The truly exploration of Mekong Delta by bike

By Vince Robbins

Biking Mekong tour started on the blast road. It was significantly less stressful than the heavy traffic of the city, and the countryside has some beautiful stretches. The road-side restaurants along the way had very limited menus but made up for it with the dozens of hammocks, turning short pit-stops into slightly longer than expected nap-time. It just makes so much sense! I really want to introduce the hammock-restaurant to stretches of American highways (patent pending).

After getting lost several times, we eventually made it to Can Tho just after dark, and managed to find a hotel with essentially no idea where we were or where we were going. After having dinner at a little restaurant called “Mekong,” which was delicious and cheap, we ran into a woman who convinced us to get a boat to the floating market at 5:30am. I don’t think I’ve been up before 8 am in five years. How she convinced me to agree to that is something that should be studied by business negotiators at Fortune 500 companies. She convinced us that you have to get down the river to the market bright and early to catch the action.

It ended up being a great decision; the city was dark and quiet as we walked to the water, and the little motorboat ride down the river at sunrise was peaceful and gorgeous. To be honest I didn’t know much of what to expect at a floating market, but I assumed some sort of hover-craft would be involved. Suddenly we were amidst small- to medium-sized vessels, bobbing about each other, linking up to transfer cargo between them. Our guide/driver cut off the engine and rowed us between the boats, some selling watermelons and pineapples, others offering all kinds of fresh seafood. It seemed to be primarily larger commodity wholesale, but the vendors were happy to unload individual items to us as well. I grabbed some pastries from a baked goods boat, while Canadian Ryan flagged down the watermelon cruise liner. We also linked up with a coffee vendor who managed to transfer a few cups of steaming coffee to us while bobbing back and forth alongside our boat (without spilling a drop). Luckyly,  Mekong tour brings us truly experience in Vietnam. 

Exploring the largest floating market in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Apart from Cai Be and Phung Hiep, Cai Rang in Can Tho City is one of the three most popular and biggest floating markets in the Mekong River Delta. It is a great place for tourists in Vietnam  to enjoy exciting atmosphere during the early morning market hours.

Cai Rang Floating Market

The Cai Rang Floating Market, the largest wholesale floating market in the Mekong Delta, starts around 05:00 and runs until around midday, meaning that you’ll have to get an early start to the day if you want to visit. Most tour boats along the riverfront leave between 05:00 and 07:00, so if don’t make it to the water by then you’ll have a hard time finding a tour.

The market is about six kilometres from Can Tho, or about a 30-minute boat ride. While floating down the river, you will glimpse life along its shores. You’ll pass vibrantly painted boats anchored along the shore, merchant vessels carrying loads down the river and houses built on stilts over the water.

Cai Rang float market, Vietnam

Once you finally reach the market, it’s an impressive site. A stretch of boats selling all variety of goods lines the river. Not really a place for souvenirs, people come here instead to buy large quantities of goods, mostly foodstuffs, and you will get an idea of what water commerce in the Delta looks like. Your guide on the boat will usually give you tidbits of information about Cai Rang as you weave through the hordes. You’ll learn that boats identify what they are selling by hanging a sample off the top of a long pole; if you want pineapple, simply scan the horizon for a hanging pineapple. You’ll also get the opportunity to interact with some of these floating merchants; most commonly this happens when a small boat selling drinks latches onto the tour boat’s side.

Many kind fruits are sold

 During the early morning market hours, larger sized boats anchor and create lanes that smaller boats weave in and out of. The waterway becomes a maze of hundreds of boats packed with mango, bananas, papaya, pineapple, and even smuggled goods like cigarettes. 

Sellers do not have to cry out about their goods because their goods can be seen in a distance and their cries would not be heard in the vastness of the river and the noise of boat engines. Small boats that sell beer, wine and soft drinks go among the other boats to serve market-goers and visitors in Vietnam travel. Sellers tie their goods to a tall pole so that buyers can see from a distance what they are selling. 

Each boat is loaded with plenty of seasonal goods. Activities at the market are also an occasion for tourists to study the cultural aspects of southerners. You can see the market in the distance; it does not look like much, just a mass of boats. The boats all display their wares on a mast so you can see what they have available.

