River cruising: it's about destination immersion

River cruising is about the destination more so than the ship. While enjoying the creature comforts of Viking Mekong, make sure to take advantage of opportunities to connect with local culture, history and highlights of the places that you visit. Don't be surprised to see local dishes on the menu or local entertainers sharing music, dancing and stories.

Dining

Viking Mekong has one restaurant with a casual yet elegant atmosphere. When Mekong is not scheduled to leave port until later in the evening, treat yourself to a night on the town and sample cuisine at a nearby restaurant (at your own expense, but a nice way to experience the local culture).

For breakfast, there is an ample buffet, allowing you to choose from a selection of pastries, cereals, breakfast meats, egg dishes, fresh fruit and selected cheeses. At lunch, select from the soup and sandwich bar, or a choice of entrées and dessert. And for dinner, expect a five-course menu with regional specialties.

Entertainment 

River cruising is very mellow. There are not any large production shows or comedy clubs. What you will enjoy is some light piano music played by the house musician and local entertainers who are brought onto the ship to sing, dance or tell stories from the local perspective.

After dinner, you can hang out in the lounge and have an after-dinner drink or you can walk back into town if the ship is not leaving port until later in the evening.

Activities

To complement your tours and shore excursions, make sure to take advantage of the  Viking's Cultural Highlights — immersive learning and enhancement activities both onboard and ashore:

• Visit the renowned Hanoi Temple of Literature
• Tour the magnificent ruins of Angkor
• Enjoy traditional Apsara temple dancing
• Visit colorful floating markets on the banks of the Mekong

These in-depth experiences are included as an essential part of discovering more about the places through which you cruise, and each activity is planned specifically to illuminate each itinerary.

Cultural curriculum

Sometimes you want to dig a little deeper. Viking Mekong offers a series of onboard multimedia talks to shed light on the history and culture of the places you visit. Learn about:

• The rise and fall of the Khmer empire
• The archaeological excavations at Angkor
• The history of Vietnam and Cambodia
• The history & culture of the Champa people
• Key words and phrases in the local languages

These presentations provide a context for your own observations, enhancing your travel experience.

Staterooms

All 30 staterooms onboard are outside and feature a river view. They also have:

• Hotel-style beds with optional twin-bed configuration
• Staterooms on the Upper and Middle decks have large windows that open
• Private bathroom & shower
• Safe & hair dryer
• Air conditioning
• Bottled water replenished daily

Your take

How about you? Have you sailed on a Viking Mekong? We would love to hear about your experience — please share!

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