AMA Vietnam

[Denmom]

I was hoping to hear something from anyone who did the Mekong in July. How were the river levels?

[doreen22]

Thank you for the alert on conditions on the Mekong. How tragic for the people. The river is the source of both life and danger.

 

For those interested, you can follow updates on the condition of the Mekong River here.

 

There is also a Siem Reap forum on Trip Advisor that is very informative...looks like the area around Siem Reap has experienced more extensive flooding in the last few days and is one of the worst hit areas:(.

 

Susan

[Island Cruiser]

Thanks very much for alerting us to this forum. I just took a look. Most informative. It hadn't occurred to me that high water as well as low water posed a problem. When the water is too high some of the riverboats can't navigate under certain bridges. A boat bound for Siem Reap is now stuck in Phnom Penh due to high water. We certainly hope the river will be back to normal level by 11/28. But if not we'll just go with the flow (No pun intended.).

[Lady Marion]

Hi, Cool Cruiser,

 

We will be on the Jan. 17th cruise/tour. Which date did you book?

[doreen22]

Hi, Cool Cruiser,

 

We will be on the Jan. 17th cruise/tour. Which date did you book?

 

Hi Lady Marion,

we are all "Cool Cruisers" :D, but my dh & I will be on the Amalotus Nov 15th trip, we will leave home one month tomorrow, and I am starting to make lists and reread reviews etc...getting excited!

[rosiefinch]

Greetings,

How has/will the current rising Mekong River levels modify the AMA river portion of the tour? We're on a November trip and have been watching the weather. If we're understanding current news, it seems that evacuations have recently occurred in the southern Mekong area. Any information from recent travelers?

 

Bob

Hello Bob: I shall be on La Marguerite the first week of November. I emailed a friend who is working temporarily in Ho Chi Minh City and this is was his reply:

 

"As far as the flooding is concerned it doesn’t seem to be too bad here in southern Vietnam, bad enough with several deaths but worse in Thailand and Cambodia. This is an abnormally high flood season but it should have reached its peak by the end of October and will diminish after that. Might make your boat trip up the river a bit slower! (I am going to be very interested in your river trip as this is the one I want to do in January.) If I find out anything else I will let you know."

 

I'm sure AMAWaterways has a Plan B - perhaps C & D too - and will work around whatever conditions prevail.

[jruth4]

We are on the Nov 15 Amalotus, only 3 months to go:D.

 

I just finished a novel set in contemporary Vietnam. As one review says

"essential reading for anyone mulling a trip to Hanoi". It is a really good read as well as enlightening re Vietnam.

The book is "The Beauty of Humanity Movement" by Camilla Gibb.

 

Susan

 

Thanks for the recommendation of this novel set in contemporary Vietnam. It's so helpful to read novels set in the country you are visiting to get another view which is sometimes more honest than guide books or guides.

 

I'm thinking of going on the Amalotus and would love to read your review after you come back. Since it is a new ship, there is not much in the way of reviews yet.

 

Hope you have a great time.

[ReturnCruiser]

Hello Bob: I shall be on La Marguerite the first week of November. I emailed a friend who is working temporarily in Ho Chi Minh City and this is was his reply:

 

"As far as the flooding is concerned it doesn’t seem to be too bad here in southern Vietnam, bad enough with several deaths but worse in Thailand and Cambodia. This is an abnormally high flood season but it should have reached its peak by the end of October and will diminish after that. Might make your boat trip up the river a bit slower! (I am going to be very interested in your river trip as this is the one I want to do in January.) If I find out anything else I will let you know."

 

I'm sure AMAWaterways has a Plan B - perhaps C & D too - and will work around whatever conditions prevail.

 

I agree. AMA has been in this business area for a while and likely has plans for tweaking the itinerary, as needed. We're looking forward to our Amalotus land/cruise trip which starts on November 1. We'll be experiencing similar weather during our respective trips. Have a great time.

 

Bob

[doreen22]

Thanks for the recommendation of this novel set in contemporary Vietnam. It's so helpful to read novels set in the country you are visiting to get another view which is sometimes more honest than guide books or guides.

 

I'm thinking of going on the Amalotus and would love to read your review after you come back. Since it is a new ship, there is not much in the way of reviews yet.

 

Hope you have a great time.

 

Thanks jruth,

I will be sure to post at least a short review- (will be coming back on Dec. 2nd to Christmas shopping/and work after missing 3 weeks- I don't even want to contemplate that part!)

Come to think of it, don't think I have read any reviews of the Amalotus on this board- no news hopefully means all is well with it.

Got our edocuments yesterday!

I booked about a year ago I think, and even then did not get my first choice of dates with AMA, but I understand there are more choices now.

