Victoria Mekong Cruises offers inter-regional cruises in the Mekong Delta, including the Can Tho - Long Xuyen (2 days, 1 night) and Can Tho - Chau Doc (3 days, 2 nights) journeys, as well as an international cruise from Can Tho to Cambodia (8 days, 7 nights). During these cruises, visitors can enjoy the picturesque scenery along the river and experience the unique culture of each locality they pass through. Tourists can explore the Cai Rang floating market (in Can Tho City) and also take part in a rickshaw tour to visit local craft villages. Here, tourists can learn how to weave nets and make incense on Ong Ho islet (in An Giang). They can also learn about the cultural influences of Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer, and Cham in Long Xuyen. In Tan Chau, tourists can travel leisurely by environmentally friendly means of transportation, learn about the famous silk weaving process of the craft village, or row a boat through the Tra Su Melaleuca forest. The journey ends in Phnom Penh, where visitors can explore Cambodia.

Launched in late 2019, the 4-star Victoria Mekong is one of the region’s newest ships. The ship has four decks and has 33 deluxe cabins of 25m² and 2 VIP suites of 45m² with modern facilities. Apart from a restaurant with a 360-degree view on the upper deck, the ship features various entertainment areas, shopping stores, spa centers, libraries, and cinemas. Passengers may also enjoy the panoramic view of the Mekong River from the sun deck of the ship. During the tours on the ship, circus performances, lion dances, traditional Khmer dances and folk music performances of the the Mekong Delta region will be organized to serve passengers.

Brynos, a tourist from the UK, said: “Some of the shore discovery trips are quite strange but very authentic, and it is a wonderful experience to learn about life along the Mekong River.” Sybren Wiersma, a tourist from the Netherlands, expressed: “We really enjoyed the trips to the Mekong Delta, visiting a small-scale silk weaving factory, a soybean processing facility, and a floating market. Above all, the boat trips and short walks on these journeys are very worthwhile, giving an impression of the vibrant life of the Mekong Delta."

Victoria Mekong Cruises on Hau River, Can Tho. Photo: Victoria Mekong Cruises

During my journey from Can Tho to Chau Doc, I had some amazing experiences exploring the routes and discovering local products, which created a trip full of the cultural identity of the Mekong Delta. In Can Tho, tourists can get the chance to experience the cultural space of Cai Rang floating market, feel the garden civilization at Con Son islet, and try some strange fish specialties, and enjoy the flying snakehead fish show. In Chau Doc (An Giang), tourists can travel on small boats to explore Cham villages, watch brocade weaving, visit mosques, enjoy folk cakes, and buy handicraft products.

Mr. Mohamad, owner of the traditional brocade weaving facility in Cham Chau Phong village (Phum Soai hamlet, Chau Phong commune, Tan Chau town), shared, “Tourists come here to see us weaving handmade products, and I always tell them about the processes and techniques involved in making each product. Through the connection with tourism, I can introduce the unique cultural features here.” About 30km southwest of Chau Doc, visitors can experience the “green pearl” in the middle of the Long Xuyen quadrangle: Tra Su Melaleuca forest, which offers many options such as hiking or walking through the forest, cycling, or rowing a boat.

International tourists discover Tra Su Melaleuca forest. Photo: Kieu Mai

During his Victoria Mekong Cruise, Terry, an Australian tourist, shared his experience of seeing firsthand how local people live along the places they passed. Wendy Wu, President of Wendy Wu Tours - a leading travel and tourism group in the UK that specializes in Asian destinations and is one of the joint venture investors in Victoria Mekong Cruises - said that the Mekong Delta is still a natural beauty, with the Mekong River being very large and suitable for interesting exploration journeys. She believes that the route from Can Tho is very different, giving visitors experiences full of rich indigenous cultural values along the river route. This journey once again proves the assertion that the Mekong Delta is an attractive destination with cultural diversity, people, and hundreds of years of historical stories connecting the Mekong River civilization.