MEKONG RIVER LUXURY CRUISES: INSPIRED SOUTHEAST ASIAN TRAVEL

We recently wrote about Myanmar luxury river cruises along the Irrawaddy River, and they are an unmissable experience for travelers in Southeast Asia. Today we’d like to share our other favorite river for high-end cruises: the Mekong. Being carried along by the currents and seeing truly local life going by – all from the comfort of a vessel that leaves no need unmet – is a truly marvelous way to experience the region.

The Mekong is one of the world’s truly great rivers. It supports a population of some 60 million, as a fishery, transportation network, and a source of irrigation and rich soil for farming. The river flows out of the glaciers and snowpack of the Himalayas and forms in the Tibetan Plateau. From there it flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia, before fanning out into an immense delta in Vietnam and flowing into the sea. Along large stretches of the Mekong’s course, life is lived today not so differently than it has been for centuries.

Luxury river cruises are the only way to travel inland in Southeast Asia and get far off the beaten track, yet still enjoy some of the finer comforts of life. It truly is adventure travel, and a way to see local life without the hordes of tourists and the jaded looks that often greet them. River boats offer an incredible look into people’s lives, without getting so close that it becomes voyeurism. Life on the Mekong is lived along its banks where children are bathed, clothes washed, fish caught, and cooling afternoon swims are taken. A luxury river cruise gets travelers just close enough to feel immersed, without feeling like an intruder.

The Lower Mekong Basin runs predominantly through Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam – the countries of old French Indochina. While the colonial history of Southeast Asia is a checkered one to say the least, there is still a certain romanticism to the grand era of l’Indochine. Traces of the time live on in some of the food, architecture, and customs of the region, but have mostly disappeared. The closest that travelers can come today to the opulence of the time (thankfully without the unsavory parts), is a luxury riverboat cruise on the Mekong River.

Upper Mekong in Laos

This stretch of the river is famously beautiful, and infamously difficult to navigate. While it is now considered safe, the river naturally limits cruises to smaller vessels, meaning a more intimate travel experience. From the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet, the Mekong flows into Laos through areas of pristine beauty. Limestone karsts protrude straight up from the river and are capped in verdant green jungle.

Along the way, cruises navigate narrow gorges and wide stretches of shifting sandbars. The river passes by traditional Lao villages before arriving in the UNESCO Heritage-designated town of Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang is the crown jewel of Laos’ tourism and hospitality industry. Accommodations there range from budget up to luxurious five star properties. The town’s famous morning merit-making ceremony when the monks walk the streets collecting food and alms is considered one of the must-see cultural events in ASEAN travel.

Mekong River Cruises offer an eight day cruise between Chiang Khong in Northern Thailand, and Luang Prabang in Laos. Their boat, the Mekong Sun has just 14 cabins – 11 standard and three Superior rooms. The classic teakwood design and silk appointed interiors give travelers an age-old feel of luxury and opulence.

Lower Mekong and the Delta – Cambodia and Vietnam

By far the most popular route for luxury cruises on the Mekong is between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh in Cambodia, and down into the Delta in Vietnam. Angkor, the beautiful complex of palaces and temples that was the seat of the Khmer Empire lies just outside of Siem Reap. This Southeast Asian travel and tourism must-see attraction is not along the Mekong, but connects to it via Tonle Sap, a huge lake that meets the river near Phnom Penh. The floating villages that dot the lake are fascinating, as are some of the fishing techniques employed by local fishermen. The route depends on water levels, but is navigable at most times of year.

The Mekong River splits into nine separate branches in Southern Vietnam before reaching the sea. In Vietnamese the river is called Sông Cửu Long – Nine Dragons River. The network of these rivers, and the countless canals connecting them to the millions of rice fields that dot the whole of the delta, are a stunning feat of engineering and also incredibly beautiful. Floating markets – real ones that are there for more than tourist’s photos – still exist as the network of waterways remains the most efficient transportation in many areas.

Avalon Waterways offer various itineraries of different lengths between the temples of Cambodia and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Their luxury river cruise ships carry a maximum of 36 guests for the most intimate experience with local life along the river.

Adventurous travelers who still want the finest in modern luxury won’t find a better way to experience Southeast Asia than on a river cruise. The name “Mekong” comes from a Thai/Lao word – Mae Nam Khong – which translates to Mother of Water, and this great river truly nurtures the region and its people as it has for millennia. Seeing how locals live and have lived in the past from the intimate vantage point that only a boat can provide is a life-changing experience, and one we highly recommend to those traveling in the ASEAN region.