Introduced to My Tho – Ben Tre, a typical land of scenery and life in the Mekong Delta, we booked for a one-day tour to visit this land. we were picked up at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City by tour guide at around 8:00 and we then departed for Ben Tre Province, about 90 km far from the city.
Coming to Ben Tre, our first experience was taking Xe Loi (one kind of tractor as well as locals’ daily vehicle) to travel through the green fields and gardens in the village. This means of transport led us past the small village road to watch the local people’s daily life which is usually attached with rice paddies and lush green orchards.
At the end of the road, As we could not continue exploring the Mekong region by Xe Loi, we boarded the sampan to begin a tour exploring the Mekong River. Out sampan cruised among the large networks of meandering rivers and criss-crossed canals, we had the opportunity to observe the local fishermen’s life and contemplate the beautiful waterway landscape of Mekong delta. We were served coconut water and tropical fruits while the boat was cruising. The countryside scenery was so peaceful, our minds were so light.
On our way, we were taken to visit the traditional handicraft workshops of making coconut, brick and Hu Tieu (a kind of cake made of rice). There, we got to witness the workers working in a hurry, skillfully, got to hear them talk about the stage they were doing, understood the value of the products they made, admired and loved the workers more.
A coconut candy production facility
On the tour we also had great opportunity to experience traveling on hand rowing boat and cycling around the small village roads on the Mekong islets. The two local vehicles helped us to worm easily through the interlaced network of rivers and canals to reach the smallest but prettiest corners in the region.
After lunch served with local food at a river side restaurant, the tour guide took us to visit a local family’s traditional house which is a typically wooden style house and made of coconut. The wife taught us how to make a traditional local daily food of Hu Tieu while her husband, a former Vietcong soldier who luckily survived the war fighting against the Khmer Rouge (Pon Pot), told us some stories about this war. Listening to the veteran’s story, we appreciate peace even more, wishing for peace everywhere in the world.
Saying goodbye to the local hospitable family, we transfer to the pier nearby where our boat was waiting for us to bring us back to Ben Tre City. We returned to Ho Chi Minh City by car, finished the Mekong day tour at around 18:00. The trip has left in our hearts many unforgettable memories, we hope one day to visit My Tho – Ben Tre, the beloved water river region.
