CRUISING
T H E MIG HT Y
Mekong
Experience the sights,
sounds and tastes of
Cambodia and Vietnam
along the Mekong River
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
ADAM McCULLOCH
of Cambodia and Vietnam,
nothing is as it seems. I am reminded of this fact as I search
for the cruise ship AmaLotus, my home away from home as
I explore the Mekong River. I discover that a lake has moved
and a day’s road trip is needed to reach the mooring place.
So begins my enchanting odyssey.
In the dry season, the Tonle Sap behaves like a regular
lake. But during the flood season (June to October), many
of the tributaries of the Mekong River reverse their flow,
including the channel into Tonle Sap, swelling the lake as
much as sixfold, approaching the size of Lake Ontario. It
swallows surrounding villages, transforming them into
islands, and irrigates the tessellated rice paddies through
which we now drive. The bus stops briefly at Skun, a lakeside market riotous≠≠ with plump and glossy tropical fruit.
On closer inspection, what look like piles of roasted nuts
turn out to be fried tarantulas, silkworms and water bugs,
all local Cambodian delicacies.
Armed with my unusual snacks, I board AmaWaterways’ »
IN THE SHAPE-SHIFTING LANDS
The dos and don’ts
of temple etiquette
AMAinsider.com
From top: Monks
strolling in Oudong,
decorative gate
in Phnom Penh,
AmaLotus sets sail
along the Mekong