The popularity of European River cruising has extended itself to Asia. Not that there haven’t always been companies that have offered river cruises in the region.. but recently many of the companies that have dealt primarily with cruising the European Rivers like the Danube, Rhine, Seine and Rhone (to name a few) are now branching out to include Vietnam and Cambodia along the Mekong River.
For those of you that know me and my love of Uniworld will not be surprised that for the sake of this blog I am going to focus on Uniworld’s newest river adventure: Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong. From Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi (via plane naturally, they are only entering the area, they aren’t creating new rivers!) for 15 days.
This new itinerary (which will begin January 15th, 2012) will be on the River Saigon ship. This ship will be inaugurated in 2012 and will hold a total of only 60 guests with a stateroom size at an average of 168 square feet. But as you seasoned river cruisers know, the cabin (and even so far as to say the ship) is NOT the focal point of your cruise.. but the area you are visiting (absolute opposite of the ocean liner mentality where the SHIP is your destination and not the ports). But it is also great to say that with the backing of Uniworld… this ship will be AWESOME!
Most people when wanting to visit this region must prepare themselves for the packing and unpacking associated with a land adventure.. to see the sights of Ho Chi Minh City, Sa Dec; Cu Lao Gien, Chau Doc Harbor, Phnom Penh, Angkor Ban and Siem Reap to name just a few of the stops… but with a river cruise you unpack… enjoy.. and repack the last day of the trip… more time spent visiting the area!
For those with more time to spare you can add on land based excursions of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam for 2 nights (one of which would be spent on a luxury junk) or Bangkok, Thailand for 3 nights.
This is an exciting time in the river cruise industry.. with cruises already throughout Europe, Russia, China and Egypt the addition of Vietnam and Cambodia just increases the amount of the world that you can now see from the comfort of your river cruise ship. Why see these areas by ocean liners where you are just in port a portion of the day and never at night to be able to really get a feel for the area you are visiting… 2,000 passengers (or more) vs. 60.. again I feel a real no-brainer for those travelers that enjoy being immersed in the culture of the area they are visiting.
Naturally, if you would like more information on this great new addition to the Uniworld River cruise family of itineraries call us at 888 877 8464, drop us an email at info@achampagnevacation.com or visit our website at www.achampagnevacation.com
Have you been to this area of the world and want to share your do’s and don’ts?? Please feel free to comment on this or any of the posts on my travel blog!!
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