Aqua Mekong Motor Yacht

Forty-four crew sail with forty guests on Aqua Mekong, so there is more than a crew member for each guest, and the service runs from a spa with two treatment rooms to a consulting chef, David Thompson, whose menus take their flavours from Vietnamese and Cambodian cooking. She is a 205ft (62m) motor yacht from Saigon Shipyard Co, launched in 2014 and refitted in 2026, with an exterior by Noor Design and an interior by David Hodkinson worked in local materials and artisanal detail.

Where she cruises

Her home port is Halong Bay in Vietnam, and she is the longest yacht based in the country. Her waters are the Mekong River through Cambodia and Vietnam, down to the delta where the river reaches the South China Sea. Daily guided excursions ashore in both countries come included, with English-speaking guides, so what is seen on the bank is explained.

Accommodation and crew

Twenty suites take forty guests, with demand at its height from December to March, and every suite faces outboard behind windows that run floor to ceiling, so each has its own view of the river. Ten open onto a balcony and ten have a daybed set inside by large windows, and some pairs connect, either to make a larger suite for a family or to leave the second room as a private lounge. The chefs take guests to local markets to buy the day's produce, give cooking demonstrations aboard and tailor the menus for vegans, vegetarians and anyone with a dietary restriction.

Comfort under way

Two Caterpillar engines give her a cruising speed of 8 knots and 12 knots at most, and her stabilisers work while she lies stopped as well as under way, which means she holds steady whether she is moving or at rest.

On deck

The infinity pool faces forward on the top deck and has its own cabanas, and the upper deck carries a bar, a games room and a cinema room, with the gym and an open-air dining area aft, so meals can be eaten outside. A second cinema runs outdoors, and an observation lounge gives a place to sit and watch the river.

Water toys

Aluminium launch boats, each seating ten and driven by two engines, take guests off the yacht for a closer look at life along the river, and ten double kayaks and stand-up paddleboards let them move on the water under their own power. Ten Cannondale all-terrain bicycles go ashore for the bike excursions.

Charter notes

Aqua Mekong suits a large family or a group who hire her together, and she goes out for a week-long or three-day charter and for events as well. Her suites convert, so the party is housed as it is made up rather than as a fixed plan dictates.