Siem Reap to Saigon (or return)
A 7 to 8 days cruise between Cambodia and Vietnam
Siem Reap (Angkor)
The city of Angkor Wat
The river vessel lies at anchor, not far from Angkor Wat, in the inundated forest.
In Chong Kneas floating village, poverty doesn't stop the children from smiling.
Siem Reap is a small city of 130,000 inhabitants. The city is surprisingly active, guesthouses, colonial bars, top-of-the line restaurants, souvenir shops, art galleries and massage are flourishing.
Chnok Tru
A remote floating village
Overlooked by tourists because of its difficult access, the village is completely self-sufficient...
Kampong Chhnang
The largest fishing port on the Tonle Sap river
Kompong Chhnang is located 90 kilometers from Phnom Penh. Fish farming is widely practiced. The area is famous for its pottery ware, which supply the whole country.
Kampong Tralach
The Vihara dates back to early last century. It was probably built on an older site, as indicated by the laterite foundations, and is home to some outstanding mural paintings.
Standing by itself in the middle of rice fields, it is a modest pagoda that receives very few visitors. Its isolation may well be its undoing, as was the case last May for Wat Tani Pagoda in the province of Kampot. Dating back to the same period, it was affected by the same problems of weathering and its demolition was ordered by the chief monk in order to make way for a more modern structure.
Koh Chen - Oudong
The small village of Koh Chen is called "Chinese Island". Inhabitants are specialized in silver and copper smithing. Oudong, the old capital of Cambodia, can be seen a few kilometers away.
The ruins of Anthareu temple was restored in 1991 during the reign of King Sisowath.
Phnom Penh
"Hill of Lady Penh"
The capital of Cambodia originated with a woman named Penh. In about 1370, Lady Penh discovered a statue with four representations of the Buddha. A pagoda was built on top of the hill to keep the statue.
The city is located at the confluence of the Tonle Sap, the Bassac and the Mekong river. Near the riverfront is the spectacular Royal Palace.
The former "Pearl of Asia", despite assaults by developers, hasn't lost the exquisite charm of the past.
Chau Doc
A fishing village on the Mekong river delta
Chau Doc is closed to the Cambodian border. This city straddles both banks of the Mekong river which fans out to the dimensions of a river mouth here.
Chau Doc's economy is based on fishing and fish rearing. The downtown area features some charmingly colonial buildings. These busy parts of town offer wonderful photo opportunities...
Sa Dec
Colonial houses from "The Lover", Marguerite Duras' novel.
Kown as "Garden of Cochin Chine" during colonial times, Sa Dec is famous for its horticulture. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating in its unspoiled authenticity and undisturbed by tourists.
It was the home of Marguerite Duras until her teens. Sa Dec provides a glimpse of the delta where a few colonial houses still remain.
Vinh Long - Cai Be
The "Magestic Dragon" between two arms of the Mekong
Vinh Long means "Majestic Dragon". Located in the middle of the Mekong's delta. A boat can be taken along the canals to visit Cai Be floating market.
Life in Vinh Long is organized around the water. The main attraction is the pleasant boat ride down the arroyos, a nice stopover on the way to Sa Dec.
My Tho
About two hours travel (or 76 kilometers) from Ho Chi Minh City, on the banks of a northern arm of the Mekong river, is My Tho, which translates as "fragrant herb" 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. It is a nice place to stop and take a small boat trip on the Mekong to visit some of the nearby islands.
The best way to get to My Tho is to travel up the Mekong river from its mouth.
Vinh Trang pagoda, the market, the Dong Tam snake farm... The Toum Tiou gives you the opportunity to explore some really unusual places.
Saigon
The pearl of Asia
Since North Vietnam took over the South in 1975, administrative documents, refer to Ho Chi Minh City. Its downtown is home to many restored colonial buildings including the theater, Cathedral, main post office...
Economic activity is growing fast. The population of over four millions is constantly increasing. The American embargo was lifted ten years ago and the metropolis of the South literally exploded.
People are confident in the country's future and girl students wearing ao-dai, the elegant traditional dress, sip Coca Cola, sway as they walk or speed about on Chinese-made motorcycles. Saigon has retained the "joie de vivre" that makes it so charming.