facebook
linkedin
rss
twitter
google_plus
pinterest
  • Home
  • About
    • Updated Solo Travel Knowledge Base
    • In The News
  • Travel Packages
  • Solo Travel Pricing Tracker-No Single Supplement
  • Blog
  • Contact

Blog Post

Mekong River Cruise No Single Supplement at a bargain price

Solo Travel Holiday Destination-SE Asia

Nov 13 2021
0 Comment
Elizabeth Avery

Enjoy This Post? Share the Love!

  • google-share

(For other information on solo travel with no single supplements and solo-priced lodging, go to our free search tool, the SoloTravelPricingTracker.net, and for our complimentary “Updated 2020-2021 Solo Travel Guidebook”, be sure to register while there.)

Solo Travel Holiday Destination-SE Asia: Every summer I start thinking about Christmas and New Year’s looking for the best solo travel packages to avoid the dreaded “Home Alone for the Holidays”.  I have found one of the best travel options for singles is via a river cruise abroad. It is ideal for having a set group of new friends to have meals with and go on daily tours while having the chance for private time alone.

One year I went upriver on the Amazon. The next I booked the Mekong Delta in combination with solo travel packages in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. To me, this is the best way to experience adventure vacations for singles  with time spent independent and time with a group for dinner and sightseeing.

Why the Mekong Delta?

I was already excited about the prospect of spending New Year’s Eve in Phnom Penh when I made my way through the package to some little known (at least to me), facts about the Mekong Delta:

  • One of the world’s most beautiful rivers, the Mekong is only river that changes direction twice a year. River cruise conditions also change with the seasons – the water level can rise significantly within just a few hours during the rainy Monsoon season and quickly drop during the dry season. The water level is often lower January-August and higher around September.

 

  • The Mekong is a major trading route linking China’s southwestern province of Yunnan to Laos, Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

 

  • Glowing spheres of light are observable from time to time rising from the water’s surface in certain parts of the river. These are sometimes referred to as “Naga fireballs” or “Mekong lights.” The locals attribute the phenomenon to Phaya Naga, or “Mekong Dragons.”

 

  • The Mekong is the world’s 12th-longest river at 2,600 miles. It is the largest river in Southeast Asia.

 

  • The river forms the border between Laos and Burma (Myanmar) and most of the border between Laos and Thailand.

 

  • The earliest known civilization along the Mekong dates to the 1st century A.D. The first European to explore the river was Portugal’s Antonio de Faria, in 1540.

 

  • The name Mekong derives from Mae Nam in the Thai language, meaning “Mother of Water.”

 

  • Previously 145 new species were identified in the Mekong region, including two new bird species, five mammals, 96 plants, six new amphibians, and 29 fish species previously unknown to science.

 

  • The Mekong has more large fish than any other river, including the Mekong giant catfish, which can weigh up to 660 lbs. and grows to be almost 10 feet.”

Choosing this solo travel holiday destination-SE Asia was perfect for me. clearly was one of the best vacations of my lifetime and for singles, going alone but not having to “go it alone”.

For all the details on a Mekong River Cruise, check these out:

See our “River Cruises: Europe and Asia” for  more great  information on river cruise options in Asia and Europe.

For more on Mekong Delta cruises, please see the following: Traveling Solo in Cambodia, Mekong River Cruises-No Single Supplement.

Solo Trekker 4 U: Personal insights and recommendations from Founder, Elizabeth Avery:

For those of us in North America, our first thought is how really far away Asia is. Just thinking about the long, long flight can be daunting. Next, the diverse numbers of languages can give a solo traveler pause. The good news is that Asia is a warm and welcoming solo travel destination. English is widely spoken, and it felt safe for me as a solo female traveler. In any case, it is important, whether at home and in any location abroad, to use good judgment. This is true even though I love adventure, having explored the world alone, including navigating the swine flu and cholera epidemics and dodged feasting crocodiles. However, I always look for lodging with a full service restaurant to avoid foraging for dinner in unfamiliar places after dark, and book a reliable pick-up for my arrival.

Some more of our lessons learned:

  1. Connecting flights between counties require processing through passport control and/or customs. Allow for time lost. Worse yet connections even within the same carrier’s system may be at opposite ends of the airport.
  2. With the amount of flying time required, consider spending the night at an airport motel.
  3. Check visa requirements carefully. For example, if you are on a river cruise, you may cross a second international. This is true traveling between Cambodia and Vietnam.
  4. While the climate is generally warm, modest dress is appropriate for both men and women. In royal palaces, houses of worship and other certain public monuments, you may need to have head covering, a long skirt and/or shawl. In one case, my guide found my Capri pants at mid-calf too short. I went back and changed into blue jeans. That passed the test! Some locations will offer “loaners” for your visit. Do be prepared for real temperature drops either at night or en route. Coming from Southeast Asia, I almost froze traveling home through Beijing. Air China arrived on the tarmac in 40 plus degree weather with no Jetway and a plane full of tee shirt and flip-flop clad tourists shivering.
  5. I recommend packing socks. Why is that? If you need to remove your shoes going into certain buildings, the stones or other flooring can be hot. They are also a good way to dodge mosquitoes of other unwanted insects as needed.
  6. Watch out for wet markets and/or petting or getting too close to undomesticated animals. In addition, even many pets may not have had rabies vaccinations.
  7. Many of the authentic attractions may be hard to reach or require access from the water.

