It’s been an absolutely fabulous day on the Mekong River. This morning, we woke up particularly early for an unusual and memorable experience along the Tonle Sap River—a ride on the back of an oxcart through the rural countryside. We passed through rice fields and endless lotus flowers, an excellent opportunity for photographers to take stunning photos during the best light of day. We arrived at the small village of Kampong Tralach, where we took a quick stroll past local shops and made our way to the local school. Once at the school, we had the opportunity to talk with the teachers and students about rural education in Cambodia.
After the excitement of riding oxcarts and meeting the locals, we returned to the Jahan where we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and began cruising downstream towards our afternoon destination of Kampong Chhnang, also known as the “Pottery Embankment.” Once we arrived, we boarded local sampans (small boats), which shuttled us to the main dock of this active fishing town. We transferred to the countryside where we visited a small village that produces pottery, palm sugar, and clay cooking ovens for communities all across Cambodia. This was another amazing opportunity for photography, especially given the soft evening light.
After leaving the small pottery village, we boarded the sampans and cruised up river to see the local floating village. It was a remarkable experience, and we learned how the people survive in this fluctuating river environment. Once back on board Jahan, we sailed downstream towards Phnom Penh and enjoyed the sunset from the decks of our beautiful ship.
