Mekong Delta
Can Tho
I was really looking forward to getting near Mekong again, remembering the excitement from crossing it on boat to get to Laos and watching the amazing sunsets over the river in Luang Prabang.
I picked the town of Can Tho. Nice town with a waterfront, little market and not many western tourist visiting.
I booked a boat trip to the floating markets. It was hard to wake up at 5am, but absolutely worth it! I had a boat with nice boat lady all to myself. The sunrise over the river was lovely. It took about an hour to get to the first floating market. What a treat! Big boats loaded up with fruits and vegetables, selling to customers in smaller boats. Chaos, colors and smiles. People in Mekong Delta like to smile!
We kept going down the river for few more hours, to get the the second market. This one was smaller and had more stand up paddle boats. I bought a watermelon for 10000 ($0.50). We spend some time there resting and people watching.
Late morning was good time for exploring the smaller narrow canals with lush bushes and palm trees along them . My guide was taking us away from the town, towards the rice fields and gardens. It was hard to believe how different this area was from the big town.... quiet, green, with only few people passing us on little boats.
We stopped near one of the farms and I took a walk on a trail along the river, passing rice fields and fields with watermelons and squash.
Few more hours on the boat and we got back to town. Just in time for me to get on a bus to Rich Gia. Coast town 4 hours away, with ferry to take me to the Phu Quoc Island the next day.
Phu Quoc Island
I saved the last week of my time in Vietnam for this island. Somehow I have managed to spent 6 months traveling without spending more than few days on the beaches. It was about time to get some tan and work on improving my hammock swinging skills.
Phu Quoc is mostly undeveloped, with most of the accommodation being bungalows along the Long Beach. Few hut style restaurants and bars that are empty most of the time. I am enjoying the off season time, with empty beach and low prices.
It wasn't hard to meet new friends and soon I was part of a group of 7. We all rented motorcycles one day to go explore the North of the island. Most of the roads are still unpaved, with red dirt. The views are spectacular. The beaches up north are deserted. It only gets spoiled by the amount of trash on them. It is so sad to see how badly local people deal with trash. They just dispose of it into the see and it gets wash out. It is nicer to stay near the restaurants and resorts ,as they clean their beaches every day.
We visited the cutes fishing village up north. Driving through on the narrow paved path was so much fun, with kids greeting us and people smiling and calling HELLO to as.
We drove by the border of the NP on the way back. The road led us though green jungle. So green and lush. Close to 70% of the island is part of the NP.
We explored the south of the island on the boat. I wasn't too excited to see that the trip was rather overbooked and touristy as can be. Never less it was fun to snorkel for little and spend the day on board, cruising around small islands.
Most of my days here on Island were in order of swimming, eating good food and having fun with my new friends.
Can Tho
I was really looking forward to getting near Mekong again, remembering the excitement from crossing it on boat to get to Laos and watching the amazing sunsets over the river in Luang Prabang.
I picked the town of Can Tho. Nice town with a waterfront, little market and not many western tourist visiting.
I booked a boat trip to the floating markets. It was hard to wake up at 5am, but absolutely worth it! I had a boat with nice boat lady all to myself. The sunrise over the river was lovely. It took about an hour to get to the first floating market. What a treat! Big boats loaded up with fruits and vegetables, selling to customers in smaller boats. Chaos, colors and smiles. People in Mekong Delta like to smile!
 |
| Load up those watermelons! |
We kept going down the river for few more hours, to get the the second market. This one was smaller and had more stand up paddle boats. I bought a watermelon for 10000 ($0.50). We spend some time there resting and people watching.
Late morning was good time for exploring the smaller narrow canals with lush bushes and palm trees along them . My guide was taking us away from the town, towards the rice fields and gardens. It was hard to believe how different this area was from the big town.... quiet, green, with only few people passing us on little boats.
We stopped near one of the farms and I took a walk on a trail along the river, passing rice fields and fields with watermelons and squash.
Few more hours on the boat and we got back to town. Just in time for me to get on a bus to Rich Gia. Coast town 4 hours away, with ferry to take me to the Phu Quoc Island the next day.
Phu Quoc Island
I saved the last week of my time in Vietnam for this island. Somehow I have managed to spent 6 months traveling without spending more than few days on the beaches. It was about time to get some tan and work on improving my hammock swinging skills.
Phu Quoc is mostly undeveloped, with most of the accommodation being bungalows along the Long Beach. Few hut style restaurants and bars that are empty most of the time. I am enjoying the off season time, with empty beach and low prices.
It wasn't hard to meet new friends and soon I was part of a group of 7. We all rented motorcycles one day to go explore the North of the island. Most of the roads are still unpaved, with red dirt. The views are spectacular. The beaches up north are deserted. It only gets spoiled by the amount of trash on them. It is so sad to see how badly local people deal with trash. They just dispose of it into the see and it gets wash out. It is nicer to stay near the restaurants and resorts ,as they clean their beaches every day.
We visited the cutes fishing village up north. Driving through on the narrow paved path was so much fun, with kids greeting us and people smiling and calling HELLO to as.
We drove by the border of the NP on the way back. The road led us though green jungle. So green and lush. Close to 70% of the island is part of the NP.
 |
| Fish sauce factory... imagine the smell! |
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| More drying fish.. |
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| Pepper Farm |
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| Green Pepper |
We explored the south of the island on the boat. I wasn't too excited to see that the trip was rather overbooked and touristy as can be. Never less it was fun to snorkel for little and spend the day on board, cruising around small islands.
Most of my days here on Island were in order of swimming, eating good food and having fun with my new friends.
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