3 Days in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Exploring the Mekong Delta was the highlight of my short time spent in Vietnam. This area is a water world that moves to the rhythm of the Mekong River! I extremely enjoyed getting out of the busy city and exploring this self-sustaining part of the country!
Though many people see the Mekong Delta as a great day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, I highly recommend spending a few days here to immerse yourself in the culture and attempt to understand the diverse communities and ways of living in the Deltas. I spent three days and two nights in this incredible region of Vietnam and I still found it wasn’t enough time! While here, we stayed at a homestay. There are plenty of homestays in the area with English-speaking hosts. I recommend staying at one of them to become more aware of the traditions and cultures of the area! They also know all the must-see destinations!
What is the Mekong Delta?
The Mekong Delta lies about 3 hours south of Ho Chi Minh City. This magical region is known as the “rice basket of Vietnam” due to its large amount of agriculture that is pumped out here. More than a third of Vietnam’s crops and half of its rice and fish comes from this small area of the country. Some of the things grown here include sugar-cane, pumpkin, coconut, and a wide variety of fruit! The Mekong River is about 4,400 km long and is one of the 12 great rivers of the world!
The Mekong Delta is a maze of rivers, rice paddies, and homes on stilts. The various streams and canals are joined by fragile bridges made of bamboo! About 21 million people live a simple yet interesting life here. I spent my time here getting familiar with the area and learning so much about the way of life in this beautiful area of Vietnam. This water world moves to the rhythm of the Mekong River and I highly recommend exploring it if you ever get the chance!
Boat Rides!
Many of the “roads” in the Mekong Delta are actually water canals. With a water system that is over 33,500 miles long, the most popular mode of transportation is by boat! Most of the boats in the area are still traditional wood boats. They come in all sizes and are either powered by engines or by hand using oars.
While in the Mekong Delta, I rode on a variety of different boats to get from place to place. My favourite was easily the small wooden boats powered by hand used oars or paddles. These boats are usually manned by women in conical hats who stand to row. I noticed some of these skilled locals rowing using their feet! One of the larger boats we were on even created a restaurant type environment for us to enjoy a delicious traditional meal during the longer trip!
Bike Rides!
Along the many canals, it is common to find small pathways or narrow trails. People use these trails to get around the small villages travelling by foot, bicycle, or motorbike. During my time in the Mekong Delta, I enjoyed two different bike rides each about 2 hours long! I loved being away from the busy city life and enjoying the peacefulness of the small villages. We rode by rice plantations and over old wooden bridges.
Along the way, we stopped at a few different households. One of the homes was owned by an 82-year-old lady (and probably the cutest lady I have ever seen!). She showed us how to make rice paper and let us sample some of it! She does this every day to sell to the houses around her. We also stopped at a local family’s home where they showed us how to make Vietnamese cakes. They are like donuts without the holes and were so good after a few hours of riding! I loved having the opportunity to explore the peaceful country side by bike!
Candy Shop & Brick Kiln
During our stay in the Mekong Delta, we were able to go on a half-day tour to observe the daily work life of the locals. The first place we visited was the traditional brick kiln factory. Brick production is part of their thriving small-scale economies. The locals here learned the techniques from the French. While there, we were able to walk around the different buildings and areas to observe the local people creating different items from bricks to handmade pottery. I was able to walk through a few of the kilns which was quite interesting!
Another place we visited was a coconut candy workshop. Here they make a variety of candies including toffee, peanut brittle, and puffed wheat treats. Everything had a number of different flavours like coffee, ginger, and of course, coconut! We were able to walk around the factory and watch them make several different things. In between some of the many complicated steps, they would let us have a taste! Before leaving they let us sample a bunch of different treats and teas. I ended up buying a good variety of snacks!
Cai Rang Floating Market
Cai Rang, name meaning tooth in Vietnamese, is the most popular and easiest to access market in the Mekong Delta. Witnessing how local life thrives on the water was so interesting to see! The residents of the Delta have built their lives around this and even sell goods on the water system itself. There were hundreds of boats of various sizes selling and exchanging their consumer goods.
Most of the boats, especially the larger ones, have a large pole showcasing each of the items they are selling. This usually includes a variety of Mekong fruits and vegetables. This makes it easier for locals to go to the boats they need to instead of “shopping around.” There were also smaller boats driving around selling freshly made coffee and other drinks to anyone who passed! We stopped at a boat selling pineapple where he cut it up for us to eat right there!
If you are planning to visit the Mekong Delta while in Vietnam, going to this market is a must! It is open from as early as 3 am but is liveliest around 5am. The earlier you decide to go the better! I recommend getting there before or as the sun is coming up to enjoy the sunrise over the market. It is easy to catch a boat from the Ninh Kieu Wharf. If you ask at the hotel or hostel you are staying at, they will have lots of information for you!
Floating Fish Farms
Another interesting thing we were able to observe were the floating fish farms and small houses throughout the Mekong Delta! I’m sure I saw hundreds of them while travelling through the many canals. The fish caught by these farmers feed the local people and also neighbouring provinces. It is common the find catfish or shrimp in the farmers’ “pond.” The unique houses float on the river along with manmade structures and nets to farm the fish. This aquaculture is very popular in the Mekong Delta but the increased number of hormones added to the water is leading to water pollution issues in the area.
Mr. Tam Tien – war veteran
We were so fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet 71-year-old war veteran, Mr. Tam Tien. He spoke to us, through a translator, about the war and the impact it had on him. Mr. Tien used to be a school teacher. One day, near the beginning of the war, he went to visit his family in the next town. While he was away, the school he taught at was bombed by a US warplane completely destroying the school and killing many innocent people. After this occurred, he dropped everything and became a fierce leader of the Viet Cong. A few years after the war, he and his wife moved back to the destroyed island and started to rebuild the school.
It was clear that Mr. Tien has been through so much in his life. He showed us the scar on his side from where he was shot during the war. He kept telling our group to continue our education and promote peace throughout the world. I was lucky enough to have a few words with him. When I told him I planned on becoming a dentist, he told me to “stay educated and keep people smiling.” Mr. Tien is a very wise man with many powerful stories and I feel very fortunate to have met him.
