AMA Waterways - Cruising From Siem Reap, Cambodia to Ho Chin Minh City, Vietnam

Cruising the Tonie and Mekong Rivers

A cruise is a great way to travel.  You only have to unpack once and you get to see a variety of villages and towns along the river. AMA does a wonderful job  of  meeting travelers needs providing a great selection of tours and sight while traveling from Seam Reap to Ho Chin Ming City (Saigon). What did surprise me was that we did not always travel on the Mekong and that there was a fair amount of land travel by bus to get to the ship on Tonie River.

Kampong Chhnang Floating Village

The floating village allows people to own a house and not pay taxes.  It is the land that people have to pay taxes.

 Life on the river.

Fishing

Fish Farm

Koh Chen

Copper Stamping that will become silver plate.

This is a small village that produces copper and silver objects.

This lady stamps patterns on to a large copper vessel.

Silver Plate

Once the embellishing is complete the copper vessels are dipped into a chemical to produce the silver plate.

Ondong - Vipassana Dhura (Buddhist Monastery)

Nuns preparing to give the monks offer

Kampong Tralach

Ox Cart Ride

Ox  Carts were the traditional form of transportation and are still used by farmers.  We had the opportunity to travel by cart for 25 minutes through the country side.

Oxen

Royal Palace

Phnom Penh

Is the capital of Cambodia since 1866.We had  a tour of the Royal Palace.  Phnom Penh is located on the banks of the Mekong, Tonie Sap and Bassac River.

Memorial in the Killing Fields

Killing Fields - Burial Pits not Excavated

Former School used by the  Khmer Rouge as a detention center. 

S-21 detention center - Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide. The Khmer Rouge with Pol Pot regime from 1975 to 1979.

Leaving Phnom Penh

Boarder and Immigration Stop

Here is were we waited to

Boarder Crossing

cross the boarder from Cambodia to Vietnam on the Mekong River.

The whole process is very slow as each passenger and staffs passports have to be checked for VISA's.

Tan Chau

Tan Chau is a small Mekong Delta town untouched by tourism.  We traveled through the streets on a Xe Loi (bicycle rickshaw). to a silk and rattan mat workshop.

Rickshaw Ride 

Rattan Mat Weaving

Silk Factory - Jacquard Loom

Sa Dec

Market

Here we had the opportunity to visit a farmers market where you could purchase produce, a variety of fish and meat as well as rice and other foods.

Market

Market

Australian Bridge

This bridge was a gift to Vietnam to help rebuild the country after the American War as the Vietnamese refer to the war.

Sunset on the Mekong

Day Trip to Ninh Binh and Bai Dinh Pagoda

If you are looking to see the country side outside of the city of Hanoi there are several trips that you can take.  We chose to go to see the largest Bronze Budda statue in Vietnam a Bai Dinh Pagoda.  The statue is 10 meters tall and 100 tones.  To get the Budda to the top of the hill they used a helicopter.

Bai Dihn Pagoda is the biggest pagoda in Vietnam with 500 La Han statues and has a conference centre.  We went to the top of the hill and then walked down through a variety of buildings.

This is a statue of a female Budda which is influenced by the Hindu religion.











Then off to see Ninh Binh which is the Ha Long on land.

Local farmers row the boats down the river and you are able to travel through several caves depending on the water level.  There are two tours either to see 3 caves or 7 caves depending on the tour you are taking.








 This tour is a long day.  We were picked up at our hotel at 8:30 and did not arrive back until 18:30 hours.

Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia)

Why Visit Indochina

If you are adventurous and want to learn about different cultures Indochina is an excellent experience. These countries have been through a lot of turmoil that I was not really aware of living in North America.  The countries are establishing a tourist industry which is helping the local people have a better quality of life.  Each country has a good selections of different tour and accommodation options available to accommodate backpackers to the traveler who wants more luxurious accommodation and restaurants. Costs are reasonable and tipping is becoming common as wages are very low in all three countries.

When to Visit Indochina

Lotus Flower

November is Vietnam's winter so it is cooler and can be grey and cloudy.  Depending on what you want to do on your visit will determine when you visit.  

If you want to see the Phong Nah cave it is best to visit in March or April.  Central Vietnam gets rain in November, December and January.  But if you want to cruise the Mekong River the water is highest in November and therefore better for cruising.

The humidity is still high in November so remember that you will need clothing the is breathable.  If you plan to visit temples clothing must cover shoulders and knees. Sometimes even a scarf over your bare shoulders or a sarong to cover your knees will not be accepted.

Laos

November the temperature is more reasonable but is can still be warm and humid.  Rain is minimal.

Cambodia

Is closer to the equator so is warmer than Laos or Northern Vietnam during the winter months. Be prepared for hot and humid weather with some rain.  Rain can come down very heavy and drainage is not great in most places.

Foodie Tour by Scooter with XO Tours

Scooter with Rain Gear

Looking for something different to do in Ho Chi Ming City why not a night tour on scooters through five districts outside of district one.  You are driven through the city and arrive at different street food restaurants.  This allows you to try a variety of food and meet other tourists.


During the evening you have an opportunity to experience Vietnamese food, culture and transportation all in a safe an secure atmosphere. Over drivers were well educated and could speak excellent English.  At each stop the girls ensured that you were well fed and had fun.

Crab

 We started at a restaurant that served a beef soup made famous in Hue.  Then off to the next location that changes depending on availability.  We eat sea food, barbeque, frog, quail and even duck eggs.  To finish the meal we had traditional dessert on was coconut jelly.  Each restaurant had a selection of beverages that you could choose from and always Bria.

Barbeque with our guides

Cooked Frog with and without skin

Soo Much Food

 Scallops

A Wonderful Evening

Scooter Travels