Share A Luxury River Cruise Down the Mekong Is the Best Way to See Laos The Mekong River is the lifeline of Southeast Asia, and the best way to explore it is via a traditional teak boat that sails through the bewitching landscapes of Laos. By Simon Willis
As dusk fell over the Mekong, the crew of the
Gypsy prepared dinner on the riverbank. Sue Yang, our guide, heaped together a driftwood fire on the foreshore, splashed it with gasoline from a small bottle, and threw on a match. Meanwhile, Singkham Soudachan, the boat captain, emerged from the forest carrying lengths of bamboo. Squatting on his haunches, he transformed them into skewers. When the flames died down and the wood was white-hot, we were ready to cook.