I recently cruised the Mekong River with Uniworld River Cruises. The Uniworld brochure’s first paragraph about this trip states, “Two of the most beautiful, historic, and friendly places in all of Asia, dynamic Vietnam and pastoral Cambodia, are intriguing studies in contrast. Each possesses its own unique charm and social traditions, its own tragic history and complex past.” This is so true and so much more.
Your home away from home when cruising the Mekong River with Uniworld is called the Mekong Jewel. The ship went into service in 2020 and is an all-suite vessel. It is very luxurious. The basic suite is 339 sq ft and is very spacious including the bathroom. There are two grand suites (551 sq ft each) and two royal suites (924 sq ft each). The ship has a main dining room along with an al fresco eatery on the upper deck. It also features a pool, spa, sauna, steam room, gym, hair salon, nail bar, two lounges, and a library. The staff of this ship were amazing and very accommodating, knowledgeable, and eager to solve any problem or issue that might arise.
When you cruise down the Mekong River with Uniworld, 13 excursions are included at no additional cost. They do offer five different Masterpiece collection excursions at an additional charge that must be paid for up to two weeks before departure. We had excursions every day, and we visited schools, private homes, Buddhist temples, and more.
Our cruise down the Mekong River with Uniworld was a 15-day trip, and we began in Vietnam with a 2-night stay at the beautiful Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel. The hotel is centrally located, making it easy to explore Hanoi, and leaving plenty of time to sample some wonderful Vietnamese cuisine. A short flight delivered us to our next stop, a 3-night stay at the stunning Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort in Seim Reap. My initial interest in this area was Angkor Wat. After seeing this amazing religious complex in different movies, it was always someplace I needed to visit, and it did not disappoint! This area requires good mobility to explore the many ruins that necessitate a good deal of walking and hiking.
At the tail end of our cruise down the Mekong River with Uniworld, we disembarked our amazing ship for a 2-night stay in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly called Saigon. Almost everyone we encountered still referred to it as Saigon. The Park Hyatt Saigon was our hotel, and again it was situated in a perfect area to be able to walk and explore many different areas of the city.
My lasting impression of this trip is of the Cambodian citizens, both the crew of the ship and those we met through the excursions. I was struck by their kind and resilient spirits, their happy smiling faces, and their endearing ability to live in the present and regard all life as precious.
I couldn’t have asked for a better itinerary! This was an incredible trip and I can’t wait for my next adventure.
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