Bassac cruises on the Mekong delta : Bassac

Bassac services summary

[picture] Bassac II cruising at Tàm Vu, Cần Thơ, in the Mekong delta

The Bassac offer short-to-medium-range discovery cruises in charming, authentic river cabin cruisers. See the fact sheet for more.

Each journey leg includes three meals (L, D, B), one visit on the way and one at the destination, full-board accommodation as twin-share and free drinking water and Vietnamese tea and coffee. Find more about cuisine on board, typical overnight program and inclusions.

You can book for longer trips by chaining one-night programs. Some longer trips are offered as seat-in-coach, and it is even possible to reach Cambodia. Others require chartering.

You may even join in on a trip departing tomorrow for a discount. Get a quote.
On Sunday, August 1st, 2010, we shall have a waning moon quarter since late in the evening.

Cuisine [up]

[picture] Shrimps in coconut milk on a table on board a Bassac boat as it is cruising the Mekong

Eating well is mission-critical on a cruise, and on every trip we offer our passengers to discover classic Vietnamese cuisine at noon, delta specialties in the evening and a well-appointed western meal for breakfast.

We offer meals cooked and baked afresh including breakfast's bread and pastry. As the Bassac have their own galley, they are very reactive to meet the needs and tastes of your passengers, even in case a surprise cake is de rigueur.

BBC chef Rick Stein made the Bassac one of the first stops of his culinary series Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey, broadcast in 2009.

Read more

We are very proud to announce that the BBC just broadcast the first few episodes of Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey, where he goes from Cambodia into Vietnam and the Mekong delta on board the Bassac II. If you are in the UK, you may see episode 1 and episode 2 on the BBC iPlayer. He took TransMékong's Nguyệt Ánh as his personal guide into the markets and into the Mekong delta's specialities.

Several dishes presented in his book, Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey, he discovered on board the Bassac II, where he himself cooked a phở for the TV series. Among the delicacies he wrote about is the shrimp cooked with mango, Ánh's own creation that makes the reputation of our restaurant Sao Hôm in Cần Thơ.

Rick Stein's series are one of the very top cuisine programs in Europe, and we are very proud he chose us among all for his introduction to Vietnamese cuisine.

The film was made at Tết 2008, when Rick and his 7-strong Denham production team boarded the Bassac II towards Vietnam. Episode 1, in Cambodia, ends with the Bassac as a hint of what is coming next, whereas episode 2, in Vietnam, gets into the heart of the Mekong delta on board, with cooking sessions, market visits and the exploration of fisheries.

Typical menus

Lunch Bữa trưa

Shrimps steamed on coconut juice vapor Tôm hấp nước đừa

Fried Calamari with steamed rice Cơm mực chiên

Fish in clay pot with lemongrass Cá kho tộ

Tender diced beef with onion Bò Lúc Lắc

Pumpkin flower prepared with garlic Bông bí xào tỏi

Season fruit Trái cây theo mùa

Dinner Bữa tối

Cần Thơ style fried rolls Chả Giò Rế

Sea bass fillet with lemon sauce Cá chẽm chiên chanh

Sautéed chicken with lemongrass Gà xào xã ớt

Sautéed chouchous with garlic Su su xào tỏi

Banana and chocolate french pancakes Bánh trắng chuối sô cô la

Breakfast

a selection of bread and croissants baked on board, butter, jams, cheese, ham, eggs, phở, pancakes, maple syrup; with tea, coffee, fruit juices.

Lunch	Bữa trưa
Shrimps steamed on coconut juice vapor	Tôm hấp nước đừa
Fried Calamari with steamed rice	Cơm mực chiên
Fish in clay pot with lemongrass	Cá kho tộ
Tender diced beef with onion	Bò Lúc Lắc
Pumpkin flower prepared with garlic	Bông bí xào tỏi
Season fruit	Trái cây theo mùa

Dinner	Bữa tối
Cần Thơ style fried rolls	Chả Giò Rế
Sea bass fillet with lemon sauce	Cá chẽm chiên chanh
Sautéed chicken with lemongrass	Gà xào xã ớt
Sautéed chouchous with garlic	Su su xào tỏi
Banana and chocolate french pancakes	Bánh trắng chuối sô cô la

Breakfast
a selection of bread and croissants baked on board, butter, jams, cheese, ham, eggs, phở, pancakes, maple syrup; with tea, coffee, fruit juices.

