Roots Rails & Rambles

THE MEKONS ON THE MEKONG!
with JON LANGFORD, SALLY TIMMS, SUSIE HONEYMAN, AND TOM GREENHALGH
JANUARY 16 – 27, 2027

Day 1: Siem Reap

Arrival in Siem Reap (Pre- arrival jet lag mitigation nights can also be added). Lunch will be served at the hotel. We’ll take an afternoon boat trip on Tonlé Lake to discover the floating villages and the traditional life of its inhabitants. We’ll then visit the Angkor Night Market, have dinner in the city and spend the night at a four-star hotel.

Day2 : Siem Reap - Angkor Temples

This morning, we’ll tour Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom. We’ll stroll among the enigmatic faces of the Bayon Temple,
and discover the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. We’ll have lunch in the city
before visiting the Senteurs d'Angkor, a local business with a diverse collection of silk and carvings, as well
as a superb range of traditional beauty products and spices, all made locally. We’ll end the day with Phare,
the Cambodian circus and spend the night at the hotel.

Day 3: Siem Reap - Angkor Temples and we board our boat!

In the morning we’ll visit the Angkor Wat temple: the epitome of Khmer architectural art and the most famous and imposing of all the monuments in Angkor. Lunch will be served at the hotel. In the afternoon we’ll transfer to the river boat in Koh Chen After comfortably settling into our cabins, we'll be introduced to our crew with a welcome cocktail, then proceed to our first dinner on board, followed by an evening of musical festivities and then spend our first night on board.

Day 4: KOH CHEN - KAMPONG CHHNANG

We’ll have a morning sail to Kampong Chhnang with lunch on board. After lunch we’ll visit Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap Lake. The region is also known for its traditional pottery, combining ancient knowledge with modern techniques. We'll enjoy a tasting of regional products before returning on board and beginning to cruise to Kampong Tralach. Option: For those seeking more activity, there will be an opportunity at Kampong Chnang to cycle alongside the river and to the pottery village to explore this area. We'll have dinner and, following more musical merriment, spend the night on board.

Day 5: KAMPONG TRALACH - OUDONG - PHNOM PENH

We’ll have breakfast on board before sailing to to Udong, which was the royal residence and the capital of Cambodia for over 250 years. We’ll visit the Vipassana Dhura Pagoda, located at the foot of a hill where many stupas from the last Khmer kings can be found. It is also a place for meditation for Buddhist monks. Then we’ll have an opportunity to explore Oudong Hill --The ascent may seem a bit tough, but our efforts will be rewarded at the top with a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside, rice fields, and Tonlé Sap. We’ll return to the boat and have lunch on board before heading out on a visit to the beautiful Vihara of the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To access the pagoda, we need to cross the village of Kampong Tralach, moving along a small road that runs perpendicular to the river in the middle of magnificent rice fields. The vihara dates from the early 20th century and was probably built on an older site, as suggested by the laterite foundations. It features beautiful murals.The adventurous among us can return to the ship by enjoying a mountain biking experience through the stunning countryside to witness the beauty of the rice fields surrounding the area. After returning on board, we’ll start cruising towards Phnom Penh while enjoying a performance of classical Khmer dancing and music then dinner, followed by some more Mekons Mayhem.

Day 6: PHNOM PENH

Following breakfast on board, we'll have the option of taking a tour of the Royal Palace, one of the most impressive examples of Cambodian architecture, and its Silver Pagoda and a visit to the National Museum, or striking out for some independent exploring. This afternoon offers the opportunity for a tour of the area by "tuk-tuk," for an authentic and immersive experience like no other. We’ll have local guides to lead us through the beautifully renovated Art Deco Central Market, known as "Phsar Thmei" -- a bustling hub for clothing, food and souvenir shopping. After exploring the market, we’ll dive into the city's off-the-beaten-path alleyways, where we'll have a chance to engage with the locals and see how they live their daily lives in the city -- enjoying their coffee while playing Cambodian-style chess and enjoying the local food in its most authentic form.

We’ll continue our visit to the city's namesake, Wat Phnom. Founded in 1373, the pagoda was built to house Buddhist relics washed ashore by the river. From there, we will enjoy a short walk to the French Quarter, where you'll get a glimpse of the city's colonial era while admiring the beautiful architecture. The area boasts a number of Belle Époque and Art Deco houses and public buildings dating from the French Protectorate (1863-1953). We'll return on board for dinner in the evening and start sailing towards Vietnam.

