The Mekong River is one of the world’s great rivers. Covering a distance of nearly 5,000 km from its source on the Tibetan Plateau in China to the Mekong Delta, the river flows through six countries, passing through Southern Vietnam before exiting to the South China sea.
The Mekong crosses the border at Đồng Tháp province, where it is known as Tiền Giang. It flows through Long Xuyên, Sa Đéc and Vinh Long and then splits into four distributaries before exiting to the South China Sea. The Bassac, which flows south, enters Vietnam at Châu Đốc, where it becomes known as the Sông Hậu or Hậu Giang and passes through the major delta city of Cần Thơ. It disperses into three distributaries before exiting to the sea in Sóc Trăng. In Vietnam, the Mekong Delta is known as the ‘Nine Dragon River Delta’; the name is derived from the nine major channels.
* PROGRAM DETAIL :
Ho Chi Minh - My Tho - Ho Chi Minh (L)
8:30AM Departing from your hotel in Saigon for My Tho city by air-conditioned bus. In My Tho, visiting Vinh Trang Temple then boarding the motorboat at a pier and cruising on the Mekong River. Here, overlooking floating houses where fishes are farmed beneath the house (viewing from the motorboat).
Continuing the journey on the river until reaching Cồn Thới Sơn (Unicorn Island), from here taking a horse cart to reach a performance site where Vietnamese traditional music (Đàn Ca Tài Tử - A folk art form from Southern Vietnam accredited by UNESCO in 2013 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity) can be heard and seasonal tropical fruit can be tasted (included).
Afterward, being on a small hand-rowing boat (the main mean of transportation in My Tho & Ben Tre) and slowly cruising through a small creek with beautiful overhanging coconut trees. Lives from both sides of the creek can be observed.Before heading to lunch, passing through bee-keeping farm and enjoying honey tea, a typical Mekong house can be viewed here. Then, it is lunch time after a short walk.
After lunch, boarding the motorboat and heading to learn coconut candies making process from a workshop. Sample of candies can be tasted.
03:00PM Returning back to the car and going back to Ho Chi Minh City.