Cruise Mekong River: Cai Be Floating Market 1 day
Highlight of tour: The colourful floating markets, emerald rice fields, lus back waterways; these are the things that make the Mekong so interesting. Journey to Vinh Long and cruise the water systems on your private boat, walk along the famous 'Monkey Bridges' that link the villages together.

    * Cai Be Floating market: Cai Be, one of the many well-known floating markets in the western region of southern Vietnam was formed in the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century. The Cai Be Floating Market is always busy, bearing all the characteristics of the locals’ life in the western region.
    * Binh Hoa Phuoc Island: The island emerges from the middle of the Tien River, just opposite to the Vinh Long Town . The island has four communes, including An Binh, Binh Hoa Phuoc, Hoa Ninh, and Dong Phu in Long Ho District.  The island covers an area of about 6,000ha. Its soil is fertile and rice, and there is fresh water and fruit trees. Several fruit orchard are opened to the public. Visitors can walk among the trees, relax in hammocks, try all kinds of delicious tropical fruits, and sometimes ones have a meal or stay overnight.
    * Life On The River: The people living in the Mekong Delta make their living as farmers and fishermen. Often, they live right on the edge of the rivers or canals on various structures built from whatever materials found. Consequently, the architecture along the delta varies from place to place. Often, many homes have fisheries right under them. Enterprising individuals build a cage like structure of bamboo beneath their homes on these waterways to house fishes. As the fishes grew, they sell the whole batch to processors from the city and start with new ones.          Life in the delta is tightly woven with its rivers as daily activities and businesses are conducted on its banks. Markets, stores, ship yards, repair shops are some of the more popular trades.

Detailed tour itinerary

AM: 0800 depart for a fascinating drive through rural Vietnam to Cai Be. As you leave the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh City the scenery changes for the lush rice paddies. This area is referred to locally as the 'rice bowl of Vietnam'. On arrival disembark on your private boat for a trip to Cai Be floating market. See the larger boats in the market, each selling mostly one product, this is truly a different experience and one you will remember.
Continuing downriver towards Vinh Long, the journey takes one hour and a long the way will stop to visit some of the picturesque islands that lie in the centre of the Mekong River.

Stop at Binh Hoa Phuoc Island and see the delta's second most famous produce after rice, tropical fruits. Stroll through the orchids on the islands, which grow such fruits as Longan, Sapodilla, and Durian whilst also sampling these exotic fruits.
Enjoy lunch on Binh Hoa Phuoc Island and sample the local delicacy Elephant Ear Fish.

PM: Cruise the back waters using the local means of transport, hand paddle boats and on 'Monkey Bridges', small rickety structures that look fairly easy to walk on but are harder than you think.

Take a look also at the local brick kilns and brick production which is popular in this area where more and more houses are now made of brick.

Late afternoon departure from Vinh Long for the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City where you will arrive around 1700.

 

 

Included: All of transportation, boat, tour guide, entrance fee (s), lunch and complimentary water.