Mekong Princess | Asia

Boat

Mekong Princess is a luxury cultural river vessel created for travellers who want to experience Vietnam and Cambodia slowly, from the water and at village level. She is a non-diving liveaboard: there are no scuba dives, dive guides, cylinders, compressors or underwater excursions. Instead, the programme combines daily life along the Mekong, historic cities, religious sites, artisan visits, local transport and unhurried observation from the deck.

Launched in 2015 and built in Saigon, the steel-hulled vessel measures approximately 63 metres long and 10 metres wide. Her shallow draft is suited to inland navigation, while two 480 hp Doosan Marine engines provide an average cruising speed of about 8 knots and a published top speed of 11 knots. The standard accommodation is deliberately intimate: 14 suites for 28 guests, supported by public rooms sized for the full complement.

The design interprets French Colonial Indochina rather than copying a contemporary hotel. Warm teak, polished brass, detailed joinery and soft fabrics create a composed setting, but the river remains the principal view. Mekong Deck holds the lower accommodation, dining room and reception; Bassac Deck places the larger suites higher above the water alongside the main lounge; the upper Observation/Sundeck is reserved for open-air relaxation.

The Ramvong Lounge is the social centre, with air conditioning, comfortable seating and broad river views for briefings, talks and quiet afternoons. Its bar serves the included selection of local spirits, local beer, coffee, tea, soft drinks and bottled water. The Observation/Sundeck adds shaded loungers and an open perspective over banks, floating traffic and evening light. Because the landscape changes continuously, time between excursions feels like part of the itinerary rather than a transfer.

At the Indochine Restaurant, all 28 guests can dine together. The published programme includes buffet breakfast, buffet lunch and a seated multi-course dinner, with French-Indochina and lighter spa-cuisine influences. Themed dinners, a cooking class and a tropical-fruit presentation add regional context. Dietary needs should be declared before travel; their acceptance remains subject to the galley's written confirmation.

Wellness is available without overwhelming the destination. A compact fitness room is complimentary. The Princess Spa offers treatments at extra cost, except that the published Angkor Suite privileges include one complimentary one-hour massage per guest. Wi-Fi is included in public areas, but river coverage can be intermittent; this journey is better suited to guests who can tolerate periods offline.

Service continues ashore. The operator lists admissions, port charges, the scheduled cultural excursions, listening devices and transport appropriate to each visit as included. Depending on the location, guests may travel by full-size coach, sampan, cyclo, xe loi or local boat. Cold towels, welcome drinks after excursions and shoe cleaning are small but useful touches in the tropical climate.

Cabin

Mekong Princess accommodates 28 guests in exactly 14 river-facing suites across two accommodation decks. The verified inventory is:

• 2 Angkor Suites — 52 m² / 560 ft², forward Bassac Deck: fixed 2 m × 2 m king bed; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling river windows; separate furnished private veranda with a 180-degree view; minibar; marble spa bathroom with a large soaking tub beside the window and a glass rain shower; enhanced butler privileges including complimentary laundry through Tuesday evening, personal Wi-Fi, daily canapés and one one-hour onboard massage per guest
• 2 Tonle Suites — 30 m² / 323 ft², Bassac Deck: fixed 2 m × 2 m king bed; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding river doors with a French balcony; Kashmir rugs; minibar; marble bathroom with a large soaking tub beside its panoramic river window; butler privileges including embarkation wine and fruit, in-suite breakfast on request, daily canapés, packing assistance and a scented bath on request
• 4 Apsara Suites — 24 m² / 256 ft², midship Bassac Deck: one approximately 2 m × 1.8 m queen bed convertible to two approximately 2 m × 0.9 m twins; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and French balcony; Cambodian-inspired décor, television and private marble bathroom with river window
• 4 Saigon Suites — 24 m² / 256 ft², Mekong Deck: queen or twin convertible configuration with the same published dimensions; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and French balcony; Vietnamese decorative details, television and private marble bathroom with river window
• 2 Junior Suites — 20 m² / 216 ft², midship Mekong Deck: queen or twin convertible configuration with the same published dimensions; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and French balcony; Old Saigon-inspired decoration, television and private marble bathroom with river window

The calculation is exact: 2 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 2 = 14 suites and 14 × 2 = 28 standard berths. A general operator FAQ mentions a possible total of 30 when children are included, but the vessel page and published suite inventory support 28 standard guests. No extra bed or triple occupancy should therefore be promised unless the operator confirms the exact suite, child arrangement, sailing and final vessel capacity in writing.

Every category includes individual climate control and a colonial-style ceiling fan, an electronic safe, internal telephone, hairdryer, 110 V and 220 V multi-configuration outlets, bathrobes and slippers, a pillow menu, 500-thread-count bed linen, refillable mineral-water jugs, natural bath amenities, a makeup mirror and a bathroom nightlight. The operator also lists a complimentary minibar throughout the cruise, thermos bottles for excursions, nightly pillow chocolates, daily newspaper, in-room breakfast on request, an LCD television/movie channel and 24-hour reception.

A French balcony means the full-height sliding doors open to a protective railing; it is not a walk-out balcony. Only the two Angkor Suites have a furnished private veranda. All suite bathrooms face the river through a panoramic window, although only Angkor and Tonle are specifically published with soaking tubs. The other categories are described here as marble bathrooms without inventing an unconfirmed tub or shower configuration.

Bed choice matters. Angkor and Tonle have fixed king beds and are not advertised as convertible twins. Apsara, Saigon and Junior Suites can be prepared as one queen or two singles. Bedding, category and deck should appear on the dated confirmation; requests made after embarkation may be difficult to accommodate.

For the most private space, Angkor is the clear choice: it is more than twice the area of an Apsara or Saigon Suite, and its veranda is unique aboard. Tonle suits couples who value a king bed and bathtub but do not require an outdoor terrace. Apsara places a flexible bed on the upper Bassac Deck, while Saigon offers the same 24 m² footprint on Mekong Deck. Junior is the most compact option but retains the same river-facing doors, ensuite privacy and queen/twin flexibility.

Cultural River Discovery — No Diving

This product should always be sold for what it is: a luxury Mekong river cruise and non-diving liveaboard. It does not include scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming stops or recreational water sports. The river is the route into the destination, not an activity site. Guests spend their active time on guided walks and visits, in local craft workshops, at markets, pagodas, museums and homes, or travelling in small local vehicles and boats.

Excursions can involve heat, humidity, uneven ground, steps, narrow gangways and transfers between vessel, sampan and shore. Cyclo and xe loi rides may not suit every mobility level. Travellers who need step-free access or assistance should request a day-specific assessment before booking; the presence of coaches on some visits does not make every site accessible.

Religious buildings and family homes call for modest clothing and considerate behaviour. The Phnom Penh programme also includes Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng, sites connected with mass violence under the Khmer Rouge. These visits are historically important but emotionally demanding. Guests concerned about their suitability should discuss the current programme with the operator before departure rather than assume an alternative visit will be available.

Water level, navigation conditions, border formalities and local permissions can affect timing. The captain and cruise director may alter a landing, transport method or sequence for safety and operational reasons. Such flexibility is normal on the Mekong and should not be presented as a service failure when the essential route is preserved.

Other Information

• Cruise type: luxury cultural river cruise / non-diving liveaboard
• Destination: Mekong River through southern Vietnam and Cambodia
• Principal journey: 8 days / 7 nights, upstream or downstream between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap via overland terminal transfers
• Standard guest capacity: 28 guests
• Accommodation: 14 river-facing ensuite suites
• Suite decks: Bassac Deck and Mekong Deck
• Vessel: steel-hulled river vessel, launched 2015
• Length / beam: approximately 63 m / 10 m
• Engines / speed: 2 × 480 hp Doosan Marine; average 8 knots, top 11 knots
• Dining: 30-seat Indochine Restaurant
• Activities: guided cultural excursions and onboard enrichment; no scuba diving, snorkelling or swimming programme
• Internet: Wi-Fi in public areas; personal Wi-Fi is an Angkor Suite privilege; coverage can be intermittent
• Smoking: only in the designated outdoor area behind the lounge; not in suites or indoor public spaces, including electronic cigarettes

Confirmed in the operator's published programme: accommodation in the booked suite; buffet breakfast and lunch plus seated multi-course dinner; organic coffee, herbal tea, mineral water, soft drinks, local beer and local spirits; the complimentary in-suite minibar; scheduled shore excursions with admissions; port charges; onboard cultural performances, educational talks, cooking class and fruit presentation; use of the fitness facility; public-area Wi-Fi; library and games; VOX listening devices; post-excursion shoe cleaning; cold towels and welcome drinks after excursions; and shipboard and shoreside gratuities.

For the full published Ho Chi Minh City–Siem Reap route, designated transfers are also included: upstream, from the named Ho Chi Minh City meeting hotel to Saigon Port and from Kampong Cham to the designated Siem Reap hotel; downstream, the corresponding Siem Reap hotel–Kampong Cham and Saigon Port–Ho Chi Minh City hotel transfers. Transfer arrangements for shortened cruises or independently booked hotels are governed by their own confirmation and should not be assumed.

Not included in the published programme: international or domestic airfare; transport outside the stated shared arrangements; premium wine, premium spirits and champagne; visas; onboard spa treatments, except the specifically included one-hour massage per guest in an Angkor Suite; gift-shop purchases; personal expenses; and any item not expressly identified as included. Scuba diving, diving equipment and water-sport services are not part of this river cruise.

