The Mekong River

The Mekong is the world's 12th-longest river.

It is also the longest river in Southeast Asia, which flows for 2,600 miles from inland China to the southeast—passing through Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before it empties into the South China Sea. The river forms the border between Myanmar (Burma) and Laos, as well as most of the border between Laos and Thailand.

As you float through Vietnam and Cambodia, you will come to understand how vastly important the Mekong is for this region, with literally millions of villagers dependent on the river as a source of economic livelihood and food. Approximately eighty percent of Cambodians’ protein intake comes from fish from the Mekong, and the Vietnamese, who cultivate the fertile agricultural lands of the Mekong River’s delta, rely on the water for about half of all its agriculture.

The Mekong River is also the center for Vietnamese culture, given that it serves as a major transportation route for villagers in the Delta. From floating markets selling fish, coconut candy, tropical fruit, vegetables and flowers to bee farms that line the river, the Mekong and its delta are bustling hubs of activity.

This beautiful river, however, is under threat. Laos has recently proposed building a hydroelectric dam on the Mekong River, and its plan is under review by the Mekong River Commission. Environmentalists and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) fear that the project will destroy the river’s delicate ecosystem, resulting in economic disaster. The Irrawaddy Dolphin of the Mekong is already on the World Wildlife Fund’s list of endangered species.

The development of eco-tourism on and along the Mekong will play a critical role in preserving both the village life and the wildlife of the Mekong River region.