The Jahan Cruise – Upstream 8 Days

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Your Mekong adventure begins at the Heritage Line welcome lounge in Saigon, where the team greets you before the transfer to My Tho. Enjoy a coffee before departure, then travel to the embarkation point on the Mekong River.

Once aboard, the crew will escort you to your stateroom and introduce you to its facilities. After settling in, enjoy lunch in the onboard restaurant, followed by a welcome and safety briefing led by the cruise director.

Spend the afternoon relaxing on deck as the ship follows the river's gentle current. As sunset approaches, join a welcome gathering featuring canapés and prosecco, an opportunity to meet fellow travellers and ease into the pace of river life.

Dinner is served as the ship approaches the Tan Phong Island area near Cai Be, where the vessel anchors midstream for the night. This marks the beginning of your exploration of the Mekong Delta, with its intricate waterways and lively riverside communities.

Later, you may join a film screening in the air-conditioned indoor lounge.

Overnight on board near Tan Phong Island.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start the morning with Tai Chi on deck, followed by breakfast as the Mekong Delta gradually comes to life. Travel by local boat to Cai Be and Tan Phong Island to discover traditional crafts, tropical fruit gardens, and the daily routines of local families.

Morning Excursion: Cai Be and Tan Phong Island

Visit a local workshop in Cai Be to observe the traditional production of Mekong Delta specialties, including rice paper, rice cookies, rice wine, and coconut candies. Learn about the manual techniques and skills used to prepare these familiar regional products.

Continue to Tan Phong Island, where a visit to a local family and their fruit garden introduces you to the island's variety of tropical fruits. A motorised buggy ride offers a glimpse into everyday life along the island's paths and canals.

The excursion also includes a visit to a family workshop specialising in handmade handicrafts woven from water hyacinth, showcasing the creativity of local artisans.

Optional Morning Excursion

Culinary Experience – Available on Jayavarman only

Join a local family for a hands-on cooking session featuring traditional jackfruit leaf cakes. Learn how fresh leaves are prepared and their juice extracted before shaping and steaming the cakes in their natural leaf casings.

You will also discover how to make a coconut dipping cream to accompany the finished cakes, which are enjoyed with hot ginger tea.

Cycling Excursion – Available on any ship at an additional cost

Explore Tan Phong Island by bicycle along flat, well-maintained concrete paths bordered by orchards of rambutan, longan, and jackfruit trees. Visit a family business producing water hyacinth handicrafts before cycling along a canal to a local temple, where you can pause beneath a banyan tree.

Continue to a tropical fruit farm for a tasting of fresh seasonal produce.

• Distance: Approximately 12 km

• Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

• Terrain: Flat concrete paths

Return to the ship and enjoy some leisure time on your private balcony or at the bar as the cruise continues upstream towards Sa Dec.

Afternoon Excursion: Sa Dec

Explore Sa Dec, a riverside town in Dong Thap Province known for its blend of historic architecture and everyday Mekong Delta life.

Begin with a walk through the central market, where stalls display fresh produce, seafood, and local specialities. Continue to Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House, a historic residence associated with the love story behind Marguerite Duras' novel The Lover.

The excursion concludes at Kien An Cung Pagoda, a Chinese heritage temple distinguished by its intricate decorative details and peaceful atmosphere.

Optional Afternoon Excursion

Culinary Experience – Jayavarman only

No optional culinary excursion is available during the afternoon programme.

Cycling Excursion – Available on any ship at an additional cost

Discover Sa Dec by bicycle, beginning at the lively local market before visiting Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House. Continue to Sa Dec Flower Village, where family-run gardens showcase colourful blooms and traditional flower-growing practices.

Pause for a refreshing drink at the Pink House before ending the ride at Cao Dai Holy See, a religious landmark known for its distinctive architecture.

• Distance: Approximately 15 km

• Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

• Terrain: Flat concrete paths

Before dinner, attend an onboard presentation about life in the Mekong Delta as the ship sails towards its overnight anchorage near Gieng Island.

Overnight on board near Gieng Island.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After morning Tai Chi and breakfast, head ashore to discover Gieng Island, also known locally as Mango Island. The island's orchards, traditional workshops, and long-established family homes offer a closer look at the culture and resilience of the Mekong Delta communities.

Morning Excursion: Gieng Island

Walk beneath the island's mango trees before visiting a small incense workshop, where artisans demonstrate how fragrant incense sticks are carefully made by hand.

Continue to a traditional boat-building workshop to see how local families construct wooden vessels essential for transport and everyday life along the river.

Before returning to the ship, visit a century-old local home to enjoy freshly picked mangoes accompanied by local tea. This relaxed encounter offers an authentic glimpse into the island's traditions and hospitality.

