The Mekong Delta – Delta of the 9 Dragons

 

Touring the orchards, paddy fields and swamplands of the Mekong Delta, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped into the pages of a geography textbook. A comma-shaped flatland stretching from Ho Chi Minh’s city limits southwest to the Gulf of Thailand, the delta is Vietnam’s rice bowl, an agricultural miracle that pumps out more than a third of the country’s annual food crop from just ten percent of its total land mass.

Rice may be the delta’s staple crop, but coconut palms, fruit orchards and sugar-cane groves also thrive in its nutrient-rich soil, and the sight of conical-hatted farmers tending their land is one of Vietnam’s most enduring images. To the Vietnamese, the region is known as Cuu Long, “Nine Dragons”, a reference to the nine tributaries of the Mekong River, which dovetail across plains fashioned by millennia of flood-borne alluvial sediment.

Surprisingly, agriculture gripped the delta only relatively recently. Under Cambodian sway until the close of the seventeenth century, the region was sparsely inhabited by the Khmer krom, or “downstream Khmer”, whose settlements were framed by swathes of marshland. The eighteenth century saw the Viet Nguyen lords steadily broaden their sphere of influence to encompass the delta, though by the 1860s France had taken over the reins of government. Sensing the huge profits to be gleaned from such fertile land, French colons spurred Vietnamese peasants to tame and till tracts of the boggy delta; the peasants, realizing their colonial governors would pay well for rice harvests, were quick to comply. Ironically, the same landscape that had served the French so well also provided valuable cover for the Viet Minh resistance fighters who sought to overthrow them; later it did the same for the Viet Cong, who had well-hidden cells here – inciting the Americans to strafe the area with bombs and defoliants.

A visit to the Mekong Delta is so memorable because of the region’s diversity. Everyday scenes include children riding on the backs of water buffalo or cycling to school through country lanes clad in white ao dai; rice workers stooping in a sea of emerald; market vendors grinning behind stacks of fruit; bright yellow incense sticks drying at the roadside; flocks of storks circling over a sanctuary at dusk; Khmer monks walking mindfully in the shadow of pastel pagodas; locals scampering over monkey bridges or rowing boats on the delta’s maze of channels.

There are over a dozen towns in the delta with facilities for tourists, though some are rarely visited as they are not on the way to anywhere. My Tho is well geared up for boat trips, and near enough to Ho Chi Minh City to be seen on a day-trip: it affords an appetizing glimpse of the delta’s northernmost tributary, the Tien Giang. From My Tho, laidback Ben Tre and the bounteous fruit orchards besieging it are only a hop and a skip away. Cao Lanh is strictly for bird enthusiasts, but Sa Dec , with its timeless river scenes and riotously colourful flower nurseries, has a more universal appeal, while just down the road, Vinh Long is another jumping-off point for boat trips.

Many visitors spend a day or two in Can Tho, the delta’s biggest settlement, to take advantage of its decent hotels and restaurants and to recharge batteries before venturing out to the floating markets nearby. From Can Tho, there’s something to be said for dropping down to the foot of the delta, where the swampland that surrounds Ca Mau can be explored by boat, and  Mui Ca Mau signals journey’s end in Vietnam. Pulling up, en route, at the Khmer stronghold of Soc Trang is especially rewarding if your trip coincides with the colourful Oc Om Bok festival (Nov or Dec), during which the local Khmer community takes to the river to stage spectacular longboat races. Northwest of Can Tho meanwhile, and a stone’s throw from the Cambodian border, is the ebullient town of Chau Doc, south of which Sam Mountain provides a welcome undulation in the surrounding plains. The opening of the border here has brought a steady stream of travellers going on to Phnom Penh by boat, and several of them rest up a few days here before leaving the country.

What to see in the Mekong Delta?

01 – Chau Doc

Since the opening of the border to Cambodia a few kilometres north of town, Chau Doc has boomed in popularity, and is the only place apart from Can Tho where you are likely to see foreigners in any numbers. Snuggled against the west bank of the Hau Giang River, the town came under Cambodian rule until it was awarded to the Nguyen lords in the mid-eighteenth century for their help in putting down a localized rebellion.

The area sustains a large Khmer community, which combines with local Cham and Chinese to form a diverse social melting pot. Just as diverse is Chau Doc’s religious make-up: as well as Buddhists, Catholics and Muslims, the region supports an estimated 1.5 million devotees of the indigenous Hoa Hao religion. Forays by Pol Pot’s genocidal Khmer Rouge into this corner of the delta led to the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1978.

