2 NIGHTS

Our South-East Asian adventure begins with a flight from Australia through to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s most populous city. Still commonly referred to as Saigon the city offers bustling markets, unique culture and interesting history, becoming a real drawcard for Westerners.

We will be staying in the elegant French colonial-style Park Hyatt. Overlooking the Opera House on Lam Son Square, our 5-Star hotel is centrally located and within easy walking distance of the main sights.

Enjoy our first Group Dinner, a time of fellowship and opportunity to get to know other members of our CFT Family.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Originally part of the Khmer kingdom of Cambodia, the port settlement of Saigon was absorbed by Vietnam in the 17th century, becoming the base for the Nguyen lords. In 1859 the region was conquered by France and 70 years later almost one-tenth of the population was French, leaving an architectural legacy of charming, colonial style buildings and wide boulevards. Our sightseeing tour takes in French colonial landmarks, such as Notre-Dame Cathedral, made entirely of materials imported from France, and the 19th-century Central Post Office. We will also see the Vietnam War through Vietnamese eyes when we visit the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace (former Presidential Palace).

We finish at the famous Ben Thanh Markets which you can explore at leisure or return to the hotel to relax by the pool.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

7 NIGHTS

After breakfast we will be transferred to our Avalon Cruise Ship to be greeted by our friendly crew – relax on our luxurious vessel, our home for the next 7-nights.

Enjoy lunch aboard as we prepare for an afternoon sailing along the Saigon River towards Vinh Long. Known as Sông Sài Gòn in Vietnamese, the river originates in southeastern Cambodia, flows south through Ho Chi Minh City before merging with the Đồng Nai River and finally emptying into the South China Sea.

Overnight: Avalon Cruise

This morning, we board a traditional wooden sampan boat to visit a local workshop in Vinh Long – see how rice paper, rice wine, and traditional lollies / candies are made.

Enjoy a guided tour of the small island of Cu Lao Gieng to see a skilled family handcraft a sampan boat and then visit the home of a local family that makes “Non la”, the Vietnamese conical hats. Made from palm leaves and bamboo these iconic hats are primarily used as protection from the sun and rain but also double as a shopping basket to carry home goods from the market.

We also visit one of Vietnam’s oldest Catholic churches, part of a Catholic monastery built on the island by French nuns of Saint Paul de Chartres in 1875. Once an important convent, it could accommodate more than 1,000 people and included an orphanage, a school, a hospice and a leprosy centre.

We return to the ship for dinner before our vessel continues our cruise along the beautiful Mekong River.

Overnight: Avalon Cruise

We arrive in bustling Chau Doc and take a Guided Walk through the local market where vendors are busy selling their fresh produce. Float down the backwaters of the Mekong on a River Excursion that immerses us in everyday river life; see traditional floating homes, speedboat merchants, religious sites, a market selling dried goods, and more. Then after lunch, a sampan takes us to the village of Long Khanh A for a demonstration of the well-preserved artisan’s tradition of Cotton-Weaving.

This afternoon we set sail for Cambodia, cruising across the border at Vinh Xuong International Land and River Border Gate in Vietnam and Kaam Samnor in Cambodia.

Overnight: Avalon Cruise

We arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital as well as its biggest and wealthiest city. As the former hub of both the old Khmer Empire and French colonialists it is the country’s cultural centre; whilst many of the city’s most cherished buildings were destroyed under the communist regime of the Khmer Rouge, Phnom Penh is still a treasure trove of architectural wonders from ancient temples to extravagant palaces.

A private Cyclo Tour takes us to the Royal Palace with its spectacular Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum featuring an outstanding display of Khmer artifacts.

We take time for our own private worship service and just before dinner, children from a local orphanage will perform a show featuring local songs and dance.

Overnight: Avalon Cruise

The brutal regime of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge filled the power vacuum left by the U.S military after the official end of the Vietnam War in 1975. At the end of Pol Pot’s 4-year rule more than 21% of the population was dead. We pay tribute to these victims of war when we visit the notorious S21 Security Prison, a once ordinary high school that was turned into a torture, interrogation and execution centre. Of the 14,000 people known to have entered, only seven survived and today it is the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and has UNESCO World Heritage status. You may have the opportunity to meet and talk to survivors. We will also visit one of the Killing Fields where the victims of genocide were buried in mass graves. Today the nearby buildings are preserved as they were left when the Khmer Rouge were driven out in 1979.