Susan

Edited October 14, 2011 by doreen22

[rosiefinch]

I just received a message from AMA via my travel agent, informing me that because of due water conditions on the Mekong we shall be embarking on Day 1 of the river cruise at Kampong Cham instead of Tonle Sap Lake, after a motor coach transfer from Siem Reap. The ship will overnight at Kampong Cham, then on Day 2 we tour Kampong Cham and Peam Chi Kang village instead of the original itinerary. (I was looking forward to the promise of varied bird life on Tonle Sap Lake, but obviously our safety is the main concern).

[Island Cruiser]

Sorry to hear this news. Hope you will keep us posted on late developments. We board on the 11/28 sailing. We are staying at the Sojourn in Siem Reap prior to the cruise. They have advised us that the Sojourn escaped the flooding but the local village near by did not. I hope more for the locals than for us that the waters return to reasonable levels by 11/28.

[Island Cruiser]

Just to add to the above, I'm impressed that AMA notified you of this change. Bravo! They didn't have to do that. We called AMA a few days ago to ask about conditions on the ground. At the time we were assured all was business as usual. Obviously that has changed. It is a really good sign that AMA is proactive and alert to their client's concerns. I have no doubt AMA will make the best of the situation. We intend to do the same!

[freddie]

It appears from reading a thread on TripAdvisor Forums regarding “Flooding in Siem Reap” that some boats are not able to go north of Phnom Penh because of two fairly low bridges across the Tonle Sap River, which runs from PP to Tonle Sap Lake and Siem Reap. If the images on Google Earth are reasonably current, both of those bridges do indeed look like they are not at all high above the river, particularly if the river level is higher than usual.

 

Here is my assessment of the current AMA situation based upon my vast knowledge of riparian dynamics, S.E. Asian hydrology, and the geography of Cambodia and the whole Mekong River watershed (okay, okay, it is just pure wild speculation on my part based on very little facts at all):

 

In the dry season, the AMA boats cannot get onto Tonle Sap Lake because the Tonle Sap River becomes too shallow in several very narrow places just before it joins the lake. Usually, in the wet season, there is plenty of water in the river, allowing easy passage the whole length of the river from Phnom Penh to the lake and nearby Siem Reap. However, in times like this, with unusually high flooding (according to the TripAdvisor thread, the worst flooding since at least 2000 and maybe even worse than that), the Tonle Sap River level becomes so high that boats cannot get under the two bridges north of PP. AMA (or rather, Indochina Sails, which owns and operates La Marguerite and operates AmaLotus) cannot take the chance of having either of those boats stranded north of those two bridges. Therefore, even if there are a few days this month when the river becomes low enough to get under the bridges, it is unlikely that AMA/Indochina Sails will risk going north of the bridges until the companies are confident that the unusually wet weather and very high river levels have passed. If either boat went north of the bridges and more heavy rains came to raise the river level again, the boats would be stuck on the Tonle Sap River and unable to make the major part of the cruise down to Saigon on the Mekong River. Not a good situation for the companies or their passengers, right??

 

The main part of the river cruise is south of the two bridges. All things considered, much as I really, really, really hope that we will be able to board La Marguerite on 28 November at the regular dock on Tonle Sap Lake (the little village of Chong Khneas, just at the end of the road that goes from Siem Reap to the lake), and much as I would prefer not to take a four-to-six hour bus ride to somewhere on the Mekong River to board our boat, I would certainly prefer the bus ride to a cancelled river boat cruise because our boat was trapped on Tonle Sap Lake. Hmm, as interesting as Tonle Sap Lake appears to be, a week of cruising around it might get a bit tedious.

 

So, in summary (to everyone’s great relief, I am sure), we might have a bus ride on the first day that will at least allow us to make the rest of our cruise on the Mekong more or less as scheduled. Suggestion: Bring plenty of scotch and don’t eat the grilled spiders (the specialty of Kampong Cham, where La Marguerite will greet her new passengers on the first cruise in November).

 

Cheers, Fred (not a grilled spider afficianado)

Edited October 15, 2011 by freddie

[doreen22]

Freddie, I chuckled a few times over your post, hope we have someone like you on our cruise to keep things lively!

[Denmom]

I laughed until I read about spiders which is about the only thing I am deathly scare of. I insteadly read it to my hubby letting him know I will have camera in hand in case I can take a photo because I for sure won't be eating or touching them. Not sure I can even look at them.

[Island Cruiser]

I have already informed my partner, Freddie, that my highest priority on this cruise is to get video of Freddie and Mary Ellen, a friend traveling with us, feeding each other roasted spiders. I can now see them both, heads up, beaming smiles on their faces, dropping those crunchy treats into each others mouths. Yum!

 

Pat

[rosiefinch]

I read that the president of AMAWaterways, Rudi Schreiner, was brave enough to try deep fried tarantula in Vietnam and says it was like "deep fried hairy bacon". Yum! Apparently the Vietnamese eat all kinds of creatures that would not appeal to westerners; I saw an article entitled "If you can catch it, you can eat it". Note to self: when dining in restaurants, read the menu very carefully before ordering...

