The Mê Kông Delta is the region in southwestern Việt-Nam, between Hồ Chí Minh City and Cambodia, where the Mê Kông River approaches and empties into the South China Sea through a network of distributaries. The river itself starts in the Himalayas and passes through China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia before reaching Việt-Nam. The Delta is a water world that moves to the rhythms of the mighty Mê Kông River, rice fields are dug as the waters recede and fisheries thrive throughout the annual flood, where boats, houses, and markets float upon the innumerable rivers, canals and streams that crisscross the landscape like arteries. Considered as the “rice bowl” and “kingdom of fruit” of Vietnam, the Mê Kông Delta is the most important area for agriculture and aquaculture production in Vietnam. More than half of Vietnam’s rice, fish, and fruits comes from this region, accounting for 90% of Vietnam’s rice exports, 65% of fishery exports, and 70% of fruit exports. The only way to navigate this region is mainly by boat where you’ll see rice paddies, fruit orchards, and floating markets, Buddhist temples and family houses clinging to the river’s banks.
The unique cultural characteristics of the Mê Kông Delta are rooted in its heritage and geography. The people of the Mê Kông Delta are made up of different ethnic groups (Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer, Cham) with different culture, customs, and religions (Buddhism, Muslim, Christianity, Hindu, and Cao Daism) who have learned ways to live together in harmony for centuries by accepting and respecting each other’s differences in culture and lifestyle. The Mê Kông Delta people also live in harmony with the environment. Generations of people inhabiting and making a living on the branches of Mê Kông River have learnt ways to adapt with the environment to improve the soil and farm fields or orchards. This has resulted in not only strong-determined and hard-working but also creative and sensible people. In addition, the wealth of this land is reflected in people’s generous and hospitable attitude. The cuisine of Mê Kông Delta also reflects the robust characteristics of its people who prefer extreme flavors: extreme salty, extreme spicy … They believe that only extreme flavor brings extreme taste and freshness. When cooking, people always consider the effect of food on health and will always eat with the season and will often point out which food is good for bone, which food is good for kidney, so on.
We’ve designed your experience in Mê Kông Delta to capture the spiritual life of people of this region who formed the unique and characterized culture of this land.
Highlights. Who You’ll Meet. Where You’ll Sip & Savor.
Mê Kông Delta Tour, A Visit to a Floating Market, Cooking Demonstration, and Experience an Authentic Homestay
- We will be picked up at our hotel after breakfast to begin our amazing adventure to the Mê Kông Delta (about 2 1/2 hours). Our first stop is the Cái Bè Pier along the mighty Mê Kông River where we will board a motorboat to visit the vibrant Cái Bè Floating Market, the original style of commerce on the Mê Kông River, and other local artisanal food producers along the river.
- We will transfer onto authentic and charming sampans with local rowers for a 40-minute journey along the mangrove canal to Tân Phong Island, a serene laid back green island with an abundance of fruit orchards, aquaculture, and fishing.
- Next, we’ll cross the Mê Kông River to An Bình Island to visit a one of the very few remaining examples of 19th-century residences in the Mekong Delta. This ancient house showcases a blend of Vietnamese-French architecture.
- We will then row to our homestay – Út Thủy. After our check-in, we will cycle around the village paths and stop at a local house explore local rural life in the early evening.
- We will return to Út Thủy and have a cooking demonstration to prepare Bánh Khọt, savory mini pancakes, and papaya salad for our dinner!
Accommodation in Mê Kông Delta
Út Thủy Homestay in the heart of the Mê Kông Delta where will experience the depth of local life and soak in its laid-back character.
