Brent Jenson
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Our AmaWaterways Mekong River Cruise
Everyone has a travel bucket list, right? I’ve been in the travel industry for 35 years and the time had finally come for me to cross a Mekong River cruise off of my list. Cruising the Mekong River is a wonderful way to experience both the beauties and cultures of Cambodia and Viet Nam. I would highly recommend this delightful cruise to anyone, and here are some of the highlights from our journey.
Pre-Cruise Tour
Depending on your departure city, it might be difficult to fly all the way to Cambodia in the same day. Since Southeast Asia is quite a distance, you may want to consider some pre- and post-cruise options prior to your actual Mekong River cruise. My wife and I decided to spend a couple of nights in Bangkok, Thailand prior to entering Cambodia. What a wonderful opportunity! It allowed us to see the highlights of Bangkok. We enjoyed visiting the Grand Palace, shopping in the local markets, and a yummy street food tour. For those who love Thai food, Bangkok has it all!
From Bangkok, we took a short flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. A visa is required to enter the country, and it may be purchased at the airport upon arrival. Siem Reap is an absolute must-see destination which contains over 50 temple sites from the ancient Khmer Empire. We were able to visit three of the main temple sites, including a sunrise tour of the famous Angkor Wat Buddhist Temple, which the Guinness World Records considers to be the largest religious structure in the world. Angkor Wat definitely exceeded our expectations and was one the highlights of our trip. The transfer from Siem Reap to Kampong Cham, the boarding point for the Mekong River cruise, is a 5-hour drive by motor coach. It is important to remember you will NOT experience Angkor Wat on your Mekong River cruise unless you book it as a pre-tour.
Our Mekong River Cruise Begins
After 5 days in Southeast Asia and a ton of wonderful memories, we were finally ready to board our ship to explore the Mekong River. Our vessel was the AmaDara, part of the AmaWaterways family. We were immediately greeted by the smiling and friendly staff of the AmaDara who took good care of us on our 7-day cruise. We found the food onboard to be tasty, and the service was impeccable. Many of the staff members memorized our names and greeted us daily.
We spent the next four days visiting small Cambodian villages and fell in love with the Cambodian people. One somber stop was in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, where we learned about and witnessed some of the remnants of the “Killings Fields.” This is Cambodia’s unfortunate dark history where Khmer Rouge extremists claimed the lives of nearly two million of their own countrymen. This included men, women, and children.
The last three days of our Mekong River cruise allowed us to visit Viet Nam. A visa is required to enter Viet Nam and must be purchased before you leave the U.S. We found our time in Viet Nam to be enjoyable as we also visited quaint little villages along the Mekong River. Our journey came to an end in Ho Chi Minh City, which was formally known as Saigon. I would also recommend a post trip experience in Ho Chi Minh City which will allow you to experience all this city has to offer, including a visit to the War Remnants Museum. A post trip to Hanoi, the capital of Viet Nam is also an option.
If you’re intrigued and would like to experience Southeast Asia, including a Mekong River Cruise, contact a Morris Columbus Advisor today! Safe travels!