4-nights itinerary: Aqua Mekong Explorer Cruise

Our crew warmly welcomes you aboard the Aqua Mekong with our special refreshers, such
as the salted watermelon crush with Thai basil. Together we celebrate our journey
towards the heart of the Mekong river with the Khmer Apsara dance performance, a famous
centuries-old tradition that is memorialized on the temple walls of Angkor Wat.

In the silversmith village of Koh Chen, witness artisans produce magnificent royal
Khmer silverware. Keep an eye out for their famous silver bowls, regularly chosen by
Cambodia’s king as gifts for visiting dignitaries. Continuing onwards to Udong, the
royal capital from the 17th to the 19th century, learn about the life of Buddhist monks and
interact with them at the Vipassana Dhura Mandala meditation center. In the afternoon, a
walking tour of Kampong Prasat offers an intimate look at local ways of life and their
riverside habitat.

As the sun rises on the lush countryside, we head to the residence of traditional
potters and palm-sugar producers, whose age-old techniques are still valuable today. On
a bicycle or chauffeured tuk-tuk, head into the rice paddies to watch wizened masters
scale sky-high palm trees to harvest their fruit. towering over us. Cruise across the
glassy water and disembark among the lotuses for an ox-cart ride along the Tonle Sap
riverbanks, past lacquered wooden houses where during these dry months residents take
refuge in the relative cool of these impromptu outdoor living rooms.

Sail into the legendary land of the glittering former Khmer empire. At Koh Oknha Tey, watch how Khmer artisans dye and weave krama, a silk scarf loved by locals and a treasured cultural asset that dates back from the Angkor period. Then, cycle the idyllic riverbank past Buddhist temples and traditional thatched and stilted homes and see farmers with white Brahman oxen working the rice fields. After lunch, board Aqua Mekong’s private fleet of launch boats and head towards the tamarind trees of Preah Prosop, a remote village little changed over several lifetimes and home to a startlingly colourful Buddhist temple.

Experience the vibrancy of the Cambodian capital on a motorized tuk-tuk and tour the
Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum of Cambodia, home to the world’s
largest collection of Khmer art. Guests may also visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or
shopping at Russian Market before disembarkation.
Note: Our itineraries may be
subject to changtan e according to local weather and water conditions.

Our crew warmly welcomes you at our meeting point at our Siem Reap meeting point where our air-conditioned coach will take you on a picturesque 45-minute countryside ride to the Aqua Mekong, which is docked on the Tonle Sap lake. for check-in to your 3-story, five star Mekong abode. Settle into your floating luxury retreat and a memorable first night on board your five-star home on the legendary Mekong.

Hop on our launch boats and discover vast wetlands, bird life and remote stilt communities around the Tonle Sap Lake, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designated in 1997. Spot large waterbirds like the spot-billed pelicans, milky stork, black-headed ibis and the elusive masked finfoot within the 22,000-hectare Prek Toal Core Bird Reserve, one of the last refuges in Southeast Asia located on the Tonle Sap Lake. After lunch, sail to the floating village of Moat Khla and attend a Buddhist blessing ceremony in this isolated community accessible only by water.

Explore remote villages around the Tonle Sap Lake, designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1997. In Chhnok Tru, we “slide” into an ice factory and learn from locals what it’s like to live in a town where schools, churches, pagodas, and even the karaoke bar and police station all float. In the afternoon, continue experiencing Khmer riverside life in Kampong Chhnang. In this serene village, meet traditional potters and palm-sugar producers and watch them practices age-old craftsmanship and techniques dating back to the 6th century that is still highly relevant and valuable today.

Awake to the beauty of rural Cambodia and sail by skiff to the silversmith village of Koh Chen for a first-hand encounter with artisans producing magnificent royal Khmer silverware. Keep an eye out for their famous silver bowls, regularly chosen by Cambodia’s king as gifts for visiting dignitaries. In the afternoon, we set off for the Koh Oknha Tey, Mekong’s ‘Silk Island’ where Khmer artisans showcase the dyeing and weaving of krama, a silk scarf loved by locals and a treasured cultural asset that dates back from the Angkor period. A biking option is available for those who wish to explore deeper into the island.

See the best of the Cambodian capital on motorized tuk-tuk, including the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum of Cambodia, home to the world’s largest collection of Khmer art. Based on your preferences, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or shop at the Russian Market before disembarking the Aqua Mekong.
Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions.