Luxury river cruise · Mekong, Cambodia & Vietnam
Three to seven nights on the Mekong in a 20-suite expedition ship with a plunge pool, spa and four tender boats
In short
Aqua Mekong is a 40-guest expedition ship from Aqua Expeditions, the company Travel + Leisure readers named the world's best river cruise line in 2023 and 2024. It sails the Mekong between Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap on three-, four- and seven-night itineraries. The design is modern rather than colonial, and the ratio of one crew member per guest shows in the service.
Price on requestWe check live rates and dates with the property and send them in your written quote.
The ship was designed by Noor Design with floor-to-ceiling glass in every suite. All 20 suites measure 30 square meters, with king or twin beds, rain showers and Nespresso machines; eight have balconies, and four pairs interconnect for families. On the top deck are a plunge pool, a gym, a spa and an open area for yoga; a movie room and the dining room sit below. Four private tender boats take guests out twice a day to temples, villages, silk and silversmith workshops, and there are kayaks and bikes for those who want to move. Australian chef Benjamin Cross leads a kitchen that shops in local markets and cooks communal-style meals.
This is an active cruise: two outings a day, early starts, some walking in heat. It fits couples in good health and families with teenagers more than anyone who wants to stay on deck all day. In the eight-month low-water season the ship cannot reach the Tonle Sap, so Siem Reap is added as a complimentary flight extension from Phnom Penh.
| Day 1 | Light lunch at The Reverie Saigon, shared transfer to Marina My Tho Port (about 2 hours), embarkation 15:30 and first dinner on board. |
|---|---|
| Days 2–3 | Mekong Delta by tender: markets, workshops and river villages. Border formalities handled on board as the ship enters Cambodia. |
| Days 4–5 | Phnom Penh and the Mekong islands: Royal Palace, silk weaving, a silversmith village, a ceremonial blessing in a village temple. |
| Days 6–8 | Tonle Sap and floating villages in high water, or Phnom Penh disembarkation with the flight extension in low water. Shared transfer to the Park Hyatt Siem Reap or the airport; your private Angkor guide meets you there. |
We use Aqua Mekong as the bridge between Vietnam and Cambodia. A common shape is Hanoi, Halong and Hoi An first, a night in Saigon, the cruise, then three nights at Angkor with private guide and car, or the reverse to finish on a Vietnamese beach. The three- and four-night sections suit a shorter Cambodia-focused trip from Phnom Penh. We book the suite, arrange private transfers to the meeting points and handle visas.
Itineraries we often build around it:
Aqua Mekong is contemporary: glass walls, clean lines, a plunge pool rather than a large pool, and an expedition rhythm with two tender outings a day. Guests who like design hotels and active days choose it; those who prefer period decor and a slower day often prefer a heritage-style ship. We can place either in the same trip plan.
Seven nights covers the full Saigon to Siem Reap route and both countries' river life. The three-night Phnom Penh to Siem Reap or Ho Chi Minh City sections and the four-night options suit trips with limited time. In low water, Siem Reap is reached by the included flight from Phnom Penh rather than by river.
The ship has four pairs of interconnecting suites, so families book it. The outings involve small boats, heat and walking, and there is no children's program, so we suggest it for children of about 10 and above. Aqua Expeditions publishes no minimum age; we confirm the policy for your dates.
Aqua Expeditions prices per person on a twin-share basis, by suite position and departure date, with single and third-person terms on request. Your written quote from Metta states the per-person rate for your dates and whether any early-booking offer applies.
Facts checked against the official website on 28 October 2026. Official website: aquaexpeditions.com
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Private guide in your language; outside Vietnam subject to availability.
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