Passports and visas remain each traveller's responsibility. Entry rules can change and depend on nationality and route, so the necessary Vietnam and Cambodia permissions should be confirmed from official authorities before travel; the operator states that passports must remain valid for at least six months from entry. Do not rely on an old web page, an assumed visa-on-arrival process or a previous traveller's experience.

The vessel describes SOLAS-compliant safety standards. Every guest must attend the safety briefing and follow crew instructions during gangway and small-boat transfers. Travel insurance suitable for both countries, medical needs and trip value is strongly recommended even where a specific policy is not stated as part of the cruise fare.

The signature voyage is an 8-day / 7-night cultural river journey between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap. The yacht itself sails between Saigon Port and Kampong Cham; included shared road transfers complete the city-to-city connection. The descriptions below are original visitor-facing interpretations of the operator's published programme. There is no scuba diving, snorkelling or swimming itinerary. Water levels, navigation, border procedures and local conditions may change the order or transport used.

Upstream — Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap — 8 Days / 7 Nights

Day 1 — Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Port and embarkation
Meet at the operator's designated Ho Chi Minh City hotel, normally in the late morning, for the shared transfer to Saigon Port. Embark Mekong Princess, settle into the suite and meet the crew over lunch. As the city recedes, the vessel follows the Soai Rap, Nuoc Man, Vam Co and Cho Gao waterways towards the wider Mekong. A safety briefing and welcome dinner introduce the relaxed rhythm of life aboard.

Day 2 — Ben Tre waterways and Can Tho
Transfer to a local sampan in Ben Tre, then use the region's practical transport—potentially a xe lam and smaller rowing boat—to explore coconut country. A family workshop reveals how coconut candy is made, while an orchard visit adds seasonal fruit and a close view of daily riverside work. In the afternoon, discover Can Tho's streets and Ong Pagoda before a colourful unicorn-dance welcome. The vessel remains near Can Tho overnight.

Day 3 — Cai Rang and Hoa An
An early outing visits the Cai Rang area as river commerce comes to life. Continue to a local noodle workshop to see a familiar Vietnamese staple made by hand. Later, Hoa An shifts attention to cultivated fields and family-scale crafts. Travel by xe loi through the countryside, observe rice processing and meet artisans associated with the conical hat. The day combines an energetic market morning with quieter, personal encounters before anchoring near Gieng.

Day 4 — Gieng Island and Hong Ngu
Explore Gieng Island by sampan and local vehicle, passing village lanes and mango gardens before visiting the Phanxico monastery. At Hong Ngu, meet craftspeople whose weaving and embroidery preserve Khmer design traditions, and learn about the local Hoa Hao community at a temple visit. Back aboard, the vessel approaches the international frontier and the galley hosts a cooking demonstration while the landscape continues to unfold outside.

Day 5 — Into Cambodia and Phnom Penh
Border and immigration procedures mark the transition into Cambodia. On reaching Phnom Penh, a cyclo ride brings the capital to human scale before guided visits to the Royal Palace complex, Throne Hall, Moonlight Pavilion and Silver Pagoda. The National Museum adds a deeper artistic and historical frame. Back aboard, a tropical-fruit demonstration and a talk on Cambodian geography help connect the day's monuments with the country beyond the capital.

Day 6 — Phnom Penh's difficult history and time in the city
Travel by coach to Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng. These memorial and museum sites confront the violence of the Khmer Rouge period and should be approached quietly and respectfully. The afternoon provides free time in Phnom Penh under the instructions given by the cruise team. In the evening, return aboard for an Apsara and folk-dance performance. Mekong Princess remains in the capital overnight, avoiding a rushed departure after an emotionally substantial day.

Day 7 — Angkor Ban and Kampong Cham
Leave the capital behind for Angkor Ban, a riverside community known for traditional houses and an enduring village landscape. Visit a pagoda for a monk's blessing, meet a local family and, when the confirmed programme includes it, spend time at the community school. The encounter is designed around culture rather than spectacle. Rejoin the vessel and cruise onward to Kampong Cham for the final evening, with time to watch the river settle around the ship.

Day 8 — Kampong Cham to Siem Reap
After breakfast, disembark in Kampong Cham, generally around 08:00, and join the included shared coach transfer across the Cambodian countryside. Arrival at the operator's designated Siem Reap hotel is normally around midday, subject to road conditions. The cruise ends there; accommodation in Siem Reap and onward arrangements are separate unless a dated package confirmation expressly includes them.

Downstream — Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City — 8 Days / 7 Nights

The downstream journey follows the same cultural corridor in the opposite direction, but it is a structured itinerary rather than a simple replay of each morning and afternoon. Always use the dated operator schedule for the sailing.

