Mekong: Mother of Water

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Winter 2015

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Lima

cruise - Cambodia and there’s time to kill as our paperwork is laboured over by border officials.

In Cambodia, the pace of life slows considerably and a day is spent visiting the sights in Phnom Penh, with time for a couple of mandatory Angkor Lagers in the iconic Foreign Correspondents Club before retiring for the day.

photography: Roderick Eime.

Khmer culture

Experience local life along the Mekong as you cruise through the heart of Cambodia, in comfort and style, and sample the bounty it has to offer.

Mother river All eyes are on the great Mekong as the next big river cruise destination.

Words Roderick Eime

The Mekong is the world’s tenth longest river and the seventh longest in Asia, running from the Tibetan Plateau through China’s Yunnan province, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It’s called ‘Mae nam Khong’ in the Lao-Thai language, where all great rivers are considered ‘mother rivers’ indicated by the prefix ‘mae’, meaning ‘mother’, and ‘nam’ for water. In the case of the Mekong, Mae nam Khong means Khong (Mother of Water).

In the past decade, the fleet of river vessels plying this major waterway has expanded exponentially in line with tourism numbers.

The once basic vessels are being joined by ships complete with all the modern amenities, but you can still enjoy a taste of both worlds.

For my Mekong expedition, I’m aboard the 54-berth RV Jayavarman, launched in 2009.

The name is derived from the dynasty of famous

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Khmer rulers, and my journey begins in the Mekong Delta port of My Tho, a short commute from Saigon.

Our seven-night exploration travels upstream through the many convoluted tributaries of the famous delta, ending up in the main stream via stops at Cai Be, Binh Thanh Island, Chau Doc and Xin Chao. Each morning begins with Tai Chi classes, and meals consisting of delicately prepared local favourites like fish and rice, as well as western alternatives.

Cruising Cambodian-style Our first stop is Cai Be, a traditional trading port where we climb into traditional sampans, the local version of a large rowboat, and cruise along the river among the locals. Padded seats and shaded awnings are welcome comforts.

Fish, vegetables, rice and household items adorn the merchant boats, each advertising their trade with an item stuck to a pole and thrust in the air.

On this early part of the trip, we are guided ashore to discover the many traditional industries such as rice paper making, weaving, fish farming and even brick making that have been carried on here for centuries.

We cross the border into Cambodia at Chau Doc, a thriving market town with tiny alleyways lined with everything from meat and fish chopped on the spot to T-shirts and plastic pots.

The town tour is enhanced by a rickshaw ride

The Khmer people do not share the frenetic urgency of their Southern Vietnamese neighbours and we are greeted serenely by locals all along the river. The ubiquitous red scarves of the villagers remind me of the infamous Khmer Rouge, the ranks of which were filled by poor folk from villages such as Angkor Ban, a hamlet that retains much of its traditional lifestyle.

The next few days are spent alternating between the Mekong and its sibling, the Tonle Sap, before we reach our final destination at Siem Reap, the gateway to the magnificent Angkor Wat.

There is an important thing to know about travel here in the low-water season, as the Tonle Sap doesn’t have enough water to allow passage into the big lake.

We must complete the final leg by bus, taking in a few interesting spots along the road including the truck stop that serves fried cricket, spider and cockroaches.

Travellers wanting to cruise all the way to Siem Reap will need to book ‘high-water’ season, and pay a little extra.

Voyages on board the RV Jayavarman range from three to 19 days and are typical of those offered by any of the major operators.

Any time spent along the Mother of Water and among her children, will transport you to a time when kings ruled the river and gods surveyed all. •••

About the writer Rod is a travel journalist constantly travelling the world’s small ships and blogging at expeditioncruising.com

FIVE FACTS

1

High-water season means

you can sail all the way to Siem Reap and not have to catch the bus

2 fifty-four passengers

aboard RV Jayavarman

3

Enjoy exquisite

local flavours

on board

4

Travel in local sampans to shore excursions

5

Siem Reap

is the gateway to Angkor Wat

Each morning begins with Tai Chi classes, and meals consisting of delicately prepared local favourites like fish and rice ...

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