On Doc Phu Thu and a few other streets in town, colonial relics are still evident, but their grand shophouse terraces, flaunting arched upper-floor windows and awnings propped up by decorous wrought-iron struts, are interspersed with characterless new edifices.

02 – Ha Tien

Of all Delta towns, Ha Tien, at the extreme northwest on the border with Cambodia, has been changing the fastest in recent years: where once it received only a trickle of visitors, it now buzzes with Western travellers. Two major factors have caused this: first, the opening of the border to foreigners at Xa Xia, just north of Ha Tien, meaning that it’s now possible to head directly to Cambodia’s coastal towns of Kep and Sihanoukville without passing through Phnom Penh; and the second factor is the beginning of hydrofoil services to Phu Quoc, offering a shorter and cheaper route to the island than from Rach Gia.

Thus this town, which until recently had an end-of-the-line feel, is coming to terms with its newfound popularity.

03 – Vinh Long

Ringed by water and besieged by boats and tumbledown stilthouses, the island that forms the heart of Vinh Long has the feel of a medieval fortress. However, if you find yourself yearning for a peaceful backwater, first impressions will be a let-down; central Vinh Long is hectic and noisy, its streets a blur of buses and motorbikes. Make for the waterfront, though, and it’s a different story, with hotels, restaurants and cafés conjuring up something of a riviera atmosphere.

From here you can watch the Co Chien River roll by, dotted with sampans, houseboats and the odd raft of river-weed. Though there’s little to see or do in town, Vinh Long offers some of the most interesting boat trips in the delta – to the Cai Be floating market, coconut candy workshops, fruit orchards or even overnighting in home-stays.

04 – Bac Lieu

Beyond Soc Trang the landscape becomes progressively more waterlogged and water palms hug the banks of the waterways that crisscross it. A little over 40km southwest of Soc Trang, Highway 1 dips south towards the crown of Bac Lieu, before veering off west to Ca Mau. It may be the back end of nowhere, but Bac Lieu’s prosperity is evident in new shopping complexes and upmarket homes around the centre.

The source of this prosperity is overseas Vietnamese, many of whom hail from this region. Although there are few sights to set the pulse racing, the town’s got the only accommodation between Soc Trang and Ca Mau and is in good proximity to the nearby Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary.

05 – Soc Trang

Straddled across an oily branch of the Mekong, Soc Trang lacks the panache of other delta towns, though on the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month (Nov–Dec) the town springs to life as thousands converge to see traditional Khmer boats (thuyen dua) racing each other during the Oc Om Boc festival.

Discover our 02-days trip at the Mekong Delta.

Have a nice trip!

My Tho – At the Mekong Delta

 

My Tho is the capital city of Tien Giang Province in Mekong delta. This center of Education, economics and technology has a population of around a quarter of a million. The majority of people here are ethnic Kinh. Many live in rickety stilt houses built into the My Tho River. It is a blaze of life and color. For many tourists coming to see Delta Tours; My Tho is the point of entry. Many of the tour buses from Saigon, arrive here dropping them off in order that they can board their tour boats.

A bit of Mekong history

My Tho was founded in about 1680 by Chinese immigrants fleeing persecution in Taiwan. The town was originally part of the Khmer Empire and was annexed by Vietnam in the 18th century. The My Tho River is one of the many that make up the Mekong Delta, it was from this that the city was named. When the French invaders came in 1862, the capture of My Tho was paramount to their control. The taking of the city is seen as the final cog in the establishment of French Cochichina. Colonialism did not however hamper the city’s economic development. Throughout this period in history it continued to prosper.

Easy access to a gateway city

There are many daily buses running from Mien Tay bus station in Sai Gon. In addition dozens of independent buses hired by hire companies make the trip. This is a really busy place. The bus station is on the outskirts of town an taxis and motorbikes bring passengers in. It is wroth noting that many will try and drop their passengers off at The Rang Dong Hotel, this is not in the center of town. It is worth giving clear instructions to your diver. The center of town is quite small and very easy to walk round. There is plenty to do in this region and it nearly all involves the river. Boat trips are many and varied. Everything is accessible by water in the delta. Whether its to Can Tho, The floating markets, Ben Tre or anywhere else. Some of these routes are busy with tourists, others are quiet backwaters. Ben Tre for example is quiet, even though it is only a twenty minute boat ride away. The floating markets are incredibly busy, but that is their appeal. Everywhere you go in the Mekong the people are friendly, the food is great and the scenery is magnificent. It really is like stepping back in time. Probably the only difference between now and hundreds of year ago, will be the sound of the motor boat engines.

