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Two bicycles on the bow of a boat, on a canal lined with nipa palms in the Mekong Delta

Photo by Shutterstock

Plan your trip, before you go

Practical guides to organize a trip on the river: the season, flights, visas, budget and health. Every figure is dated and sourced.

By Pierre-Marie Coupry · updated

Where to start planning a Mekong River trip

Six decisions, in the order they come up. Each one links to the guide that settles it.

  1. Pick the season

    The river level decides what you can do, more than the day's weather.

  2. Pick your stretch

    The river is 4,909 km long: you pick one or two sections, rarely more.

  3. Book your flight

    No nonstop flights from the US: at least one connection, to Vientiane or Phnom Penh.

  4. Visas and borders

    A visa for each country, and border crossings to know if you follow the river.

  5. Work out the budget

    Transportation, nights, cruise or slow boat: what really drives the cost.

  6. Travel with peace of mind

    Health, insurance, safety, and what to pack.

Traveling the Mekong in JanuaryTraveling the Mekong in FebruaryTraveling the Mekong in MarchTraveling the Mekong in AprilTraveling the Mekong in MayTraveling the Mekong in JuneTraveling the Mekong in JulyTraveling the Mekong in AugustTraveling the Mekong in SeptemberTraveling the Mekong in OctoberTraveling the Mekong in NovemberTraveling the Mekong in December

Our take for the current month, region by region. This page changes every month.

Laos

IdealIdealFairFairFairFairDifficultDifficultFairGoodIdealIdeal

Measured at: Luang Prabang

Cambodia

IdealGoodFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairGoodIdeal

Measured at: Phnom Penh

Delta

IdealIdealGoodFairFairFairFairFairFairDifficultFairGood

Measured at: Cần Thơ

The river month by month →

All practical guides for the Mekong

When to go

Getting to the Mekong

Borders and visas

Getting around

Budget and money

Health and safety

Only published guides are listed; the list is built at build time.