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Code: |
IDCN24 |
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Routes: |
Saigon - My Tho - Cai Be
- Vinh Long - Sa Dec - Chau Doc - Kôh
Dek Chau - Phnom Penh - Kôh Chen -
Oudong - Kampong Tralach - Kampong
Tralach - Kampong Chnang - Chnok Tru -
Siem Reap |
|
Duration: |
10 Days |
Itinerary in brief
Day 1 -
Monday: Saigon - My Tho
Day 2 - Thursday: My Tho - Cai Be
Day 3 - Wednesday: Cai Be - Vinh Long - Sa Dec
Day 4 - Thursday: Chau Doc
Day 5 - Friday: Chau Doc - Kôh Dek Chau
Day 6 - Saturday: Kôh Dek Chau - Phnom Penh
Day 7 - Sunday: Phnom Penh
Day 8 - Monday: Phnom Penh - Kôh Chen / Oudong
- Kampong Tralach
Day 9 - Tuesday: Kampong Tralach - Kampong
Chnang - Chnok Tru
Day 10 - Wednesday: Chnok Tru - Siem Reap
Detail Itinerary
Day 1 - Monday: Saigon - My Tho
At 7:45, in the Saigon Port at Dock No. 1 (in
front if Ho Chi Minh Museum), Toum Tiou is open
for embarking, together with clearance of
departure formalities. Then at at 8:30, the
cruise depart for My Tho. Lunch and leisure on
board during navigation. At about 17h, when
arrival at My Tho - Toum Tiou drops anchor on
river in the proximity of Thoi Son Island. Local
musician band embarks to play traditional music
for 45 minutes. Follow is welcome drink and info
meeting about cruise, crew introduction. Welcome
dinner. Overnight onboard
Day 2 - Thursday: My Tho - Cai Be
At 8h in the morning, local boats are coming
alongside Toum Tiou to pick up passengers and
transfer to the mainland. Departure for Vinh
Trang Pagoda by car - Short panoramic tour of My
Tho town on the way. Continuing for Dong Tam
Snake Farm and My Tho Market. On the banks of a
northern arm of the Mekong, 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. When
return at the pier - Passengers cruise on the
river to Thoi Son Island by local boat to visit
the island, explore local people’s daily life
and enjoy locally seasonal fruits. At 13:00
passengers re-embark Toum Tiou and leaves My Tho
for Cai Be. Lunch and leisure on board. Late
afternoon, Toum Tiou at anchor on river on the
proximity of Cai Be. Dinner and overnight on
board.
Day 3 - Wednesday: Cai Be - Vinh Long - Sa
Dec
At 8h, local boats are coming alongside Toum
Tiou, picking up the passengers and cruise
around Cai Be Floating
Market. Continuing for Vinh Long - a brick and
pottery factory, the Binh Hoa Phuoc Islet
Nursery of Fruit Trees as well a typical house
and a show room of traditional farming tools.
Vinh Long, which translates as "Majestic
Dragon", is right in the middle of the delta,
between two arms of the Mekong. The soil of Vinh
Long is enriched by silt deposits, making it
ideal for growing mandarins and other citrus
fruits. Life is organized around the water.
Houses on stilts, hawkers in boats, hundreds of
small craft crisscross in all directions. The
hospitality of the locals makes it a tourist
destination par excellence. Return on the Toum
Tiou, departure for Sa Dec.
Lunch on board during the navigation. Arrival at
Sa Dec at about 15.00. Short panoramic tour of
Sa Dec and transfer to Trung Vuong primary
school. Continuing to Kien An Cung Pagoda.
Stroll around Sa Dec Market along Sa Dec River
bank. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is
fascinating in its unspoiled authenticity and
undisturbed by tourists. It provides a glimpse
of the delta where a few colonial houses still
remain, including the "Chinaman's house" (from
Duras' novel "The Lover", also made into a
movie). Return to the boat with stopover at a
nursery of flower and bonsai trees. Famous for
its horticulture (it has many varieties of
fabulously exotic flowers) Sa Dec was known as
the "Garden of Cochin Chine" during colonial
times. At about 18:30 passengers re-embark, Toum
Tiou leaves Sa Dec port and drop anchor few
miles away. Dinner and overnight on the river.