Thing to do in My Tho

01 – The boat trip

The most common reason to visit My Tho is for the Mekong Delta boat trip, a tour on and around a few islands in the Mekong river.

Whether you choose to do the Mekong Delta boat trip arranged from Ho Chi Minh City or locally at the pier, the official boat takes visitors to the Dragon (Con Tan Long), Tortoise (Con Quy) and Unicorn (Con Thoi Son) islands to see the cottage industries, which can be interesting if you’ve never seen a tropical fruit orchard or coconut candy being made before.

In a typical itinerary, the first stop is a tasting of local fruits like jackfruit, pomelo, guava or perhaps some tea, local honey or banana liquor. Next up (and it’s all very hurried) is a quick ride in a sampan—a row boat piloted by ladies in conical hats— and, hats off to them, they navigate with ease down narrow waterways congested with other tourist boats. The women paddle quickly however, all too eager to dispose of you in order to queue for the next fare.

02 – Vinh Trang pagoda

Dating back to 1849, Vinh Trang Pagoda is a large, peaceful Buddhist temple around one kilometre north of My Tho city’s centre and it’s worth the visit if you’re in town, especially during the morning prayers.

The pagoda brings together Chinese, Vietnamese, Khmer and European architecture, and has various Buddha statues, including a large scale standing Amitabha, reclining Buddha and big bellied laughing Buddha.

Vinh Trang has a number of impressive features like the ornate gate, built by craftsmen from Hue, and detailed woodwork within—look for the dragon’s tongues running down the wooden pillars on each side of the altar. Bricks and mortar aside, the temple will be memorable if you can arrive when the monks are chanting, around 10:00 in the morning, which is followed by drumming and a procession to the dining hall for a vegetarian feast fit for a monk—buckets of soup included—at around 10:45. The monks chant a prayer at the table before commencing.

Vinh Trang Pagoda is sometimes a stop on Mekong Delta day trips from Ho Chi Minh City, usually the more expensive small group tour—check on inclusions when booking. If you’re really into temples, it will be worth choosing a tour that includes it, hopefully arriving in time for the chanting and procession to the meal. In fact, for us it was the highlight as Vinh Trang was the only stop on our tour that didn’t include hoards of other tourists.

03 – My Tho market

By the time most travellers begin to rub sleep from their eyes, the vendors at My Tho’s central market (Cho My Tho) are already going full swing. An enthralling walk through the market is a good way to fill the time in a city thin on things for tourists to do.

My Tho market is in the eastern side of the My Tho’s city centre, at Vo Thanh and Trung Trac St, abutting Bao Dinh canal. The wet market is mainly outdoors, running along Trung Trac St. While it’s not necessary to be there when it’s dark or at the crack of dawn, you should aim to be there reasonably early, let’s say before 08:00, in order to see the market busy with activity.

Fish of all shapes and sizes splosh around in big tubs as one by one, they meet their executioners who expertly gut, scale and clean them to order. Seafood is abundant in the Mekong Delta, and it takes a lot of work to prepare. Watch people remove the ink sack from squids, tie up crab claws and scrub cockles before laying it all out in a neat display.

Along with seafood, the Mekong Delta also is well known for its agricultural prowess. There’s just about every kind of tropical fruit and vegetable imaginable, tableaus that are a photographer’s dream—who knew root veg could be so photogenic?

Some of the fruits can be cut up for you and eaten on the spot, so look for tasty jackfruit, coconut water, papayas, pineapples and mangos, just to name a few.

Typical of markets in Vietnam, the shops in and around the central building sell one type of things, sometimes wonderfully niche. Do peruse the stands in there are well. Need a bird cage? Well, go to the bird cage shop.

Have a nice trip!

