Explorer Cruise - From Siem Reap To Phnom Penh

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 memorable first night on board your five-star home on the legendary Mekong.

Hop on our launch boats and discover vast wetlands, birdlife 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.

All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions_