Lima, Peru – November 8, 2012: Following the success of river cruises on the Peruvian Amazon, Aqua Expeditions is launching its third luxury vessel in 2014 to sail the Mekong River through Cambodia and Vietnam, it was announced today by Aqua Expeditions CEO Francesco Galli Zugaro.
 
The Aqua Mekong will be the first boat of its class on the river. Keeping in style with the M/V Aria and M/V Aqua, the M/V Aqua Mekong will be small enough to be intimate, and large enough to be spacious and luxurious, paying every attention to detail from the design and decor to the cuisine and service. The M/V Aqua Mekong will have 20 suites, decorated in a lush contemporary Asian style, using local materials and fabrics, each with floor-to-ceiling picture windows enabling travelers to relax in bed and watch Asia float past. There will also be a generous-sized spa and fitness center, dining room, library, screening room, and an observation deck with a pool and a lounge bar.
 
Construction will take place in Vietnam where the boat has been designed by Noor, renowned local architects based in Saigon. Drawing inspiration from local cultures and traditions, the designers David Hodkinson and Luc Lejeune have created an elegant floating boutique hotel that will be unique to the destination.
 
Itineraries will run from Siem Reap down river to My Tho, near Saigon, stopping in Phnom Penh along the way, and vice versa. Modeling the water safari experience that the Peruvian Aqua boats have perfected, the experience will include daily river and shore excursions off the boat in skiffs.
 
“We are thrilled to be venturing into another exotic frontier,” said Galli Zugaro, “and offering the experienced traveler an authentic and world-class way of exploring the Mekong.”
 
The M/V Aqua Mekong is scheduled to begin operation in early 2014. Â