Ben Tre – Land of Coconut Palms in the Mekong Delta

 

The picturesque little province of Ben Tre was always one ferry beyond the tourist traffic of My Tho and consequently developed at a more languid pace, although new bridges connecting Ben Tre with My Tho and Tra Vinh funnelled more visitors into the area. The town’s sleepy waterfront, lined with ageing villas, is easy to explore on foot, as is the rustic settlement across the bridge to the south of the centre. This is also a good place to arrange boat trips in the area, particularly for those wanting to escape the tour-bus bustle in  great Mekong Delta. Plus, the riverside promenade and the narrow lanes on both sides of the river are ideal for two-wheeled exploration.

The Ben Tre area is famous for its keo dua (coconut candy). Many local women work in small factories making these sweets, spending their days boiling cauldrons of the sticky coconut goo before rolling it out and slicing sections into squares.

When it comes to Ben Tre, our mind is easily popped up with an image of many intricate canals, rivers, and lush fruit gardens. As one of the Mekong Delta provinces in the Southern Vietnam, this sleepy and laid-back region is also well-known for friendly locals, sweet coconut candies, and the cradle of Dong Khoi. Every year, it has welcomed a number of visitors who are fond of a peaceful getaway away from the city’s chaotic vibe. Ben Tre is surely well worth a visit, in terms of its unparalleled beauty, historical significance, and exotic cuisine! Cannot wait to discover this watery place by yourself? Then, Ben Tre travel guide on tops things to do below promises to cater for your need.

Best time to visit

The weather in Ben Tre is calm and comfortable all year round, which becomes an ideal spot for tourists to set foot in every time. However, it is better to avoid the rainy season (from May to October) because this time may cause a few difficulties during the boat trip. The most wonderful moment to enjoy abundant tropical fruits is from June to August or after Tet holiday where you will have an opportunity to spread your eyes over the Nghinh Ong Rite or Phu Le Pagoda Festival.

Things to do?

01 – Visit orchards and fruit gardens

Famous orchards (i.e. Tien Long, Cai Mon, or Tam Phu) will certainly bring you an exciting and unforgettable experience. Ben Tre wins travelers’ heart by the haven of specialty fruits in which 41,000 hectares of orchards are likely to produce about 375,000 tons of fruits every year. There are many types of fresh fruits in the gardens for you to enjoy directly.

02 – Drop by one of the coconut candy factories

As the homeland of coconuts, a trip to Ben Tre will never be completed without an arrival to one of the coconut candy workshops. Such the candies are made in a very simple way. Locals will squeeze fresh grated coconut to get coconut milk. Then, it is mixed with sugar as well as boiled until it becomes thick. It is finally put on a mold covered with a layer of coconut oil before being cut into small pieces. During the process, makers usually use durian flavor or roasted peanut for a special flavor. So, those who are interested in exploring the lifestyle and culture of the locals should adopt a visit to reputable factories to gain hands-on experience of how people manufacture these sweet and tasty candies. Of course, it will be a nice idea to buy them as lovely gifts for your beloved families and friends.

03 – Vam Ho Bird Garden to your travel itinerary

As a must-see place in Ben Tre, the garden is home to many different species of birds (like storks, herons, etc.) and rare animals. It is a good chance to learn the lives of thousands of birds on the tree and satisfy your photography favorite.

Spend time heading toward a few islets in Ben Tre

Stopping by Quy Islet, Phung Islet, and Oc Islet is worth time and experience. While Phung Islet allows you to contemplate many magnificent architectures and some relics of the Dao Dua, you will freely savor yummy fruits, fresh food, as well as watch a show of “Don Ca Tai Tu” in Quy Islet. If you simply want to have an escape in a tranquil place with beautiful landscapes and eye-catching scenery, then Oc Islet will not make you disappointed!

What to eat?

After a long day of discovery, let’s tickle your taste bud with some famous and traditional dishes here. Coconut rice, or also called Cơm Dừa, is a special dish which cannot be found in any place in the country, but Ben Tre. The rice is usually cooked with the coconut juice that leaves sweet flavor on gourmets’ mouth!

The second famous specialty here is My Long rice paper, or also known as Bánh Tráng Mỹ Lồng. This kind of paper wins an award for its fatness, softness, and irresistible smell when it is grilled on fire. In general, there are 3 types of rice paper, including rice paper with milk, with coconut or with eggs.

Stewed gobies with coconut milk, or also namely Cá Bống Kho Nước Dừa, are another type of delicious dish you should try once in a lifetime. After washing and cleaning gobies, the cook will stew them inside the pot of coconut milk with small fire. The food is ready when there is no milk left. After cooked, the fish’s bones are very easily removed.

