Vietnam is a place for sensory overload. There are so many rich and colorful sights happening all around you at any given time, it’s hard to focus on one thing. Today was no exception, and as we made our way on the river to the town of Chi Be, we passed ferries, cargo ships, and bright fishing boats. My camera was buzzing as it captured one image after another. But it was in a little candy shop that my attention was drawn to the remarkable ability of the Vietnamese to create these mouthwatering coconut candies by hand. The process is tedious, precise, and at the end of it all, delicious. Every aspect of the candy was made by hand, even the rice paper in which the candy would be wrapped.
2/14/2025
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The Jahan
Angkor Ban and Kampong Cham
We started our final day on The Jahan visiting the remote village of Angkor Ban, which is one of only a handful of villages with traditional wooden houses dating back over 100 years. These types of homes are a rarity due to neglect and the decades of conflict in the country. We entered the village through a large pagoda complex before walking around the narrow streets to see the homes. Afterward, two local monks came on board to chant and preform a blessing for the ship and guests. Guests were also able to get individual blessings and red string bracelets, a Buddhist tradition for luck and protection. National Geographic Archeologist Fabio Esteban gave a talk on, “Parallel Civilizations and Sacred Landscapes between the Maya and Angkor”. In the afternoon, we visited Wat Nokor, our first Angkor period temple that featured a colorful monastery built inside a 12th-century enclosure. Then, we stopped at a famous bamboo bridge in the provincial capital of Kampong Cham. Guests had the option of walking on a portion of the bridge or walking along the riverside back to the ship. To conclude our voyage, we celebrated with a farewell party on the terrace deck at sunset and enjoyed the world premiere of the guest slideshow.
