Mekong river cruise 2026–2027: which line, which season, how long

The Mekong is the main river cruise in Asia, and nearly every trip follows the same stretch: the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, the border at Tan Chau and Chau Doc, Phnom Penh, and Cambodia’s Kampong Cham. What differs is the boat, the season and how much of Vietnam and Cambodia the line wraps around the cruise.

What a Mekong cruise is like

The cruise is usually 7 nights inside a longer trip. AmaWaterways’ Riches of the Mekong is a typical example: 7 nights on board between Kampong Cham in Cambodia and My Tho in the Mekong Delta, with coach transfers to Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City at each end. Its packages add 3 nights in Siem Reap for Angkor Wat, 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi and Ha Long Bay with the flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap included. Viking’s Magnificent Mekong runs 15 days from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the same pattern.

The boats are small. Viking’s two Mekong ships, Viking Saigon and its identical sister Viking Tonle, carry 80 guests each in 40 outside staterooms. AmaWaterways’ AmaDara and AmaMaya have 60 staterooms for about 120 guests. Avalon Saigon carries 36. Pandaw’s teak riverboats carry about 30 to 40. There is no casino or theater; evenings are a lecture, a local performance or dinner on deck.

The days are villages, markets and temples. Expect delta markets and waterways, rural villages, monasteries, and in Phnom Penh the Royal Palace and the Choeung Ek killing fields memorial.

Mekong river cruise lines compared

• VikingThe biggest line, a 15-day cruisetourMagnificent Mekong runs 15 days from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, from $6,799 per person cruise-only for 2027 (checked October 2026), with hotels in Hanoi, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City. The fare includes an excursion in each port, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, and Wi-Fi.
• AmaWaterwaysTwo choices of route, most land packagesCharms of the Mekong and Riches of the Mekong are both 7 nights, on AmaDara or AmaMaya, with packages that add Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, Bangkok or central Vietnam.
• Avalon WaterwaysThe smallest of the big threeAvalon Saigon carries 36 guests in suites. Mekong Discovery runs 8 days; Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River runs 13, 16 or 19 days with Hanoi, Ha Long Bay or Bangkok added. 2027 prices start at $3,419 for 8 days (checked October 2026).
• Aqua ExpeditionsThe luxury pickAqua Mekong sails 3, 4 or 7 nights. In high water the full trip runs between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap; in low water the boat turns at Phnom Penh. The same company runs the luxury Amazon boats in Peru.
• PandawSmall teak boats, longer routesFour boats carry 30 to 40 guests each. The Classic Mekong runs 7 nights from Saigon to Siem Reap, and a 10-night version goes deeper into Cambodia.

Which to pick? For a first trip with everything arranged, Viking or AmaWaterways: both join the cruise to Angkor Wat and Ho Chi Minh City, and AmaWaterways gives you more choice of land days. Pick Avalon if you want the smallest group of the three. Pick Aqua Mekong for a luxury Mekong river cruise, or Pandaw for a smaller, older-style boat. Our best river cruise lines ranking compares the same lines in Europe and beyond.

Best time for a Mekong river cruise

The Mekong has a high-water season and a low-water season, and the difference matters most in Cambodia.

• High water, about August to November. The rains raise the river enough for boats to cross the Tonle Sap lake toward Siem Reap, so some itineraries start or end close to Angkor. It is the wet season: humid, with afternoon showers, and the landscape is at its greenest.
• Low water, about December to July. The Tonle Sap river is too shallow for the boats, so cruises turn at Kampong Cham or Phnom Penh and you reach Siem Reap by coach or by a short flight. The Vietnamese part of the route sails normally all year.
• The most comfortable months for temple days are roughly November to February, when it is cooler and drier.

The exact water dates shift each year with the rains, so lines confirm the route for each departure.

How long is a Mekong cruise, and what does it cost?

• 3 or 4 nights: part of the route, such as Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh, on Aqua Mekong or Pandaw.
• 7 nights: the standard cruise between the delta and Kampong Cham or Siem Reap.
• 13 to 19 days: the packaged trips with hotels in Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay or Bangkok.

Avalon’s 8-day Mekong Discovery was listed from $3,419 per person and Viking’s 15-day Magnificent Mekong from $6,799 cruise-only, both for 2027 departures (checked October 2026). Long-haul flights are usually extra; ask what is included before you compare two fares, because some packages include the flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap and some don’t. You need visas for both Vietnam and Cambodia; AmaWaterways asks for a multiple-entry Vietnam visa on its combined trips.

Departure points

• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam: the Vietnamese end of most trips. Ships berth at My Tho or nearby delta towns, with a coach transfer.
• Siem Reap, Cambodia: the town by Angkor Wat, where most packages spend 2 or 3 nights. Boats dock near it only in high water.
• Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh, Cambodia: where the cruise starts or ends in low water.
• Hanoi and Bangkok: where the longer packages begin or end.

There are no US departures. For a river cruise closer to home, see our Mississippi river cruise guide.

Places a Mekong cruise visits

• The Mekong Delta: My Tho, Cai Be and Sa Dec, with markets and small waterways.
• Tan Chau and Chau Doc: the towns near the Vietnam and Cambodia border.
• Phnom Penh: Cambodia’s capital, with the Royal Palace and the Choeung Ek memorial.
• Oudong: a Cambodian stop on AmaWaterways’ Riches of the Mekong.
• Kampong Cham: a provincial town and the turnaround point in low water.
• Siem Reap and Angkor: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and the Bayon temple.

China river cruises on the Yangtze

The other big river cruise in Asia is the Yangtze in China, through the Three Gorges between Chongqing and Yichang. These are much larger ships than on the Mekong. Century Cruises’ new Century Vision, which began sailing on September 21, 2026, carries up to 650 guests in 236 cabins on a four-day Chongqing to Yichang route. We don’t cover Yangtze cruises in detail yet.

For the other big rivers outside Europe, see our Nile cruise guide and our Amazon river cruise guide; for Europe, our European river cruises guide. For ocean cruises in the region, see our Asia and Japan cruise guide.

Mekong river cruise FAQ

What is the best Mekong river cruise?

For a first trip, Viking’s Magnificent Mekong or an AmaWaterways Mekong package, because they arrange the hotels, flights and Angkor Wat days around the cruise. Avalon carries the fewest guests of the big lines, and Aqua Mekong is the luxury choice.

When is the best time for a Mekong river cruise?

High water, roughly August to November, lets some boats reach Siem Reap across the Tonle Sap lake. November to February is the most comfortable weather. Water dates change each year, so check your departure’s route.

How long is a Mekong river cruise?

The cruise itself is usually 7 nights. Most people book it as a 13- to 19-day trip with hotel nights in Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City and sometimes Hanoi or Bangkok. Aqua Mekong and Pandaw also sell 3- and 4-night trips.

Does a Mekong cruise go to Laos?

The cruises on this page don’t. They sail the lower Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia. Laos has its own small boats on the upper Mekong, which we don’t cover yet.

Can you see Angkor Wat on a Mekong river cruise?

Yes. Almost every Vietnam and Cambodia river cruise includes 2 or 3 days in Siem Reap for Angkor Wat, either at the start or the end, usually in a hotel rather than on the boat.

Do I need a visa for a Vietnam and Cambodia river cruise?

Yes, for both countries. Lines tell you which type to get; AmaWaterways asks for a multiple-entry Vietnam visa and a single-entry Cambodia visa on its combined trips.