The Mekong River stretches for 4500 km from Tibet, through Burma, Thailand, China, Laos and Cambodia before reaching the sea in the South of Vietnam. About 25 million people live in the area surrounding the river in the Mekong Delta. it’s massive and provides so much life to this part of the world.
My Tho was the launch point for our trip on the Mekong. Tourist boats are surrounded by fishing boats and barges carrying sand and rocks to parts of the bank, where locals build retaining walls by hand, trying to ensure the banks aren’t washed away over time. Tiny ‘houses’ line the banks, alongside fish farms and other industry, somehow happily coexisting.
Our motorised boat took us across the river to a tiny islet called Tho Son (Turtle Island). There is an abundance of coconut trees in the area and so they have become the primary source of food and is also used to make household items and souvenirs. The locals have really cottoned on to this as a differentiator for tourists, and are really making the most of it – more evidence of the enterprising nature of these people! We learned how these ladies made coconut sweets… And of course you’ve can’t leave without purchasing some 😉
The island also had a massive range of fruit and nut trees. Without doubt, the highlight for the girls was the Cocoa tree… proof that chocolate does grow on trees. If only I’d found the financial equivalent!
Within the island there are tiny canals filled with Sampan. Sam (wood) Pan (three pieces) describes the way the boats are constructed, based on old Chinese design. In scenes reminiscent of Dreamworld, hundreds of them the line up at a tiny jetty to take small groups of tourists down the canal back to the River boats. In most spots, the waterways are only wide enough for 2 boats – one full, one empty. It’s a lovely peaceful way to travel, but the locals the do the paddling would be extremely fit!!!
After our trip on the Mekong, we headed to Can Tho – one of the largest towns along the Mekong River, home to about 2.5million people. This is the home of the floating markets which we will visit tomorrow morning. After being assured that it never rained at this time of year in this place of consistent 32 degree days, we were very appreciative of a nice downpour as we arrived, taking the edge off the humidity.
The long drive provided lots of time for us to get to know our current guide, Sari. Sari comes from an area near the Cambodian border, and is one of the Khmer people. Like all our guides, the general disdain for the government is clear, however we also learned that he has actively protested in years gone by. His take on the political history and climate, and the relationship with the Chinese really got us thinking about the potential future for Australia.
After a long day in the car, the girls were very happy to have the opportunity to stretch their legs over lunch, on this very aptly named ‘monkey bridge’. Another thing that would never pass Australian safety standards!!!
Love M & theBunch xx
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