Multi-day Tours

Bangkok, Mekong Delta Cruise and Siem Reap
19-day Tour
June 20 - July 8, 2008

Day 1: Toronto to Bangkok
Depart Pearson International Airport aboard Cathay Pacific Flight CX829 from Toronto to Bangkok. Departs Toronto at 23:40 and arrives in Hong Kong at 06:50 + 2 days. Meals will be served in flight.

Day 2: Enroute
Cross International Dateline; lose one day.

Day 3: Arrive in Bangkok
Cathay Pacific Flight CX 713 departs Hong Kong at 09:05, arriving in Bangkok at 10:50. Upon arrival, transfer to your convention hotel. Please note that you must book your hotel through Lions Club International. The cost for your hotel in Bangkok during the Lions International Convention is not included in the tour price. Balance of the day on own.

Days 4 - 8: Lions International Convention - Saigon
On own arrangement for convention until afternoon transfer to airport for your flight to Saigon, Vietnam on June 27. Upon arrival in Saigon, transfer to hotel. Buffet dinner at Renaissance Riverside Hotel (city view room or equivalent).

Day 9: Saigon - My Tho - Mekong Delta Cruise
Register at 09:30 at the Renaissance Riverside Hotel in Saigon and transfer at 11:00 to the Delta Port of My Tho by coach, avoiding tidal delays on the Cao Gao canal. The time saved this gives us more time in the wilder areas upstream. The transfer time is approximately two hours. My Tho is the hub of the Delta, but not of great cultural interest, so once on board we set sail and have lunch. In the afternoon we moor near Cai Be and make a fascinating trip by traditional junk to explore evergreen islands and at the former Imperial residence, the An Kiet House. Surviving members of the Kiet family will welcome us with tea and we can wander in the fruit orchards around the house. On the way back we stop at Dong Hoa Hiep Island to see boat yards, brick works and traditional roofers. Overnight moor mid-stream Cai Be. (B/L/D)

Day 10: Cai Be
We take a morning junk trip around Cai Be to see a floating market, and go ashore to visit the French Gothic Cathedral and colourful port area, with its colonial buildings, delightful flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice paper manufacturers. Return to ship and cruise  to Vinh Long to visit a Bonsai garden and fruit farm, followed by visit to brick and pottery factory. Return to ship and cruise past Vinh Long City and evergreen islands. Remainder of day cruising through the Mekong Delta. (B/L/D)

Day 11: Chau Doc / Border Crossing
From the main Mekong channel at Tan Chau we travel down the canals and backwaters by local ferry boat. At Chau Doc we transfer to small boats to visit a Cham tribal village. We also visit a cat fish farm. We take a trishaw ride round this fascinating town of fine French-colonial buildings and see its bustling market. Return to the ship by boat for lunch and cast off for the Cambodian border for the usual formalities, which in this part of the world, take time. Evening cruise up the broad Mekong channel, which is an international shipping route. Moor overnight just downstream from Phnom Penh. (B/L/D)

Day 12: Phnom Penh
The capital of Cambodia retains its French charm. The old colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to busy cafes, and the renovated river "corniche" is full of life. The city has several impressive wats, including Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom and the newly-painted Wat Lang Ka. Pride of place goes to the spectacular Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in Cambodia where artifacts embodying the brilliance and richness of Khmer culture were preserved by the Khmer Rouge. The National Museum is another highlight, with outstanding displays of Khmer crafts. An afternoon excursion is arranged to the Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol Sleng or S21 detention centre situated in the suburbs of the city. More happily, Phnom Penh has a lively night life, and some passengers choose to dine ashore or try one of the capital’s many watering holes, a favourite being the Foreign Correspondents’ Club. (B/L/D)

Day 13: Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham
Early morning departure from Phnom Penh and a stop at the little-known Chong Koh silk weaving village for a morning walk at leisure. We cruise past the Mekong’s timeless villages and river life with extensive fishing activities. The scenery is very lovely here, and in the distance, forested hills rise. On the river above Phnom Penh there is little shipping, just real Cambodian life. In the afternoon we stop at Peam Chi Kang village to visit the wat or monastery and school. Passengers are at leisure to explore this peaceful and friendly community. In the wat the splendid village racing boats are stored. (B/L/D)

Day 14: Kampong Cham Area
Morning journey upriver to the hilltop pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey. Dating from the 8th century, these ancient brick structures characterize the architecture of the Chenla Empire which predated the glories of Angkor. Sail back downstream over lunch for an exploration of the Kampong Cham Area. We travel by bus to the 12th century Angkorian temple of Wat Nokor. This colourful temple is unique in Cambodia, as a modern wat is set within the ruins of an ancient temple. We continue to the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, or Man and Woman Hills. Legends abound about the origins of these hills, and there are many pagodas and shrines on the hilltops. (B/L/D)     

