A river cruise route along the Mekong River that brings together several countries in the region, including Vietnam and Cambodia. (Photo: Telegraph)

The magazine introduces river cruise routes along the Mekong River that brings together several countries in the region, including Vietnam and Cambodia.

“This means Vietnam’s myriad attractions can be combined with a side trip to Angkor and one of the most magnificent temple complexes in the world,” the article notes.

The Telegraph suggests that visitors choose CroisiEurope, the leading European river cruise company, when going on a trip to the region. It operates five boats on the Mekong River, including the timber-built RV Indochine which takes travelers between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap. There are floating produce markets located near Can Tho, flower nurseries near Sa Dec, and stilted fishing villages in Tonle Sap – the largest lake in Southeast Asia.

The UK outlet outlines how CroisiEurope also offers numerous land extensions, with a couple of nights in Hanoi and a night on board a junk in karst-speckled Ha Long Bay on offer. Other add-ons include a six-night trip combining Hanoi and Ha Long, with visits to historical Hue on the Perfume River and the temple ruins at My Son.

Another river cruise tour mentioned in the article was Marella Cruises’ new itinerary which combines a clutch of Southeast Asia’s most captivating cities, coupled with cultural tours and visits to tropical islands and beaches.

“This one, on Marella Explorer 2, visits Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia for visits to the cultural melting pot of Malacca, and dreamy Langkawi, an island archipelago in the Malacca Strait,” the Telegraph reveals.

“From Bangkok there is a visit to the ancient capital of Ayutthaya and from Ho Chi Minh City passengers can explore the Mekong Delta by sampan with a stop at a bee farm on the spectacular fruit-producing island of Thoi Son,” it adds.

Moreover, a round-the-world voyage is also worth a try. The Telegraph shares that leaving Perth for Singapore next year, the Queen Mary 2 will call at several Australian ports before setting a course for Vietnam. On the voyage there is a port call at Bitung on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, as the Cunard flagship crosses the Banda Sea.

“Highlights of the 35-night cruise include overnights in Hong Kong and Sydney, a visit to the Tangkoko Nature Reserve in Bitung and time in the Vietnamese cities of Hue and Ho Chi Minh City. For sea days, entertainment options include a planetarium, shows at the Royal Court Theatre, films, lectures, a well-stocked library and a first-rate gym and spa,” it notes.

The last trip featured in the list is a tour down in the Delta. The cruise brings visitors along the Mekong Delta, the setting of the semi-autobiographical novel L’Amant (The Lover) by Marguerite Duras, and even visits the riverfront villa of Huynh Thuy Le, the lover who inspired the novel.

“The itinerary combines tours of heritage towns and scooter-jammed cities with visits to fishing communities and riverside markets in the Mekong Delta, a blessing by a Buddhist monk at Wat Oudong (Cambodia) and a sobering walk around the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh,” it concludes.