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Overview
Dates Nov 05 — Nov 18, 2008
Activity Level
Vietnam and Cambodia: these two Southeast Asian nations, linked by the mighty Mekong River, share a tumultuous history of colonization and war. But the Indochina of today is a far more forgiving and forward-thinking land than you might expect. On this journey, see the city landmarks and French-inspired architecture of Ho Chi Minh City, home to more than nine million people and more than three million motorcycles. Then depart for the port of My Tho to board the Mekong Pandaw and embark on an eight-day journey down the river and seemingly back in time. See a vanishing way of life--the floating villages, fish farms, and rice paddies along the Mekong reachable only by boat and rarely visited by Western travelers. Take a cyclo (rickshaw) ride through the open-air market of Chau Doc, Vietnam; watch as silk weavers transform thread into beautiful textiles at a Khmer village in Cambodia; meet local children at a tiny jungle settlement along the Mekong; and enjoy an unforgettable sunset on the Tonle Sap River. Conclude the journey in incomparable Angkor, a vast area with thousands of carved stone temples, including the magnificent Angkor Wat, considered the crowning achievement of Khmer art and architecture.
To download a full brochure for this program, click the PDF button at the top right side of this page.
Map
Itinerary
- Days 1 and 2 — U.S. / Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
- Day 3 — Ho Chi Minh City
- Day 4 — Ho Chi Minh City / My Tho / Embark
- Day 5 — Cai Be
- Day 6 — Chau Doc
- Day 7 — Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Day 8 — Phnom Penh / Kampong Cham
- Day 9 — Phnom Penh, Cambodia / Kampong Cham
- Day 10 — Kampong Cham
- Day 11 — Tonle Sap River / Kampong Chhnang
- Day 12 — Disembark / Siem Reap / Angkor
- Day 13— Angkor
- Day 14 — Angkor / Bangkok, Thailand
- Day 15 — Bangkok / U.S.
Highlights
- Take in the scenery during an unforgettable sunrise visit to the temples of Angkor Wat, widely regarded as the crowning achievement of Khmer art and architecture.
- Ride via cyclo through the French colonial town center of Chau Doc, Vietnam, and stroll through the open-air market.
- See how local residents cultivate fish and live in "floating houses" on the Tonle Sap river, a wetland teeming with birdlife.
- Marvel at the stylized movements and glorious costumes of Khmer dancers at a special performance in Angkor.
- View the gold, silver, and precious stone Buddhas in the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda in Cambodia's captial city, Phnom Pehn.
Pre-Tour Extension
Optional extension to Hanoi, Vietnam
November 2-6, 2008
Hanoi, the romantic capital city on the Red River, is a place of French, Chinese, and Vietnamese national influences, where city-dwellers perform tai chi by the lake in the early morning hours; bakers turn out perfect, buttery croissants; and merchants in the Old Quarter still offer the same wares sold there centuries ago. On this optional pre-tour extension, see the 11th-century Confucius Temple of Literature; the Museum of Ethnology; Ba Dinh Square, where Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's independence from France in 1945; and the revolutionary leader's "House on Stilts." Stroll through Hanoi's Old Quarter, and enjoy a cyclo (rickshaw) ride to a private performance of water puppet theater--a colorful Vietnamese art.
Program Leaders
Paul B. Courtright
Paul B. Courtright is Professor of Religion in South Asia and Senior Fellow in the Emory Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. He is a graduate of Grinnell College, Yale, and Princeton Universities. Courtright's research focuses on Hindu religious traditions, colonialism, and comparative studies of pilgrimage. He is the author of Ganesha: Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings, and is completing a book entitled Sati: The Goddess and the Dreadful Practice. He will present several lectures on Theravada Buddhist thought and practice and Indian influences on Khmer art and architecture.
Jeffrey Schwartz
Jeffrey Schwartz is Professor of Physical Anthropology and of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh and a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History. His research spans bioarchaeology, primate (including human) paleontology and evolution, and evolutionary and developmental biology. He will discuss such topics as fossil remains and evolutionary history in Southeast Asia.
Sponsors
American Museum of Natural History
Commonwealth Club
Emory University
Lehigh University
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Accommodations
Cruise Ship
The Mekong Pandaw
The Mekong Pandaw recreates the atmosphere and character of the original colonial-era steamers of the 1920s and affords its passengers the luxury of peaceful cruising through the landscapes of Cambodia and Vietnam. Fully air-conditioned, the Mekong Pandaw offers 32 generously sized staterooms, each with private facilities, finished in tropical hardwoods and brass marine fittings, and open to teak promenade decks that circle the ship. The spacious dining room accommodates all passengers at a single seating. With ample lounge space for lectures and a sun deck for socializing, the Mekong Pandaw is the perfect vessel from which to explore the riches of Vietnam and Cambodia.
Program Rates
Airfare
Airfare is not included in the program rates. Please call for assistance with your travel arrangements for this program.
Program Rates
From $6,595 per person, double occupancy; $8,195 single