Returning to our ship we depart Phnom Penh to enjoy some time at leisure on the ship.

Overnight: Avalon Cruise

Situated atop a remote hillside in the Kampong Cham region is ancient Wat Hanchey, a temple complex with buildings dating back to the 7th and 8th century. At the top we are rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding area and, if you wish, you can partake in a traditional water blessing given by local monks.

After lunch, a Walking Tour takes us through the rural village of Angkor Ban where we will visit a traditional Khmer house and meet children at a local school.

Overnight: Avalon Cruise

Khmer silversmithing dates to the Angkor period, with artisans producing fine silverwork for the royal court and upper classes as early as the 11th century. Following the devastating period of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodian silversmithing has experienced a revival, with artisans rediscovering and revitalising traditional techniques.

We visit a silversmith village in Konpong Louang to see talented craftsmen turn pure silver into works of art.

Transport comes in many different forms, and an ox cart takes us for a ride through the beautiful Cambodian countryside around Kampong Tralach; along the way, stop to meet a local farmer and learn about his daily life.

This afternoon, enjoy scenic cruising on the Tonle River, one of the few rivers in the world that experiences a reversal of its flow direction twice a year.

Overnight: Avalon Cruise

3 NIGHTS

We bid farewell to our friendly crew as we disembark in Phnom Penh and fly north to Siem Reap, the gateway to the Angkor Region. We immerse ourselves in the regional culture with dinner at a local restaurant followed by Phare Circus. This “Circus with Purpose” offers a blend of theatre, music, dance and modern circus arts to tell uniquely Cambodian stories. Originally an art programme established as therapy for young war refugees, it soon became an art school and public school offering free education to poor, socially deprived children. Phare Circus offers these students and graduates a place to earn a decent wage, money that will take them out of poverty and give them self-respect and freedom.

Overnight: Siem Reap

The immense Angkor complex is awe- inspiring, once the capital of the Khmer Empire, it has become a symbol of Cambodia; considered one of the man-made wonders of the world it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992.

This morning, we will visit the immense walled city of Angkor Thom, the Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King and the Temple of Bayon. Visit the atmospheric Ta Prohm, known as the “Tomb Raider Temple”, where the jungle is slowly reclaiming the stone structure.

Finally, our exploration brings us to the magnificent Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world. Built originally as a Hindu temple in the early 12th century it transformed into a Buddhist temple and has remained a significant religious centre since its foundation and is the best preserved of all of Angkor’s temples. The wat’s symmetrical beauty is breathtaking from a distance yet up close you will discover the uniqueness, detail and intricacies that make Angkor Wat one of the world’s greatest structures. Watch the sun set over this archaeological marvel – Wow!

Overnight: Siem Reap

We venture by boat out through the flooded mangrove forests to the intriguing Kampong Pluk Village, a cluster of three villages comprised of almost 3000 inhabitants. Here the houses are built on 6-metre-high stilts above the floodplain – when the water level is low these buildings tower above you, yet in the wet season the houses appear to “float” on the lakes surface.

Enjoy lunch back in Siem Reap before an afternoon at leisure – take time to wander, do some last-minute sightseeing or go shopping; Siem Reap’s Old Market is the perfect place to find souvenirs and experience local culture.

Tonight is our final Group Dinner, and we soak up the vibrant nighttime atmosphere at an upmarket restaurant on Pub Street. This is a time to share our favourite experiences and memories of this trip and to give thanks to God for our blessings.

Overnight: Siem Reap

A Sunday morning full of inspiration and gratitude as we tour the International Christian Fellowship (ICF) Community Campus in Siem Reap. See the impressive facility, meet the children and share Sunday Worship.

We then say “Lee hi” to Cambodia as we transfer to the airport for our final flights home to Australia.

Overnight: In-Flight

A morning arrival in Australia feeling very blessed having been part of such a delightful holiday, one filled with fun, faith and fellowship shared with new friends.