Join in on a cruise [up]

[picture] Cruising the Măng Thít river, in the heart of the Mekong delta

See our scheduled trips page for details.

Joining in on a cruise is the simple and cost-effective way to enjoy some time on board and discover the delta for the smaller groups, actually even for single passengers.

You may even join in on a trip departing tomorrow for a discount. Get a quote.
On Sunday, August 1st, 2010, we shall have a waning moon quarter since late in the evening.

Daily departures

The Bassac operate the overnight route between Cần Thơ and Cái Bè every day, each way, as seat in coach. See the program for Cần Thơ - Cái Bè and Cái Bè - Cần Thơ.

Our daily journeys are now the reference for overnight discovery cruises on the Mekong delta. As all our overnight trips, they depart at noon and end by mid-morning on the next day.

Our trips open for daily departure are classic overnight trips across the Delta over one night, which takes you to visit a village and rice fields, and fruit sampling in the afternoon, and to a floating market or handicraft village in the morning. The itinerary is very green and varied and offers a good insight of life along the Mekong.

[picture] Sunrise on the river as the Bassac is at an anchor on the Mekong

Weekly departures

We also offer the passengers to chain several trips and make for a longer itinerary, be it for a more in-depth visit of the area between Cái Bè and Cần Thơ, or even for a connection with Cambodia in Châu Dốc on Sundays.

You may join in on a scheduled trip and connect to Cambodia.

Charter a Bassac [up]

[image] Bassac II on a visit at the river frontier between Vietnam and Cambodia

Make your own itinerary

You may charter a Bassac along any route you like: Explore the route you would like to follow on our à la carte programs page before you contact us for help and advice.

Chartering a Bassac is economical even for a modest group, and affords you tremendous freedom. Even to bring kayaks or bicycles along. A sample itinerary: Mỹ Tho - Cần Thơ - Vĩnh Long.

The best way to connect with Cambodia is to charter to the frontier: after breakfast on the last day of the cruise, the Bassac rendez-vous with a speed-boat right at the frontier, a mere three hours away from Phnom Penh (customize your trip).

Corporate meetings

The Bassac are perfectly adapted platforms for your corporate or board meetings in small committees:

They feature broad inside spaces allowing the party to isolate from the outside world and concentrate on the issues at hand; a video projector and screen, as well as a flip chart are available on board, and even internet connection about everywhere. The resting areas are ideal for a constructive pause, in the ever-renewed scenery of the Mekong delta, and the galley provides fresh snack and petit fours.

The members committed to the meeting can isolate themselves as the other passengers enjoy the boat and the trip. The party members can thus board along with their spouses and together enjoy the pauses, casual moments and evenings. The warm ambiance of the Bassac and the careful attention of the crew will foster socializing between the participants and provide them with shared memories.

The Bassac can accommodate groups of up to 44 passengers when combining two ships.

[image] Kayaking on a tributary to the Mekong in the middle of the Mekong delta, from the Bassac

Incentive

The Bassac offer an ideal platform for your smaller incentive groups or for team building through shared activities.

By providing the capacity to bring your group to the heart of the Mekong delta, a varied cuisine and solid logistics, the Bassac allow your animators to freely express themselves.

The Bassac can bring bicycles and even kayaks and serve as a base for discovery or adventure activities or simply for sports.

Typical trip program [up]

[Picture] A small map of the Mekong delta

This is the standard for a one-night trip. Any longer trips can mostly be summarized as chained one-night trips between the ports of call.

At the departure point, on the first day at noon

Boarding at noon at the departure point, introduction to the ship and crew, checking into the cabins.
Lunch is served as the Bassac sets sail along her route.
After coffee and a nap if you wish, you may enjoy the banks scenery unrolling; then the Bassac drops anchor by mid-afternoon for the visit.
After boarding back and a welcome back drink, the Bassac gets under way, and night falls.
Dinner is served as the Bassac reaches her anchoring point for the night.

Day 2

Breakfast is available from 6:30 on, with croissants, tea, coffee, a selection of fruit juices.
The Bassac gets under way towards the destination.
Check out from the cabins upon arrival at the destination and boarding of a local boat for the morning visit.
The visit brings you to shore at the destination by mid-morning.

End of services by mid-morning on shore at the destination.

Please note you will leave the Bassac for good upon boarding the small boat for the last visit.

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