About the Mekong
Mekong cruises run between My Tho or Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Phnom Penh or Siem Reap in Cambodia, typically as part of a longer fly-cruise package that also includes the temples of Angkor Wat. Ships are smaller and shallower than European vessels, with colonial-era wood detailing and open-air observation decks.
Headline destinations: Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Tonlé Sap lake, the Cai Be floating market.
The river flows through 6 countries — China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam. 13 ships from 6 different operators currently sail itineraries here, ranging from week-long classic loops to multi-week extended voyages.
Featured itineraries on the Mekong
| Itinerary | Length | Sample ports |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam, Cambodia & the Riches of the Mekong | 11 nights | Ho Chi Minh City · My Tho · Sa Dec · Tan Chau · Phnom Penh · Kampong Cham · Siem Reap |
| Charms of the Mekong | 8 nights | Siem Reap · Phnom Penh · Tan Chau · Sa Dec · Ho Chi Minh City |
Operators sailing the Mekong
Avalon Waterways
Suite Ships with beds that face the river.
Scenic Luxury Cruises
All-inclusive Space-Ships with butler-served suites.
Emerald Cruises
Star-Ships with an indoor pool that converts to a cinema.
Pandaw
Colonial-era teak ships on Asia's less-trafficked rivers.
Aqua Expeditions
Luxury small-ship river cruising in the Mekong, Amazon and beyond.
Heritage Line
Boutique themed ships across Indochina's rivers.
Ships sailing the Mekong
| Ship | Cruise line | Class | Guests | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anouvong | Heritage Line | Heritage Royal | 28 | 2021 |
| Aqua Mekong | Aqua Expeditions | Aqua Design | 40 | 2014 |
| Avalon Saigon | Avalon Waterways | Mekong | 36 | 2018 |
| Avalon Siem Reap | Avalon Waterways | Mekong | 36 | 2015 |
| Emerald Harmony | Emerald Cruises | Mekong | 84 | 2017 |
| Jahan | Heritage Line | Heritage Steamer | 48 | 2011 |
| Jayavarman | Heritage Line | Heritage Khmer | 54 | 2009 |
| RV Angkor Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 32 | 2014 |
| RV Champa Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 28 | 2017 |
| RV Indochina Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 46 | 2009 |
| RV Mekong Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 48 | 2003 |
| RV Tonlé Pandaw | Pandaw | Pandaw Heritage | 30 | 2008 |
| Scenic Aura | Scenic Luxury Cruises | Mekong | 44 | 2016 |