WANDERLUST
We set sail down the mighty Mekong Delta to take in the sights and serenity of Cambodia and Vietnam
我們遊走湄公河三角洲，欣賞柬埔寨和越南的美景
"We are all family here on the Aqua Mekong." It’s a mantra we soon become accustomed to after we set sail from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City one hazy evening – and we discover it to be realised frequently during our stay on this exceptional cruise ship. First setting sail in 2014 as Aqua Expeditions’ latest project, the Aqua Mekong has been heavily marketed as a boutique hotel with unparalleled levels of service, more so than a regular cruise. Once on board, it becomes abundantly clear just how and why it’s considered a game changer on the cruise scene.
The design is decidedly sleek and modern, featuring all the clean lines of a contemporary Southeast Asian home on land – an aesthetic favoured by Aqua Expeditions founder Francesco Galli Zugaro – and bearing none of those decrepit clichés of Indochine’s past. All 62.5 metres of the Aqua Mekong were designed meticulously by Noor Design, an architectural firm based in Saigon. Each of the 20 rooms faces out onto the river, split on two floors, with eight of these featuring a balcony. Locally sourced materials and fabrics featuring muted hues bathe the interiors with a profound sense of tranquillity.
Holding a maximum of 40 guests, with a ratio of one staff member per guest, there’s plenty of space to roam and efficient service for everyone. During our stay, we were fortunate to be at half capacity and, as such, the dining room and lounge area was never cramped. There was little competition when it came to booking a massage at the spa or a movie in the media room, and the lounge deck at the back was all but empty when it came to night-time stargazing. Having said that, even at full capacity, it’s ensured the Aqua Mekong will still provide ample space.
「Aqua Mekong上，我們就像一家人。」從金邊駛至胡志明市，這句說話彷彿已成了口頭禪，整趟郵輪旅程中，我們亦打從心底感受到當中真諦。2014年首航的Aqua Mekong屬Aqua Expeditions的最新項目，並被視為提供無可置疑服務的精品酒店，遠超乎普通郵輪的體驗。登船後，隨即感受到它何以會被視為扭轉郵輪業界一貫觀感的關鍵。
郵輪設計俐落現代，並揉合岸上當代東南亞樓房的簡約線條，這亦是Aqua Expeditions創辦人Francesco Galli Zugaro深深喜愛的美學，不帶半點印支半島的昔日衰落印象。全長62.5米的Aqua Mekong由駐胡志明市建築公司Noor Design設計，20間客房均望向河流美景，並分成兩層，其中八間房更連陽台。室內的啞色布藝和物料均從當地搜購得來，散放著寧靜美態。
Aqua Mekong最多可乘坐40名客人，員工與貴賓的比例屬一對一，並為各人預留大量輕鬆休息的空間。幸運地，旅程中人數只佔一半，故用餐具和休息處從不擠迫。預約享受水療，或在媒體室欣賞電影也不成問題、競爭不大，後方的休息區更加是空洞無人。這亦意味著，即使全船滿載，Aqua Mekong依然可提供充裕的空間。
擠得滿滿的日間活動包括遊覽鄰近城鎮，近距離感受當地文化。精彩節目定能滿足各人喜好，包括Sa Dec當地市場導賞、到訪廟宇和房子、16公里村莊單車遊，當然一切任你自由挑選，所有節目均為我們的郵輪總監Nakey全力推薦。外遊節目分成早、午部分，客人可乘船和電動小艇來回往返，並在富經驗的導遊領隊指引下認識歷史以至美食等各方面知識。「歡迎回家」是上船後首句聽見的歡迎詞，登上郵輪、享受冰鎮飲品、接過香茅味毛巾，讓你隨即沉浸在Aqua Mekong的平靜調子中，為下趟精彩美食做好準備。
FRESH INGREDIENTS ARE PICKED UP DAILY AT LOCAL MARKETS, AND DISHES FEATURE THE CULINARY STYLES AND TRADITIONS OF THE MEKONG
Jam-packed daytime schedules include daily excursions into nearby towns for an up-close-andpersonal taste of local culture. One will find all sorts of points of interest, including a local market tour in Sa Dec, temple and house visits, and 16km village bike rides on the itinerary – all are optional, of course, but highly recommended by our cruise director, Nakey. Divided into morning and afternoon outings, guests are ferried to and fro by motorised skiff, accompanied by experienced tour guides who boast a wealth of knowledge in subjects ranging from history to cuisine. "Welcome home" are the first cheerful words you hear as you gingerly disembark the skiff, setting foot aboard the cruise ship and diving headfirst into trays of iced drinks and lemongrass-scented towels, which will ease you back into the tranquil Aqua Mekong pace and get you ready for your next meal.
