Mékong 湄公河

The Mekong River originates on the Tibetan Plateau – Qinghai in northwest China, and winds its way through eastern Tibet to Yunnan. It then crosses the southeast of the Asian peninsula, finally emptying into the Pacific Ocean somewhere near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Its total length exceeds 4,800 kilometers.

The Mekong does not have the same name in Chinese. It is nicknamed Lan Cang which means in the Dai language, the river of a million elephants. It is the most important river in Southeast Asia, not for millions of elephants but for millions of people living on its banks. In Thai, Mekong means the mother river.

Xishuangbanna is the last stop of the Mekong in China, and Jinghong is an international port: the boats providing the connection between Thailand and China are still in service. However, due to the very small number of passengers and the very low water level during the dry season, the crossings are not always very regular. To enjoy the view of the Mekong, we recommend crossing from Jinghong to Mekong by inflatable boat for more privacy and flexibility (900 RMB per boat), or by regular boat for a daily excursion (180 RMB per person).