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Day 1: Chau Doc – Cai Be
“Taste of aqua cultural life”
Welcome to the circus of fish. Brace yourself for a boat excursion to the exciting floating villages and catfish farms witnessing masses of Bassa fish being fed, hand in hand with a shore excursion to the village of the local Muslim Cham community. Stroll through a silk waving village and observe beautiful textiles being woven on old wooden looms; a tradition that has been passed from generation to generation.
Take a ride through this fascinating town of rich French colonial architecture and see its bustling market flooded with tropical fruits in full display by women in cone shaped palm leaf hats.
By late-afternoon, The Jayavarman casts off, heading towards Cai Be. Attend a wheel house biking class along the way, and in the evening enjoy a Welcome Cocktail in the Funnel Bar and Lounge.
Day 2: Cai Be
“Vietnamese inventiveness”
Today’s tour starts with the visit of Cai Be’s colorful floating market on board a traditional sampan, the “Cai Be Princess”. Cruise among local sampans coming from all provinces of the delta full of fruits and vegetables. During a 40 minute cruise, discover beautiful landscapes along the river and observe the typical Mekong Delta rural life. Further stops will allow you to see traditional brick and tile factories and how locals use palm leaves for houses. Cruise 20 minutes further to Phu An hamlet passing by Cai Be’s beautiful gothic cathedral. Visit some interesting home factories to see how rice paste, rice cookies and coco candies, are made, along with the longan fruit drying process.
Lunch will await you at Le Longanier, a superb Indochinese villa located in a lush tropical garden by the river, surrounded by fruit orchards. After lunch, hop on a bike or take a stroll along the winding canals of this peaceful village to experience it first hand. After touring the canals, head to the An Kiet ancient house to have tea with the descendants of the former imperial residents and listen to the family story. Board the Jayavarman for a relaxing evening cruise with a Farewell Dinner on the Sun Deck while heading towards Saigon.
Day 3: Saigon
“The Sea of Mangroves”
Your cruise with The Jayavarman comes to a close as the ship winds its way to Saigon through the UNESCO listed Mangrove Biosphere Reserve. During the Vietnam War, it had been destroyed, but amazingly the 75 hectares have come back to life through reforestation efforts. Disembark at 10:00am and continue your journey in the buzzing city of Saigon.
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