Deep in the Delta (Downstream)

Highlights Include

• Authentic scenes of the Mekong Delta
• Cruise past monkey bridges and narrow canals
• Visit Huynh Thuy Le ancient house
• Discover local handicrafts

Day 1

CHAU DOC – LONG XUYEN

Your crew welcomes you at the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel jetty at 10:00 am with cold towels and a refreshing drink as your Song Xanh private sampan sets off for its leisurely cruise on the waterways around Chau Doc towards Long Xuyen, visit vegetable garden then traveling along a narrow canal past monkey bridges and peaceful villages. Lunch is served on board before arriving in Long Xuyen. Visit Tiger Island (Cu Lao Ong Ho), a small island that was once the home of Vietnam’s second president- Ton Duc Thang. Take a stroll around the park surrounding the museum. Your last stopover before sunset is at a Vietnamese home to gain insight into how the local life. The owner will welcome you and a candlelit dinner will be served. Enjoy your first night on board the Song Xanh on the Hau River.

Day 2

LONG XUYEN – SA DEC

Breakfast is served on board at 7:00 am while your sampan cruises downstream. Arrive in Sa Dec in time for a stroll around this charming town. Visit one of the town’s highlights, the ancient house of Huynh Thuy Le, a real-life character in the celebrated novel and film “The Lover” by Marguerite Duras. The small town is well worth exploring as it played an important role in the development of the Mekong Delta. Large Chinese and Khmer communities were established here, while the French also left their mark on the local architecture. As a result, many religions are represented side by side: a Cao Dai temple, a Catholic church, a Chinese temple and Vietnamese pagodas. Lunch and dinner are served on board. Enjoy your second night aboard the Song Xanh on the Mekong River.

Day 3

SA DEC – CAI BE

We begin cruising at 6:00 am towards Cai Be. Observe life as it plays out on shore – people going about their daily activities against picturesque landscapes – while your crew serves breakfast onboard. From the islet, travel via rowing sampan through the peaceful narrow, canals.  Stop at various points along the way for a look into some of the cottage industry of the region: a brick factory and local food production like coconut candy and puffed rice (the local equivalent of popcorn), small home-based businesses that provide a living for the river people. Your cruise ends at Le Longanier Restaurant. Lunch is served in this exqui-site colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river, surrounded by fruit plantations, a glimpse into the Indochina of yesteryear.

*Note: Actual itinerary may vary depending upon river tides, arrival time or other conditions.