Optional Morning Excursion

Culinary Experience – Available on Jayavarman only

Prepare Banh In with a local family, learning about this traditional Vietnamese sweet made from glutinous rice flour and sugar. Commonly served with jasmine tea, the treat is especially popular during Vietnamese celebrations such as Tet.

Cycling Excursion – Available on any ship at an additional cost

Cycle along the island's flat paths through mango farms and lush fruit gardens. Enjoy the scenery and friendly encounters with local residents, stopping along the way to visit traditional incense-making and boat-building workshops.

• Distance: Approximately 15 km

• Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

• Terrain: Flat concrete paths

Afternoon: Leisure Cruising and Border Crossing

After lunch, enjoy a relaxed afternoon as the ship approaches the Vietnam–Cambodia border. Join an onboard cooking class to learn how to prepare a Vietnamese dish that you can recreate at home, or spend the time relaxing on deck and watching the river landscapes pass by.

Guests seeking extra relaxation may arrange a spa treatment, subject to additional charges.

Once the vessel enters Cambodia, continue sailing overnight towards Phnom Penh.

Overnight on board.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is dedicated to exploring Phnom Penh, a capital city once celebrated as the “Paris of the East”. Its historic landmarks, royal heritage, and vibrant riverside neighbourhoods offer an engaging introduction to Cambodia's past and present.

Full-Day Phnom Penh City Tour

After breakfast, set out on a traditional cyclo ride through the city before visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, two of Phnom Penh's most important cultural landmarks.

Continue to S21, the former prison that bears witness to the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. The visit offers a sobering perspective on one of the most difficult chapters in Cambodia's history.

Pause for lunch in town before exploring traditional Khmer performing arts at a local arts academy dedicated to preserving Cambodia's cultural heritage.

Observe young dancers practising Apsara dance and, under their guidance, try learning some of its basic movements. The visit offers an opportunity to appreciate the dedication involved in preserving traditional Cambodian arts.

Later, stroll through Phnom Penh's French Quarter and visit Wat Phnom, one of the city's best-known temples.

Historical Testimony and Gala Dinner

Return to the ship for a special presentation by Mr. Sum Rithy, a survivor of imprisonment at S21 who later participated in the Khmer Rouge tribunal. Through his personal testimony, guests can learn more about Cambodia's recent history and engage in a discussion with someone who experienced this period firsthand.

In the evening, enjoy an open-air barbecue and gala dinner accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance performance.

After dinner, you are free to explore Phnom Penh independently. The riverside promenade, cafés, and bars provide a lively setting for an evening stroll.

Overnight on board in Phnom Penh.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The ship departs before sunrise and enters the Tonle River, where rural landscapes, rice fields, and traditional settlements create a peaceful contrast to the Cambodian capital.

Morning Excursion: Kampong Tralach Countryside

Travel through the countryside in a traditional ox-pulled cart, following riverside tracks and quiet roads bordered by rice paddies.

Arrive at a small village to learn about a local NGO-supported school and library project. Alternatively, visit a nearby historic temple, believed to be around 300 years old, together with its Buddha shrine.

Optional Morning Excursion

The source programme lists a cycling excursion for this day under the optional afternoon section. Please confirm the exact departure time with the cruise operator before booking.

Cycling Excursion – Available at an additional cost

Cycle through the Tonle region, passing rural landscapes and traditional villages. Along the way, discover the former royal site of Lungvek and the historic Jade Buddha Temple, dating to 1560. Observe local fishermen working on the river and experience the slower rhythm of life in the Cambodian countryside.

• Distance: Approximately 14 km

• Duration: Approximately 120 minutes

• Terrain: Flat concrete paths

Afternoon: Kampong Laeng

Enjoy lunch on board while the ship continues upstream. The crew then presents traditional Khmer clothing worn during special celebrations and important occasions.

In the afternoon, travel by tuk-tuk into Kampong Laeng, a rural settlement across the river from Kampong Chhnang, a town renowned for pottery. Meet local residents and discover the traditional methods used to produce pottery in the region.

The excursion also includes a visit to a pre-Angkorian temple. From a scenic viewpoint, enjoy panoramic views across the floodplains and seasonal rice fields.

Optional Afternoon Excursion

Culinary Experience – Available on Jayavarman only

Join a local household for a cooking demonstration featuring Nom Kruak, a traditional Cambodian rice cake made from white or brown rice. Learn how the cakes are prepared and cooked on both sides to achieve their characteristic shape. This popular snack is often enjoyed before dinner.

Cycling Excursion – Available at an additional cost

Explore rural Cambodia by bicycle, passing rice paddies, traditional villages, and small businesses producing pottery and palm sugar. The flat route offers an accessible way to observe local craftsmanship and daily life.

• Distance: Approximately 17 km

• Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

• Terrain: Flat concrete paths

Return to the ship and continue sailing towards Kampong Luong, where the vessel anchors for the night.

Overnight on board near Kampong Luong.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Morning Excursion: Kampong Luong

Visit Kampong Luong, a village recognised for its traditional silversmithing. Around 400 families work with silver, copper, and brass to create jewellery, decorative objects, and other handcrafted pieces.

Walk through the community to observe the artisans' work and learn about the skills that have been passed down through generations.

Continue to Wat Prang, a royal Buddhist temple offering a glimpse into Cambodia's religious traditions and royal heritage. Meet monks and other members of the temple community to learn about their daily activities, rituals, and personal experiences.

Back on board, enjoy a light-hearted presentation showcasing traditional Cambodian clothing and the distinctive styles worn for different occasions.

Afternoon Excursion: Prek Bangkong

At the meeting point of the Tonle and Mekong rivers lies Prek Bangkong, a village with a long-established silk-weaving tradition. The area also has historical ties to Cambodia's royal family, who once resided here before moving to the Royal Palace.

Visit local silk artisans to observe the production process and discover how traditional techniques transform raw materials into finished textiles.

The excursion concludes at the heritage residence of H.E. Sam-El, a historic house associated with a former architect who worked for the royal family.

Optional Afternoon Excursion

Culinary Experience – Jayavarman only

No optional culinary excursion is available during the afternoon programme.

Cycling Excursion – Available at an additional cost

Cycle through the countryside around Lavea Em, the site of a former royal palace dating from 1601 to 1618. The route passes scenic rural landscapes, historic pagodas, silk-weaving workshops, and local markets.

Enjoy a tea break at the residence of H.E. Sam-El before returning to the ship.

• Distance: Approximately 14 km

• Duration: Approximately 120 minutes

• Terrain: Flat concrete paths

Spend the remainder of the day sailing along the Mekong towards the overnight anchorage. In the evening, enjoy a sundowner cocktail by the pool, accompanied by music, followed by dinner and an onboard film screening.

Overnight on board.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin the day with an optional Tai Chi session on the sundeck before breakfast. Today's excursion takes you to Angkor Ban, a traditional village where the local monastery and surrounding community provide insight into Cambodia's rural heritage.

Morning Excursion: Angkor Ban Village

Visit the monastery and meet monks during their morning lessons, where possible. Continue on foot through the neighbouring village, encountering local residents and learning about their daily routines and customs.

Traditional houses and community activities offer a glimpse into a way of life closely connected to the river and local traditions. The visit also provides opportunities to interact with villagers and photograph the surrounding scenery.

Optional Morning Excursion

Culinary Experience – Available on Jayavarman only

Join a local family for a cooking experience at the home of Mr. B, a former young chef aboard the Jayavarman who later settled in his wife's village.

Together with his wife and mother-in-law, prepare Samlor Korko, a traditional Cambodian soup made with fish, vegetables, herbs, spices, and roasted rice. The dish is served with a duck egg omelette.

Cycling Excursion – Available at an additional cost

Begin with a peaceful encounter with local monks before cycling through seasonal vegetable fields and past traditional houses.

Stop to observe local blacksmiths practising their craft and learn about traditional metalworking techniques. The excursion concludes with a refreshing break featuring a cold local beer or freshly pressed sugarcane juice.

• Distance: Approximately 10 km

• Duration: Approximately 120 minutes

• Terrain: Flat concrete paths

Afternoon: Leisure Cruising to Kampong Cham

Enjoy lunch as the ship sails towards Kampong Cham. The remainder of the afternoon is free for relaxation during your final full day on board.

Unwind on the terrace deck, enjoy time on your private balcony, or arrange a massage or spa treatment at an additional cost. You may also visit the bridge to hear the captain share stories about navigating the Mekong.

For guests interested in Cambodian cuisine, an onboard culinary workshop provides another opportunity to discover local ingredients and cooking traditions.

Later, the ship makes its final journey towards Kampong Cham and anchors mid-river. Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and farewell celebrations as your cruise approaches its conclusion.

Overnight on board near Kampong Cham.

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy your final breakfast aboard the ship before disembarking in Kampong Cham.

A bus transfer takes you to Siem Reap, with the journey lasting approximately four hours. During the drive, your guides share information about Cambodia and the regions along the route, adding context to the landscapes and communities you pass.

Arrive in Siem Reap in the early afternoon, bringing your 8-day, 7-night Mekong River journey to an end.

Take with you memories of the Mekong Delta, Cambodia's traditional villages, historic temples, and the people whose lives and traditions are connected to this remarkable river.

End of the cruise.