Choosing a Mekong river cruise
Ports · Cambodia
Siem Reap and the Tonle Sap
The town beside Angkor and the great lake south of it are the end of the seven-night Mekong cruises. In high water some ships cross the lake and land you on the Siem Reap side; for the rest of the year, and on the larger ships always, the last part is by road or by air. Here is how it works and how long to stay.
At a glance
Sources: Pandaw — The Classic Mekong guide, 4 May 2026; Aqua Expeditions — Mekong river cruise; Siemreap.net — Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport, updated 10 Oct 2026; UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Angkor; Angkor Enterprise — available tickets · checked .
What this end of the river is
Siem Reap is the town that serves Angkor, the group of Khmer capitals from the 9th to the 15th century that UNESCO inscribed in 1992, spread over some 400 km² of park and forest. The Tonle Sap is the lake to the south, linked to the Mekong at Phnom Penh by the Tonle Sap river. Ships can only cross it when the water is high.
That gives the seven-night cruise its catch. 'Saigon to Siem Reap' describes where you end up, not how you get there. Pandaw is clear that from December to July the Tonle Sap river is too shallow and the journey to Siem Reap is by road. Aqua Expeditions flies its guests from Phnom Penh instead. Viking, Scenic and Victoria Mekong do not plan to reach the lake at all; their river legs end at Kampong Cham on the Mekong, and the road does the rest.
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Angkor; Pandaw — The Classic Mekong guide, 4 May 2026; Aqua Expeditions — Mekong river cruise; Viking press release, 14 Nov 2023; Cruiseline.co.uk — Scenic Spirit sample departure (agent); Wendy Wu Tours AU — Victoria Mekong · checked .
How many nights
Three nights after the cruise is the useful minimum for Angkor. The 3-day Angkor Pass costs USD 62 and can be used on any three days within seven, so you can spread temple mornings across the stay and rest in the afternoons. Two nights gives you one full day and a 1-day pass at USD 37; it is enough for Angkor Wat and little else.
Check whether your cruise package already includes Siem Reap. CroisiEurope sells Toum Tiou II as an 11-day trip with Angkor as well as port to port, and Viking's 15-day holiday includes hotel nights in Siem Reap.
Sources: Angkor Enterprise — available tickets; CroisiEurope — RV Toum Tiou II; Viking press release, 14 Nov 2023 · checked .
When to go
| Months | Water | What it means for the cruise |
|---|---|---|
| About December to July | Low | Operators say ships cannot reach the lake; road from the last river port, or Aqua's flight |
| Mid-August to November (Aqua) / August to November (Pandaw) | High | Ships that cross the lake can land you on the Siem Reap side |
| Year-round | Either | Viking, Scenic and Victoria Mekong end at Kampong Cham and continue by road |
Operators do not agree on the exact months: Pandaw's own guide gives both August to November and August to October for high water. If arrival by water is the point, aim for September to November and ask the operator which sailings it expects to reach the lake. The official ticket page gives Angkor park hours as 05:00 to 18:30.
Sources: Aqua Expeditions — Mekong river cruise; Pandaw — The Classic Mekong guide, 4 May 2026; Viking press release, 14 Nov 2023; Cruiseline.co.uk — Scenic Spirit sample departure (agent); Wendy Wu Tours AU — Victoria Mekong; Angkor Enterprise — available tickets · checked .
Getting there and away
By ship across the lake in high water; by road from the last river port the rest of the year. The road transfer time depends on where the ship stops, which changes with the water, so ask the operator for the figure on your date rather than relying on a general estimate.
By air, Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport (SAI) opened on 16 October 2023, about 50 km east of the town; the transfer takes about an hour and a quarter. Aqua Expeditions flies its low-water guests here from Phnom Penh.
Sources: Pandaw — The Classic Mekong guide, 4 May 2026; TravelVietnam.com — Pandaw low-water programme (reseller); Siemreap.net — Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport, updated 10 Oct 2026; Aqua Expeditions — Mekong river cruise · checked .
Costs on the ground
| Item | Cost | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Angkor Pass, 1 day | USD 37 | Angkor Enterprise |
| Angkor Pass, 3 days, valid 7 days | USD 62 | Angkor Enterprise |
| Angkor Pass, 7 days, valid 30 days | USD 72 | Angkor Enterprise |
| Koh Ker, 1 day | USD 15 | Angkor Enterprise |
| Beng Mealea, 1 day | USD 10 | Angkor Enterprise |
Prices as shown on the official ticket page on 11 October 2026; the page gives them in dollars.
Sources: Angkor Enterprise — available tickets · checked .
Gallery
When to skip it
- If you have already seen Angkor and only want the river: a Saigon to Phnom Penh cruise covers the border and the delta in three nights.
- If arriving by water is the whole point and you can only travel between December and July: the operators we read say ships cannot do it then.
- If you have one night to spare: one day is not enough for Angkor, and the airport is 50 km from town.
Cruises that end here
Saigon to Siem Reap, 7 nights, upstream or downstream. For the shorter alternative, Saigon to Phnom Penh, and then a flight or the road. The water page covers the months in detail.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Will our ship reach Siem Reap by water?
Only in high water, roughly August to November, and only on ships that cross the lake. Viking, Scenic and Victoria Mekong end at Kampong Cham and continue by road all year.
How long is the road transfer in low water?
It depends on where the ship stops, which changes with the water. The operator sets it; we ask for the figure for your sailing.
Which Angkor Pass should we buy?
For a three-night stay, the 3-day pass at USD 62, valid on any three days within seven. The 1-day pass is USD 37.
Where is the airport?
Siem Reap–Angkor International (SAI), about 50 km east of the town, about an hour and a quarter by car.
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Tell us which cruise you are weighing up
A month, how many are travelling and whether you lean towards a delta boat or a ship into Cambodia are enough to start. We reply by email with the boats that sail your dates and the fares their operators show that day.