Pandaw Mekong Cruise Journey

FLY TO SAIGON

Fly from Auckland to Singapore with Singapore Airlines. (Other options are available).

Fly from Singapore to Saigon with Singapore Airlines.

ARRIVE SAIGON

On arrival in Saigon you will be met and transferred to your hotel by private car.

SAIGON & CU CHI - FULL DAY TOUR

After breakfast drive away from the city centre toward the Cu Chi district. Leaving the city behind, the scenery changes to views of rice paddies, villagers drying noodles by the side of the road and other scenes typical to southern Vietnam. 

Arrive at the entrance of the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters (Viet Cong) during both the French and American wars.

Hear the tales of how these tunnels were built while walking through the forest. Visit two sections of the tunnel where it is possible to crawl inside to experience first-hand what life was like living underground. There are also several other informative displays and war relics around the area to explore.

After this morning’s Cu Chi Tunnels tour, return to the city centre in time for lunch. Then take a closer look at the city itself, starting at Reunification Hall.

This fascinating building, once known as the Presidential Palace, is filled with history. Hear the story of how, on 30 April 1975, North Vietnamese tanks seized the building as Saigon fell.

Continue to the Old Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral, two colonial-style monuments with interesting pasts.

The final stop of the day is Ben Thanh market. Located in the heart of the city, this market is one of the liveliest in the area. Rub shoulders with the locals while browsing the countless stalls selling fruits, tea and dry goods.

Return to the hotel and reflect back upon this incredible day of history and local culture.

EMBARK PANDAW CRUISE

Transfer from Saigon to the river port for embarkation.

After lunch, we journey by sampans through mangroves and bamboo forests to the fruit orchards of Ben Tre.

This is an area rich in birdlife which we will explore via local transport before transferring to a local rowboat.

We will journey slowly through the bamboo covered canals before arriving at a village specialising in making local products. In the evening you will be entertained by a Vietnamese dance troupe on deck.

CON PHUOC

Sailing through the delta offers a real insight into life along this vast waterway.

After lunch, we pass through a small canal and head ashore to Con Phuoc Island where we visit local craftspeople weaving bamboo baskets the traditional way.

After a demonstration, we try our hand at making our own. We then take a local tuk tuk for a drive through this peaceful village, stopping at a 100 year old church and meeting more of the friendly local community.

CHAU DOC - VIETNAM/CAMBODIA BORDER

We go alongside at the picturesque border town of Chau Doc where we visit the floating fish farms by sampan.

We make a stop at a Chham Village and observe the lives of Vietnamese Muslims before taking minivans for a short drive to Sam Mountain, location of Phuoc Dien Tu or the Hang Pagoda.

We climb the 400 steps to the top to visit the pagoda. Upon return to ship, we navigate a web of canals before dropping anchor on the Vietnam/Cambodia border to undergo Immigration formalities.

During high water periods, we will instead visit Long Thuan village.

PHNOM PENH

Morning orientation of Phnom Penh by cyclo visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda followed by the National Museum with its marvelous collection of Angkorian statuary.

In the afternoon we visit the Killing Fields and Genocide museum to learn more about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime.

Overnight in Phnom Penh city port with its lively bars, restaurants and night life.

KAMPONG TRALACH

We leave the dock at Phnom Penh early morning and sail up the winding channels of the Tonle Sap river to Kampong Tralach. We travel by ox-cart around the river-side villages, markets and temples to get a sense of life along the river.

In the evening cocktails are round a village fire pit where we will be joined by village folk keen to show us their traditional dancing show us more of the delightful Khmer culture.

OUDONG - SILK ISLAND

In the morning, travel by coach to the ancient capital of Cambodia, Oudong. On the way we stop to visit the Vipassana Dhura Meditation Centre before taking a drive around the old capital.

We re-join our ship at Prek Kdam before returning to the Mekong. After lunch we sail to Koh Nghe Tei (Silk Island) to study the entire silk-making process from worms to weavers.

We visit silk makers and can buy from them their lovely silk scarves and other fabrics. This village is a centre of the ancient martial art of L’bokator which roughly translates as 'pounding a lion'. It includes weapons techniques and is one of the oldest combat techniques in Cambodia and believed to date back to the Angkor empire.

ANGKOR BAN VILLAGE & WAT HANCHEY

Sunrise cruise to Angkor Ban village to see how local villagers live and visit the library which was donated by Pandaw to Angkor Ban secondary school.

NOTE: if you want to donate books, please bring along some Children’s books in English language (suitable for age 8 to 15 yrs) which you can personally gift to the library.

In the afternoon we sail north to Wat Hanchey, an important centre of worship during the Chenla period located on top of a hill above the mighty Mekong River with some of the best Mekong views in Cambodia. Visit 8th century structures some destroyed by American bombings during the Vietnam War.

SIEM REAP

Disembark and travel by coach from Kampong Cham through stunningly lovely countryside to reach Siem Reap, adjacent to Angkor Wat.

You will be transferred to your chosen hotel.

SIEM REAP - FULL DAY TOUR

The city of Yasodharapura, now known as the Angkor Archaeological Park, was the capital of the Angkor empire for more than 500 years.