Discover our circuit in the Mekong Delta in 03 days.

Have a nice trip!

Can Tho – The Capital of Mekong in Vietnam

 

Can Tho lies in the Mekong Delta on the west bank of the Hau River which is a branch of the Mekong River. The city lies about 170 km west of Ho Chi Minh City

Watch the bustling activity on one of the floating markets. Live the past in one of the ancient houses. Visit the orchards full of delicious tropical fruit and enjoy some of it while listening to traditional music. See and try what can be made of rice or coconut, the symbol of Ben Tre. Learn more about the historical events that took place and the people taking part in it by visiting the places where these events took place. Enjoy the beautiful nature by taking a boat tour alongside the various sights.

Thing to do and see around Can Tho

Enjoy local life on one of the floating markets. Observe birds in one of the stork gardens. Make a boat trip through the canals and visit handicraft villages or an orchard. Become a Vietnamese in the old days by visiting My Khanh village. Visit a museum or ancient house to learn more about life in south Vietnam.

01 – Ba Lang Garden

This garden has an area of 4.2ha on which you will find an animal sanctuary and Ao Sen Lake, two lakes for swimming, an outdoor stage and mini-hotels. This garden is located in 9km from Can Tho

02 – Bang Lang Stork Garden

It is called stork garden, but actually the majority of birds belong to the heron-family and not to the stork-family, even though they might look like each other. The garden started in 1983, because many birds choose the garden of Mr. Bay Co as their home. Bay Co created good conditions for the birds to live in his garden. Gradually the garden expanded to the current area of 12,500m2 and the number of birds is now between 100,000 and 150,000 spread over more than 10 species, such as cattle egret, striated heron, black-crowned night heron, and painted stork. Besides herons and storks you can see also other species such as: ibis, little cormorant, greater coucal. You can observe the storks on a wooden platform at a height of 8 metres.
The white cattle egret form the largest group of birds with 80 % of the total population in the garden. These birds build their nests in the garden from March to August. Their main food consist of fish, shellfish, tiny shrimps, locusts, insects, etc. They often leave early in the morning to find food and come back in the late afternoon, so the best time to see the birds in action is between 5-6 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. The stork garden lies in Thoi Thuan Commune, in Thot Not district, about 50km northwest of Can Tho in the direction of Long Xuyen.

03 – Boat Tour

You can make a boat tour through the small tributaries of Can Tho river which forms a fascinating travel network

04 – Brick and Pottery Factory

There are still some old brick and pottery factories or kilns in this area. They are located near the river, because clay is near there and once the bricks are ready, water transport is the cheapest way to transport the products elsewhere. The factories look like big beehives. The government had decided that these kilns should be replaced by the end of 2010, because of the high pollution they are causing. Till now this has not happened, because switching to more environmentally friendly tunnel brick-kilns is too expensive for most producers. Efforts to minimise pollution have not been successful either, also because of the high costs. It is interesting to see how the bricks and pottery is made.

05 – Ca Ba House

This old house is actually not one but three houses built by three brothers of the Ca Ba family. The collected antiques and these are kept in the largest house. Amongst the items collected are: a manchon lamp hanging from the ceiling, wooden parallel sentences, worshipping tools for forefathers, old weapons and sideboards inlaid with conch shell. The houses were built in 1918 and completed in 1925 in a French architectural style, but in harmony with traditional southern design. It has a tiled roof, brick walls and wooden pillars. The houses are located in a nice garden is surrounded by a brick wall, an iron gate and a corridor of pillars that are decorated with detailed and elegant patterns. On one side the garden borders a canal. In front of the house is a bridge from where you have a nice panoramic view of the houses lying gently in canals, trees and flowers. The houses are located in Thot Not district near Cai Ngai Canal, 50 km northwest of Can Tho in the direction of Long Xuyen.

06 – Cai Rang Floating Market

This market is the main wholesale floating market near Can Tho and one of the three biggest markets in the Mekong Delta, the other being Cai Be and Phung Hiep. You will have the chance to experience a special type of market in which all purchasing activities take place on boats and ships of different sizes and which are the shops and stalls at this market. The best time to go to the market is from sunrise, so around 5 a.m., to 9:00 a.m. Later it becomes quiet and there is not much to see anymore. This floating market is in Cai Rang about 8km by road or a 20km loop by boat south of Can Tho.

