Have you ever been curious to see how people lived hundreds of years ago along the mighty Mekong river? River cruising is the only way to do it in luxury, and still feel the essence of it as a water highway relied upon by a diverse range of local communities.

Immerse yourself in the mighty Mekong river with a river cruise through the most remote parts of Vietnam and beyond.  Connect with locals who enjoy sharing their everyday life with visitors. Explore markets that are only accessible by boat to enjoy local food delicacies and one-of-a-kind handmade textiles. 

In this episode, I talk with a big river cruising fan; Charlotte Pinder. Charlotte has been on 7 different river cruises with 7 different itineraries. She has explored the most remote parts of the Mekong, toured ancient ruins in Cambodia, met local villagers, tasted unique regional foods, and the most interesting part of her experience is that she has mostly traveled alone. In fact, Charlotte can attest to the friendly and safe atmosphere for solo travelers. She almost recommends it because it gives you the opportunity to really spend time talking with locals that you probably wouldn’t do if you were with a group. 

Charlotte says "Touring Vietnam via a river cruise is like staying in a boutique hotel on the water".  Charlotte absolutely raves about the Pandaw Cruise brand as all trips have been on their ships. The number of travelers is smaller, the rooms are more quaint, and the dinners are more intimate. The ports are not large tourist areas but rural fishing markets with locals going about their days. You will pass by fish farming villages - a village with homes built entirely over water. Children will run up to you eager to recite the one or two words of English they know. 

Every river cruise offers something special. You can get lost in the world of knowledge through a history class or discover incredible new food through a cooking class.
If you would like to know more about the Pandaw Cruise ships and all their tours, please check out their website here; - Pandaw Cruises

Interested in Vietnam? Contact me through my website - What About Vietnam

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