Exploring The Enchanting Mekong River

The Mekong river weaves its way through six countries, before emptying itself into the East Sea. Let time slip by as you drift past stunning scenery, floating villages and magnificent carved temples. It's a truly enchanting adventure from start to finish.

One of the many highlights when sailing along the Mekong River is a visit to one of the most popular cultural attractions in Asia, Angkor Wat. This ancient Cambodian site is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the ruins include some of the most significant historical artefacts from Southeast Asia.

Most popular Mekong river cruises run between Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Trips frequently stop along side historic cities like Hanoi, Ho Ci Minh City and Phnom Penh. But whichever Mekong itinerary suits you best, you are in for an incredible experience.

Mekong Trip Highlights

The first stops are usually in Hanoi, the bustling capital city of Vietnam. Bursting with French colonial era architecture, ancient temples and pagodas, the sights to see here are endless.

During your time here, make sure and visit the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Memorial and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. The picturesque park at Hoan Kiem Lake is definitely worth a visit too.

Siem Reap acts as the dropping off point to visit Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

Next up, take a little time to explore the beautiful Cambodian countryside before joining your ship in Kampong Cham. From Kampong Cham you can visit the famous hilltop temple complex at Wat Hanchey.

During your time here, visit the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey where you will come across a dizzying array of temples and pagodas.

Next stop is Cambodia's busy capital city Phnom Penh. Here you can find the remarkable Royal Palace with its truly stunning Silver Pagoda. Home to a maze of small alleys, markets and charming back streets, Phnom Penh is place you'll just love exploring.

Then take a tour of the busy riverside port of Chau Doc before boarding a small boat and visiting a Cham tribal village. Later on, visit Cu Lao Gieng Island where you should visit the monastery of St. Paul of Chartres. Built in 1875, the monastery is now known as "La Providence."

In Sa Dec, there's the opportunity to go and see the house of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the central character in Marguerite Duras's autobiographical novel, 'L'Amant'.

One of the delightful thing about river cruises is the ability to jump ashore and explore the locations you visit with ease. Exploring the canals of the Delta via an authentic sampan boat is one of those 'must see' excursions and during your visit make sure and stop by the spectacular floating market of Cai Be. This famous floating market features hundreds of boats, full of local vendors that sell all manner of exotic goods, including fresh fruit.

The final disembarkation point is My Tho, a river port not too far from the capital of Southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City. Here you can take a tour of Reunification Palace and visit Notre Dame Cathedral, or if you're feeling adventurous and prefer something a little different, why not explore some of the sprawling underground Cu Chi tunnel system.