Simple life on the Mekong River

Of all the holidays in the world, a river cruise along the Mekong is one of the most culturally and geographically diverse. Journeying through Cambodia and Vietnam you can expect to see ancient temples, dense jungle, floating markets and holy mountains. Because ancient traditions and histories have grown up around the river a cruise offers deep cultural insight as well as a myriad of stunning landscapes.

Life and Soul

The Mekong is the soul of Southeast Asia and sustains life for millions of people. Flowing from Tibet through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, it is the sixth longest river in the world and ends its journey in the South China Sea.

Steeped in myth, legend and history the river has countless stories to tell, as do the people who live in the towns and villages which surround it.

Creation Myth

The creation of the Mekong is fabled to have occurred when two warring kings were punished for their crimes. The disapproving Gods ordered them to carve out two rivers across Asia: the Mekong and the Yangtze. Because of this myth, it is said that water from the two rivers cannot be mixed.

This is one of the many stories you can expect to be told on a cruise, with plenty of dragons and mythical creatures featuring throughout.

Slow Travel

Boating is one of the most romantic ways to experience any country. Travelling slowly, there is loads of time to soak up the scenery and pay attention to the day-to-day details which make travel so inspiring. Instead of jetting from landmark to landmark you can get a sense of what the culture is like beyond the tourist trail and see places unreachably by road.

Hidden Wonders

The hidden wonders on a tour like this are the rural villages and secluded rice paddies that hug the river, as well as the iconic temples and holy sites that can be visited along the way.

Angkor Wat at sunsrise

The most awe inspiring of these on a Mekong cruise has to be Angkor Wat, a Cambodian temple overrun with vines and creepers that has a mystery and magical all of its own. Giant stone faces carved from huge chunks of rock, elaborate doorways cloaked by giant tree roots and beautiful stone carvings of ancient life are just some of the temple’s most distinguishing features.