AQUA MEKONG EXPEDITION CRUISE Joining us for the full 7-night Mekong Expedition Cruise allows us to share with you all the mysteries and wonders we have discovered between the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers and among the diverse cultures thriving in our midst. Passengers who travel with us during the high water season (August-November), from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh experience the full history of Mekong life, meeting Khmer farmers, Buddhist monks and our entrepreneurial friends in Vietnam s kaleidoscopic wet markets along the way. Sailing in the opposite direction, from the colonial chic of Saigon to the legendary Angkorian heritage in Siem Reap is to travel leisurely back in time across this legendary landscape. During the low water season (December-August), our program includes much more time on the Cambodia stretch of the Mekong and along the Tonle Sap River. ITINERARY DAY 1 Friday: MEKONG RIVER - MY THO - SAIGON - VIETNAM We will collect you at the Saigon meeting point and transfer you by air-conditioned coach to My Tho dock where we will welcome you aboard the Aqua Mekong. Settle into your floating retreat, with its window wall conferring an endlessly captivating panorama. Enjoy these private Mekong moments on your California king bed, terrace or daybed. DAY 2 Saturday: MEKONG RIVER - BINH THANH/SA DEC - MY AN HUNG - VIETNAM Begin the day at Binh Thanh mat weaving village or opt to visit Sa Dec where we will peruse the vibrant market and see the famous house of Marguerite Duras' legendary lover, Mr. Huynh Thuy Le. In the afternoon, visit a typical Mekong Delta village called My An Hung where we will walk through verdant plantations. We will be invited to a local's home to taste local fruits while hearing traditional folk songs performed by villagers followed by a unique unicorn dance. A 17-kilometer Biking option is also available. DAY 3 Sunday: MEKONG RIVER TAN CHAU - CHAU DOC - VINH XUONG KA OM SAMNOR BORDER
Travel by skiff along Bassac Canal to Chau Doc floating market then head off by van to Long Son Pagoda atop Sam Mountain. Ask the monks about their age-old Buddhist practices. Return via the bustling morning market. Optional 18 kilometers bike ride on Long Khanh Island or take a rickshaw ride to visit Tan Chau Market with chef. After lunch, relax by the pool, try traditional Khmer massage or learn to cook Mekong inspired dishes while we cross the border. DAY 4 Monday: MEKONG RIVER - KOH OKNHA TEY - PREAH PROSOP - CAMBODIA On this river of time we admire dexterous Khmer artisans dyeing and weaving kroma, the ubiquitous item no Khmer lives without. Explore the riverbank on two wheels if you wish, past Buddhist temples and thatch houses perched on spindly wooden stilts while white oxen wade just offshore. After lunch, we board our marine-grade aluminum skiffs and head towards the tamarind trees of Preah Prosop, a remote village little changed over several lifetimes. DAY 5 Tuesday: PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA slide into an ice factory and learn from locals what it s like to live in a town where schools, churches, pagodas, and even the karaoke bar and police station all float. After lunch, we visit the floating village of Moat Khla, accessible only by water, and attend a Buddhist blessing ceremony. DAY 8 Friday: TONLE SAP LAKE - PREK TOAL - SIEM REAP CAMBODIA Set off by skiff into the 22,000-hectare Prek Toal Core Bird Reserve, one of the largest freshwater bodies in Asia and the last refuge in Southeast Asia for large waterbirds like the spot-billed pelicans, milky stork, black-headed ibis and the elusive masked finfoot. Disembarkation. Please Note: This itinerary is based on the High Water Season (From July to November), it varies slightly for the Low Water Season (From December to June). All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions. We show off the Cambodian capital to our passengers by motorized tuk-tuk, the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum of Cambodia, home to the world s largest collection of Khmer art. For those who wish, we visit the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide and the Killing Field or shopping at Russian Market. We bid farewell to 4-night guests who are disembarking in Phnom Penh. Return to welcome our 3-night passengers over custom sundowners like the Salted Watermelon Crush with Thai basil. Together we celebrate the onward journey towards the heart of this mighty river with a Khmer Apsara performance, an indigenous tradition memorialized on the temple walls at Angkor Wat. DAY 6 Wednesday: TONLE SAP RIVER - KOH CHEN - KAMPONG CHHNANG - CAMBODIA This morning, we visit Koh Chen, a silversmith village known for its fine craftsmanship. Keep an eye out for their famous silver bowls, regularly chosen by Cambodia's king as gifts for visiting dignitaries. In the afternoon, we continue learning about Khmer riverside life in Kampong Chhnang, the 'Port of Pottery' so called because archaeological findings here date to the 6th century. Bike option is available. DAY 7 Thursday: MOUTH OF THE TONLE SAP LAKE - CHHNOK TRU - MOAT KHLA - CAMBODIA Continue exploring the remote communities around the Tonle Sap Lake, designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1997. In Chhnok Tru, we
YOUR SHIP: AQUA MEKONG YOUR SHIP: Aqua Mekong VESSEL TYPE: Luxury River Expedition LENGTH: 62.4 meters / 204 feet PASSENGER CAPACITY: 40 BUILT/REFURBISHED: 2014 Spacious and indulgent, yet intimate enough to feel entirely exclusive, the Aqua Mekong incorporates relaxed yet refined lounging and dining areas and can accommodate a maximum of 40 guests plus crew. Modern navigation technologies and the highest cruise ship standards as well as our experienced river pilot and crew ensure smooth travel and safety on the water. The Aqua Mekong has 20 air conditioned Design Suites, each one a generous 30 square meters (320 square feet), eight with balconies and all created entirely of local materials with the relaxed sophistication and contemporary comforts of a five star resort. Floor to ceiling panoramic windows allow guests to gaze upon the Mekong from the pillow top California king size bed that can be converted upon request into two full twin beds. More captivating views await on the plush, roomy daybed placed by the window wall or for our eight balcony accommodations, outside along with a romantic table for two. Those who wish to keep up on the world beyond these enthralling riverbanks will appreciate the flat screen television and complementary high speed wireless internet. Sunlit indoors and out, the top level Observation Deck aboard the Aqua Mekong has been designed to seamlessly connect guests with the constantly shifting landscape of floating Vietnamese villages, French colonial church spires and gilded Buddhist stupas along this mighty river, always in the utmost comfort. Whether one chooses to relax in the air conditioned Indoor Lounge, go horizontal under the sun outside at the ship's Outdoor Lounge area or cool off with a plunge in the shimmering pool at the bow side, the Observation Deck ensures that the river always remains in full view. Guests gravitate to the Indoor Lounge in the mornings for ca phe đa, Vietnamese coffee poured over ice with sweet condensed milk, between excursions to swap travelers tales and for daily lectures from the expert local guides.