Day 15: Tonle River
We glance by the capital Phnom Penh in the early morning to change pilots, and then sail the Tonle River which connects Tonle Lake with the Mekong and Bassac Rivers that merge at Phnom Penh. This river journey is a highlight of the trip. We wind our way through jungle, and as the river narrows we feel we can almost reach out and touch the houses and people who come out to cheer our ship on. Temples abound along the river banks at Kampong Chhnang, and we see the rich tapestry of Cambodian rural life. This is a busy rural port town with bustling markets. Mooring mid-stream, we make a truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the lakeside wetlands that form the mouth of the river. Here a stunning variety of birdlife may be seen and of considerable interest are the great fish traps, some half a kilometre long, which net a huge tonnage of fish after each monsoon as the fish migrate from the falling lake into the Tonle River. (B/L/D)

Day 16: Tonle Sap / Siem Reap
The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 km in length. Here bird life is profuse, and from the middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. There is a great stillness and tranquility as we pass floating fishing villages. We cross the Tonle Lake at dawn and disembark at Siem Reap port for onward coach transfer to the Angkor Century Hotel.  Check-in and lunch at hotel. This afternoon, our local guide will pick us up at hotel for a  visit Ta Prohm, the temple that has been left largely in its natural state since its “re-discovery” by French explorers.  Surrounded by jungle, its labyrinth of stone hallways is overgrown with the roots and limbs of massive banyan trees, which envelop the stone like tentacles. It is one of the largest temples at Angkor, dedicated in 1186. Historians have noted its mystical charm. You will continue the tour to Preah Khan, "The Sacred Sword", an extensive monastic complex covering over 56 hectares built by Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and teaching complex. It is one of a group of temple complexes situated on a small "Baray". Preah Khan is the site of the World Monuments Fund's "prime" Asian project, a painstaking renovation whilst maintaining its mysterious allures and superb original structure. Dinner and overnight at Angkor Century Hotel (superior room). (B/L/D) 

Day 17: Siem Reap
This morning, you will visit Angkor Wat, the largest temple in the world, with a volume of stone equaling that of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. It is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west, and it is inspired by 12th Century Hinduism. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Conceived by Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat took an estimated 30 years to build. It is generally believed to have been a funeral temple for the king. It has been occupied continuously by Buddhist monks and is well preserved. Intricate bas-reliefs surround Angkor Wat on four sides and each tells a story. The most celebrated of these is the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, which is located on the east wing. In it, the naga serpent is twisted by demons and gods to spurt out the elixir of life under the exuberant flying heavenly Apsara (Angels). Lunch at hotel. 

This afternoon, you will visit the magnificent Angkor Thom, last capital of the Khmers, with its Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the stunning Bayon temple. This 12th century masterpiece lies at the very centre of Angkor Thom and is an archaeological wonder of symmetry and grandeur. The exterior gallery walls have extensive bas-reliefs but the highlight is the “faces”, more than 200 of them, silent but with the famous half-smile playing on their lips. You will see the sunset at Angkor Wat. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight, Angkor Century Hotel, superior room. (B/L/D)

Day 18: Siem Reap - Bangkok
Optional sunrise at Angkor Wat and back to hotel for breakfast. This morning you will drive past rice paddy fields and local villages. Banteay Srei, “The Citadel of Women”, is perhaps the most beautiful of the temples in Siem Reap. This small temple, built by Brahmins for human use rather than for use of god-kings, has the finest pink sandstone carving in Cambodia, clearly depicting extracts from the Ramayana. On your way back you may stop at a local village before visiting Banteay Samre, a fine example of small scale Angkor style architecture and hence a size that permits the visitor to closely appreciate the intricacies that are often dwarfed by the immense size of Angkor Wat. This afternoon, you will be free at leisure until transfer to airport for flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival in Bangkok, transfer to Radisson Hotel (superior room). Buffet dinner and overnight at hotel. (B/D)

Day 19: Bangkok - Toronto
Departure transfer for your return flight with Cathay Pacific. (B)

Printer-friendly >

For more information, please contact us at 1.888.923.9183 or to book online, please complete our Reservation Form.

Price per Person (CA$)
(Air, Land & Cruise)
(based on twin sharing)

• Airport taxes and fuel surcharge & Vietnam and Cambodian visa fees, currently $390.00 as of June 12, 2006. Subject to change.

Terms & Conditions

•  Deposit of $500.00 per person is due within 7 days of booking.

• RBC Insurance must be taken out at time of deposit. It is based on value of tour and age of participant. Please call the office toll free at 1-888-923-9183 for quotation or email Fran at fran@tourdesign.ca or Doris at dto@glpworldwide.com. 

• Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure.

Cancellation Penalties

• 180 to 90 days prior to departure: deposit is non-refundable.

• 90  to 30 days prior to departure: $1,250.00 non-refundable.

• 30 days to date of departure: 75% of total tour cost