07 – Floating Markets

There are various floating markets near Can Tho and they are a very lively scene, accommodating much of the goods exchange throughout the area. A floating market usually starts at 4 or 5 in the morning before dawn and ends more or less at 10 a.m. The main items sold are farm products and it depends on the season which kind of fruit and vegetables, but you can find pineapple, dragon fruit, water melon, yam, coconuts and cabbage which are the dominant goods at these floating markets. Every boat has a long pole, cay beo in Vietnamese, at its bow standing upright with samples of the goods for sale attached to it with a rope. So they do not need to cry to sell the goods as it can be seen from a distance, besides the fact that cries would not be heard in the vastness of the river and the noise of boat engines. Big boats are the wholesalers, who sell to dealers from neighboring provinces. You can also find garden tools, crafts and boats that sell Vietnamese breakfast like Bun or Hu Tieu, or beer and soft drinks. Of course they cannot hang a bowl of noodle on a pillar, so, if you want to eat, you should look for smoke and follow the smell. Go early, around 6 a.m. and enjoy the lively buying and selling of products. The floating markets in the vicinity of Can Tho are:
– Cai Rang Floating Market is the main wholesale floating market near Can Tho;
– Phong Dien Floating Market  is a retail market upstream the Can Tho river;
– Phụng Hiep Floating Market is farther away and is mainly a snake market;
– Tra On Floating Market is a small floating village’s market anchored near Clouds Island (Cù Lao Mây) and is even farther away

08 – Handicraft Villages

There are some handicraft villages in Thot Not District 50km northwest of Can Tho, where things are made used in daily life in the Mekong Delta: Di Tho “lop” Village (lop is a bamboo tool to catch fish), Ba Rui “clay stove” Village and Thom Rom “net” Village.

09 – Ho Chi Minh Temple

This temple was built in 1969 and restored many times. Annually, many visitors come here to pay tribute to Ho Chi Minh, especially on 19 May, his birthday, and 2 September, liberation day. The temple is located in Luong Tam Commune in Long My District, about 60 km southwest of Can Tho.

10 – Long My Historical Site

During the two resistance wars Long My was the revolutionary base of the western part of South Vietnam where many battles took place. A temple dedicated to Ho Chi Minh is located on this site as well. The site is in Long My District about 60km southwest of Can Tho.

11 – Long Tuyen Village

This is an old village in Binh Thuy District, north of the centre of Can Tho. The houses here have a mixed architectural style combining various cultures: western and eastern, including Chinese, French, American, Cham and Japanese. It used to be a subdivision of Luc Ap before Can Tho Province was incorporated, then it became Binh Hung village during the reign of Nguyen King Thieu. In 1852, when Huynh Man Dat, a province chief, escaped danger here, the village was renamed Binh Thuy, but now it is known as Long Tuyen Village 11km west of Can Tho.

12 – My Khanh Village

My Khanh Village, established in 1996, is a garden-style eco-tourist site of 2.2 ha. The area has more than 20 species of fruit trees, as well as various species of birds, fishes, tortoises, snakes, crabs and shrimps. You can experience the way the people in the south lived, dressed up like a rich landlord who lived in a big house or of a normal traditional farmer. There is a difference, because as a rich landlord, you enjoy fruit, hot tea and listen to music from a gramophone on a 300 years’ old hand-operated gramophone and as a farmer, you “have” to work and prepare meals as farmers did in the past. There is a 100 years’ old house that was moved piece by piece from Can Tho’s Binh Thuy District and reassembled here. You can eat Mekong Delta specialties such as baby rabbits, snakes, tortoises, bats, cuckoos and crocodiles, including regional fruits such as rambutans, durians, langsats, mangosteens, oranges, tangerines and pomeloes. There is also a possibility to spend the night in Central Highlands’ style stilt houses *ruong houses” that in total have 300 furnished rooms in all. On the site you will also find a swimming pool or you can go fishing and row a boat on the river.
My Khanh Villag  is located in Phong Dien District, about 11km west of Can Tho

13 – Phong Dien Floating Market

This retail market is further upstream the Can Tho Rriver is very active at dawn, but slows down early. The market is located in Phong Dien District  about 20km west of Can Tho.

Have a nice trip!