Day 7: CHAU DOC

After breakfast on board, we’ll arrive at the Vinh Xuong border crossing. We’ll go through all the customs clearance and entry formalities, then sail toward Chau Doc. Situated on the border between Cambodia and Vietnam, the prosperous town of Chau Doc has developed around fishing and fish farming. We’ll then transfer to Tra Su Forest, a beautiful forest with small local boats, where you can witness this incredible and diverse flora and fauna. We’ll return to the boat for lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll board a cable car and embark on an unforgettable journey to Sam Mountain. We’ll enjoy breathtaking panoramic views on our ride up to then the summit of Sam Mountain, where the views are we spectacular views. We will pay a visit to the Ba Chua Xu Temple before heading back to the ship to continue on to Sa Dec, where we’ll have dinner, music, and spend the night on board.

Day 8: SA DEC - CAI BE

After breakfast on board, local boats will pick us up for a short panoramic tour of Sa Dec, including a stroll at Sa Dec market on the riverbank. This small town of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating for its preserved authenticity. A few colonial houses remain, and we’ll have a chance to visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Lê, the man on whom Marguerite Duras based her book The Lover. Following this excursion, we return to the ship to sail toward Cai Be. Cai Be offers many exciting attractions, activities, and excursions. Nature lovers will enjoy the lush natural landscape and those interested in local culture will love meeting the local people and discovering the way of the life in this region. We’ll take a local boat trip to cruise along the Mekong, disembark to visit the craft village where you can witness how the local products are made. Continuing on, we’ll visit the local fruit orchards and sample a variety of exotic (at least to us!) fruits such as jack-fruit, durian, guava, rambutan, and longan while we drink tea and enjoy a live local music performance. We’ll then head to the local restaurant by boat, attend a cooking class with local chef, then enjoy our lunch. After lunch there will be an opportunity for an easy-paced kayak adventure as well as a chance to ride mountain bikes through the countryside, providing yet another view of the local scenery. Whichever of the activities you do, you will get a distinctive glimpse into the beauty and authenticity of the Mekong River. We return to the ship and sail toward My Tho. We’ll have dinner as we sail and follow it up with the evening’s music program.

Day 9: MY THO - HO CHI MINH CITY (formerly Saigon)

We’ll have breakfast on board, then kick off our day with a local boat pick-up that will take us on a boat cruise to Thoi Son Island where we will have the opportunity to explore the daily lives of the local people and enjoy seasonal fruits. We will also take a Sampan ride along the scenic canals for a closer look at the Mekong Delta and its unique features. Later we'll go biking on our own and explore the village and fruit orchards. We’ll return to the ship for lunch on board and cruise the magnificent Chao Gao canal, the entrance to Saigon where you will experience the lively and vibrant canal full of ships and activity, yet still feel close to the life on shore.

We arrive in Saigon, have dinner on board, following which the truly adventurous can sign up for the "Saigon After Dark" experience -- part night excursion, part street/local food adventure from 6pm to 10pm. From the experience the nightlife of Saigon the way locals do. An evening excursion with a culinary adventure. On the back of a vintage Vespa scooter, you'll enter the heart of Saigon's nightlife. From stop to stop, you'll sample local flavors, including cocktails, seafood tastings, cold drinks and Vietnamese creperies. 

Day 10: HO CHI MINH CITY

We’ll enjoy a tasty breakfast on board before our Ho Chin Minh city tour, which will include stopping for photographs
at notable sites like Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Municipal Post Office, City Square and the Opera House all of which were heavily influenced by French colonialism in the 19th century. Fueled by local coffee, we’ll explore the city's green space, enjoying the beauty of nature in the middle of this dynamic urban environment. We’ll head back to the ship for lunch.

After lunch, we'll explore the local Chinatown and the Giac Lam Pagoda, which, at over 300 years old, is the oldest pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. Lastly, we'll visit the Flower Market and Binh Tay market for a brief walking tour to explore how locals buy and sell local food and products. Then we’ll head back to the ship to enjoy our farewell cocktail and dinner onboard. We'll remain in port overnight.

Day 11: HO CHI MINH CITY

We’ll enjoy our last breakfast on board before disembarking. We'll then proceed to the War Museum to learn more about this piece of Vietnam’s history, then continue on to a local restaurant for a farewell lunch. For those who wish to spend one or more nights in Ho Chi Minh City before heading onward, hotel accommodations can be arranged. We bid you farewell at 2 pm, so evening flights out of Ho Chi Minh City are an option, or we can make arrangements at a local hotel for you.