A river runs through it
15 Jul 2019
The search for the source of the Mekong and the presumed river road to the riches of China obsessed the French colonial occupiers to the point of madness. Now, the French are back.
The 4,350-kilometre Mekong (or “Mother of Water”) is the dominant river of South East Asia, running like a great life-giving artery down the curved spine of what was once French Indochina. The rich and fertile lands bordering the river have been the objective of warring dynasties for centuries, and it has only been in the last couple of decades that the entire region has experienced relative peace.
With the French long gone, Communist one-party Vietnam eventually settled into a productive market economy. Cambodia recovered from the catastrophic upheaval of the 1970s and is now attracting a bounty of tourists.
Our eastward journey begins at Chong Khneas, near Siem Reap, gateway to the great temples of Angkor Wat, and continues across the massive Tonle Sap Lake toward Phnom Penh. As difficult as it may seem, most will opt to see the harrowing “Killing Fields” and S21 Prison Museum. It’s a chilling experience, but those who go see it as a necessary education in the recent history of Cambodia, known at the time as Kampuchea.
Our stop in Phnom Penh is overnight, so there’s time to see the bustling city, now greatly transformed from the ghost town it was during the Pol Pot era.
Border crossing
Back aboard the Indochine II, we continue south and cross the border into Vietnam, entering the Mekong Delta region at Chau Doc. It’s a thriving market town with tiny alleyways lined with everything from meat and fish chopped on the spot to T-shirts and plastic pots. There’s a diverse ethnic mix here – Chinese, Cham and Khmer communities all live side-by-side on the water.
At Sa Dec we go ashore again to visit the former house of Huynh Thuy Le, the man on whom Marguerite Duras based her book L’Amant (“The Lover”). It’s a glimpse of the last of the colonial influence in what was once French Indochina.
At Cai Be, a traditional trading port, we cruise in our local sampan among the many vendors bobbing up and down in the floating market. 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. Here, aided by excellent local guides, we discover that many traditional industries – like rice-paper making, weaving, fish farming and even brick-making – have been carried on here.
Our final leg takes us into Saigon itself, a remarkable feat because most river vessels must stop at the port of My Tho and transfer passengers by coach. Indochine II is specifically built to the largest dimensions allowable for this transit. Dug by the French in 1877 and progressively upgraded over the years, this historic canal joins the Mekong and Vam Co Rivers, allowing access for little merchant sampans to the heart of the city without making the sea voyage.
A voyage along the Mekong is a must for serious cruisers and a vital addition to any world traveller’s brag-bag of wonders.
Fact file
The Mekong River is the 12th longest river in the world and flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The river is fed by the melting snow waters of the Tibetan Himalayas.
Do it yourself
The 65-metre, 60-passenger RV Indochine II was launched in 2017 and represents the latest in premium Mekong river cruising with large, comfortable air-conditioned cabins, each with private balcony and ensuite. There’s superior dining, enrichment lectures, delightful staff and a large rooftop sundeck to take in the rolling panorama of the Mekong. For more information, visit croisieurope.travel or see your cruise specialist.
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