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How to choose the best Mekong River Cruise

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Adventure Life offers a lot of Mekong River cruises and you might be uncertain about which one will offer the best trip for you. Each cruise will just be a bit different with a variety of highlights explained below. 

From the Mekong Delta to the Angkor Temples, Hanoi, and Halong Bay
This river cruise, like many river cruises along the Mekong, starts in Hanoi (Vietnam) and will take you up to Siem Reap (Cambodia) to see the Angkor Temples. This river cruise lasts 14 days which is on the longer side. In Hanoi, a lot of history and culture will be shown to you to start off the trip. The next day, you’ll leave from Halong Bay in Hanoi to begin moving towards the Mekong River. Along the way to the Mekong River, you’ll learn a lot more about history by exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the reunification palace- all while exploring Ho Chi Minh. By day eight, the cruise begins to leave Vietnam and enter the borders of Cambodia, exploring many temples along the way. Once you reach Phnom Penh in Cambodia, you’ll continue to explore temples and other historical sights like the Royal Palace, the Tuol Svay Prey School, and pagodas. Finally, you’ll arrive in Siem Reap and get to explore Angkor Wat and the surrounding area in depth.

Mekong Exhibition - Ho Chi Minh to Phenom Penh
An eight-day trip that begins in Ho Chi Minh, this trip features a lot of exploring markets and diving into the local culture. By the second day, you’ll have explored Ho Chi Minh, been to the Sa Dec market, and have been to a plantation where you’ll have a fresh dinner in a local’s home. On day three you’ll get to visit the Chau Doc floating market. Additionally, throughout the trip, you’ll get a chance to explore a variety of Buddhist temples and interact with the monks and locals who regularly visit these temples. The trip ends on day eight when you disembark in Phnom Penh. 

Mekong Discovery - Round-Trip Phnom Penh
This trip is only four days and stays within the Cambodian border. You’ll get the opportunity to visit Buddhist temples and learn a lot about the local history. You’ll also get the chance to tour the Tonle Sap riverbanks which is a flooded forest, only accessible by boat, with flourishing wildlife. 

Mekong Expedition - Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh
This trip is an eight-day trip that begins in Cambodia and ends in Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh. This trip is all about culture and relaxation, it takes place on a three-story ship and the trip includes relaxation on the deck, visiting Buddhist temples, visiting several remote villages, eating at local’s houses, and exploring the countryside by biking.

Charms of Mekong
This eight-day river cruise beginning in Ho Chi Minh and ending in Siem Reap offers a little bit of everything; you’ll get a glimpse into the history of the country through visiting places like the Cambodia Killing Fields and the Royal Palace along with a few pagodas. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to visit markets and explore villages and towns to help learn about the local culture. Additionally, you’ll learn to make candy and rice paper making workshops along with eating some of the best food in Southeastern Asia. 

Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Riches of the Mekong
This eight-day river cruise begins in a small village off the Tonle River called Prek Kdam in Cambodia. This trip is very river cruise and nature-centric, you begin on the Tonle Sap River and get to discover the massive variety of birdlife and the gorgeous scenery. Afterward, you’ll be taken, in a motorcoach, to Oudong which is a picturesque place on a hill for when Cambodians do pilgrimages. Around day 6 you’ll arrive in Vietnam where you’ll explore local markets and Xeo Quyt, an important ecological sight with plenty of wildlife. On day eight, you’ll disembark in Ho Chi Minh.

From Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh Ville
You begin this nine-day trip in Siem Reap and it focuses on luxury, culture, and shopping. You’ll get the opportunity to go to Kampong Chhnang where they have fine traditional pottery. Then, you’ll get the opportunity to see a bunch of art, starting with the stunning Vihara of the Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda and including visiting the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum which houses the Fine Arts Museum, and eventually the Notre Dame Cathedral in Vietnam. You’ll also get the opportunity to shop for just about everything while on this trip including, pottery, silverware, bricks, Russian goods, Cambodian goods, Vietnamese goods, silk clothing, and a ton more exclusive items. This trip ends on day nine in Ho Chi Minh.
From the Angkor Temples to the Mekong Delta
This eleven-day river cruise begins in Siem Reap and ends in Ho Chi Minh. It focuses on embracing the culture through seeing pagodas, temples, and palaces. This includes the Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Wat Kampong Tralach Leu Temple, the Royal Palace, the Ba Chu Xu temple, and the Tay An Pagoda. You’ll also get the opportunity to visit a perfume workshop, learn how to weave sugar palm leaves, learn to make soaps and candles, and learn to traditionally prepare aromatic spices.
If any of these trips sound appealing to you, don’t hesitate to contact Adventure Life’s travel experts for questions, advice, or to begin planning your trip!
 

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