Day 1 — Siem Reap to Kampong Cham
Meet at the designated Siem Reap hotel and travel by shared coach through rural Cambodia to Kampong Cham. Embark Mekong Princess, meet the crew, complete the safety orientation and begin sailing towards the Angkor Ban area. Lunch and dinner aboard turn a road-and-river transfer day into a comfortable start to the voyage.

Day 2 — Angkor Ban and the lower Mekong
Step ashore for village lanes, a pagoda, a local home and the community encounters shown on the confirmed schedule. A monk's blessing provides a reflective introduction to Cambodian religious life. Back aboard, relax on the Observation Deck as the vessel continues toward Phnom Penh.

Day 3 — Phnom Penh and Khmer Rouge memorial sites
The guided programme addresses Cambodia's recent history at Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng. The subject matter is distressing, but interpretation gives essential context to contemporary Cambodia. Later, return to the capital and the ship; exact free time and evening activity follow the sailing's final programme.

Day 4 — Royal Phnom Penh, border passage and the Vietnamese Mekong
Explore the Royal Palace precinct, Silver Pagoda and National Museum, commonly reached with a cyclo introduction to the city. Mekong Princess then continues south for formalities at the international border. The day links royal and artistic heritage with the changing river scenery as the journey enters Vietnam and approaches the Gieng region.

Day 5 — Gieng, Hong Ngu and Hoa An landscapes
Discover island communities, religious architecture, orchards and local textile work through a combination of sampan, small vehicle and walking visits. As the route continues downstream, Hoa An's fields, rice work and family crafts reveal a productive landscape usually invisible from the main road. The final selection and sequence depend on navigation time.

Day 6 — Can Tho and the Delta's working waterways
Experience the Can Tho area through its markets, local food production and busy network of channels. A noodle workshop and encounters with river commerce add practical detail to the story of the delta. Onboard enrichment may include a tropical-fruit tasting or cooking presentation while the vessel moves toward Ben Tre.

Day 7 — Ben Tre and coconut country
Use sampans and local transport to enter the narrower waterways of Ben Tre. Visit a coconut-candy workshop, walk or ride through orchards and transfer to a small boat where conditions allow. The last full day ashore is tactile and rural, balancing Phnom Penh's monuments with the skills and routines of families who live beside the river.

Day 8 — Saigon Port and Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy breakfast as Mekong Princess completes her approach to Saigon Port through the delta waterways. After disembarkation, the included shared transfer takes guests to the operator's designated Ho Chi Minh City hotel. Independent airport transfers, additional hotel nights and touring after that drop-off are not included unless the booking confirmation says otherwise.

Both directions combine early starts, tropical weather, local transport and periods of scenic sailing. They suit curious travellers who value conversation, craftsmanship and historical context more than onboard entertainment or water activities. Visits to homes, schools and religious places should remain respectful, and purchases are optional. The cruise director retains the final decision on timing, route and shore access.

Choosing a direction and preparing for the days

Upstream is especially satisfying for travellers who like a gradual transition. It begins among the dense traffic and engineered channels of greater Ho Chi Minh City, opens into Vietnam's agricultural delta and then reaches the ceremonial architecture and complex history of Phnom Penh before finishing in rural Cambodia. Downstream places Angkor Ban and Phnom Penh earlier, then lets the journey soften into orchards, workshops and the waterways leading towards Saigon. Neither direction is inherently better; the choice normally depends on flights, hotel plans and whether Siem Reap is preferred as an introduction or a finale.

The itinerary uses early mornings for markets, cooler walking conditions and river activity. Breakfast may therefore be taken before or after an excursion according to the daily briefing. Lunch generally marks a pause aboard, while afternoon visits resume when sailing and local schedules allow. Evening talks, demonstrations and performances support the destination rather than replace it. Guests should listen to each briefing because meeting time, footwear, shoulder-and-knee coverage, photography rules and the type of vehicle can change from one visit to the next.

A lightweight day bag, sun hat, breathable modest clothing, rain protection and closed or securely strapped walking shoes are more useful than formal clothes. Gangways and banks can be damp or steep, and small craft sit below the ship's deck level. Carry the supplied excursion bottle, protect medication from heat and tell the cruise team about mobility or dietary constraints before the first outing. The crew can explain the physical demands, but advance notice gives the operator the best opportunity to assess what is realistically possible.

The border day is partly operational. Passports may be collected for formalities, and the time required is controlled by authorities rather than by the vessel. Keep required documents and any instructed materials accessible, then allow the cruise team to coordinate the process. A published arrival hour, market visit or road transfer remains approximate: low or high water, traffic and official clearance can reshape the day without changing the journey's overall value.

Most importantly, this itinerary rewards attention. Its memorable moments may be a formal palace, a craftsperson's practiced hands, a school conversation, a tray of unfamiliar fruit or the view of homes and fishing boats from the Sundeck. Mekong Princess provides the comfortable base; the river communities provide the substance. That balance is the defining appeal of this non-diving liveaboard.