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Day
1: Saigon - Cai Be:
Pick
up at your hotel in Saigon City and drive to Cai Be.
On
arrival in Cai Be, boarding your luxury wooden boat, the
Mekong Queen to visit the colorful Cai Be floating
market, one of the many well-known and the biggest
floating markets in the western region of southern
Vietnam, which was formed during the Nguyen Dynasty in
the 19th century. The market is always busy, bearing all
the characteristics of the local’s life in the Mekong
region. All the goods are transported to the market by
boats. The floating market lies in the Tien (Upper)
river, and is divided into two parts: buying and selling
places. Rafts and boats are anchored along the two sides
of the river for kilometers. From the floating market,
goods are shifted for selling at inland markets or small
boats take them for delivery along canals in the Plain
of Reeds. Approximately 400 to 500 boats filled with
fruits, vegetables, and other products are anchored here
and make it very busy from 05:00 am in the morning until
late in the afternoon. Traders live on the river and
some link their lives with boats like their mobile
houses for generations. The products are hung on a pole
in front of the boat to attract customers and it is also
easier for customers to see the products they want to
buy from a far and no need to go from one boat to
another to save their time.
After
the Cai Be floating market, you will then continue the
cruise to a local factory to visit and learn how pop
rice, pop corn, rice paper and coconut candies are made.
You also have an opportunity to taste these products,
served with hot green tea. Returning to the Mekong Queen
for a 50 minute cruise to Dong Hoa Hiep island and
discover the beautiful and peaceful sceneries together
with the typical life of the region along the Mekong
river. Stops for visits and photos taken can be made
during the excursion.
Taking
a 10 minute walk through a local village and fruit
gardens, you will be able to stop at a local family
scaled Longan process factory, where you have another
opportunity to take photo of and interact with the so
friendly and hard working local people before coming to
an old Mandarin house, built hundred years ago and it is
where at least four generations of the family have been
living. A so delicious Vietnamese lunch will be served
by the owner, Mrs. Kiet. One of the highlights after
lunch is to walk around the orchard to get to know what
the main contribution to the economy of her family is
based on.
Return
to the Mekong Queen by walking or taking a small rowing
Sampan for another 50 minute cruise on the main river
and canals to Mr. Mai Quoc Nam family to visit the
orchard and have a talk with the family about the
economic growth of the family itself and of the Mekong
region. An optional one hour cycling tour to Mr. Sau
Giao family to visit his famous Bonsai garden, which he
has spent his whole life to train and take care of, then
you will have another opportunity to try snake wine and
the others while enjoying seasonal fruit.
Back
to one of the local families to do check in your home
stay, then the balance of the day will be at leisure on
your own or take a walk around the village yourselves
for more discovery of the area before dinner. The family
will be your host for this evening and tell you more
about the typical life in the Mekong region. Another
option is to go down the kitchen for part of the cooking
class if you wish. A traditional music show, called Tai
Tu will be performed by the locals after dinner in a
quiet Bonsai garden while hot green tea will be served
by your hosts. Over night at local house
Day 2: Vinh Long - Saigon
After
breakfast, you start walking on a small trail along the
river to see the daily life of the locals, and visit the
village market which is just held early in the morning
for the so busy farmers to buy things for the day. The
market is also a place where you can interact with and
take photo of the locals. Afterwards, you bid farewell
to your hosts and take your morning boat trip to Vinh
Long. Stop on the way to visit Mr. Tam Ho (No.8 Tiger)
family and take a walk around his nursery garden to
learn how the seedlings of several tropical fruit trees
are grown in order to provide to almost all farmers in
the area. You then continue the excursion to the
handicraft village to visit a ceramic tile factory, a
tofu and fish sauce factory, a blacksmith’s, a roof
Thatcher’s and a rice husking factory which are all
run by the local families and also one of the places
where some local people can earn their living.
Getting
back to the Mekong Queen to cruise to Vinh Long where
you board your vehicle to drive back to Saigon. The
excursion will end at the Vinh Long pier around 12:00
noon.
Inclusion of the trip
Exclusion of the trip
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Daily expenses
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Travel insurance
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Tip & Gratuity
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