On this full day Angkor sightseeing tour, explore centuries of temples alongside an expert local guide.

Beginning from 07:30, the entire Angkor Park is open to visitors but many are still strolling around Angkor Wat.

Consequently, this is the best time to experience the temple you most wish to see with the fewest number of other visitors. Consider Ta Prohm, the temple made famous by the Angelina Jolie film Tomb Raider, which is otherwise best known for the trees and vines growing atop the temple walls.

The temple is a perfect example of how nature has crept in and reclaimed its land after the fall of the Angkorian empire. Enter from the east, just as the temple opens, to avoid the crowds.

After leaving Ta Prohm, the next temple you’ll wish to visit is Bayon, the temple at the center of Angkor Thom city, built by the last great king: Jayavarman VII. A tour of the city can begin at The Terrace of The Elephants and the Royal Palace enclosure. The forested grounds are beautiful in the morning. Visit the Phimeanakas and Baphuon before making your way to Bayon.

Take a stroll around the lower galleries of carvings of Bayon, which depict fascinating scenes of life from the late 11th century, then find a quiet spot on the exterior of the temple to appreciate the 52 towers featuring faces of the Buddha looking out into the jungle around you.

Optional: Preah Khan - For some, the above is enough to enjoy before lunch, returning to the hotel for a dip in the pool before eating in town. Others may wish to stay in the park for lunch in order to visit another temple, Preah Khan. Some restaurants in the park have air-conditioning and tour groups (near Angkor Wat and Srah Srang) and some have fans and hammocks with lower prices (Preah Khan and Angkor Thom). 

Journey north of Angkor Thom to Preah Khan, originally known as “the city of victorious royal fortune,” and now named after The Sacred Sword that some believe may have once been housed here.

Built in the late-12th century in honor of the great King Jayavarman VII’s father, this massive temple complex originally had a population of 97,840 in its service. Less frequently visited than its counterpart Ta Prohm (which was built for the king’s mother), Preah Khan is similar in design but is larger and more complex, and features numerous unique structures and carvings.

Enter from the east with the morning light to your back and enjoy the sounds of exotic wildlife that now make the forested compound their home. Venture into the crumbling corridors of the labyrinthian complex in search of hidden features: while Ta Prohm was once the setting of the Angelina Jolie film, Preah Khan offers more of a “Tomb Raider” experience for those willing to explore.  

One nice feature of Angkor Wat is that the eight galleries of carvings (where you will spend much of your time) is within a covered, open-air enclosure, making this one of the few times that you will be protected from the sun.

Furthermore, as the only west-facing temple, Angkor Wat is best to visit (and photograph) in the late afternoon, arriving around 2:30 - 3pm, enjoying the uppermost platform around 5:00pm, and walking out as the guards begin corralling visitors out of the complex at 5:30pm.

Exiting the temple with the setting sun shining on the Vishnu image discovered beneath the temple’s central sanctuary is a magical sight to behold and a fitting end of your exploration of the temple built by King Suryavarman, whose name translates to “protected by the sun”.

For sunset, the options are officially limited to Bakheng and Pre Rup. If you visited Bakheng for sunrise, you may wish to skip it as the temple can be overcrowded at last light. Pre Rup, a pyramid temple that looks beautiful in the sunlight is the popular default. Consider finding a quiet place away from the crowds, such as atop the city wall beside the West or South gate of Angkor Thom. 

With a treasure trove of photos and memories, return to town for the evening.

SIEM REAP - FULL DAY TOUR - TONLE SAP

See what life is like on Southeast Asia’s largest lake. Take a boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake, cruising past mangrove forests and quiet waterways. Have lunch in a local house and learn about the traditional lifestyles of the people who call Tonle Sap their home.    

Take a break from temple touring to experience authentic rural lifestyles.

Drive to the outskirts of Siem Reap, past expansive rice fields and through local villages where rice and fish can frequently be spotted drying alongside the road. Next, board a private wooden vessel for a boat trip along a canal that leads to the Tonle Sap Lake. 

Cruise along the canal with houses on either side: depending on the time of the  visit, the houses will either have immediate access to the water or stand perched on stilts high above the ground, a phenomena caused by the annual rising and receding waters of the Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s largest lake.

Pass by the boats and nets used by local fishermen, some of whom will be fishing in the waters through which the boat passes. Nearing the lake, see floating houses that move location with the annual ebb and flow of the lake’s waters. 

Along the way, gain a better understanding of the local lifestyle with lunch in a family house. This is a unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the way of life of the local people- sitting inside a stilted house while watching the boats pass outside. 

With a full belly and a camera-full of remarkable images, return to Siem Reap in the afternoon.

FLY TO AUCKLAND

Enjoy the day at leisure in Siem Reap.

You will be collected from your hotel in Siem Reap and transferred to the airport by private car for your onward flight.

Fly from Siem Reap to Singapore with Singapore Airlines.

Fly from Singapore to Auckland with Singapore Airlines.

ARRIVE NEW ZEALAND

Arrive back in New Zealand.