It’s certainly a powerful Mother of Water. For a start the Mekong is the world’s 12th longest river influencing six countries and bringing life and a livelihood to millions – as well as supporting an astonishing amount of flora and fauna, both in, and along, its 4350 kms.
Its journey began on the high Tibetan plateau some 17 million years ago, before discharging its waters, as it does today, into the Mekong Delta and the South China Sea. En route it has touched the shores of China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It’s a river of character depending on where it is on its journey, and of course the weather.
A river of character
Sometimes it skirts rock pools and boulders almost like a flirtatious teenager kicking up her heels and having fun, yet a few kilometres away it becomes wide, almost sluggish and tired, quite happy to meander along at a more sedate pace.
And it was in one of its ‘quiet phases’ that I started my love affair with the Mekong. And I also realised that to me, the Mekong was no longer an ‘it’, it had become ‘she’.
Introducing Champa Pandaw
The sun was setting behind distant hills and a shaft of late sunshine hit the quiet water catching and highlighting a small boat moored mid-stream. Not far away, moored up for the night against the shore, other river craft.
And not far from them, also moored for the night, a long, low, wooden ship, RV Champa Pandaw – part of the Pandaw river cruise fleet. Minus the enormous paddle wheels, she reminded me somewhat of a restrained American river paddle boat.
Champa was built, and made her first voyage, in 2016. She measures 52.6m long and 9.55m wide and with her two 600hp engines can reach 13km/hour upstream, and 20km/hour downstream. Her 14 staterooms fitted out with teak and brass each measure about 14 sq meters and come with French sliding doors and en suite facilities along with other extras which make life comfortable, such as kimonos and slippers, flowers in the room, hair dryer, etc.
The crew were wonderful and the meals excellent (an onboard bakery too). Champa has my vote every time, but then so do all the craft of the Pandaw fleet.
Ever changing river views
The view from Champa’s decks was constantly changing as she made her way along the river – sometimes the river banks are green with thick vegetation with tracks leading down to the water where animals gather to drink, or children play on tiny sandy beaches and where fishermen pull up their flimsy looking boats and mend their nets.
Sometimes there were magnificent sheer limestone cliffs, as there were opposite the tiny village of Ban Pha Leab where we had stopped for a visit. It was often a steep climb up the sandy slopes to the villages – but there was always a helping hand from one of the crew.
Back on board that afternoon the sounds of passengers, under tuition from our onboard guide, trying to pronounce words such as ‘sabaidee’, ‘sabaidee bo and ‘khop chai’ could be heard, as we tried to master some Laos words and phrases – ‘hello’, ‘how are you’ and ‘thank you’.
The Mekong probably wasn’t impressed – she was trying to tell her own story. If we had known what she was saying she was probably telling us of the creatures that lived beneath the surface or on the river banks, and that she is worried for them.
A river in danger
It had taken us approximately 45 minutes to sail through the impressively massive Xayaburi hydroelectric dam upstream from Vientiane. In length it measures 820m and is 32.6m high. Its hydro reservoir capacity is 726 million cubic meters. And it is just one of the increasing number of dams on the Mekong.
The river, a muddy brown from the fertile silt, supports not only agriculture but also the millions of people who rely on her for food and income. The Mekong is not known as the Rice Bowl of Vietnam for nothing. The river is also home to some 1100 species of fish, along with seriously endangered species like Irawaddy dolphins, giant catfish, rare crocodiles and various birds.
What will happen to them when even more dams are built and the fish are no longer able to migrate to spawn, when the river cannot carry enough of the rich sediment for crops to be grown and people to be fed.
More and more communities will have been destroyed. For sure urbanisation needs the hydropower that the dams will bring, but it will be at a cost unless governments can work together to safeguard this precious waterway.
And on her banks, there are not just tiny villages and communities, but also cities like Luang Prabang and attractions like the lovely Kuang Si waterfalls with its rock pools where it’s possible to swim. Hike to the top of the falls to take in the view, or stroll along the road for a glimpse of the black bears in the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre.
A stop over at Luang Prabang
Champa had moored overnight a short walk away from Luang Prabang centre with its lively and busy market selling just about everything you could wish for.
The city itself with its interesting blend of cultures and architectural styles is well worth a visit, after all it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Try and take in the National Museum – the former Royal Palace, and the Buddhist temple of Wat Xieng Thong.
And if the opportunity occurs also the social enterprises of Ock Pop Tok to see skilful weaving (pretty good coffee too) and also the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) (a nice little boutique here).
Anybody for whisky?
Occasionally Champa was too long to fit into a mooring space so passengers transferred to a smaller, local, boat, as it did at the stop over at Ban Xang Hai – where Lao Lao Whisky (the local whisky distilled from fermented sticky rice) is produced.
The tasting of the 50% vol liquid was evidently an interesting experience! The boat then continued up to the Pak Ou Buddha caves in a dramatic limestone cliff. Inside the caves are thousands of statues of Buddha.
Buffalo and elephants
Another day there was a visit to the Laos Buffalo Dairy, and on another, a visit to the Pak Beng Elephant Sanctuary.
On board Champa there was a ship’s tour, the eagerly anticipated nightly cocktail or two, which one evening turned into cocktails plus bbq on a river bank beach next to where Champa was moored.
Another evening a Laos Baci ceremony was held on board along with visiting Laos dancers.
The formal dancing over dancers, passengers and crew joined together and partied. Actually, there were one or two other evenings when crew and passengers got together to party – and fun evenings they were too.
The Mekong travels on
And all the while the everyday life for millions of people on her shores went on as the Mekong, the magnificent Mother of Water, continued her journey through this amazing, fascinating and beautiful part of the world.
But for at least one traveller on a long, low Pandaw river cruise ship, it was also the start of a love affair which will last a life time. Khop jai Mekong, khop jai Pandaw Champa. Thank you.
More information
Pandaw River Cruises
For 30 years, Pandaw River Cruises has been pioneering river expeditions on the waterways of Asia, bringing travellers to remote corners of the region aboard its specially designed, locally hand-crafted ships.
Operating 10 luxury small scale friendly and informal river cruise ships across five countries, Pandaw also boasts a strong members club with a guest return rate of over 45%. No single supplements on selected dates. pandaw.com
Jasmine Holidays Ltd
My entire trip was master-minded by Tom of Jasmine Holidays Ltd, specialists in private tailor-made tours and holidays.
Antrobus House, 18 College Street, Petersfield, GU31 4AD. jasmineholidays.co.uk