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Aqua Expeditions

Aqua Expeditions, Aqua Mekong Cruise

The Mekong River

Cruise through Southeast Asia with the contemporary comforts of a five-star resort.

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Property Overview

Aqua Expeditions pioneered luxury cruising on the Mekong River between Vietnam and Cambodia with the launch of the 205-foot Aqua Mekong. The ship is outfitted with a gym, screening room, outdoor cinema, observation deck and upper-deck pool. With twenty suites — the river’s largest — overlooking the Mekong through floor-to-ceiling windows, guests have the perfect bird's eye view to take in the surroundings.

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SmartFlyer Exclusives

  • Complimentary 60-minute massage

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Agent Tips

  • Aqua Expeditions cruises have the most exclusive guest to staff ratio, with it being a one-to-one ratio on the river.
  • The region comes to life with exciting excursions. Board private tenders for expert-guided trips to serene Buddhist temples and stilted villages as you explore by bicycle and kayak. All excursions are limited to ten guests per guide, which keeps things extra personalized.
  • Stop by the Indoor Lounge in the mornings for cà phê đá, Vietnamese coffee poured over ice with sweet condensed milk, to swap tales and for daily lectures from Aqua Expedition’s expert local guides. Learn about topics relevant to upcoming excursions, from the origins of Buddhism in Vietnam and Cambodia to the ecology of the great Ton Le Sap River, home year round to Brahminy kites, blue tailed bee eaters and pied kingfishers.
Accommodations

Contemporary comforts of a five-star resort.

Aqua Mekong features twenty air conditioned Design Suites, each one a generous thirty square meters (320 square feet) and created entirely of local materials. Eight feature balconies, and all offer the relaxed sophistication and contemporary comforts of a five star resort. Floor to ceiling panoramic windows allow guests to gaze upon the Mekong, while the sleek bathrooms feature the latest eco-sensitive technology and natural bath amenities.

Four sets of interconnecting suites offer convenience for traveling families. Or for the ultimate luxury, passengers may book these interconnecting accommodations—with one suite configured as a private living room, the other as a bedroom, and separate baths—resulting in a private, sixty square meter (640 square foot) floating apartment on the Mekong River.

Common Areas

Designed to seamlessly connect guests with the constantly shifting landscape.

Sunlit indoors and out, the top level Observation Deck aboard the Aqua Mekong was designed to seamlessly connect guests with the constantly shifting landscape of floating Vietnamese villages, French colonial church spires, and gilded Buddhist stupas along this mighty river. Most guests find their way several times a day to the social life of the Aqua Mekong’s top floor Observation Deck, to the fully stocked bar in the Indoor Lounge, the well edited selection of Indochine classics in the library and films in the private screening room.

Both the bow and the stern Outdoor Lounges are outfitted with comfortable sun loungers and at the front, plenty of shade under a soaring canopy. Sip sundowners by the river-facing plunge pool, or let its cool waters take the edge off the heat after an excursion into the emerald flooded forest. After dark, the action is up above, when Southeast Asia’s night sky fills with constellations and shooting stars.

Restaurant + Bar

Timeless flavors and sustainable ingredients.

Awarded the first ever Michelin star for a restaurant serving Southeast Asian food, Australian chef David Thompson moved to Bangkok where his Nahm restaurant ranks at the top of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. As Consulting Chef of the Aqua Mekong, Thompson incorporates the diverse culinary traditions of Mekong River cultures.

Thompson built his international reputation on Southeast Asian recipes culled from historic sources, a delectable tradition he continues on board the Aqua Mekong. He brings together the finest recipes of Khmer and Vietnamese river cultures, incorporating the day’s catch and the market’s freshest produce, be it smoked fish, tapioca and vegetable dumplings, Vietnamese catfish minced with shallots, chilies and Thai basil, or grilled river prawns with peanut relish. Linger over lemongrass tea or something considerably more decadent, like a luscious Vietnamese artisanal chocolate fondant.
  • Vibe
    Relaxed cruising with personalized service and exciting excursions.
  • Who's It For?
    Put aside what you’ve heard about Southeast Asia’s infernal days and monsoonal downpours. Traveling across this captivating region aboard the Aqua Mekong extends the optimal time to visit Cambodia and Vietnam from the very limited dry season between November and February to a full 48 weeks per year, excluding four weeks of maintenance. It's ideal for adventurous travelers seeking all the comforts of a five-star resort on water and can easily accommodate families or groups, with four sets of interconnecting suites.
  • Location
    Tropical temperatures across Southeast Asia generally fluctuate between 26°C (78°F) and 32°C (86°F). In the warmest months of March and April, this figure may climb as high as 38°C (100°F), but Mekong River waters flow from the icy Tibetan Plateau. This takes the edge off this equatorial swelter, making river travel the ideal way to experience this captivating region. Even when it rains, as it does throughout the year, the Aqua Mekong’s luxury tenders and water-based excursions remain extremely comfortable during these usually short cloudbursts. Rainy season arrives with the southwest monsoon in May and lasts through October. This actually creates the high water conditions that allow Aqua Mekong skiffs to cruise deeper into Vietnam’s emerald flooded forest, to Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and along otherwise inaccessible yet fascinating tributaries. Despite the name, rain only falls around an hour each day and usually in the afternoon. Excursions from the Aqua Mekong are timed so that, cocktail in hand, guests may soak up the timeless romance of rain on the river while comfortably under cover.

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