This is the most magical way to see the Mekong (2025)

Six local elders, their faces etched with serenity and the wisdom of a life well spent, greet us as we step aboard to begin our cruise on the Mekong. They are here to perform a traditional Baci farewell ceremony to wish us good health, safety, happiness and success on our travels in Laos. We kneel around the leader in silence as he attempts to make his microphone work, before he smiles, shrugs and abandons the technology.

In the still waters of the Lower Mekong river basin, there is no need for amplified voices and we are rapt as he begins his chant. “Ma der khuan euy.” “Please come, spirits …”

The centuries-old tradition concludes with the tying of white cotton strings around each guest’s wrist, accompanied by whispered good-luck greetings and the sharing of food — in our case, plump pieces of mango, squidgy pink sweets and sweet, crunchy bread.

The simplicity and sincerity of the farewell chant reflects the Laotian people’s emphasis on community, connection and spirituality; sentiments that proved to be a recurring theme during my brief stay here. Everywhere I visited, local people demonstrated traditional values of respect and gratitude to nourish the soul. Laos is a very special place.

The Mekong flows through the heart of Laos

Stretching more than 3,000 miles from its source in the Tibetan Plateau in China to Myanmar, the Mekong River flows through the heart of landlocked Laos, then on to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, providing rich natural resources for the people living and working along its banks. Only the Amazon has a higher level of biodiversity; the stretch of river we visited may have been muddy and opaque, but the number of traditional dug-out canoe fishing boats we passed are testament to its bounty. The Mekong’s dun-coloured waters provide a perfect canvas for spectacular melting sunsets of crimson and gold.

My cruise on the new riverboat Boheme began and ended at Luang Prabang, a colourful, Unesco-listed French colonial city in the north of Laos. There was the option to begin our five-night cruise at Vientiane, Laos’s capital, but I bookended my trip with hotel stays in buzzy Bangkok and in the heart of Luang Prabang.

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After a night at Bangkok’s hyper-modern Avani+ hotel, with its glamorous rooftop pool and elegant cocktail bars (B&B doubles from £105; avanihotels.com), I flew to Luang Prabang, where Boheme was moored. As the river boat began purring along the Mekong, it felt like I’d dialled back the volume on life.

Boheme was built in 2015

BIBI CRISTINA

Built in 2015, the contemporary French Indochinese-style Boheme has a main formal dining room and fabulous rooftop cocktail lounge. Interiors hark back to the region’s 19th-century style with heavy dark wood furnishings softened with sleek charcoal and burnt orange textiles.

The three-deck ship has 13 guest suites, which means that if you are not on first-name terms at the start of your cruise, your shared experiences will unite you — there were a few other Brits onboard, but guests had also travelled from the US, Germany and Canada.

Too small to be called a ship, too large to be just a boat, this is a vessel that quickly feels like home, with all the comforts of a luxury cruise but without any pretensions. There is one Royal Suite with a wraparound balcony and a double day bed, as well as a bath with river views. Along with all the usual hotel-room needs, my suite had floor-to-ceiling windows and a still generous day bed, which was perfect for experiencing every second of life on the Mekong. Special touches such as velvet flip-flops for use on board, local pieces of art and pottery, and Hom Khai vanilla-bean tea were the icing on the already very lovely cake.

The ship has 13 suites for guests

As we moored at night rather than cruising to the next destination, my alarm clock was always pre-empted by cockerels from farms on the riverbanks before our party met for leisurely breakfasts. The five-night cruise included daily excursions, plus all meals, drinks, cocktails, canapés, a cookery and mixology class, and a 60-minute signature massage in one of the two onboard treatment rooms. The young crew of 19 are on hand for all eventualities and also provide ad hoc language lessons. The correct way to say “Thank you very much”, I learnt, is “Khob chai lai lai”.

Generous three-course meals often featured sticky rice, a beloved part of the country’s culinary heritage, which provided an excellent balance to spicy soups and silky red curries. I also loved the giant prawns and hearty river fish, rich chocolate mousse with fat slices of fragrant muscat grapes and coconut-topped desserts.

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Although we were blessed with warm sunny days on our trip, winter mornings and evenings in Laos can be surprisingly cold, with heavy morning mists hanging like smoke above the river. However, by the time we reached the celebrated Kuang Si waterfalls on the first day of the cruise, the sun was already illuminating its three tiers of glassy turquoise pools. Unlike some waterfalls that seem to roar angrily at visitors, Kuang Si doesn’t clamour for attention, but gently calms with its mesmerising, never-ending shhhh …

The Kuang Si waterfalls have three tiers of glassy turquoise pools

GETTY IMAGES

This tranquil paradise is also the perfect sanctuary for rescued Asiatic moon bears, who loll contentedly around in hammocks and enthusiastically truffle out ants from woodpiles at the nearby Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre, an excursion included in the price. One of several bear sanctuaries in Laos, the project confiscates captured moon bears from illegal bile farms. Laos’s attitude towards animal welfare has certainly changed in recent years, though wildlife and wet markets remain part of the country’s culture and you will often see tiny caged birds being sold “for luck” at tourist attractions such as temples and monasteries.