Exploring Mekong Delta

Coming to Cai Rang Floating Market, you can join a tour of the Mekong Delta. Several tour operations can arrange tours combine adventure activities like biking to explore Mekong Delta. I’d recommend you an adventure travel  company I knew, ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA (ATA).   In this special trip, ATA ride through beautiful areas of lush fruit orchards, endless paddy fields, lively floating market and busy canals.

You can refer Mekong Explore tour at: http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=19

If you are planning travel in Vietnam and to vist Can Tho City, let’s take a 30 minute boat ride to the market. You will be actually awake and enjoying it! You will find it very peaceful floating down the river in the early morning and you will feel how great the floating market is!

The Top 10 Things to Do While Visiting Ho Chi Minh City

If you are planning a visit to Vietnam, you are probably wondering what the top 10 things to do in Ho Chi Minh City are. Hence and as a former resident of Ho Chi Minh City, here is my list of the top 10 things to do while visiting Ho Chi Minh City.

1. Visit the newly refurbished War Remnants Museum.

Housed in the former home of the US Information Service and once known as the War Crimes Museum, the War Remnants Museum offers visitors the official Vietnamese view of the Vietnam War. Nevertheless, its three floors of exhibits are well worth visiting to give you an idea of just how destructive the Vietnam War was along with the lingering effects from the use of Agent Orange. In fact and near the entrance to the museum, there will usually be several people who purportedly suffer from the effects of agent orange and you will be encouraged to donate to a fund intended to help them.

War Remnants Museum

2. Take a tour of the Reunification Hall.

Formerly the home of South Vietnam’s Presidents, the Reunification Hall looks the same as it did when North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the front gates at the end of the war. On display are momentos from the war and all the trappings of power left behind by South Vietnam’s last Presidents.

Reunification Hall

3. Eat Pho.

A staple of Vietnamese cuisine, Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup served with rice noodles and your choice of either beef or Chicken plus a whole plate of greens that you can throw into the bowl after its served to you. Pho is commonly available from street food vendors, at coffee shops and at restaurants dedicated to serving Pho.

The famous "Pho"

4. Have a “Banh Mi” Sandwich.

A legacy of French rule, the “Banh Mi” (in Vietnamese, “Banh Mi” means bread) sandwich combines both French and Vietnamese ingredients to make one very tasty sandwich. Be warned though: If you order one from a street food vendor, he or she will likely use their bare and probably unwashed hands when making you your Banh Mi sandwich!

5. Drink Coffee.

Besides being one of the world’s leading coffee exporters, coffee drinking is very much a part of Vietnamese culture. In fact, no visit to Vietnam will be complete without having either a hot or iced Café Sua – strong coffee served over a thick layer of sweetened condensed milk at the bottom of the cup.

6. Have drinks at the Rex Hotel’s rooftop bar.

Once the site of the “Five O’Clock Follies” where US military offers gave their briefings about how they were winning the Vietnam War, the Rex Hotel’s rooftop bar remains a popular watering hole for expatriates and tourists alike.

7. See a water puppet performance.

Originating from the Red River delta around Hanoi water puppetry is a uniquely Vietnamese form of entertainment that is often now staged in water filled tanks inside theaters. In order to tell a story, water puppeteers stand in the water hidden behind a screen and then maneuver their puppets through the water without the use of strings to the sounds of a live musical orchestra.

Water puppet performance

8. Do a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Holy See.

In the backpacker district, you will find countless one day tour offerings to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which were used by the Vietcong during the war, and the Cao Dai Holy See, the colorful center of a unique home grown religion that combines both Asian and Western elements.

 Cu Chi Tunnels complex

 

Cao Dai Holy See Temple

9. Visit the Mekong Delta.

Likewise, visitors can opt for a one day or a multi-day tour of the vast Mekong Delta where residents still live in stilt houses or on boats and shop in floating markets. There are even specialized tours for fans of Marguerite Duras’ book “The Lover” to see locations that appeared in the book and later in the movie.

10. Rent or ride a motorbike.

Finally and if you don’t find it dangerous enough just crossing a street given the millions of motorbikes in the city, why not just rent one and join them! On the other hand, you will also find someone on nearly every street corner who, for the right price, will take you to where ever you wish to go on their motorbike.

