Mekong River Cruises

From its origins in the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet, the Mekong River flows south through precipitous gorges in China before it reaches the Golden Triangle—a geographical point where the borders of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet. From there, it continues its southward course through Cambodia and Vietnam (the region explored by many Scenic Mekong river cruises) before it finally empties into the South China Sea. Measuring slightly more than 2,700 miles long, the Mekong is the world’s 12th longest river, and it is known by several different names. The Chinese refer to it as the Lancang Jiang, or Turbulent River. The Lao and the Thai call the river Mae Nam Kong, which means Mother Water. And the Vietnamese refer to it as Cuu Long, meaning Nine Dragons. The Mekong in English is derived from the river’s name in Lao and Thai cultures.

A Mekong River cruise sails through various parts of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and it provides an enlightening view of how important the river is to the local Cambodian people and to their livelihoods. The annual flood pulses also help to sustain the Mekong’s freshwater fisheries, which are crucial, since some reports indicate that close to 80 percent of the protein found in Cambodians’ diets comes from fish that have been caught in the river.