Luxury Mekong cruise in Laos: A journey through idyllic landscapes

I was lulled out of my evening meditation by the sound of children shrieking with laughter, and realised our river boat had docked at the edge of a small village. A short distance away, barefoot kids were diving off a well-used fishing boat, their limbs flailing as they plunged into the Mekong with reckless joy.

Their unbridled, unself-conscious enjoyment made me smile as it stirred up memories of my own childhood, when I used to make up my own games with my sibling and cousins in my grandmother’s backyard.

In this fast-paced digital age, I had thought these idyllic days were long gone. But here in a small village in Laos, it was bittersweet to witness a world where fun is still measured in laughter that echoes across the water.

At the invitation of luxury river cruise operator Mekong Kingdom, I travelled to Laos to experience a cruise on their newest vessel, the Boheme. It traverses the Mekong River between the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang and Pak Lay, the closest port town to the capital of Vientiane.

In comparison to river cruises along the lower Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam, those along the upper Mekong in Laos and sometimes, northern Thailand, tend to be under the radar. This is because unlike the lower part of the river which has a more stable flow, the upper Mekong experiences fluctuating water levels, in part due to the massive dams built upstream in China, making it a challenge to navigate a boat.

At the same time, Laos has long been one of the most underrated destinations in Southeast Asia. The charming, stupa dotted town of Luang Prabang is perhaps best known to travellers seeking a slice of the slow life. This is also where most of the country’s luxury hotels, including Amantaka, Avani+ and Rosewood Luang Prabang are located.

But things are rapidly changing. A new high speed train system starting in China and connecting key tourist destinations in Laos, including Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane has made it easier to get around the country in relative comfort.

Before the inevitable tourist crowds flock en masse to Laos, one of the best options to experience the country’s still undiscovered gems without roughing it out is to go on a comfortable river cruise along Lao’s less commercialised stretch of the Mekong.

The Boheme is an intimate floating sanctuary with just 13 suites, and each air-conditioned cabin features amenities like a Nespresso machine, minibar and artisanal Laotian decorative details such as Ikat fabrics and local artwork. The deluxe suites at river level come with a private balcony, ideal for luxuriating in views of the Mekong River while the sole Royal Suite is the only cabin on board with a freestanding bath.

The river boat’s uppermost deck is for cosy socialising, with a spacious dining salon and an al fresco bar and lounge on the bow. There are also two spa cabins with two therapists on the cruise, ensuring that a pampering session is always readily available. (Tip: The Thai massage is exceptional for relieving tense necks and shoulders.)

Ultimately, it is the thoughtful service that truly kept us coddled in comfort. Helmed by a team hired from the region, the staff are ever ready to make a fresh Laotian coffee or mix an ice-cold martini – whatever your preference. Nobody blinks an eye when asked to modify the daily menu, whether to suit vegetarian preferences or to soothe an uncooperative tummy. Plus, the twice daily housekeeping service was so speedy that nothing in my room was ever out of place and even my grubby shoes were swiftly cleaned of dust and mud after every excursion.

I soon discovered that the pace of life on a river cruise is oceans apart from a sea cruise, where travellers are accustomed to a flurry of activity at every port of call. Instead, the beauty of cruising down the Mekong in Laos is all about savouring the passing of time.

In a strange way, it helped that the on-board Wi-Fi and mobile data service often got patchy as the boat traversed remote stretches. So, during our five-night cruise, I had no choice but to stop compulsively refreshing my inbox and instead found myself dreamily lost in the unfolding landscape as our captain masterfully steered the 50m vessel through narrow channels, avoiding large boulders and other obstacles peeking out from the water line.

From towering limestone karsts to dense, untamed rainforests hugging the riverbanks and neat rows of subsistence farms and water buffalos lazily submerged in muddy shallows, it often felt like I was traveling not just through space but also time.

The bulk of the land excursions are centred around the Luang Prabang region, where the tourist infrastructure is most established. At times, we hopped onto a smaller Mekong Kingdom longboat to get to places of interest, like the Pak Ou caves, known for housing thousands of statues of the Buddha that pilgrims have placed. Other sessions were more intimate, like a leisurely tea break near the iconic Kuang Si waterfall or having a private saa paper making session using mulberry tree bark, fresh flowers and leaves.

And in a country known as the land of a million of elephants, we also made a poignant visit to an elephant sanctuary, known simply as the Elephant Conservation Centre in the Xayaboury region. Sadly, elephant numbers are dwindling, with a mere estimated population of less than a thousand left, making this sanctuary a rare destination to watch these rescued Asian elephants in their natural habitat.

Unlike many tourism outfits in Laos, which have rides, bathing or feeding sessions — that activists frown upon — this centre restricts human interaction. Instead, it offers tours that highlight how the team of mahouts and vets care for and rehabilitate rescued elephants. The goal is to eventually release them into the wild or breed them for future conservation efforts.

There are still plenty of elephant viewing opportunities. Our visit was timed perfectly to watch a playful juvenile four–year-old elephant walking to the river for a bath and we later witnessed how the vets conducted a medical target training session to teach it to be comfortable during regular health check-ups. Cue: Non-stop photo-taking and barely repressed squeals of delight among the humans.

Even in a country where daily interactions feel relatively untouched by modernity, one cannot escape evidence of mankind’s manipulation of the natural environment. Nowhere was this more apparent than when we passed through a lock in the Xayaboury Dam. Essentially a giant concrete chamber where water can be pumped in and drained, this is how boats are raised and lowered between different water levels at a dam.

It was undoubtedly impressive to witness this marvel of human engineering, yet, also necessary to reflect on how this modern infrastructure has led to environmental consequences, such as altering the natural flow of the river and impacting migratory patterns of the river fish. In that moment, I realised how fleeting my experiences on the Mekong had been, truly a reminder to savour every moment before the river and the world around it changes forever.