Speaking of meals, which were the talk of the town (well, ship), they’re prepared by a talented staff who whip up delectable dishes from a menu created by chef David Thompson of Michelin-starred
談到精彩美食，各式佳餚均由才華萬千的員工精心炮製，並取材自米芝蓮星級泰菜餐廳Nahm主廚David Thompson的菜單。不管你的口味要求如何，總能一一迎合，值得嘉許的是，員工們無不仔細記下微細要點，如客人可能喜愛清新辣椒和夏敦埃酒，又或者討厭椰奶。清新食材均從當地市場每天搜購得來，精彩菜式則從湄公河的傳統和美食風格啟發而來，利用新鮮正宗的材料炮製，如河蝦、鯰魚、當地香草和調味料。在河上飪調煮食，你大概可想像到屬何等挑戰——窄小的船上廚房和不穩定的供應量，但這頓船上美食之旅卻是如此獨特驚喜。
Thai restaurant Nahm. Dietary requirements (no matter how quirky) were happily catered to – and praise for staff is certainly warranted here for remembering all the tiniest details, such as one guest’s penchant for fresh chillies and chardonnay, and another’s aversion to coconut milk. Fresh ingredients are picked up daily at local markets, and dishes feature the culinary styles and traditions of the Mekong, using indigenous ingredients such as river prawns and catfish amidst a bounty of local herbs and spices. Cooking on a river, as one would imagine, is a challenging feat with cosy galleys and erratic supplies, yet this on-board cuisine takes on a distinct resonance.
As I’m writing this, an announcement is made to notify us of lunch, which will be served in 15 minutes. I’m happily tucked up in a plush king-size bed, freshly showered after a chaotic and mercilessly hot morning spent getting caught in a flash storm at a bustling local market. The sun has now reappeared, as the golden tides of the Mekong surge past my line of sight. Billowy cotton-candy clouds slink across the pale blue sky lazily, like a moving watercolour painting, while a busy flurry of barges, motorboats and wooden sampans zip past my expansive window.
I consider having a fresh watermelon juice delivered to my room in the meantime, versus walking the two flights of stairs up to the expansive free-flow bar on the observatory level. Yes, this will likely be my biggest dilemma today and, frankly, one of few decisions I’ll have to make on my own during my three-day stint. Indeed, life aboard the Aqua Mekong is the stuff of dreams – I already look forward to when I can return "home" again. //
執筆編寫本篇之際，便傳來午餐公佈提示，並將於15分鐘後可供享用。走過繁華當地市場、經歷了一整個陽光猛烈的早晨後，我愉快地享受淋浴，並在King Size床上好好作息。洶湧密至的棉花形雲朵橫過淺藍天際，有如會動的水彩畫，而駁船、電動船和木舢板則在寬闊的房窗前駛過。
此刻，我正考慮該走兩道樓梯到無限量供應酒吧享用新鮮西瓜汁，還是直接讓人送到我房。是的，這大概是我今天面對過最嚴峻的兩難局面，誠言，這是為期三天行程中少數要我自行下決定的難題之一。畢竟，Aqua Mekong的海上生活根本就是一連串的夢想交織——我已等不及下一趟「歸家」之旅。//