Asia River Cruises
River, land and timing — how to plan an Asia river cruise that works.
Get Free Asia River Cruise QuotesAn Asia River Cruise Is Really a Journey
Asia river cruises are built differently from a week on the Rhine. The ship might carry you for seven nights on the Mekong or four on the Yangtze, but around it sit flights between countries, hotel nights in great cities, and land touring to places no river reaches — Angkor Wat, Ha Long Bay, the Terracotta Army, the Taj Mahal. Asia River Cruising is about planning that whole journey well: which river, which land package, which month, and how to avoid the pitfalls.
We do not publish fares or invent ratings. We explain how the trips are put together, name the lines and routes that have actually been announced, and tell you what to ask. When you are ready, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise compare live departures and send free quotes.
The rivers of Asia river cruising
- The Mekong — Vietnam and Cambodia: delta villages, floating markets, Phnom Penh and a transfer to Angkor.
- The Yangtze — China: the Three Gorges between Chongqing and Yichang. More
- The Ganges and Brahmaputra — India: Bengal’s river towns, Varanasi, and Assam’s wildlife.
- The Chao Phraya — Thailand: short cruises between Bangkok and the old capital, Ayutthaya.
Plan Your Asia River Cruise
Land and Cruise Packages
How the cruise and the land tour fit together, typical package shapes for each river, and what to check.
Asia River Cruises 2027
New ships, returning routes and what the lines have announced for next year.
When to Go
Monsoons, high and low water and the best months for each river.
Yangtze River Cruising
The Three Gorges, the dam and how a China river cruise fits a first trip to China.
Why Use an Advisor
What a travel agent does on an Asia river cruise that a booking website will not.
Asia River Cruises Side by Side
| Mekong | Yangtze | Ganges | Chao Phraya | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Countries | Vietnam, Cambodia | China | India | Thailand |
| Typical cruise | About 7 nights | About 3–4 nights | About 7 nights | 2–3 nights |
| Common land add-ons | Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Angkor | Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai | Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi | Bangkok, northern Thailand |
| Best known for | Village life, temples, markets | Gorges and dramatic scenery | Spiritual India, colonial towns | Temples and royal capitals |
For a deeper, river-by-river look at routes and ships, our sister site Asia River Cruises is the place to go; for single rivers, see Mekong Riverboat Cruises, Yangtze Riverboat Cruises, Ganges River Cruises and Brahmaputra River Cruise. If your Asia trip is by ocean ship instead, Asia Shore Excursions covers excursions in more than 20 Asian ports, and Cruising China covers ocean cruising in China and East Asia. Our Official River Cruise Directory gathers every river site we publish in one place.
A Note on Myanmar
The Irrawaddy was once one of Asia’s most popular river cruise routes. After the 2021 coup most international lines stopped sailing there, and although a few local operators have announced a return, the U.S. State Department travel advisories for Burma remains at its highest level, Do Not Travel. We do not recommend booking Myanmar river cruises while that advisory stands.
Who Is Behind This Site
Asia River Cruising is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
An Asia river cruise involves several countries, visas and internal flights. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise put the whole trip together and stay with you from booking to home. Meet Mister Cruise →
Asia River Cruises: Quick Answers
Where do Asia river cruises sail?
Most sail the Mekong between southern Vietnam and Cambodia. Others sail the Yangtze in China, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra in India, and the Chao Phraya in Thailand. Cruises in Myanmar have been largely suspended since 2021, and the U.S. State Department currently advises against travel there.
How long is an Asia river cruise?
The river portion is often a week or a little more on the Mekong and three or four nights on the Yangtze. Almost every trip adds land nights — Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Angkor in Southeast Asia; Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai in China; Delhi, Agra and Jaipur in India — so the whole journey usually runs 12 to 20 days.
Is Asia river cruising good for first-time visitors to Asia?
Very good. The ship is your base, guides handle the language and logistics, and the land portions are organized. It is one of the easiest ways to see places such as Angkor and the Mekong Delta for the first time.
Do I need visas?
Usually, yes, and the rules differ by country and change from time to time. Vietnam, Cambodia, China and India each have their own requirements. Your advisor will tell you what is needed for your passport and when to apply.
Plan Your Asia River Cruise
Tell us which river and which sights matter most. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will build the cruise and the land package together and send free quotes.
Get Free Asia River Cruise QuotesMore From Our Cruise Network
Hear first about new Asia departures and offers in the Mister Cruise cruise-offers newsletter. Interested in selling journeys like these? See Be a Travel Agent. More ideas: Official Travel Directory and Best of the USA.