Source: Blog of Asia

US TV station highlights Vietnam’s tourist attraction

KPVI News 6, the local NBC (National Broadcasting Company) affiliated television station for Idaho, has advised Americans to tour Vietnam to get to know “Southeast Asia's rising star".

According to the TV station, as the world discovers more of Vietnam's treasures, this Southeast Asian country is climbing higher on travellers' must-see lists. A Vietnam tour is often the most effective way to take in the best of this fascinating country's attractions including the highlands of the far north and the beaches of the south.

One pillar pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam

In its website, KPVI News 6 writes that travellers won't want to miss Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

In Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, its citizens are justifiably proud of that long history. However, most visitors find that Hanoi isn't just stuck in the past - it's a forward-thinking metropolis even though it's filled with the elegantly crumbling vestiges of French colonial architecture and dotted with ancient temples and pagodas.

The best historic sights are the One-Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049 to resemble a lotus bud; and Hoa Lo Prison, which might be more recognizable by its other moniker, the Hanoi Hilton. One of the country's delightful folk traditions with an evening at a water puppet theater performance, which have been held for centuries, is advisable.

Also according to the website, few visitors to the former imperial capital of Hue are disappointed. The city's incomparable art and architecture make an impression with the grandeur of former imperial residences and temples. Ones should visit the Citadel and take part in Hue's legendary cuisine, which is renowned throughout the country as being uniquely refined.

Citadel, Hue, Vietnam

Da Nang is described as Vietnam's appeal as a relaxing beach destination; a bustling, lively city, with ample opportunities to shop and play in the waves and a reputation for great food.

Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is an essential stop. Its reputation is that of a pulsing, vibrant metropolis that is always on the go. It's more modern than Hanoi, but there are still plenty of historic sights to see - like the History Museum, Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral and Giac Vien Pagoda - between stops at the city's many shopping boutiques and great restaurants.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

KPVI News 6 concludes that many travellers find that Vietnam fits well into a longer itinerary that also takes them to other popular Southeast Asian destinations like Cambodia and Thailand.

Source: VOVNEWS

Explore Vietnam Adventure Tours with Active Travel Vietnam

Vietnam is an astonishing amalgamation of diverse culture, natural beauty and captivating historical events. All these combined together makes Vietnam a perfect tourist destination.

Vietnam … intriguing history and mesmerizing culture!!!

Vietnam is an astonishing amalgamation of diverse culture, natural beauty and captivating historical events. All these combined together makes Vietnam a perfect tourist destination. A tour to Vietnam is desirable by all age group with varying interests and liking. Bestowed with a never ending coastline of 3200kms, Vietnam is full of scenic beauty and cultural feasts.

Floating Market, Vietnam

An expedition from “Rice Bowl” in Mekong Delta to the hustle bustle of Vietnam’s happening city Ho Chi Minh prior to heading the eye catching beaches of Nha Trang, Ca Na and Ninh Chu captivates you with the unexploited beauty of this country.

You have an extensive option of booking a tour to Vietnam through various tour operators. If you are an adventurous person then an adventure tour to Vietnam can certainly be quite fulfilling experience. On the other hand a beach vacation in Vietnam can be other most appealing option for tourists who love water and exploring beaches.

In the south of Vietnam is Ho Chi Minh City which was formerly known as Saigon. It plays a huge role in captivating your imagination as a city of historical value and traditions. While exploring south of Vietnam the Cu Chi tunnel is must visit.

Hanoi, Vietnam

In North the capital of Vietnam – Hanoi is a prime destination for tourists. Embedded with diversified culture and European style the city is famous for its arts and lakes. Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Halong Bay and the 36 street areas are some of the other most frequently visited spots in Vietnam.

There are several online Vietnam tour packages available for you to choose from. Exploring Vietnam can be quite an experience which may leave your senses filled with its natural beauty and places which are still untouched and unexplored.

