Double or Twin cabin (note*: rates vary depending on departure date – please contact us for details:

  Cabin Types	Superior	Deluxe	Signature
  Jan – Mar 2014 High Season	114,576,000 VND	136,059,000 VND	146,160,000 VND
  Apr 2014 Shoulder Season (SS)	91,644,000 VND	108,843,000 VND	116,928,000 VND
  Jul – 4 Oct 2014 Low Season (LS	74,886,000 VND	86,394,000 VND	92,799,000 VND
  5 – 19 Oct 2014 Shoulder Season (SS)	91,644,000 VND	108,843,000 VND	116,928,000 VND
  20 Oct – Dec 2014 High Season (HS)	114,576,000 VND	136,059,000 VND	146,160,000 VND
  Jan 2015 – Mar 2015 High Season (HS)	114,576,000 VND	136,059,000 VND	146,160,000 VND
  April 2015 Shoulder Season (SS)	91,644,000 VND	108,843,000 VND	116,928,000 VND

  Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 21,000 VND

   

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  Inclusions:

  • Entrance fees Transportation Tour guide services (English speaking) Taxes, fuel, pilots, port dues,

  •  All Meals on boat – full board welcome and farewell diner, mineral water, coffee and tea during breakfast

  • Transfers in Saigon and Siem Reap fr0m/to the meeting point to/fr0m embarkation/disembarkation point or vice verse are included Inclusions for Jayavarman Signature Staterooms: Complimentary room service (non premium spirits/house wine), mini bar, balcony breakfast, book gift (a Journey on the Jayavarman), 1 bottle of Prosecco sparkling wine and fruit basket.

  Exclusions:

  • Phnom Penh port taxes per passenger of VND 1,365,000 levied by the Cambodian Port authority.

  • Gratuities (VND 105,000 passenger/day are recommended)

  • Visa (cost for Cambodia visa is VND 630,000 and fuel surch@rges if any (See terms and conditions).

  • Peak season surch@rge: + VND 3,150,000 for the New Years Eve cruise and Christmas cruise per person (24 Dec,31 Dec)

  • Extra bed supplement, 70% off on regular cruise price (price per cabin). Extra beds are available in deluxe rooms only

   

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