A trip along the Mekong river by boat is one of South East Asia'a most enchanting experiences. The unspoilt natural scenery and traditional communities that line Mekong's banks provide a constant source of inspiration and fascination. Dramatic mountainscapes, lush forests and green paddies combine in a symphony of natural beauty that reminds you how things used to be. Soft breezes and powder blue skies filled with birds let you drift into relaxed reverie, while the land beyond stretches high into the rocky peaks, framing the scene with majestic splendour.

The Mekong River meanders its way through Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand and in each country the landscape and humanity changes. The volume of water below you is an inspiration in itself. In some parts, the river widens to almost become a lake, then narrows again bringing you closer to the peaceful shore the gentle folk that draw their livelihood from the Mekong's bounty. Reclining in a chair on the deck, sipping a cool drink and drifting between a book and the scenery, you soon become as calm as the waters that carry you.

The landscape passes like a film as you drift along the Mekong by boat. Towering limestone peaks spring from the ground, vegetation softening the sharp lines of the rock like fur. Trees seem to grow out of nowhere, surrounding the scene with vibrant shades of green, while also providing food and shelter for a wide range of animal and bird life.

Below the river's brooding waters, giant river fish move with and against the flow, occasionally surfacing in search of food. In the skies above the river birds of prey circle and scan the river's glistening surface for a possible meal, sometimes swooping and diving to make a tasty catch.

Human life also flourishes along the banks of this mighty river and even on a short excursion you have the chance to visit traditional villages and experience the relaxed pace of local life. Particularly in Laos, visitors are welcomed as friends and often asked to join local celebrations and festivals.

The people of the Mekong continue to live from the land and their customs have therefore changed little in centuries. Family occasions become community celebrations with births, marriages and deaths all drawing people together to eat and share stories. The Lao people's genuine, welcoming nature is famous throughout South East Asia and the people that live by the river seem even more relaxed than in other parts of the country. Their calm, unhurried attitude to life provides a powerful reminder of the frantic, stressful lives so many people live in other parts of the world.

In may ways, an excursion along the Mekong is a meditation as much as a holiday as it offer the chance to reflect on the importance of life's more simple pleasures.