Related adventure tours in Vietnam:

Northern Highlights
Taste of Ho Chi Minh Trail
Mekong Explorer

Floating Markets of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Vietnam is incredible and still authentic – it’s not “spruced up” for tourists. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Mekong Delta, with its floating markets, where locals live, work and earn a living from the many tributaries of the river. You can easily get a feel for the real workings of this country and how things are done. Here, everyone is an entrepreneur of sorts!

Floating market, Can Tho, Vietnam

As the food basket of Vietnam, the Mekong Delta covers an immense area winding its way over 3000 mi. from Tibet through Cambodia to Vietnam’s Peninsula, where it spills into the South China Sea. It is marvelously fertile, and views here are all related to riverside life, orchards, rice paddies and any food-related small industry. From snakes swimming in whisky to coconut candy, everything here reflects the flavors of Vietnamese culture.

The floating markets in the Mekong highlight the shape of life here, where people live, shop, sell and eat from and in their vessels and homes on the water. Getting to the area involves a lot of boat/bus/ferry/foot combinations, but its well worth the effort. We arrived from Saigon on our 3-day trip, which included Can Tho and Vinh Long.

The journey down was a long, hobbling, creaking bus ride, passing paddy fields and other fields with every variety of food being grown here. We stopped for lunch in Vinh Long. We walked around the “land” market of local shops with their goods set up in baskets on the street, where all kinds of colors and scents greeted our senses. A small motor launch took us along a peaceful tributary (away from the madding crowd of the main river) where each bend brought a new surprise and gorgeous scenery before we reached the home of a local farmer for lunch.

We arrived in vibrant Can Tho, the delta’s largest city, in the late afternoon and spent the time exploring this busy and lively port city. We rose the next morning at 4 am in raw anticipation. The day on the river begins at the crack of dawn and floating markets are held every morning from about 5 am till noon. We got into a small motor boat and made our way up the river to our first “stop” – the Phung Hiep market, the largest of the floating markets, located at the crossroads of 7 major canals.

The picture that greeted us was like laundry hanging out to dry. A maze of hundreds of sampans spread out on the busy river, hoisting samples of their wares on towering bamboo poles, to be seen from a distance. Coconuts, melons, mangoes, a heap of turtles, snakes, vegetables, fish, urns and vases and so much more all piled high on the vessels.

Flowers in floating market, Vietnam

A beehive of activity where traders snapped up everything by the bushels to resell at local markets; where smaller merchants weaved their way between larger boats and suddenly, a spectacle of pineapples or cabbage flying through the air between vendor and shopper. In between, floating restaurants, floating bars, floating gas stations and many other floating shops winding deftly between the boats. The lively, near –frenzied pace here was an unmatched view into local culture.

We made our way to land for an afternoon cycling trip through the quiet lanes near Can Tho, biking through small villages and beautiful countryside, and in spite of the language barrier, meeting some very pleasant and friendly people.

Early the next morning, we visited the Cai Rang floating market for a second taste of this experience. Primarily a produce market, it is always busy, bearing all the characteristics of local life. After the market, we visited some small home industries where villagers made everything from coconut candies to rice paper. We ended our trip with a trek through lush orchards and bee farms. The highlight of the afternoon was a visit to the Dong Nam snake farm, where over 20 varieties of venomous snakes are used in drinks and food for medicinal purposes – some soaked in large flasks of whisky!

The Mekong Delta, with its hustle-bustle, its genuine locals, its overgrown streams and great scenery, and above all, its characteristic floating markets is one of the most fascinating parts of this fascinating country and a springboard for getting to know Vietnamese culture and its people up close.

Source: familyadventuretravelworks

Recommendations for traveling in Mekong Delta,Vietnam:
Mekong Explorer
The Mighty Mekong

Vietnam: Get ready to Discover Adventure

One of the most enriching countries in the world,Vietnam is an absolute assault on the senses. This is a country which offers highly rewarding adventure travel, active vacations and cultural immersion in a wonderfully exotic way of life.

Blessed with captivating cities, lush soaring mountains, over 1500 km of coastline with white sandy beaches, and home to colonial palaces, pagodas, tombs and temples and hill-tribe peoples, Vietnam is an adventure waiting to be discovered.