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) – The Dynamic City of Vietnam

 

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is Vietnam’s commercial headquarters brash and busy with a keen sense of its own importance as Vietnam emerges from years of austerity to claim a place in the “Asian Tiger” economic slugfest.

Located on the Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s major port and largest city, with an estimated population of over eight million people, most of whom cruise the town’s clogged arteries on an estimated three million motorbikes. True to its reputation, the city is noisy, crowded, and dirty, but the central business district is rapidly developing in steel-and-glass precision to rival any city on the globe. The old Saigon still survives in wide downtown avenues flanked by pristine colonials. Hectic and eclectic, Ho Chi Minh City has an attitude all its own.

Saigon is a relatively young Asian city, founded in the 18th century, but its history tells the story of Vietnam’s recent struggles. Settled mainly by civil war refugees from North Vietnam along with Chinese merchants, Saigon quickly became a major commercial center in the late 1800s. With a very convenient protected port along the Saigon River, the city became a confluence in Indochina for goods passing from China and India to Europe.

Places like today popular tourist stop Ben Thanh Market were abuzz with activity. When the French took over the region about that time in the 1880s they called the south “Cochin China,” Annam being central Vietnam and Tonkin the north. Saigon became the capital. We owe the wide boulevards and grand colonial facades of central District 1 to years of French control and influence. After the French left in 1954, Saigon remained the capital of South Vietnam until reunification in 1975.

As the logistical base for American operations during the Vietnam War time, the city is all too familiar to the many American servicemen and women who spent time in Vietnam. Saigon is perhaps best known for its “fall” a pell-mell evacuation from the rooftop of the U. S. Embassy and the desperate last-ditch efforts of helicopter pilots to get just one more person out to the offshore U. S. carriers. The stories of that day, of divided families and the ones left behind, are heart-wrenching.

The years that followed were even bleaker, with a country feeding itself on ideology, not rice, but the progressive Doi Moi economic reforms, which opened Vietnam to foreign investment, aid, and cooperation, set the town on its feet. The city boomed for a little while in the 1990s until foreign investors were choked and bullied by bureaucracy many companies pulling out lock, stock, and barrel but FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) is returning, led mostly by Asian investors (from Japan, Korea, and China). Now the future looks bright for this burgeoning Tiger capital.
There are two distinct seasons in Saigon: The always hot (average 82°F/28°C) and rainy season lasts from May to November, the dry season from December to April.

Some of Saigon’s tourism highlights include the Vietnam History Museum, the grisly War Remnants Museum, and Cholon, the Chinese District, with its pagodas and exotic stores. Dong Khoi Street formerly fashionable Rue Catinat during the French era and Tu Do, or Freedom Street, during the Vietnam War is once again a strip of grand hotels, some dating from the colonial era, new chic shops and boutiques, and lots of fine dining and cafes.

Saigon’s food is some of the best Vietnam has to offer, its nightlife sparkles, and the shopping here is fast and furious. The city is also a logical jumping off point for excursions to southern destinations, including the Mekong Delta, the Cu Chi Tunnels, and Phan Thiet beach.

Thing to do à Sai Gon

01 – Binh Tay Market

Binh Tay Market, constructed by the French in the 1880s, is located in the centre of Vietnam’s largest Chinatown district. Unlike Ben Thanh Market in District 1, this market mainly serves the local population with its extensive range of fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, meat and seafood from regions across Vietnam. Also known as Cholon Chinatown Market, Binh Tay Market occupies a two-storey building along Thap Moui Street. Travellers can also find an assortment of handicrafts, lacquerware, and textiles that are sold in bulk, though goods are not varied compared to other (more touristy) markets in downtown Hanoi. Along with the interesting historical and cultural aspect of Cholon, Binh Tay Market is great for experiencing the local lifestyle and sampling unique Vietnamese-Chinese delicacies.

