You are not currently logged in.

Travel Guides

Mekong River Travel Guide

Travel to Mekong River - Limpid Waters, Unforgettable Sights

Ratings:: 3.83 out of 5 (6 votes)

Reviews:: Be the first to write a review

Known as the Dza-chu in Tibet, in China as the Lancang Jiang and in Thailand called Mae Nam Khong the Mekong is one of the world’s longest rivers, coming in at number 11 in terms of length. It provides work and sustenance for countless millions of people as it winds south through Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam as well as opportunities for exploration for travellers to the region.

From its source in Qinghai Province in China the Mekong flows south and southeast to the South China Sea, a distance of 4,200 km. Earliest known settlements along the river date to around 2100 BCE, at Ban Chiang in Thailand with the earliest recorded civilisation being the Khmers of Funan in the Delta.

Antonio de Faria was the first European to come to know the river and a map of 1563 shows a river in the place the Mekong runs. Some Spanish and Portuguese expeditions pushed a little upstream but it was the Dutchman Gerrit van Wuyshoff who reached northern to Vientiane in 1642. By the mid-19th century the French had arrived and the first systematic exploration began with the French Mekong Expedition of de Lagree and Garnier in 1866-68; they made it as far as Yunnan in China.

Capitalising on their knowledge the French extended their colonial control through the region but the wars of the mid-20th century saw its decline in co-operative use.

Attractions in Mekong River

Along the length of its course and on its tributaries the Mekong has some of SE Asia’s most celebrated cities, natural wonders and historical and religious sites, from Luang Prabang and Vientiane to the Delta towns and villages of Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Pakse and the Golden Triangle. A boat ride on the Mekong, say from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is one of the must-do’s of travel to the region.

Activities in Mekong River

Enjoy a boat trip on the river and pause to enjoy the sites along the way. A favourite is the boat trip from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang in Laos, pausing at Pak Ou Caves en route.

Use the river to get around in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, seeing something of local village life and shopping in floating markets, or how about a journey along the river at Chiang Saen in Thailand Golden Triangle, one time notorious for its opium production.