The Vat Phou Cruises
The Vat Phou Cruises
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The Vat Phou Cruises
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
20 reviews
Excellent
10
Very good
5
Average
4
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1
Terrible
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ozallan
Sydney, Australia1,950 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
The experience was a little bit underwhelming for me on this 3 day / 2 night Mekong River cruise. There is not much cruising but a lot of hours in long boats getting to / from the main boat at the beginning & end.
The big boat itself is comfortable & beautifully restored in nice timbers. There are 12 cabins which are surprisingly large with a double bed, cupboard & a good size bathroom with a walk in shower. The bed has a douve on it goodness knows why as it’s so hot in Lao. I pulled it out & just used the cover on top of me. There is thankfully air conditioning in the room & wifi throughout. But the wifi is slow & only good for emailing. There two big relaxing decks where meals and drinks are served. There are two guest cabins on the main deck & 10 cabins on the lower deck. It is well worth going for the two upper deck cabins number 11 or 12.
The food on board was excellent, variety of tasty dishes & always too much.
There is really only one main day of cruising on the main boat which is pleasant but the river has very little activity to view. The banks of the river have farms but they all look a bit the same. There are two main stops on different days to look at ancient Hindu ruins particularly the famous Vat Phou. But it’s very small in comparison to Angkor Wat although the history is interesting.
You can take the cruise up stream or down stream. I did upstream which I think is a bit more enjoyable as you do the two main long boat rides (which were a bit uncomfortable for my liking) on the first day. And the rest of the journey is more relaxing.
Our guide was informative but he has been on the boat for too many years so the commentary lacks any enthusiasm or warmth.
If you are after a relaxing couple of days enjoying the scenery on the Mekong & the food on the boat then this is a nice excursion for a couple of days in Southern Lao.
The big boat itself is comfortable & beautifully restored in nice timbers. There are 12 cabins which are surprisingly large with a double bed, cupboard & a good size bathroom with a walk in shower. The bed has a douve on it goodness knows why as it’s so hot in Lao. I pulled it out & just used the cover on top of me. There is thankfully air conditioning in the room & wifi throughout. But the wifi is slow & only good for emailing. There two big relaxing decks where meals and drinks are served. There are two guest cabins on the main deck & 10 cabins on the lower deck. It is well worth going for the two upper deck cabins number 11 or 12.
The food on board was excellent, variety of tasty dishes & always too much.
There is really only one main day of cruising on the main boat which is pleasant but the river has very little activity to view. The banks of the river have farms but they all look a bit the same. There are two main stops on different days to look at ancient Hindu ruins particularly the famous Vat Phou. But it’s very small in comparison to Angkor Wat although the history is interesting.
You can take the cruise up stream or down stream. I did upstream which I think is a bit more enjoyable as you do the two main long boat rides (which were a bit uncomfortable for my liking) on the first day. And the rest of the journey is more relaxing.
Our guide was informative but he has been on the boat for too many years so the commentary lacks any enthusiasm or warmth.
If you are after a relaxing couple of days enjoying the scenery on the Mekong & the food on the boat then this is a nice excursion for a couple of days in Southern Lao.
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daisy LG
137 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We spent 2 nights on this lovely old boat, all shiny tek wood, clean and well kept. We were a small group of 13 passengers, good company.
The rooms are small but everything you need is there, and the decks are the place to be, comfortable with enough seats and cushions on the floors to relax and enjoy the views. The excursions are ok, particularly the ruins of a temple, at the top of a gret number of stony steps, quite impressive, but only for fit people by 32 degrees. We missed one of the villages visits prefering to stay on board to read a book. The english speaking guide on the boat was very nice and friendly, keeping an eye on each of us. A nice fresh drink when returning to the boat, delicious lunches and dinners, breakfast at 7am on the front deck is fantastic.
The wifi was working fine on top decks only.
Staff smiling and attentive. This is an expérience for calm people, who take the time to relax, read, have perhaps a pleasant conversation with other passengers during the meals...not for kids definatly. We enjoyed very much.
The rooms are small but everything you need is there, and the decks are the place to be, comfortable with enough seats and cushions on the floors to relax and enjoy the views. The excursions are ok, particularly the ruins of a temple, at the top of a gret number of stony steps, quite impressive, but only for fit people by 32 degrees. We missed one of the villages visits prefering to stay on board to read a book. The english speaking guide on the boat was very nice and friendly, keeping an eye on each of us. A nice fresh drink when returning to the boat, delicious lunches and dinners, breakfast at 7am on the front deck is fantastic.
