Southeast Asia’s premier boutique river cruise operator Heritage Line is now offering new private onshore excursions for its voyages on the Lower Mekong River onboard Heritage Line “The Jahan” and Heritage Line “Jayavarman.” These new experiences offer guests the opportunity to personalize their adventures with exclusive activities beyond the regular itinerary and existing cycling and culinary tour options. The private onshore excursions are tailored to the guests’ individual interests, allowing travelers to explore Cambodia’s and Vietnam’s hidden gems and cultural treasures at their own pace, all with the expertise of a dedicated English-speaking guide.
Private onshore excursions on the three-night Lower Mekong cruises offer intimate exploration of three provinces in Vietnam: Tan Chau, Sa Dec and Cai Be. In Tan Chau, guests arrive at the remote Long Khanh Island, home to a traditional scarf-weaving community where each family on the island specializes in a different aspect of the production process. In Sa Dec, a charming river port city, travelers can wander through the bustling local market, visit the historic home of famous novelist Madame Marguerite Duras, and explore the Kien An Cung temple to learn more about the region’s local history. In Cai Be, a quaint village in the Mekong Delta, guests will have the chance to stop by a local rice workshop to see traditional techniques for crafting rice paper, coconut candy, popped rice and rice distillates and visit a tropical fruit farming family to taste some of the freshest fruit in the Mekong Delta.
The four-night cruise program features seven private onshore excursions throughout Cambodia, including Kampong Cham, Angkor Ban, Koh Oknha Tey, Kampong Laeang, Lampong Chhnang, Kampong Tralach and Phnom Penh. The excursion in Kampong Cham includes a tour of Cheung Kok Village, known for its community-based ecotourism initiatives focused on providing locals with income, education and skill development through the production of unique handcrafted goods, and a visit to the largest bamboo bridge in Cambodia. In Angkor Ban, guests can explore traditional Khmer houses, meet local farmers, and witness the traditional methods of stone carving and fabric dyeing. On the island of Koh Oknha Tey, travelers can journey via tuk-tuk through silk and cotton weaving villages and sample golden tofu skins, an island delicacy. In the rural heartland of Cambodia, in Kampong Laeang guests can get an authentic look at daily life in the countryside and visit pre-Angkorian temples. In Kampong Chhnang, renowned for its pottery production, guests will witness the artisans at work and explore the floating villages and markets within the Tonle region’s canals. In Kampong Tralach, guests will visit an NGO school partially supported by Heritage Line where rural children learn English, ride ox-pulled carts through lotus ponds and rice paddies, explore the former capital of Cambodia “Oudong,” and journey to the silversmith village of Koh Chen. Guests will spend a full day in Phnom Penh to get a glimpse of everything Cambodia’s capital has to offer through a choice of four half-day themed excursions. Select two tours to enjoy the full day, from learning about the Khmer Rouge chapter of Cambodia’s tragic past at the Toul Seng (S21) Genocide Museum, to discovering the modern sights of Elite Town and Diamond Island. Other highlights include a visit to the Sosoro National Museum of Cambodia, shopping at the central market, touring the National Library, and riding cyclos to Wat Phnom, the serene hilltop temple that inspired the city’s name, and touring the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.
