River cruising holidays
For many, the word “cruise” brings to mind multi-storey liners and questionable on-board entertainment (that, or Top Gun). There’s a time and a place for both, but neither of those is the type of cruise we’re talking about here.
In Southeast Asia, river cruising is about getting beyond the main sites and into the remote hinterlands. It’s about soaking up riverside life on a Mekong Delta cruise, or taking a private charter cruise to palm-fringed, jewel-like islands that feel like no human has ever set foot there. It’s about river cruising to tiny jungle villages inaccessible by road, and discovering cultures untouched by mass tourism.
From overnight Halong Bay cruises to multi-day Mekong river cruises, below are just a few of our favourite waterborne adventures in Southeast Asia. Get in touch and we’ll weave together a cruising itinerary tailored to you.
Our top cruising itineraries
A selection of itineraries incorporating our favourite cruises
Top destinations for cruising
Our favourite places to take to the water
Cruising experiences
Our favourite cruise-based activities and excursions
Popular questions
Things we're often asked...
Isn’t cruising a bit 'vanilla'?
Forget vast ocean liners the size of apartment blocks that turf thousands of people out into port towns. In Southeast Asia, cruising is about travelling by a country's waterways or exploring stunning bays, heading through areas that are only accessible by river, often in wild and remote corners that are far from the beaten path. Cruise itineraries typically include plenty of stops to visit villages, temples and islands, and will often include a programme of cultural lectures and demonstrations to help you better understand the places you’re visiting.
How big are the ships?
The cruises we recommend are those that take you away from touristed areas and into otherwise inaccessible parts of Asia. Boats will be traditional wooden riverboats (on rivers), yachts (on the sea), or Chinese-style junks (at Halong & Lan Ha Bay). Sizes range from five to about 30 cabins, depending on the route and vessel.
What’s the food like on a cruise?
All meals are included while you cruise, and ships vary in their offerings from informal buffets to top-of-the-range fine dining — though we’ll never recommend a cruise where the food isn’t delicious! At both ends of the spectrum, expect a range of local dishes, as well as the occasional Western classic. Ships can cater to dietary requirements with prior notice.
When is the best time of year for a cruise?
Cruising is highly season-dependent, and the best time to go depends on which cruise you’re looking at. In Vietnam, Halong and Lan Ha Bay (in the north) and the Mekong Delta (in the south) cruises run throughout the year. River vessels, by contrast, have very fixed schedules. Some routes can run year-round, with tweaks between the high and low water seasons, but some run during the high water season alone. If you’re interested in including a cruise in your itinerary, chat to your consultant and they’ll be able to discuss specific dates.
How long are the cruises?
Cruises can vary from overnight (in Halong and Lan Ha Bay or the Mekong Delta, for instance) to much longer, multi-day routes. The classic Mekong cruise from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap takes seven nights, and some of the expedition cruising in Laos and Myanmar can run to 14 nights. Most cruising areas have a good range of shorter and longer cruises, and we can advise you on the best boats and itineraries for your particular needs.