Day 4 - Thursday: Chau Doc
Early departure for Chau Doc. Breakfast during
navigation. Leisure and relax onboard. Arrival
after lunch at Victoria Hotel Chau Doc jetty.
Located to the north at the beginning of
Mekong's famous delta, Chau Doc straddles both
banks of the Mekong which fans out to the
dimensions of a river mouth here. Floating fish
farms have sprung up everywhere. Bamboo fish
drying racks are set up a meter above the
water's surface. The bourgeoning downtown area
features some charmingly rustic colonial
buildings, squeezed in by the marketplace - the
colorful, vibrant heart of the city. As always,
these busy parts of town, despite their
sometimes strong odors, offer wonderful photo
opportunities... At 14:30 departure for fish
raising rafts and Cham minority village by local
boat. Return to the Victoria hotel for a walk to
Chau Doc market. Visit of Sam Mountain which
peaks at 237 meters. Its well-known Buddhist
sanctuaries offer an unobstructed view over the
mosaic of glistening rice paddies below. To the
left is Cambodia, the flow of the Mekong on the
horizon breaks into an infinity of silver
ribbons. Visit on the way of the Lady Chua Xu
temple and Tay An Pagoda. Return to the boat
after sunset. Dinner at the Victoria Hotel’s
restaurant. Overnight onboard at the jetty of
the hotel; passengers are free to enjoy the
hotel facilities (swimming pool, sauna, bar) or
stroll in Chau Doc.
Day 5 - Friday: Chau Doc - Kôh Dek Chau
In early morning, Toum Tiou leaves for
Vinh Xuong (Vietnamese border). Arrival at Vinh
Xuong check-point – Formalities clearance for
Toum Tiou to cross the border. At 13:30 Toum
Tiou leaves Vinh Xuong check point for Cambodia.
Lunch during the navigation. 14:00 arrival at
Kaam Samnaar check-point – Formalities
clearance for crossing the border. Toum Tiou
leaves Kaam Samnaar check point for Kôh Dek
Chau Island. Arrival at Kôh Dek Chau island, at
16.30. A short break along the way, it allows to
get a fascinating, close-up look at daily life
in Cambodia. On the fringes of civilization, the
600 people who live on Kôh Dek Chau will
receive your visit with some surprise. School
children will escort you along your way. You
will go through the village that occupies the
full length of the island, walking along a trail
shaded by date palms. Toum Tiou leaves for Phnom
Penh and drops anchor few miles away. Dinner and
overnight on board.
Day 6 - Saturday: Kôh Dek Chau - Phnom Penh
Departure of Toum Tiou for Phnom Penh. Lunch
during the navigation. Arrival at Phnom Penh,
formalities clearance. At 14:30 departure for
the “KILLING FIELDS†– return to the boat
around 18:30. Dinner on board.
Local group performs on board “APSARA†show.
Overnight onboard.
Day 7 - Sunday: Phnom Penh
Half day city sightseeing tour including the
Royal Palace and the National Museum. At 12:30
return to the ship for the lunch on board.
Afternoon is the day free exploration on own.
Suggestions can be made up on the interest of
passengers. (FCC, Russian market, other
boutiques (antiques), etc.) Diner and overnight
on board.
Day 8 - Monday: Phnom Penh - Kôh Chen /
Oudong - Kampong Tralach
Departure of the Toum Tiou for Kôh Chen
(Chinese Island). Breakfast during navigation.
Arrival to Kôh Chen, small village of whose
inhabitants specialize in silver and copper
smiting. They make ornamental items, including
delicately engraved tropical fruits, used in
traditional ceremonies at the pagoda or for
marriages. The distant hills of Cambodia's old
capital, Oudong, and its royal stupas can be
seen a few kilometers away from the ferry. At
the top of the hill, the ruins of Anthareu
temple. Passengers re-embark the Toum Tiou at
14.45. Lunch on board on the way to Kampong
Tralach. Arrival at Kampong Tralach to visit its
wonderful Vihara belonging to Wat Kampong
Tralach Leu pagoda. To get to it, we cross
Kampong Tralach Krom village along a small road
perpendicular to the river, crossing some
gorgeous stretches of emerald rice paddy as we
leave the river behind. The Vihara dates back to
early last century. It was probably built on an
older site, as indicated by the
latérite foundations, and is home to some
outstanding mural paintings. These, however, are
starting to
suffer from weathering. They remain one of the
last survivors of cultural destruction that
continues
unabated due to widespread indifference.
