The Mekong Eyes combines regional boat-building traditions with modern comforts to become the perfect holiday vessel to cruise the Mekong Delta in style. At 39 m long and 8.5 m wide, the Mekong Eyes river cruiser was built out of an old, traditional rice barge with the finest quality wood, and artfully decorated by skilled craftsmen of the Mekong Delta.One of the traditional ceremonies performed on a newly constructed Mekong boat is the “eye opening”. The eyes are painted on the bow for good luck, a wide-awake crew and fast and safe journeys. The river cruise boat can comfortably accommodate up to 30 passengers on a large area of approx. 250 m2, it’s like a floating hotel.
Posted By : 527fils
It was hard to rate this because there were some big positives but also several things that let the trip down.
The boat itself was beautiful, the room was nice, and it was fun floating down the river. Our guide was also really nice and entertaining.
Food was decent - not great but not too bad. I would say however that the lunch on the last day was atrocious. It was a stop off on the drive back to HCMC and is at a place called Mekong Rest Stop. We didn't eat the cold, flavourless, textureless set lunch which was presented to us. It's really such a shame because there are other much better road side stops and it felt so cheap and inauthentic to stop here. The place itself is very grand from all of the tour company commission flowing in. It's just a shame they didn't spend any of that on the food.
There was a great drinks selection on board the boat including several tasty craft beers.
The trips unfortunately were a let down. First trip to the village is a 5 minute walk down a path and a stop at someone's home which is used by several tour agencies as a place to sit for half an hour with tea and pineapple. The second trip was to the floating market which was fine. Just be warned that you leave for the market at 8:30am by which point the market isn't really operating properly anymore. You'll have some people attach their boat to yours and offer you coffee which was cool. Then you'll pull up at a boat selling pineapple to tourists and you'll get some pineapple paid by the company (some of which gets slyly handed back to your boat driver).
So long as you are more interested in the boat itself rather than the trips you'll have a good time.
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Posted On : 2024-04-12 01:00:26 
Posted By : 639j_rgt
Unfortunately we didn't get one of the beautiful wooden boats, which was initially very disappointing, but the ship offered everything you could want for a trip on the Mekong River. The rooms were small but functionally furnished. The crew was friendly and helpful. The food was great. It was offered as a set menu at lunch and dinner. Intolerances and preferences were asked about beforehand and the menu was tailored accordingly.
The view from the outside deck was wonderful, we took lots of photos/films.
If there is one criticism, it is that you shouldn't throw the toilet paper in the toilet but in the very small and only rubbish bin in the room next to it. We would have liked it to have been emptied at least once if we were staying overnight on board.
A short bike tour and a dugout canoe trip through the narrower canals were offered, but unfortunately some of them are very dirty, as the Vietnamese living on the Mekong like to use rubbish as rubbish bins. :-(
Despite the criticism, we were very satisfied with the cruise on the Mekong and with the Mekong Eyes Cruises and would recommend them.
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Posted On : 2024-03-30 01:21:15
Posted By : Graeme D
Best 3 days of a 3 week tour of Vietnam.
The team on the boat were amazing especially daisy and Harry, funny friendly we all joked and laughed for the whole trip including me and my travel buddies dressing up in banana pattern shorts shirt and hats for the day.
The locals laughed and waved and so did we 😁
The off boat tours were great and the food on board was just awesome, we got them to get the beer nice and cold so three happy kiwis.
Daisy and Harry thank you for a trip never to be forgotten.
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Posted On : 2020-02-28 09:05:21
Posted By : kiwimichelle
We weren't too sure what to expect with this cruise. Dirty river water and boredom or something else?/ Well we definately got something else! The boat is super cute refurbed 10 yrs ago. Cabin was as described...cosy! This did mean smallish but for one night it was 100% fine. You aren't really in it until bedtime. Food was delicious, excursions were interesting and just seeing the life on the river whilst sipping a cocktail on the lounger was great. Lee and Jasmine were the best hosts. Lee's knowledge of the goings on and local knowledge was superb. Highly recommend this cruise with Meekong Eyes cruises.
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Posted On : 2019-10-25 18:31:52
