‘Suostei’ and ‘Xin chào’, just two of the few Cambodian and Vietnamese words I learned as I ventured into the heart of southeast Asia for a week-long cruise along the majestic Mekong River.
Admittedly, they both mean ‘hello’, but when you’re setting foot in a part of the world you’ve never been to before, you’ve got to start somewhere, right?
In fact, for my wife and I, this fascinating ‘Riches of the Mekong’ cruise with AmaWaterways was all about new experiences, with the elegant RV AmaDara ship providing our floating home for seven days from which we’d discover some truly incredible destinations.
Landing in Cambodia after a long flight we ignored the lingering jet lag, powering through the fatigue to embark on an afternoon tour of three stunning Angkor temples, including the famous Angkor Wat, before hooking up with our fellow cruisers the following morning at Siem Reap’s Sofitel Resort.
From there we transferred to Kampong Cham, neselted alongside the Mekong River where our luxury vessel awaited, along with the 50-strong friendly crew who greeted us with wide smiles as we stepped on board.
It was the start of a wonderful cruise adventure which would take us south through the Cambodian countryside, its capital Phnom Pehn and over the border into Vietnam and the Mekong Delta, home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas and thriving villages surrounded by rice paddy fields, before docking a few miles shy of bustling Ho Chi Minh City.
The AmaDara is different to other river ships I’ve sailed on and is unique in the fact that it’s the only AmaWaterways vessel to grace the Mekong. And she doesn’t sail anywhere else!
With a distinctive exterior design, she also boasts a beautiful interior featuring French Colonial decor and richly carved wooden furniture inspired by the history of the region, as well as local artifacts made by native craftsmen.
In this sense she’s in a class of her own and as we made our way to our second-floor stateroom we were wowed by the pristine glistening floors and stunning features throughout.
Our stateroom was conveniently located a few steps away from reception and the spacious, but cosy, Saigon Lounge, where we would frequent on numerous occasions for drinks, on-board talks and evening entertainment.
With an inviting twin balcony showcasing the ever-changing scenery, we were pleasantly surprised by the stateroom’s size which, considering AmaDara only has capacity for around 120 guests, was much bigger than expected.
Along with deluxe-style hotel bedding, there’s a spacious bathroom with shower, a writing desk, fridge and safe, along with the perks of a silk bathrobe and slippers, plus a quirky antique-style in-house telephone and flat-screen TV with movie channel.
But there was no time to sit watching the box because the magnificent sights of Cambodia were calling, as we joined our knowledgeable tour guide Phani who kicked off proceedings with an afternoon trip to see the ‘Twin Mountains’, or ‘Man & Woman Hills’, an area which has given rise to many myths and legends.
It was a small taster of what was to come, but as we returned for a ‘Captain’s Welcome Cocktail’, attentions soon turned to our first meal in the Mekong Restaurant, where each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner we would be savouring various authentic regional delicacies alongside a choice of Western-style cuisine.
Menu highlights included the tasty pork noodle soup from the live cooking station for breakfast (yes breakfast!), delicious pad thai and Vietnamese stir fry for lunch along with a plethora of buffet options, with dinner serving up delicious dishes including the ever-so-moorish prawn spring rolls, fish amok and tender braised duck leg.
Each dining experience was made even more pleasurable by the impeccable service provided by the friendly and super-efficient waiting staff, led by the excellent Makara, who, in my opinion, runs one of the finest restaurant teams on water.
One evening was enjoyed at The Chef’s Table, the ship’s lower deck speciality restaurant, where we schmoozed with fellow guests while working our way through a six-course fine dining menu, which was duly washed down with several glasses of wine.
Speaking of drinks, Ama’s complimentary offerings are generous, with all guests being treated to unlimited wine with lunch and dinner, along with a great selection of house brand spirits, local beers and soft drinks available throughout the voyage.
As with most river cruises, all offshore tours are included, and optional of course, but for us visiting this captivating part of the world was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we’d have been foolish to miss a single second.
With just four days to explore Cambodia we were keen to make the most of it, and our first stop was to witness a slice of rural life at Angkor Ban where we interacted with locals and marvelled at their stilted houses, some of which were up to 100 years old.
Then it was on to Oknhatey, commonly known as ‘Silk Island’, where we visited an elementary school before taking a stroll to a silk manufacturer’s and learning about the traditional processes used, from the mulberry-chomping silkworms to the comlex, but fascinating manual loom-weaving procedure.
Phnom Penh was our next port of call, where we marvelled at the Royal Palace and spectacular Silver Pagoda, which houses one of the country’s most revered religious artefacts, the Maitreya Buddha.
A visit to the city’s central market provided some retail therapy as we purchased a few goodies to take home, gaining confidence as we negotiated some reasonable prices with the ‘not so pushy’ stallholders.
The afternoon’s sad, but engrossing excursion took on a much darker tone as we learned about the horrors inflicted by Cambodian dictator Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, with emotional visits to the S21 ‘Tuol Sleng’ Genocide Museum and mass graves of the Killing Fields, where more than 1.3 million people were killed and buried after the Cambodian Civil War ended in 1975.
Feeling sombre on our return to AmaDara, the mood on board was soon brightened as guests were treated to a traditional Khmer dance performance by a group of local children, before we tucked into a special ‘Cambodian Delights’ themed dinner.
A second day in Phnom Penh took us to the hills of Cambodia’s former royal capital Oudong, visiting one of the country’s largest monasteries to attend a memorable blessing ceremony before an authentic oxcart ride through the countryside along the Kampong Tralach river bank.
There was also time for an afternoon Tuk Tuk ride to view more of the city’s famous sites, including the Independence Monument and impressive Sihanouk Statue commemorating Cambodia’s former king.
And so onto Vietnam, but not before a full day’s relaxing sail and the chance to take part in some of the ship’s on board activities, which included a Vietnamese cooking demonstration, a factual talk from cruise manager Young and indulging our sweet tooths at a fun ice cream party.
After snaking our way through the anchored ships at the border, we finally docked in Tan Chau, and after a good night’s sleep, it was time to say ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ as we embarked on a full day of activity, touring the town on a rickshaw and visiting two family businesses making rattan mats and silk.
Next up was Sa Dec and its bustling market, a real eye-opener for us Westerners as we looked on in amazement, frequently playing the guessing game while perusing over the sea of Asian culinary delights.
Later we departed by small boat to Cai Be, where we visited a workshop making rice paper and candy, before enjoying a sedate stroll to admire the unique architecture at Kiet House, a stunning nearly 200-year-old family home dubbed one of the ‘Nine Great Beauties’ of Vietnam.
The week had been tiring, but enthralling, and as the ship departed for My Tho, where we would disembark, it seemed fitting to end the journey with a farewell cocktail in the Saigon Lounge while watching a traditional Vietnamese folklore performance featuring singers and a delightfully unusual set of musical instruments.