Mostly, though, the outlook for animal welfare in Laos is brighter than it once was. Susie Martin, originally from Australia, set up the Laos Buffalo Dairy in 2017, identifying a gap in the market for buffalo milk products and a way to benefit both the animals and local farmers. “My husband and I were clueless to begin with,” she says, “so we watched a YouTube video on how to milk a buffalo. We then gradually set up a project of renting pregnant buffalos from farmers and creating a breeding and education programme. The farmers initially thought we wanted their buffalo to barbecue them but by 2019 our breeding programme was so successful we were working with over 200 farmers from 20 villages.”

Visitors can now tour the farm, taste the various buffalo milk products, including cheeses, yoghurt and delicious ice creams, and get hands-on milking a buffalo, which it transpires is actually easier than it sounds (laosbuffalodairy.com). Everywhere we visited, rather than just watching people at work, visitors were encouraged to try traditional crafts, be it making handmade saa paper at Ban Xang Khong or at one of the few remaining original Laos potteries, throwing a pot.

A buffalo grazes in Luang Prabang

ALAMY

Thieng Lamphet, who founded the Lao Pottery House in Ban Chan Neu, told me why local potteries have almost disappeared. “Pottery has been made in this region for over 400 years but it was believed to be bad luck to sell anything, as the blessings in the clay would be lost. But the Laos government actively wants us to continue the pottery traditions, so we run a programme of classes and employ a team of multiskilled local people — some with disabilities, some with a history of drug abuse. Everyone is welcomed.”

There’s a quiet pride that seems to set Laotians apart. There’s no aggressive hawking in the night market, urging you to buy this, try this, eat that. Everywhere feels safe. The fact that you are never far from a contemplative Buddhist monk seems to blanket every space in spirituality. At the Pak Ou caves, two hours upstream from Luang Prabang, more than 4,000 figurines of Buddha fill the two grottos, some in miniature, some positioned in shrines. It’s a popular destination for tourists as well as the monks who regularly make pilgrimages here.

On the final morning of my visit to Laos, now staying at the Avani+ Luang Prabang hotel (B&B doubles from £177; avanihotels.com), I attended the Tak Bat, the daily alms-giving ceremony that, like so many Laotian practices, dates back centuries. Each morning, lines of monks emerge barefoot from their temples at sunrise and receive donations of sticky rice, fruit and sweets from devotees and observers. Kneeling in silence, I was instructed to wear a scarf wrapped around my waist and shoulders. As each monk passed I added to their alms bowl, resisting the temptation to study their faces. I wanted to ask them, what’s your story? But this is a place of serene reverence and it’s believed that what you give to the monks is what you receive in the afterlife. Khob chai lai lai, Laos.
Nicole Carmichael was a guest of Mekong Kingdoms, which has five nights’ full-board from £2,735pp on a Mekong cruise from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, including excursions, transfers, drinks and wi-fi, departing on October 5 (mekongkingdoms.com). Fly to Luang Prabang

Three more luxurious Asian cruises

By Sue Bryant

Golden Triangle and the Ganges

Sunrise and sunset over the exquisite Taj Mahal are just two experiences on Uniworld’s 12-night tour of the Golden Triangle and the Ganges. You’ll also explore the Amber Palace in Jaipur and the Mughal architecture of Delhi before flying to Calcutta to board the opulent Ganges Voyages II for a week sailing deep into rural West Bengal, visiting riverside villages, markets, temples and artisan workshops. There’s sunrise yoga on deck, as well as cooking demos, a Bollywood dance class and a talk on mehndi henna skin art.
Details Twelve nights B&B — five nights in hotels with some extra meals and seven nights’ all-inclusive on board — from £6,999pp including excursions and flights, departing from New Delhi on February 6, 2026 (uniworld.com)

Cambodia and Vietnam

With just 40 passengers attended by 40 crew members and menus created by David Thompson, the chef who was behind Michelin-starred Nahm, Aqua Mekong is arguably the poshest boat on the Mekong, its interiors all gleaming wood, local stone and floor-to-ceiling glass. During this week sailing from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City you’ll cross the vast expanse of the seasonal Tonle Sap lake, where the tops of submerged trees break the surface, sailing towards Phnom Penh and later, into Vietnam. Explore temples, plantations and floating markets, with optional cycle rides most days.
Details Seven nights’ full board from £7,490pp, including two activities daily and wine with meals, departing from Siem Reap on November 7, 2025 (aquaexpeditions.com). Fly to Siem Reap

Hong Kong to Singapore

Board the chic Crystal Serenity for a two-week meander from Hong Kong through southeast Asia. There’s a day in Vietnam’s island-studded Haolong Bay before the ship heads south to Ho Chi Minh City followed by an overnight in Bangkok and a beach day on dreamy Koh Samui. Optional excursions include a street food tour of Ho Chi Minh City by Vespa, a feng shui masterclass in Singapore and an ebike journey through the verdant fields of the Mekong Delta. On board, don’t miss Nobu’s Umi Uma restaurant, included in the price.
Details Fourteen nights’ all-inclusive from £5,350pp in an ocean view stateroom, departing from Hong Kong on March 28, 2026 (crystalcruises.com). Fly to Hong Kong

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