Here's the online version of my article about an excursion from the Mekong Serenity cruise ship in Vietnam, involving a beautiful colonial church and hand-crafted sweets:

https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/the-spirit-of-vietnam-bursts-into-life-along-the-mekong-20260216-p5o2mq.html

#Vietnam #Cruise #RiverCruise #travel

The spirit of Vietnam bursts into life along the Mekong

During a cruise on the Mekong River, an excursion proves nourishing in more ways than one.

The Sydney Morning Herald

@timrichards
This is brilliant Tim. Thank you for sharing the e-article as I don't subscribe to SMH.
This is a trip me + husb have been looking at on-off for about 10yrs.

We don't like going through large US linked travel companies, preferring our A$$$ to go direct to locals so finding the right people to book through is essential for us.

Im also a magnet for flying biting beasties and wondered about being on/near waterways for a holiday...
Having said that Ankor Wat is on my dream To-Do List.

We would also do this trip with our son-in-law who is a stroke survivor. So how easy is it getting onto and off the boat? He can walk and manage stairs but has weakness in one leg that makes ladders or narrow steps on boats impossible.

If you have time Id appreciate your thoughts 🙏🏼 😊

@Godfrey642 Generally it was ok but there was some challenge when going on excursions as we might have to walk up a slope on the riverbank after leaving the gangway, or step onto smaller boats like sampans. However this cruise had a *lot* of crew placed along the path to help passengers along, steady them etc.

@timrichards
That sounds positive. He's climbed up steep sandy dunes on Mornington Peninsula with assistance so if it's on a par with that he'd manage.

What about steps on the boat?? Are there those steep ones? Or regular stairs?

@Godfrey642 It has a lift between all decks. Sometimes we'd disembark for an excursion via stairs at the front. Can't remember how steep they were, but I suspect they could be bypassed using the lift if necessary, maybe via staff leading the person through the kitchen on deck 1.
@timrichards
Thanks Tim.
Your article has inspired me to look into it for 2027.
This year Im doing a trip home to London/SE plus a week Dublin to Cork and a few days in Lux and Duisburg seeing friends.