Hanoi and the North

Sword lake in Hanoi, Vietnam

Northern Vietnam is breathtaking with its high mountains, emerald green forests and valleys, its picturesque seascapes and lush scenery. Elegant Hanoi, a blend of Indochinese and French influences and Vietnam’s capital, is one of the loveliest cities in Asia. Teeming with lakes and monuments, an Old Town with narrow streets crammed with artisans’ shops, and a French Quarter characterized by beautiful colonial buildings, it is a city to explore on foot.

Halong Bay

Kayaking in Halong bay, Vietnam

Nothing compares to the beauty of Halong Bay, Vietnam’s most dramatic natural asset. A UNESCO seascape, its thousands of lush limestone karsts rise majestically from the sea in spectacular fashion. Hidden caverns, forested islands and floating isles are accessed by overnight cruises on local junks, by kayaking, boating or simply swimming in the calm bay waters.

Northernmost Sapa

Terraced field in Sapa, Vietnam

The stunning offerings of Vietnam’s Northern provinces around picturesque Sapa feature some of the best hiking and trekking opportunities in the country, and a glimpse into one of Vietnam’s most fascinating cultures. The lush scenery of soaring mountains, staggered rice terraces and plunging valleys interposed by small hill-tribe communities take away the breath. The alpine scenery affords treks to Indochina’s highest peak, Mt. Fansipan and its environs, homestays with natives for an up-close encounter with local life, and visits to remarkable ethnic markets where everything from colorful hand-made crafts to buffalo are sold. This is the best region for hiking and adventures including jeep safaris, boating and kayaking.

The Central Coast and Highlands
Vietnam’s east coast and central highlands are a traveler’s delight, featuring glorious beaches, lively resort towns, sleepy fishing villages and the imperial former capital of Hue. Inland, awesome scenery, lakes covered with lotus blossoms, neatly ploughed hillside fields and an ideal climate greet travelers.

Nha Trang
Distinguished by crystal-clear waters, modern resorts and great nightlife, lovely Nha Trang and its vicinity is Vietnams’ watersports’ Mecca. Pristine white and red beaches, invite with kayaking, snorkeling, diving and swimming.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Up the coast, 3 of Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites cluster in proximity. Hoi An, an old sleepy river town, famed for its tailoring, lovely pagodas, a Japanese bridge and pretty French Quarter is a colonial gem. Nearby, My Son Sanctuary, with its ruins of impressive Hindu temples and royalty grounds, is the capital of the ancient Champa Kingdom. Set on the Perfume River, imperial Hue, the once-capital of Vietnam and home to emperors of the past, boasts an ancient citadel with ornate pagodas, royal tombs and a Forbidden City.

Dalat

Dalat, Vietnam

Inland, the charming hilltop town of Dalat is perched on the cooling mountains of the central highlands. This center of romance is small, beautiful and very French, and houses Emperor Bao Dai’s summer palaces. This is the area of forested mountains, ice blue lakes and grand waterfalls where hiking, walking, boating and cycling enhance the spirit of romantic adventure.

Saigon and the South
Cosmopolitan Saigon, with its glass skyscrapers, its brightly colored, ornate pagodas, its host of modern shops, its cacophony of horns and shouting, and its unique mode of traffic – 4 million motorbikes – is glitzy, chaotic and mesmerizing. Its history sets it apart: A main venue during the Vietnam War, it overflows with tragic remnants.

Market floating, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Just south of Saigon, the Mekong Delta, with its network of tiny canals and unique backwater tributaries, is one of the most fascinating Vietnamese destinations. Life here is as it was 100 years ago. Water buffalos wallow in rice paddies, women in traditional conical hats tend their fields, and stilt houses and floating islands dot the river banks. My Tho, Vinh Long and Can Tho, the main launching ports for fascinating boat trips, take travelers to native floating markets and local home factories, while cycling through the delta’s quaint villages affords a first-hand acquaintance with local life.

From the lush Mekong Delta in the south to the remote Sapa valleys in the north, Vietnam reveals a vibrant culture, a traditional way of life and an infectious energy. This is a country to expect the unexpected:
Get ready for adventure!

Source: familyadventuretravelworks

Recommendation:
Trekking tour in Northern Vietnam
Mekong Biking tour