[Denmom]

I read that the president of AMAWaterways, Rudi Schreiner, was brave enough to try deep fried tarantula in Vietnam and says it was like "deep fried hairy bacon". Yum! Apparently the Vietnamese eat all kinds of creatures that would not appeal to westerners; I saw an article entitled "If you can catch it, you can eat it". Note to self: when dining in restaurants, read the menu very carefully before ordering...

 

 

Ok, Note to self - pack fruit loops, granola bars, and other items so eating won't be a problem in Vietnam and Cambodia while not on ship. ;). I am picky. I was worried about the ship food to be honest. Maybe this would be the time for a diet. Lol

[rosiefinch]

Ok, Note to self - pack fruit loops, granola bars, and other items so eating won't be a problem in Vietnam and Cambodia while not on ship. ;). I am picky. I was worried about the ship food to be honest. Maybe this would be the time for a diet. Lol

Does anyone know if the recommended food safety precautions (no ice, salads, raw vegs, unpeeled fruit, under cooked meat, rice which has been sitting, the list goes on and on...) should be strictly adhered to for the meals served on the river cruise? The last thing I want to do is get sick on holiday, but I'd like to enjoy the Vietnamese food too. Since the food is prepared specifically for the travellers, ought we still to err on the safe side? I intend to be very careful in restaurants, and avoid street vendors altogether.

[MrMojoRisin]

Does anyone know if the recommended food safety precautions (no ice, salads, raw vegs, unpeeled fruit, under cooked meat, rice which has been sitting, the list goes on and on...) should be strictly adhered to for the meals served on the river cruise? The last thing I want to do is get sick on holiday, but I'd like to enjoy the Vietnamese food too. Since the food is prepared specifically for the travellers, ought we still to err on the safe side? I intend to be very careful in restaurants, and avoid street vendors altogether.

 

 

From everything I have read on this thread and elsewhere there should be absolutely no problem with food etc on the ship. Everything is made and prepared with bottled water. Enjoy the food with no worries - we certainly shall.

Edited October 15, 2011 by MrMojoRisin

[doreen22]

Hi Rosie, imho if you are careful and avoid street vendors you should be fine. My sil and bf backpacked around Vietnam for 5 weeks last year and had no problems.

I intend to "be careful" - and packing imodium for sure!

Edited October 15, 2011 by doreen22

[Island Cruiser]

I'm not going to worry about the food on La Marguerite. But no street vendors, damn it. That stuff looks so good! And in most other places nothing goes in my mouth that hasn't already been cooked. I slipped on this once in Turkey many years ago and I paid dearly as did my partner Freddie who had to listen to me wretch into the toilet all night. Until that moment I didn't know a human being could be that nauseated. No salads! No fruit unless I peal it. No ice cubes. Safe on food is good when you want to maximize a travel experience!

[freddie]

Rosiefinch - A few pages back on this thread, at posts # 187 and 188, we were reliably (I trust...) informed that we can be comfortable with the food preparation precautions on the riverboat. My partner & I certainly intend to indulge without hesitation on everything offered on the boat. However, when off of the boat, we will be emphatically within the group that adheres to the mottos regarding very careful culinary indulgence.

 

Cheers, Fred

[Jun0]

Further to the flooding problem on Tonle Sap we recently did the cruise on the Jayavarman ( Heritage Line) from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap departing on July 30. We were the first trip for Heritage to go through the lake this season thanks to the higher levels of the Mekong ( last year the first one was early September)

 

We were told that as we entered the narrow channel to get into the lake we needed a draft clearance of 1.7 metres. At one stage we were at 2.3 so we were really lucky to go via the lake rather than the bus trip.

The trip across the lake was great and the journey in via the floating villages in the smaller boats was really interesting, as was the whole cruise.

 

I'm sure whatever way you go you will find life on the Mekong a fascinating experience. We certainly did.

 

June

[doreen22]

Further to the flooding problem on Tonle Sap we recently did the cruise on the Jayavarman ( Heritage Line) from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap departing on July 30. We were the first trip for Heritage to go through the lake this season thanks to the higher levels of the Mekong ( last year the first one was early September)

 

We were told that as we entered the narrow channel to get into the lake we needed a draft clearance of 1.7 metres. At one stage we were at 2.3 so we were really lucky to go via the lake rather than the bus trip.

The trip across the lake was great and the journey in via the floating villages in the smaller boats was really interesting, as was the whole cruise.

 

I'm sure whatever way you go you will find life on the Mekong a fascinating experience. We certainly did.

 

June

 

Interesting info June, thanks. Looks like the level at Tonle Sap is still over the flood level at the moment. Flood level is 10 metres and it is 10.15 today (Mekong Commission table) and has been pretty constant this last week.

 

We start our trip on Nov 15 but don't board until the 21st...I am hopeful that we will go via the lake, but as you say whatever way will be an adventure.

Susan