The Mekong River runs through Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Yunnan (China) and is the longest river in the southeastern Asia region. Deep in history and rich in culture, it's one of the last travel frontiers with stunning natural beauty and incredible cultural diversity. Some of its attractions include ancient monuments, royal capitals and UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Luang Prabang in Laos, signifying an illustrious past dating back thousands of years. Explore the Great Mekong River aboard the charming and authentic Mekong River Cruise, Bassac Cruise, a rafting experience or ferry.
The Mekong Delta ("ðồng bằng sông Cửu Long" in Vietnamese-Nine Dragon River delta) is the region in Southeast Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of tributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southeastern Vietnam. The area covered by water depends on the season.
The Mekong River rises in the mountains of Tibet, flows through SW China and Burma, marks the border between Thailand and Laos, and meanders through Cambodia and Vietnam where its fertile delta forms the region’s agricultural heartland. Thousands of boats ply the waters of the Mekong, from tiny rowing boats to sampans carrying rice, fruit and sugarcane. All life is there: colorful floating markets, river villages on stilts and beautiful Khmer pagodas. Birds nest in huge colonies and five species of dolphin swim along the Mekong, including the rare Irrawaddy dolphin.
The Mekong flows into the Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s great lake. Here, locals live in floating villages and make use of the plentiful fishing or tend the miles of rice paddies, flooded by river water in the summer. At Siem Reap stands the unforgettable temple of Angkor Wat. This pinnacle of ancient Khmer architecture, crowned with soaring towers and decorated with intricate carvings, is one of Asia’s unmissable gems.
A Mekong River cruise links some of the great cities of SE Asia. Saigon is a startling culture clash. The heart of Vietnamese trade, modern-day Ho Chi Minh City maintains its charm in the Chinese markets and bustling streets amidst grand French Colonial buildings. Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, is a pleasant riverside city graced with leafy boulevards and dotted with cafés and bars. Visitors are treated to the glorious Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, and an unrivalled collection of ancient Khmer art at the National Museum Vietnam’s elegant capital in the north, Hanoi, is a laid-back city with tranquil tree-lined lakes at its heart. The country’s turbulent history is now remembered with the Military History Museum and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, in the peaceful setting of Ba Dinh Square. Out on the nearby coast is another of Vietnam’s natural wonders. Sailing amongst the mysterious sandstone peaks that rise out of Halong Bay on Vietnam’s east coast is a classic cruise experience.
