Source: http://www.vnmc.gov.vn/images/map.gif

Part of Mekong River

Source: http://kekexili.typepad.com/life_on_the_tibetan_plate/images/2007/11/14/mekong_river_in_dzado.jpg

A boat tour along Mekong River

Qinghai Province (Zaqu is located at the south of Qinghai)

A view of Mekong River at at Luang Prabang , a city located in north central Laos

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_River and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luang_Prabang

A view of Southern Laos from the Mekong River

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_River

A tourist travelling along the Ruak River

Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2173/2130030692_cd9a65bf78.jpg

A view of the Golden Triangle

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_River

The river then divides Laos and Thailand, before a stretch passing through Laos alone. It is known as Maè Nam Khong (Mother of all rivers) in both Lao and Thai. The river again marks the Lao-Thai border in the stretch which passes Vientiane, followed by a short stretch through Laos alone.

A view of Mekong River in Vientiane

Source: http://i.pbase.com/u35/andrewd/upload/23391803.IMG_1552.jpg

In Cambodia, the river is called the Mékôngk or Tonle Thom (great river). Just above Phnom Penh is the confluence with the Tonle Sap, the main Cambodian tributary. Below Phnom Penh, it divides into the Bassac and the Mekong proper, which both flow into the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

A view of Mekong River from Phnom Penh

Source: http://andybrouwer.co.uk/200311.jpg

In Vietnamese, the river as a whole is known as Mê Kông. The part flowing through Vietnam, known as Sông Cửu Long (river of nine dragons), divides into two major branches, the Tiền Giang (Front River) and Hậu Giang (Back River). These in turn enter the sea through nine estuaries, thus the Vietnamese name. Here are the pictures for the tributaries and distributaries of the Mekong River.

A detailed picture of the tributaries of Mekong River

There are 5 distributaries for Mekong River: Bassac River, My Tho River, Ham Luong River, Co Chien River and Ba Lai rivers. The above picture is the Bassac River.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassac_River

Map of Mekong River in 1715

2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge: It connects Mukdahan to Savannakhet. The two-lane, 12-metre-wide, 1600-metre-long bridge opened to the general public on January 9, 2007.

3rd bridge: Pakxe Bridge

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakxe

Dams:

There are a total of 8 dams built across parts of Mekong River in Western China, namely (from the oldest to the latest) Ganlanba Dam, Mengsong Dam, Manwan Dam, Dachaoshan Dam, Gongguoqiao Dam, Jinghong Dam, Xiaowan Dam and Nuozhadu Dam.

There are many type of fishes, reptiles and mammals in Mekong River and the following are some of the unique fishes, reptiles and mammals.

Giant Mekong Catfish, Endangered

Irrawaddy dolphin, Rare

Smooth-coated otter, vulnerable

Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060601/cth6.jpg

Myth:

Balls of light are observable from time to time rising from the water's surface in the stretch of the river near Vientiane or Nong Khai. These are sometimes referred to as Naga fireballs. The locals attribute the phenomenon to Phaya Naga, Mekong Dragons.

Naga fireball (in purple circle)

Source: http://www.moohin.com/trips/nakhonphanom/payanak/150/big.jpg

Close up picture of Naga fireball

Source: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.pantawee.dk/images/payanagafire1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pantawee.dk/pajahist.asp&h=167&w=230&sz=10&hl=en&start=28&um=1&tbnid=PbaRow5OOySYfM:&tbnh=78&tbnw=108&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNaga%2Bfireballs%26start%3D21%26ndsp%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26sa%3DN

In the background are rubber plantations and shifting cultivation

Source: www.natureproducts.net/Ecotourism/Mekong.html

Poverty stricken Cambodia is an example of one nation that is completely dependent on the river for food and the vast majority of its fledgling economy.

Dai ladies gleaning the shallow waters of the Mekong for shells

Source: http://natureproducts.net/Ecotourism/Dai_gleaning400.jpg

The annual floods provide much needed water for crops of the otherwise dry dusty land, and to refresh Tonle Sap, a combined lake and river system of huge importance to Cambodia.

A satellite image of Tonle Sap

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonle_Sap

Flooding at a village near Tonle Sap

Source: http://www.scienceclarified.com/landforms/images/ueol_02_img0058.jpg

Dams have been built across Mekong River to use its water to generate hydroelectricity.

Pak Mun dam at Thailand

Source: http://www.prachatai.com/english/upload/pictitle/20070619132619_18_065256_47.jpg

Lancang gorge in Tibet

Mekong River valley near Tibet

Source: http://www.arizonahandbook.com/images/C20-34.jpg

There is a famous waterfall, Khone Falls near the Cambodian border. The Khone Falls are the main reason that the Mekong is not navigable into China.

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Somphamit.jpg/800px-Somphamit.jpg

A bigger view of the Khone Fall

Source: http://www.cpamedia.com/travel/laos_champasak_to_bolaven_plateau/khone_phapeng_falls_243x164.jpg

The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries.

A clear view of Mekong Delta and the distributaries (with the name written in bold red)

Source: http://alliance.la.asu.edu/mywonderfulworld/GeoLiteracy/MartinFord/Photos/mangroves_mekong_delta.jpg