Luxury cruises take to the Tonle Sap, Mekong

Gliding through the water almost soundlessly, the MS AmaLotus docked for only its second time in Phnom Penh last week… At 92 meters in length and capable of holding 124 passengers, the AmaLotus is the latest cruise ship to start transporting tourists between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City on the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers. But this is no ordinary vessel. Unlike the more traditional boats that have plied the waters over the past decade, the AmaLotus comes complete with lavish extras like spa treatments, a gym and swimming pool. For those willing to pay in excess of $4,000 for a seven-night cruise, suites as big as 54 square meters are available and come with two private balconies as well as a spacious living room… As Cambodia’s tourism industry opens up – tourist arrivals have increased from one million people in 2004 to more than 2.5 million in 2010 – the river cruise industry is growing at a fast clip as the baby boom generations in the US, Europe and Australia enter retirement… AmaWaterways is not the only company looking to tap into the river cruise market here. Heritage Line, a cruise company based in Ho Chi Minh City that entered the market in 2008 with cruises between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City, will launch a 70-meter-long liner capable of transporting 52 passengers on October 29…