Meandering on the Mekong

Trip Start Nov 01, 2007
1
24
81
Trip End Jun 28, 2008


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of Vietnam  ,
Sunday, December 30, 2007

Today we took a small boat (ie. two seater!) on an eight hour epic journey of the Mekong River. It was a pretty early start - 5:30am - in order to get the 6kms to the Cai Rang floating market. We arrived just after sunrise as all the boats were getting ready for their morning of selling. This market had a lot of larger boats, and at the front of each boat was a tall pole, and hanging from it were "signs" to advertise their wares. Hung from the pole would be perhaps, a watermelong, a carrot, an onion, etc. etc. As some of these boats were quite a bit bigger than most it was very easy to spot their "shop". Otherwise, everyone just passed by each other and had a wee nosy in the boat to see what was on offer.

After we left Cai Rang, we went a further 15kms to another floating market at Phung Dien. This market was well underway by the time we got there, and was mostly all small boats like ourselves. Our guide was terrific - he parked us right in the middle and we got to really experience it all around us. People haggling; having breakfast; ladies laughing and gossiping. It was wonderful!

We also went to see a small rice noodle factory. The rice husks are used as the fuel for a fire to cook a rice milk/batter into flat pancakes. These pancakes are scooped up and laid out to dry on woven mats. Once a mat is filled, then the whole thing is taken outside to dry in the sun. It was really interesting to see how everything is used and nothing is wasted.

Along with traveling on the mighty Mekong, we spent several hours on the smaller canals that lead off of it. There are hundreds of kilometers of canals and waterways throughout the region. Its there that you really get a feel of what life might be like on the river. The kids loved to run along side and shout hello to us; we saw ladies washing dishes and clothes; men fishing; people bathing - it was a very interesting peek into a different way of life.

All in all, a lovely day on the Mekong!

  
Slideshow Print this entry Can Tho hotels