Departure: every day (tours start in Cai Be on even dates and in Can Tho on odd dates)
Day 1: Panorama Cruise
In the morning we pick you up at your hotel in Saigon and take you to Can Tho or Cai Be. You board your wooden river cruiser around noon. After a refreshing welcome drink we show you our on-board facilities and your cosy cabin. As lunch is served, the boat starts cruising. Sit back and watch the fantastic scenery and the daily life of the Mekong people. In the afternoon you can disembark for a guided leisurely stroll through the village and the surrounding fruit orchards or rice fields. Meet the friendly locals and taste the local produce and fruits. Get back on board and enjoy a drink at the bar or relax on deck as the sun sets over the magnificent water landscape. The boat will anchor for the night. The day ends with a delicious on-board dinner.
Day 2: Life on the water and floating markets
Wake up well rested to the sound of the River and get ready for another exciting day of sightseeing. At 6.30h the vessel sets off for a sunrise cruise. Watch the locals go about their daily work drying exotic fruits and building ships on the wooden yards while enjoying an early breakfast. After breakfast, we will board a sampan boat to Cai Be or Cai Rang floating market, the region’s busiest and most lively markets. Marvel at the sheer abundance of exotic fruits, vegetables and skilfully handcrafted regional products. We will pull up to the boats for talking and bargaining with the merchants. We will also visit some of the local candy and cake making factories or boat through the green water landscape to see local houses, verdant orchards and ship-building yards. Disembark the boat at around 11.00 - 11.30h on the pier and enjoy lunch in town. Sit back in the car and watch the water landscape from a land perspective until you reach Chau Doc where we bring you to your hotel. Depending on your budget you can choose the famous colonial-style Victoria hotel or a family managed local 3-star hotel.
Day 3: Towards Cambodia
Ride a taxi to the pier where you embark on the speed boat for an exciting ride to Phnom Penh, your starting point for discovering Cambodia and the famed temples of Angkor. The trip ends here. Please contact us if we can help you organise your tour to Angkor or any further trips. Of course we will also be happy to arrange your transfer back to Saigon.
The Mekong Eyes combines regional boat-building traditions with modern comforts to become the perfect holiday vessel to cruise the Mekong in style. At 39 m long and 8.5 m wide, the Mekong Eyes river cruiser was built out of an old, traditional rice barge with the finest quality wood, and artfully decorated by skilled craftsmen of the Mekong Delta.
Why Mekong Eyes? – One of the traditional ceremonies performed on a newly constructed Mekong boat is the “eye opening”. The eyes are painted on the bow for good luck, a wide-awake crew and fast and safe journeys.
The boat can comfortably accommodate up to 30 passengers on a large area of approx. 250 m2:
There are 15 lavishly furnished twin and double rooms, each with a private bathroom with shower and hot water, wardrobe, air-conditioning and fan. The rooms are well insulated against climate and sound, and all offer a fantastic panoramic view of the river.
There is a large dining room in the lower deck, where you can enjoy culinary specialities of Vietnam or a sundowner in the cosy bar.
A stylish upper-deck inside panorma lounge invites you to sit back and take in the impressions of the fantastic scenery and the busy every day life on the river.
On the top deck you will find an open sitting area and sun deck with breathtaking views. While you are basking on the sun deck our friendly staff will pamper you with cool drinks and freshly cooked delicacies.
Our crew will do their utmost to provide you with all the services and comfort you need. The captain and his deck hand as well as the engineer are in charge of the technical details and the routing. An experienced chef and sevice staff will take you on a culinary journey through Vietnam. A local guide will explain the life and culture of the Mekong Delta to you and answer any questions you might have. Our staff also get regular safety trainings.
Technical specifications
- Class: River cruiser
- Max length: 39m (125 ft.)
- Max beam: 8.5m (27 ft.)
- Draft: 1.8m
- Load: 400 tons
- Number of rooms: 15 (9 twins and 6 doubles). All are deluxe standard with hot shower bathrooms attached.
- 1 dining room, 1 lounge/bar, outside sitting area and 1 sun deck.
- Engine: Cummins 450hp.
- 2 Electric generators: Yanmar 100kVA. 24 hour electricity supply.
- Toshiba central-controlled air-conditioning and air ventilation.
- Heat and smoke detectors, Fire fighting system, Fire alarm system (Networks Inc., USA)