 

While all of SE Asia has great solo travel deals, for really cheap single travel deals, try enchanting Cambodia.

Learn More:

Tips for Traveling Alone in Asia

For our personal recommendations from past holiday trips, see:

Top Solo Travel Deals for Holidays | Solo Trekker (solotrekker4u.com).

 

About the Author
Elizabeth Avery founded SoloTrekker4U.com in 2012, to connect single travelers with top solo travel deals and those with no single supplements. In 2020, she launched the free, user-friendly SoloTravelPricingTracker.net with 1,000+ tour/cruise and lodging providers offering 20,000 trips. It is the only search tool that allows those traveling alone to find solo vacation packages based on whether there are no single supplement deals. Elizabeth has visited all 50 US states and more than 68 countries around the world.

Enjoy This Post? Share the Love!

  • google-share
Get tips sent straight to your inbox, and become a better solo traveller.

Sign Up for our Newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Posts

  • 20 Tips for Traveling on a Budget without Sacrificing Quality
  • Hidden Europe -The Road Less Traveled By
  • Top Solo Travel Deals-France-No Single Supplements
  • 10 Tips to Make Vacation Travel Easier | Solo Trekker 4 U
  • Costa Rica Tours for Solo Travelers | Solo Trekker

Categories

  • #Navidad
  • 18 to 30s Solo Travel
  • Active Seniors Are Traveling The Globe
  • Adventure Travel
  • adventure travel packages
  • Africa
  • Animal Rescue
  • Australia
  • Avoiding Travel Hassles
  • Believe it or Not Adventures of Single Travelers
  • Best Vacations for Singles-Solo Travel Packages
  • Best Vacations For Singles/Solo Travel Packages
  • Budget Travel Tips
  • Business Travel
  • Canada
  • Caribbean
  • Castle Hotels
  • Christmas
  • Christmas 2015
  • Christmas Travel
  • Costa Rica Solo Travel Packages
  • Costa Rica Solo Trip
  • cultural travel
  • Dogs – Activities with Pets
  • East Asia
  • Eco Tours
  • Europe
  • Fashion
  • Fashion Around the World
  • Great Britain
  • Green Travel
  • Guest Posts
  • Halloween
  • Happy Hannukah
  • Happy Hanukkah
  • Historical Tours
  • Holiday Travel
  • Holidays 2015
  • How to Stay Healthy on Travel
  • How to Travel Better
  • India
  • Latin America
  • Luxury Travel
  • Middle East
  • Mideast
  • New Year's
  • News & Contests
  • Pacific Islands
  • Pack to save
  • Packing
  • River Cruises
  • Safety Travel Tips
  • saving on travel
  • Senior Travel
  • Senior Traveling Discounts
  • Single Traveler Destinations
  • Single Traveler Tips
  • Single Traveler Tips on Safety
  • Single Traveler Tips on Saving
  • Single Traveler Tips-Airport Advice
  • Singles Travel Tips
  • ski travel packages
  • solo adventures
  • Solo Female Travel
  • Solo Travel Asia
  • Solo Travel Canada
  • Solo Travel Destinations
  • Solo Travel Safety
  • Solo Travel Savings
  • Solo Travel Tips
  • Solo Travel Trips
  • Solo Travel USA
  • Solo Vacation Destinations Off-The-Beaten Path
  • South Asia
  • Southeast Asia
  • Staycations
  • Top Solo Travel Deals
  • Travel in Style
  • Travel in Times of Crisis
  • travel insurance
  • Travel Savings
  • Travel Style & Fashion
  • Travel Trivia Just for Fun
  • Travel with Dogs and Service Dogs
  • Travel with Pets
  • Travel with Your Dog
  • Uncategorized
  • United States
  • Unusual Stories from Around the World
  • Viajar Solo
  • Volunteer Opportunities Abroad
  • Wellness
  • What's on Your Mind When It Comes to Leisure Solo Travel?
  • Women Travel
  • Younger Travelers

Menu

  • Home
  • About Us at Solo Trekker 4 U
  • Travel Packages
  • Solo Travel Pricing Tracker-No Single Supplement
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service-SoloTrekker/SoloSherpa
  • Privacy Policy-Solo Trekker/SoloSherpa
Want to become a packages partner?
Email us Today

Sign up for our newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Get the Solo Sherpa Mobile app today
Get it on Google Play
© 2017 SoloTrekker | Powered by Intuitive Digital