Mekong River Cruises, A Luxury Adventure Holiday

Pandaw River Cruises currently has two boutique vessels plying the waters of the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia with a third on the way later this year. In 2003 they were the first to attempt this extraordinary journey in its entirety surmounting complex bureaucratic and navigational obstacles. I recently had the pleasure of experiencing one of these magnificent river trips.
Apart from the fact that, as with all cruises, you only need to unpack and pack once the Mekong River is a highly practical shipping connection between Saigon in Vietnam and Siem Reap in Cambodia. There is no longer any need to endure bumpy roads and checking in and out of hotels. On these extremely comfortable Pandaw ships you can seamlessly link your time experiencing what interests you in Vietnam with the major tourist attractions in Cambodia including the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh and the incredible Angkor Wat complex near Siem Reap. During the 8-Day/7-Night journey you will have many opportunities to experience not only the major tourist attractions but also the life of the people of Vietnam and Cambodia as you travel along the river. Every day you will be able to participate in one or two shore excursions by smaller boat or bus, led by local English speaking guides, into the towns and villages along and around the river. You will visit markets, schools, local people’s homes, factories and handicraft workshops, historical sights and temples. From the vessel itself you will be spellbound viewing and absorbing the tremendous amount of human and wildlife activity on the river from either the Promenade Deck just outside your cabin or the Sun Deck on the roof as the ship navigates the river.