It helps that wife Katherine works in the travel industry and often has the inside word on the next big experience. But when she came home with an idea for a cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia, it took a bit of convincing for Mark to get on board. All hesitation was washed away as soon as Mark set foot on the Mekong Princess, discovering a smaller, intimate experience than he had envisioned for a cruise.
The brainchild of a Vietnamese boat-building family, The Mekong Princess is a luxury river vessel small enough to visit hidden destinations inaccessible to the bigger cruise ships. And this was by intention – the family has built many a large river cruiser for larger companies. As the boat navigated the scenic waters from Vietnam to Cambodia, it made scheduled stops along the way to immerse the travellers in the local culture: Unlike most trips, he could sit back and leave all the coordination to someone else! With the staff taking care of all their travel needs, Mark had the space to spend quality time with his travel companion.
a day trip included visiting a small village unaccustomed to large-scale tourism which meant it was the ideal opportunity for the village to showcase it’s industry for coconut based products and provided Mark and his fellow traveller with an authentic insight into local life. Stopping in Phnom Penh, Mark recommends the day trip to the “Killing Fields”. He says, “It’s an incredible experience – the sombre environment evokes an emotional.