{"id":6871,"date":"2019-10-12T10:20:03","date_gmt":"2019-10-12T09:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?p=6871"},"modified":"2021-12-23T16:12:23","modified_gmt":"2021-12-23T16:12:23","slug":"mad-about-the-mekong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/vietnam\/mad-about-the-mekong\/","title":{"rendered":"Mad About The Mekong"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2018In its lowest reaches between Phnom Penh (at the apex of the Delta)\nand the South China Sea at its eastward base. The Mekong bustles about its\nbusiness most responsibly, smiling beneath colossal skies as if to deny a lifetime\nof upstream excesses. Brimming through low lying farmland and slopping into\ninnumerable channels and waterways, it here supports a vast population, fronts\na galaxy of jaunty riverside towns, provides a carriageway for all manner of\nriver craft, and generally exhibits its benevolent features associated with\ndeltaic abundance\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Keay \u2013 Mad About The Mekong<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mekong boarder between Laos & Thailand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is it about the Mekong River<\/a> that lends it such an extraordinary allure? It\u2019s not the longest river in the world at only 5,000 km, but it runs through the heart of Asia from <\/em>remote Tibet through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and, finally into Vietnam, so it is a vital resource for millions of people in South East Asia.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The river undoubtedly has something of a mysterious, almost mythical image. This other worldliness certainly informed Francis Ford Coppola\u2019s epic war film \u2018Apocalypse Now\u2019.  Yet, interestingly, the Mekong River doesn\u2019t physically feature in the film at all as it was mostly shot in the Philippines. But somehow the spirit of the Mekong and the supposed darkness at its heart pervades the action of the Vietnam War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mekong is the 12th<\/sup> longest river in the world and the 7th<\/sup> longest in Asia and, in its final stages before it opens into the South China Sea, it represents the largest inland fishery in the world. You\u2019ll even see Gordon Ramsay fishing on the bank of the Mekong, in hope of catching the fish that are fighting the current (believed to be the tastiest) in his series Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talking of fish, there are some absolute giants to be found beneath the surface of the Mekong River. For example, the Mekong Giant Catfish, the largest freshwater fish in the world and unique to the Mekong River. The Mekong\u2019s Giant Catfish is sadly endangered, and it is now illegal to fish them. However, to give you an idea of just how big they can get, back in 2005 the biggest one caught was recorded at 300kg!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Early morning fisherman on the Mekong<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Mekong\u2019s giant freshwater Stingray can grow to half the length of a bus and is also a contender for largest fish to be found swimming in fresh water anywhere on the planet. It\u2019s believed that around 1,100 different species are lurking beneath. The Mekong Sub-region is home to 430 mammal species, 1,200 bird species, 800 reptile species, and 20,000 plant species. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amongst the plants the ravishing Lotus flower, the symbol of Vietnam, can be found growing across the river Mekong. The entire Mekong River region is considered the second most diverse in the world after the Amazon river, which at almost 7,000 km in length, is the second longest river in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lotus flowers growing in the Mekong River <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mekong means \u2018the mother of water\u2019 and without the Mekong\u2019s water it would be impossible for the Mekong Delta region to sustain millions of people with the rice that grows in such profusion here. The region is known as the \u2018rice bowl of Vietnam\u2019 and it is believed that of the 17 million people that live in the region, 80% of them are involved in rice cultivation. Further up the river in Cambodia the Mekong is also calculated to provide around 70% of the protein that makes up the local diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cruise along the river to Tan Loc offers the enticing possibility of visiting the orchards of one of the local farms there. The local plum wine is excellent and for the adventurous there\u2019s always the fiery, rice-based liquor that is traditionally drunk straight called Ruou Gao or Ruou Can or the speciality of the Mekong – River Eel wine. Although these days, these local delicacies are starting to find their way into bars worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Local heading to market <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You can find trendy cocktails, traditional spirits, local beers and an intriguing selection of teas at many picturesque spots along the river between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh. Yet the river also offers something that\u2019s even more stimulating than rice spirit infused with ginseng and just as soothing as bamboo leaf tea \u2013 and that\u2019s watching the locals go about their day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The river is the main infrastructure and within moments of sitting and looking at the river you\u2019ll see Sampans zip up and down the river, transporting the locals and sometimes tourists across the opposing banks (imagine them being as common as bicycles in the streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh!). Whilst giant, rice barges go about their business, past floating homes on small legs rising out of the river, decorated with flowers and dotting the river edge. Here is where you\u2019ll see real Mekong village life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Local watering plants on the bank of the Mekong<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Crazy About Cruising?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If we\u2019ve whetted your appetite for experiencing the Mekong River then you really are in luck as our brand new vessel\u2013 the Victoria Mekong will soon be embarking on her inaugural cruising season. This vessel is owned by Wendy Wu Tours and throughout 2020 she\u2019ll be cruising between Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh as our fantastic Mekong River Cruise. You can opt to book a \u2018cruise only\u2019 sailing leaving you free to explore the region at your own pace or you can combine a cruise with one of four tours, designed to show you the best of Vietnam and Cambodia: <\/p>\n\n\n\n