Travel by sampan through mangroves and bamboo groves to Ben Tre’s fruit orchards. Local artisans are hard at work and would gladly welcome you into their homes for tea, fruit, and honey products. This is a bird-rich place, and your return journey will be by local transportation through the lush countryside.

Following lunch, the ship moors off Cho Lach island for more glimpses of Delta life, fishing, and local Vietnamese hospitality, including a culinary lesson in making traditional Banh Xeo.

After breakfast, take a brief coach ride to the Gao Giong “green oasis,” which includes a bird sanctuary. A wide range of water and egrets congregate in their tens of thousands around the Dong Thap Muoi, or “Plain of Reeds.” Rowing boats navigate the canals, taking you to the main spawning sites. You will return to the boat and cruise upstream to Con Phuoc Island. Moor in a shallow canal off Con Phuoc Island and go ashore to explore the island by Xe Loi, visiting a 100-year-old Catholic Church and nearby woodworking artisans.

Explore the labyrinthine canal system around Tan Chau in the afternoon to visit a Taoist temple where the monks can recite fortunes. Continue through local villages by Xe Loi, stopping to assist locals intending their fields before visiting a fish farm and earning merit by releasing fish back into the Mekong. Border crossing formalities take up most of the day, and there is an optional tour of the working ship and fruit carving workshops on deck at this period.

Disembark in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, after breakfast.

Please note: The crew will hand out your passports after the immigration formalities at 10:00.