INSIDE YOUR SHIP
PRICING 23-Dec-2016 to 30-Dec-2016 8540 USD pp 8890 USD pp 24-Feb-2017 to 03-Mar-2017 30-Dec-2016 to 06-Jan-2017 8540 USD pp 8890 USD pp 03-Mar-2017 to 10-Mar-2017 06-Jan-2017 to 13-Jan-2017 10-Mar-2017 to 17-Mar-2017 13-Jan-2017 to 20-Jan-2017 17-Mar-2017 to 24-Mar-2017 20-Jan-2017 to 27-Jan-2017 24-Mar-2017 to 31-Mar-2017 27-Jan-2017 to 03-Feb-2017 31-Mar-2017 to 07-Apr-2017 10-Feb-2017 to 17-Feb-2017 07-Apr-2017 to 14-Apr-2017 17-Feb-2017 to 24-Feb-2017
14-Apr-2017 to 21-Apr-2017 21-Apr-2017 to 28-Apr-2017 28-Apr-2017 to 05-May-2017
PRICING 05-May-2017 to 12-May-2017 28-Jul-2017 to 04-Aug-2017 12-May-2017 to 19-May-2017 04-Aug-2017 to 11-Aug-2017 19-May-2017 to 26-May-2017 11-Aug-2017 to 18-Aug-2017 26-May-2017 to 02-Jun-2017 18-Aug-2017 to 25-Aug-2017 30-Jun-2017 to 07-Jul-2017 25-Aug-2017 to 01-Sep-2017 07-Jul-2017 to 14-Jul-2017 01-Sep-2017 to 08-Sep-2017 14-Jul-2017 to 21-Jul-2017 08-Sep-2017 to 15-Sep-2017 21-Jul-2017 to 28-Jul-2017
15-Sep-2017 to 22-Sep-2017 22-Sep-2017 to 29-Sep-2017 29-Sep-2017 to 06-Oct-2017
PRICING 06-Oct-2017 to 13-Oct-2017 05-Jan-2018 to 12-Jan-2018 03-Nov-2017 to 10-Nov-2017 12-Jan-2018 to 19-Jan-2018 10-Nov-2017 to 17-Nov-2017 19-Jan-2018 to 26-Jan-2018 17-Nov-2017 to 24-Nov-2017 26-Jan-2018 to 02-Feb-2018 24-Nov-2017 to 01-Dec-2017 02-Feb-2018 to 09-Feb-2018 15-Dec-2017 to 22-Dec-2017 09-Feb-2018 to 16-Feb-2018 22-Dec-2017 to 29-Dec-2017 16-Feb-2018 to 23-Feb-2018 29-Dec-2017 to 05-Jan-2018
23-Feb-2018 to 02-Mar-2018 02-Mar-2018 to 09-Mar-2018 09-Mar-2018 to 16-Mar-2018
PRICING 16-Mar-2018 to 23-Mar-2018 08-Jun-2018 to 15-Jun-2018 23-Mar-2018 to 30-Mar-2018 15-Jun-2018 to 22-Jun-2018 30-Mar-2018 to 06-Apr-2018 22-Jun-2018 to 29-Jun-2018 06-Apr-2018 to 13-Apr-2018 29-Jun-2018 to 06-Jul-2018 13-Apr-2018 to 20-Apr-2018 06-Jul-2018 to 13-Jul-2018 20-Apr-2018 to 27-Apr-2018 13-Jul-2018 to 20-Jul-2018 27-Apr-2018 to 04-May-2018 20-Jul-2018 to 27-Jul-2018 04-May-2018 to 11-May-2018
27-Jul-2018 to 03-Aug-2018 03-Aug-2018 to 10-Aug-2018 10-Aug-2018 to 17-Aug-2018
PRICING 17-Aug-2018 to 24-Aug-2018 12-Oct-2018 to 19-Oct-2018 24-Aug-2018 to 31-Aug-2018 19-Oct-2018 to 26-Oct-2018 31-Aug-2018 to 07-Sep-2018 26-Oct-2018 to 02-Nov-2018 07-Sep-2018 to 14-Sep-2018 02-Nov-2018 to 09-Nov-2018 14-Sep-2018 to 21-Sep-2018 09-Nov-2018 to 16-Nov-2018 21-Sep-2018 to 28-Sep-2018 16-Nov-2018 to 23-Nov-2018 28-Sep-2018 to 05-Oct-2018 23-Nov-2018 to 30-Nov-2018 05-Oct-2018 to 12-Oct-2018
14-Dec-2018 to 21-Dec-2018 21-Dec-2018 to 28-Dec-2018