The wifi was working fine on top decks only.
Staff smiling and attentive. This is an expérience for calm people, who take the time to relax, read, have perhaps a pleasant conversation with other passengers during the meals...not for kids definatly. We enjoyed very much.
Written 14 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Sir,
Thank you for choosing Mekong Cruise. We are delighted that you had enjoyed your cruise in The South of Laos!
We wish one day you can return to our lovely country and experience our Norther cruise in The North of Laos.
Written 15 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MIKE B
Bangkok, Thailand65 contributions
Feb 2019
I once stayed on this lovely cruise for nights and felt like that was so mesmerising. I sat on a rattan chair while having a cup of coffee in the morning with the wind blew softly. So heaven on earth. All staff were so friendly and supportive. I strongly recommend everyone to experience this cruise once in your life like me.
Written 29 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Mike,
Thank you for your review! We are delighted that you had enjoyed our cruises. We wish you can come back to Laos and experience our Northern cruise one day.
Written 30 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
john_jenny_10
Adelaide, Australia13 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
Don't expect a modern, swish, characterless, cruise ship with all mod cons and hipster accompaniments. If you do you'll be disappointed. Vat Phou is a rustic, beautiful old converted barge furnished with solid teak and full of character of a bygone era. Service is impeccable and relaxed and the food is authentic Laos and Thai. Wine and beer at extra cost is reasonably priced. Spent 3 weeks in Laos and this cruise was a highlight of our trip. No Wifi but what the heck, just chill out and enjoy the experience for 3 lovely days.
Written 1 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hamilstra
sydney,australia246 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
This lovely old restored teak ferry took us on a languid journey down the Mekong in supremely comfortable style. We were well looked after by the staff and the meals were excellent. We visited waterfalls, temple ruins and villages along the way but the best part for me was just stretching out on a lounge on the deck and watching the passing parade of people,sleepy villages and fishing boats as we floated on down the river. It was so peaceful and relaxing. Visiting the Vat Phou ruins at Champasak was also a highlight.
Being April it was very hot which made some of our excursions rather hard going but the cabins were well air conditioned and the open areas had fans. If you like to visit less well travelled places with a degree of comfort but still retaining a strong local feel then this trip is ideal.
Being April it was very hot which made some of our excursions rather hard going but the cabins were well air conditioned and the open areas had fans. If you like to visit less well travelled places with a degree of comfort but still retaining a strong local feel then this trip is ideal.
Written 8 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lindseyknight
Woking, UK230 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
Small cabin but everything you need in there including hundreds of insects at night which were swiftly dealt with. Good meals with a good variety of dishes. Lunch was better as it was served on deck. Dinner was a bit soulless served in a dining room with no windows because of the insects. Good variety on excursions and it was nice to leave the boat to stretch the legs. Try the Mekong explorer cocktail, yummy but the coffee you could stand a spoon in it. I tried in vain to ask for it weaker and I like strong coffee
Written 21 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frutsch
Austria27 contributions
Feb 2019 • Couples
An elegant, quite and calm cruise on the Mekong River between 4.000 Islands and Champasak. The Boat does have 12 Cabins only which means a maximum of 24 Passengers. We where lucky enough to be part of a group of 9 people only. The atmosphere on the elegant and well maintained boat was very relaxed, the Service superb and the Food excellent. There is no Radio, TV of WIFI on Board! In general, there is not really happening much during the Cruise what we enjoyed a lot. If you look for Party and Entertainment, avoid this Cruise!! Only downside in South Laos is the Litter Problem they definitely have there. Vat Phou which is UNESCO World Heritage did look like a garbage dump, it was really a shame.
Written 5 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HDLBruxelles
Ohaupo, New Zealand909 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
A lazy travel on the mekong full of discrete luxury. The boat is a pleasure itself. Nice, big, old charm and really clean. The room are not large but full what you need and certainly air-conditioning. The staff is smiling, attentive. Not too many excursion but the real time to benefit of the cruise to see the river and around. The food was good and different each time. You pay the drinks at a good price. Really no hesitation
Written 10 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How long are the cruises. A few hours/days. One day?
Written 25 January 2019
2,5 days and 2 nights. (3. day you leave the boat at 9 o‘clock)
Written 21 August 2019
How long are the cruises. Does one sleep on boat?
Written 25 January 2019
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