Luxury Scenic Mekong

Scenic Mekong River Cruise, Cambodia. October 2022 I have come back buzzing from my Scenic trip to South East Asia and the Mekong River. The All Inclusive luxury on the Scenic Spirit combined with the iconic Raffles hotel in Siem Reap, make this a once in a lifetime trip. Never to be forgotten. Scenic’s all inclusive product, including door to door transfers, free flowing beverages, excellent food and the Scenic Enrich excursions make this amazing value especially for the level of quality and the memories made were priceless (any description here does not do it justice and you will need to experience for yourself). Top Tip is to take advantage of the current low tourist numbers and go sooner rather than later. Our winter season is also the best time to travel to Asia weatherise too. To give you an idea of the difference tourist numbers will make, is that on visiting the iconic Angkor Wat temples for example, in order to buy a pass for this UNESCO world heritage site there is normally 50 kiosks available but currently just two operating now (including one dedicated for Scenic guests) due to low tourist numbers. This makes the visit feel so much more special and unique, beating the crowds. The Cambodian people were so welcoming it was untrue and they greet you with genuine joy and gratitude. Cambodia also felt very safe and trouble free. The people friendly and welcoming. Entry requirements : Easy too. One simple e-visa which is us$36 and just took minutes to apply for. You do not need to show Covid-19 travel pass for Cambodia (however, depending on your airline/transit country you may still need it). The Scenic Spirit We flew into the capital Phnom Penh and sailed north to Siem Reap. This is not the usual start of the river cruise, however, as we only sailed half the usual itinerary and the trip is normally from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam to Siem Reap or vice versa. The Spirit certainly stands out from the crowd on the Mekong, being a state of the art, contemporary design and more like having your own super yacht charter! With only 68 guests on board at fully capacity it feels very exclusive. Beautifully appointed all balcony suites, beautiful top and pool deck to enjoy. Spirit lounge, library and dining room mean that there is always a feeling of space and tranquillity on board. There is a laundry and gym on board if you feel so inclined (I gave those a miss!). You cannot put a price on having the best seat in the house on the pool deck watching the scenery of the Mekong go by with a glass of the included champagne in hand. Just perfect. The dining was excellent with themed dinners and lunches, ie one day we had a street market theme and on offer was the local treats of cricket and tarantulas (try them if you dare!) or for the lesser brave food from around the world including, pastas, salads, meats etc. Scenic Enrich excursions were included in the trip featuring exclusive Gala night under the stars at Angkor Wat (so very special), a visit to a local school and classroom learning English (take some pens to give out to the children), local villages and a genuine local home, a blessing by a monk are just some of the delights on offer, I could go on. My Tip : Take the Ho Chi Minh to Ho Chi Minh itinerary if you can, so you visit Angkor Wat at the end of trip as you will be tired from travelling at the start and it is the trip highlight to end on. Also have the additional night in Ho Chi Minh so you have time to visit see this bustling city and see unque Cu Chi tunnels. In conclusion, this is an amazing part of the world and what better way to experience it on the top of the range, all inclusive Scenic Spirit and iconic Raffles hotel. Go now before the tourist numbers increase for a truly never to be forgotten experience. I cannot recommend enough. One you need to experience yourself.