Cruise ships ply the waters of the upper Mekong in Laos

Dec. 2, 2011 - PRLog -- Mekong Sun ready to ply the water of the upper Mekong River in Laos. The Mekong Sun sits perched along side the river in Chiang Khong, Thailand. She is about to begin her third season cruising the Mekong in Laos. She is known as the pride of Laos.

In a country that has little else, other than papayas, bananas and a thriving illegal lumber industry, the 14 cabin Mekong Sun provides desirable jobs to a crew of 16, of which at least 12 are Laotian. The ship has just 14 air-conditioned cabins with full glass doors and a narrow private deck. The bar is stocked with an ample suppy of foriegn liquor and the staple Mekong Rum called Sang Som. It is rum even though they call it Mekong Whiskey locally.

The shlip was built on the banks of the Mekong during the dry season and floated when the floods came.  A wooden ship with all the lumber from Laos and twice the engine power needed to go upstream. The engines also power the mighty air-conditioning system. She is a modern ship with ample deck space and large interior dining area. She is waterlocked on the river by a dam and waterfall.

The schedule is flexible due to water levels but generally she goes between such places as Nong Khai - Phu Wua National Park- That Phanom - Nakhon Phanon - Mukdahan - Ubon Ratchantani. Basically  Chiang Khong to the Golden Triangle. The routes vary with  season and water levels and range from Thai Chiang Saen and the Laotian capital Vientiane.

The price for a six night voyage is appoximately 1500 Euros. A voyage may be combined with a tour of Yunnan, China, speed boat from the Chinese border to the ship for the cruise. Tropicals Sails Corp, of Austin, TX offers such a package for $3748 pp. A color brochure is available by calling 800-595-1003 or 623-444-8195, or you my visit their website at http://tropicalsails.com/Shangrila_Tour_and_Cruise.php

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Tropical Sails Corp offers sailing ship cruises in the Caribbean, Aegean, Mediterranean Sea, Turkey and South Pacific. Turkey Blue Voyages, Turkey Blue Cruises, China Total Solar Eclipse tours. Turkey Church Tours and Turkey diving cruises.