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 for Wat Tani Pagoda in the
province of Kampot. Passengers re-embark. The
Toum Tiou drops anchor few miles away.
Diner and overnight on board.
Day 9 - Tuesday: Kampong Tralach - Kampong
Chnang - Chnok Tru
Departure of the Toum Tiou early in the morning.
Sail to Kampong Chnang. Breakfast during
navigation. Arrival to Kampong Chnang at about
9.00. Located some 56 miles from Phnom Penh, the
town of Kampong Chnang is one of the largest
fishing ports on the Tonlé Sap. Fish farming is
also widely practiced in the area. The area is
famous for its pottery ware, unchanged in style
for centuries, which is produced in sufficient
quantities to supply the entire country. And not
to be overlooked are the products of the Thnot
tree (sugar palm – a real national symbol)
that abounds in the area: a mellow tasting,
caramel-colored sugar sold in large cakes and
palm wine. At noon, passengers re-embark the
Toum Tiou. Lunch on board on the way to Chnok
Tru. Arrival at Chnok Tru at 15.00. Local boats
are coming along the Toum Tiou and picking
passengers for the visit of the
biggest floating village on the Tonlé Sap
River. Passengers re-embark. The Toum Tiou stays
overnight in the proximity of Chnok Tru.
Farewell cocktail (1 glass of local liquor or
juice) with Master of Ship & Cruise Manager
Captain’s farewell dinner (Enriched menu + 1
glass of wine). Overnight on board.
Day 10 - Wednesday: Chnok Tru - Siem Reap
1. High water, July - January.
Departure of the Toum Tiou early in the morning.
Time to pack and relax a half a day by crossing
the Tonlé
Sap Lake. At 13:00, enjoy the last lunch on
board, then passengers disembark.
2. Low water, approximately February - June.
Breakfast and relaxing morning on the boat, time
to pack. Daily speedboat is coming along the
boat and picks up passengers for crossing the
Lake. At 13:30 arrival at Phnom Krom pier. Enjoy
the last lunch in a restaurant in Siem Reap.
COST (per Cabin) and
DETAIL: 2006 & 2007
|
|
Lower
Deck |
Main
Deck |
Upper
Deck |
|
Twin
sharing (US$) |
- |
2830 |
- |
|
Single
Use (US$) |
- |
2330 |
- |
The route Siem
Reap - Saigon is vice verse of the above route.
Departure time and point is about 6.00 at FCC
Hotel in Siem Reap
Departure dates
are fix (a route about 2 times/month). Detail be
listed in booking form
Child from 04-12
years old just pay 30% when sharing bed with
parent .
TOUM TIOU CRUISE
DETAIL AND HISTORY
Built
in the traditional style, the Toum Tiou was
christened in 2002 on the river at Phnom Penh,
the first Cambodian cruise boat with
international standard accommodation. There are
10 cabins on board.
Fully-paneled in
wood, with charm and comfort in mind, we
designed it in keeping with the local style.
Modestly sized and with the safety of a steel
hull, its low draught makes it possible for the
boat to access the smallest of villages. With
the tasteful decoration of a bygone era, it has
10 cozy double cabins with private shower, a
large lounge area, a panoramic viewing space to
the front, a half-covered bar-restaurant to the
rear and a roof patio. Air conditioning, hi-fi
system and library are provided.
The captain,
boat hands, hostesses, cooks and boat master are
quiet and inconspicuous in the performance of
their duties.
The Toum Tiou
derives its name from a traditional Khmer tale
of star-crossed lovers, the Cambodian equivalent
of Romeo and Juliet, Toum being the boy and
Tiou, the girl. This beautiful love story turned
tragedy features Tiou's mother, an ambitious
woman who wants to marry her daughter off to the
king and Toum as the awkward lover. The king,
good-hearted and understanding, eventually gives
up on the marriage to make Tiou happy. It ends
tragically when a frame-up involving the mother
and the governor leads to the death of one of
the two lovers, the other committing suicide to
follow suit. This story is taught from primary
to high school. Many songs and pieces of
traditional music allude to the pair of
ill-fated lovers. |
