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Captain Tran Dinh Hoe is a veteran of the Mekong River. His 35-years navigating one of the world’s major waterways owes as much to his ‘feel’ of the River as it does his understanding of its shifts and moods. On paper, the voyage from bustling HoChiMinh City to the temples of Siem Reap is a straight blue ribbon. In the wheelhouse, however, it’s a living experience that requires real know-how to steer through Vietnam’s vibrant Mekong and, later, to manage quiet waterways in Cambodia. The captain needs to constantly create safe pathways, adjusting to shifting currents and depths. He also needs to stay alert to floating debris and river traffic. His command requires equal parts navigation, diplomacy, weather-watching, and old-fashioned seamanship. Captain Hoe meets the challenge with a smile.

“Most working rivers have currents,” he says. “The Mekong has moods. Some days she pulls like she’s impatient, other days she barely wants to move. The trick isn’t to fight her, it is to listen and remain patient.”

“I have had passengers ask me how I know when to slow the engine or shift course. Truth is, you feel it in your bones. If you are respectful the Mekong will carry you all the way into Cambodia from Vietnam without a whisper of trouble.”

I’m on the 14-cabin Toum Tiou 2 New Discovery Tour, a 9-day 8-night cruise from CFMekong by CroisEurope (CFM) that begins in HoChiMinh City (HCMC), Vietnam, Saigon to locals, and ends at Koh Chen south of Siem Reap, home to the stunning Angkor Wat temples. You can also do the reverse.

We begin our journey with a city tour of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) that includes the former colonial neighbourhoods and buildings from the French colonial era, such as the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Saigon Central Post Office, followed by a visit to the War Remnants Museum.

The New Discovery Tour offers more light adventure than a typical river cruise. As well as excellent onboard facilities and delicious cuisine, passengers enjoy walking, bike-riding, visits to local villages, handicrafts, cooking classes, and a variety of kayaking/sampan/ rowing boat/motorboat experiences – all tailored to suit individual preferences and ages. Our cruise includes My Tho, with walks, sampan rides along narrow waterways, and biking through fruit orchards and local villages. We then explore the sleepy town of Sa Dec, noted for its vibrant markets and Ancient House. At Cai Be it’s a visit to a craft village and then lunch at a local restaurant where a local cook heads a small cooking class. The itinerary also includes visits to Khmer, Cham and Vietnamese communities, walks through the unspoilt Tra Su Forest, and climbs to the stunning Udong Hill. Included is a cable car ride to the top of Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, and ‘insider’ highlights of bustling Phnom Penh.

Aboard the Toum Tiou 2 in Cambodia, passengers enjoy isolated Mekong waterways and views of lush greenery, bamboo hamlets and buffalo-ploughed rice fields. Many different water birds are found here, as are floating villages, majestic temples, and cloudless skies.

The Toum Tiou 2 is purpose-built for these waters: low profile, flat bottom, and a modest draft to ride over the Mekong’s shifting sandbars and to slip under bridges at high water. Her twin engines deliver just enough thrust to muscle through strong, fresh-season currents but idle whisper-quiet while it noses into narrow canals lined with orchards and stilt houses.

The Mekong and its tributaries, especially the Tonlé Sap system, expand and contract by several meters across the year, reversing flow in places as monsoon run-off pulses downstream. For a captain, that means two itineraries for the price of one, and a readiness to switch between them.

The TT2 reflects a bygone era of romantic river cruising and service. Built of teak with the safety of a steel hull, the vessel offers passengers comfort and safety. Standouts include cosy air-conditioned double cabins, large lounge areas, panoramic viewing and strolling spaces, and a serviced bar and restaurant. The upper deck hosts six cabins, while the lower deck features eight cabins: All offer uninterrupted views of the river and breathtaking sunrises.

Special discounts for the CFM New Discovery Tour are now available, starting at AUD$2,419.45 (US$1,559) per person for a shared main-deck cabin and AUD$3,226.46 (US$2,079) for a double cabin with single use.