Aqua Mekong

capacity

40

year built

2014

crew members

44

length

205 feet

beam

38 feet

draft

5 feet

cruising speed

12 knots

flag

Cambodia

The 40-guest Aqua Mekong is a custom, architecturally appealing luxury cruise ship designed by Saigon-based architectural firm Noor Design. She is the first five-star small luxury cruise ship to travel up and down the Mekong River between the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Aqua Mekong is also the first cruise ship on Southeast Asia’s greatest river to offer a fitness center, library, cinema screening room, and features the river’s only private fleet of tender boats for the ultimate off-ship access.   

Aqua Mekong Review

AdventureSmith Explorations’ Aqua Mekong review includes a detailed description of the small ship including deck plans and a photo gallery. Please read our Aqua Mekong review below then contact our small ship cruise experts to compare the Aqua Mekong with other small cruise ships and yachts offering Southeast Asia cruises.

Choose the Aqua Mekong for her many exclusives unique to the Mekong, most notably extra luxury touches and her private tender boats that put off-ship adventure first. Spacious and indulgent, yet intimate enough to feel exclusive, the Aqua Mekong incorporates relaxed yet refined lounging and dining areas and river-facing design suite views. Modern navigation technologies and the highest cruise ship standards as well as an experienced river pilot and crew ensure smooth travel and safety on the water, with twice-daily excursions to landmarks, temples, and villages.

Common Areas Aboard Aqua Mekong

Aqua Mekong has a Hodkinson’s Indochine influenced aesthetic and interiors built entirely of local sustainable materials. Expect lots of natural fibers of the surrounding environment with artisanal touches of the Mekong’s multifaceted cultures.

Sunlit indoors and out, the top-level Observation Deck aboard the Aqua Mekong is designed to seamlessly connect guests with the constantly shifting landscape, always in air conditioning and utmost comfort. Shade structures and lounge chairs entice relaxations while sliding doors lead to the Outdoor Lounge with its inviting infinity plunge pool–the only one on the Mekong River.

At night, the Outdoor Lounge transforms into a movie theater under the stars, with 300 onboard movies to choose from. Both the bow and the stern lounges are outfitted with comfortable sun loungers and a shade canopy, plus a rooftop bar, fully stocked to mix any sip. Gravitate to the Indoor Lounge in the mornings for Vietnamese coffee poured over ice with sweet condensed milk, and for lectures on ecology, culture and wildlife.

A private screening room with theater-style accommodation and a private library/games room provide entertainment for quiet times on board. A small selection of onboard iPads and high-speed Starlink WiFi add to the entertainment options. For fitness-minded guests, a top-deck, fully equipped gym overlooks the river. Shop for authentic souvenirs in the antique and artisanal boutique. There are two spa treatment rooms, each with single and double massage beds. An infirmary with onboard medical staff is also available in case any health needs arise, and a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio makes sure every need is attended to. Aqua Mekong’s 40 crew members include a cruise director and four English-speaking guides. Complimentary laundry service makes packing light an easy option.

Dining Aboard Aqua Mekong

The dining experience on board Aqua Mekong was created by Michelin-starred-chef David Thompson. Thompson is the Australian-born chef formerly of Nahm in Bangkok and the author of internationally acclaimed cookbooks including Thai Food and Thai Street Food. Guests can expect seasonal menus showcasing the full repertoire of flavors from Vietnam and Cambodia in refined style. Onboard chefs use peak-season produce and the freshest ingredients from the Mekong River and the region. The ship’s bar menu, created by renowned spirit experts and cocktail designers Proof & Co, echoes a similar locally-minded philosophy.

Some of Thompson’s signature creations include lamb curry with Khmer spices and Vietnamese sugar cane prawns, most of which are served in a communal dining style authentic to the region’s traditions. In addition to onboard cooking demonstrations, guests can follow the ship’s chefs to bustling local markets as they procure the finest produce, from freshly-caught Mekong river catfish to newly-harvested Asian greens, for the day’s meals. Coconut, lemongrass, coriander and turmeric are just a few of the most recognizable flavors you can expect on the inventive yet authentic seasonal menus.

Breakfast is served buffet style while lunch and dinner are served family style. Tables configurable for 2-20 guests enable both intimate and group dining experiences. The ship’s chefs can cater to vegetarian, vegan, kosher, gluten-free and dairy-free diets, as well as other more specific preferences. Whether it’s allergies, dietary restrictions, or lifestyle preferences, the crew will do their best to serve you world-class meals of your choice.

Crew & Guides Aboard Aqua Mekong

Aqua Mekong exclusively offers a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. Four professionally trained guides lead guests of the Aqua Mekong on daily expeditions aboard comfortable skiffs deep into the Mekong’s tributaries and on foot among Khmer pottery villages, remote mountain monasteries and among the cultural treasures of Phnom Penh. Maximum group size of 10 guests per guide ensure excellent attention to detail. English-speaking, on-staff, professionally trained experts grew up along the Mekong River and know its Buddhist temples, Hindu ruins, Catholic churches and elusive wildlife as well as many of the Vietnamese and Cambodian people they will introduce guests to.

Activities Aboard Aqua Mekong

Land- and water-based activities from Aqua Mekong include cycling (daily), kayaking, swimming, sunrise daily guided meditation and more so that guests enjoy a more diverse, multidimensional experience. The ship carries 10 top-of-the-line Cannondale all-terrain bicycles, with options along the way to bike to visitor sites rather than ride in a car. Many off-ship excursions are on customized aluminum motorized launch boats, or skiffs, carrying up to 10 passengers on two to three daily excursions, with constant radio contact between captains. The Aqua Mekong is privileged as the only Mekong River vessel to have private skiffs.

Shopping Aboard Aqua Mekong

Southeast Asia’s rich artisanal traditions can be found among the treasures in the onboard boutique, designed to offer Aqua Mekong guests the convenience of shopping at their leisure for high quality, thoughtfully selected Cambodian and Vietnamese handicrafts and jewelry as well as Aqua Expeditions signature souvenirs. Items featured include original pieces sourced directly from talented artisans who live and work in the communities Aqua Mekong visits and actively supports. Aqua Mekong is proud that wherever possible, high quality pieces with a philanthropic origin have been selected, allowing her guests’ pleasure to be matched by the life-changing opportunities created for these artisans.

Cabins & Deck Plan Aboard Aqua Mekong

There are 20 Design Suites aboard the Aqua Mekong, all air conditioned with panoramic floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, sitting area, large double closets, 220-volt and USB plugs throughout the cabin, music docking station and a password-generated security box. Nespresso machines are also available in each suite. Four sets of interconnecting suites (two sets on each deck) are suitable for families. Each suite has either one California King bed or two twin beds. En-suite bathrooms feature dual sinks, walk-in shower with rainforest showerhead, hairdryer and all-organic hair and bath amenities.