02 – The War Remnants Museum

The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City first opened to the public in 1975. Once known as the ‘Museum of American War Crimes’, it’s a shocking reminder of the long and brutal Vietnam War. Graphic photographs and American military equipment are on display. There’s a helicopter with rocket launchers, a tank, a fighter plane, a single-seater attack aircraft. You can also see a conventional bomb that weighs at 6,800kg. American troops had used these weapons against the Vietnamese between 1945 and 1975

03 – Cu Chi Tunnel

The Chu Chi Tunnels are part of a massive war museum in Ho Chi Minh. They offer visitors a sneak-peek at the underground life of Vietnamese soldiers back in 1948. The site has over 120km of underground tunnels, with trapdoors, living areas, kitchens, storage facilities, armoury, hospitals, and command centres. After the war against the French, Vietnamese soldiers expanded the tunnels and included effective air filtration systems, which helped them survive the Chu Chi carpet-bombings

It is now one of Ho Chi Minh’s most iconic attractions. You can enjoy plenty of activities during your visit. A popular option is following the narrow routes of the underground tunnel. Before entering the underground tunnels, visitors watch a short film of Chu Chi Tunnels so that they understand how the tunnel system works. Parts of Chu Chi Tunnels are also cemented and widened, so that the crawl is less harrowing than it would have been in the past.

04 – Cao Dai Temples

There are nine hierarchies of worship including a pope, cardinals and archbishop with festivals, rituals and prayer all practiced regularly. The temple is similar in design to a Christian Cathedral featuring side aisles and an altar, as well as a long central nave, all positioned as they would be in a Christian Church. There is even a high dome decorated with clouds and saints. The main focal point is a Divine Eye symbolising God which has the Ying and Yang icon in its pupil. Ceremonies take place daily with two services accompanied by musicians and a choir singing in English to traditional Vietnamese music.

Rshippers at the Cao Dai Temple strive for world peace and harmony with beliefs steeped in a number of world religions. Followers must obey the five virtues of Confucianism – humanity, obligation, civility, knowledge and reliability and have belief in the Buddhist principles of rebirth and karma. Watching Caodiasts pray is one of the major highlights when visiting the temple as they dress in long flowing robes of white for lay followers, yellow, blue or red for priests whilst bishops have the Divine Eye embroidered on their headpieces. During worship men are seated on the right and women on the left with all devotees seated in orderly rows.

The building is a combination of Neo-Gothic, Baroque and Oriental design and is very ornately decorated including dragon wrapped pillars, seven-headed cobras and ceilings of sky blue.

05 – Jade Emperor Pagode

Emperor Jade Pagoda, also known as Tortoise Pagoda, is one of the five most important shrines in Ho Chi Minh City. Built at the turn of the 20th Century by a community of Cantonese who migrated from Guangzhou province in Southwest China, this pagoda is a fine representation of Mahayanist branch of Buddhism that is practiced widely in Vietnam

In the main hall, the Emperor Jade Chua Ngoc Hoang or the ‘God of the Heavens’ reigns supreme. Aided by two assistants, the Emperor decides who can enter this higher realm. Those who don’t pass this gate will meet with the formidable ‘God of Hell’, on the left, who will send sinners to one of the 10 levels of hell. Life in purgatory is magnificently if somewhat gruesomely represented by the intricate carvings on the temple wall, depicting different kinds of punishments that await transgressors. In a different hall, the goddess of fertility Kim Hua, surrounded by figures of women and small children, blesses childless couples who pray for an offspring here. The goddess of mercy Kuan Yin, who forms a very important part of any Taoist temple, has an altar in a room on the top floor. Emperor Jade Pagoda is a living and working shrine very much in use by the locals who come here to prayer or make votive offerings of flowers, and light candles and joss sticks.

With worshippers coming and going, the temple can get busy and feel a little cramped. Its dimly lit, the narrow passageways filled with smoke lend an atmospheric feel to the place, adding to its charm. There is an overcrowded tortoise pond in front of the temple grounds and feeding the animals is considered part of the merit-making, temple-going rituals.

06 – Bitexco Financial Tower and Sky Deck

Ho Chi Minh City’s Bitexco Financial Tower & Sky Deck stands 262 metres high at the centre of the city’s business district and offers visitors an unparalleled city view from its Sky Deck. Designed by renowned American Architect Carlos Zapata, this 68-storey tower houses offices, shops, restaurants, and a helipad. CNNGo recently ranked the building fifth in their listing of the world’s 20 most iconic skyscrapers

The structure also received an ‘Excellence in Structural Engineering’ award from NCSEA in 2011 and is currently the 124th tallest building in the world. The main attraction at the tower is the Sky Deck where visitors can enjoy dramatic views across the bustling city below. Sky Deck visitors are accompanied by an English-speaking guide and can also enjoy interactive touch screen fact boxes delivering information on points of interest regarding city landmarks seen from above.

You can also visit Hanoi.

Have a nice travel!