Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel

Mekong River Journey

September 2005

$4,500 – With that price tag, you’re probably wondering if you picked up the right magazine. But this once-in-a-lifetime trip is so special – and such a good value – we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you about it. We first introduced Brandon and Andrea Ross in 40 Best last September, a year after they’d sold their home in California and moved to Cambodia. The Rosses run a charming B&B in Siem Reap, near Angkor Wat (the inn has become so popular they’ve added new suites and a swimming pool), and they offer private guided tours of Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.

This fall, Brandon will be leading a monthlong small-group tour down the Mekong River, from China’s Yunnan Province to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, hitting six countries along the way. The itinerary includes visits to several small towns in southern China before heading downriver to Thailand. Get a real Thai massage in Chiang Rai, bathe in nearby hot springs, and take a day trip into Myanmar by walking across Friendship Bridge. Once in Laos, stop by a Hmong village, see a performance by the Royal Ballet of Luang Prabang, ride a long-tail boat to an ecolodge near Vientiane, and brave and elephant trek near Pakxé. After crossing the border into Cambodia, stay at the Journeys Within B&B and explore magnificent Angkor Wat before heading to Phnom Penh. The last stop is Vietnam, where you can tour the Cu Chi tunnels and Ho Chi Minh City.

The virtually all-inclusive price covers all transportation within southeast Asia (flights, boats, vans and buses), 27 nights in hotels, most meals (breakfast and lunch daily, 10 dinners), all entrance fees, tips for your local guides and drivers, and the services of two Journeys Within tour leaders. WHEN Departs Oct 29. from Bangkok. DETAILS International airfare is not included. Single supplement $500. Maximum group size is 12. CONTACT Journeys Within, 877/454-3672, journeys-within.com.

Budget Travel Mekong River