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"Short stories and travel reports from my life adventures around the globe".

Travel Report: The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Mekong Delta Cruise Vietnam.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

May 2018.

I was into the last few days of my monthlong adventure across Vietnam. And what better way to sign off than with a boat cruise through the country’s stunning Mekong Delta. An intricate maze of river and swamps encompassed by jungle, rice fields and dotted villages, I’d read how this was one of the great experiences of South East Asia.

I’m guessing just about every would-be visitor has a different aspect of The Mekong Delta that particularly captures the imagination. For some it might be the silence of the place. Nothing but the sound of coconut tree branches rustling in the breeze.

Mekong Delta Vietnam.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

For others, it could be catching a glimpse of farmers, shielded from the sun in their cone-shaped hats as they work the paddy fields. For me, I couldn’t shake the image of the impossibly cool Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now. Crouched in the back of a boat as it cuts its way through the Mekong Delta’s muddy waters. Man I was disappointed when I found out those scenes were actually filmed in The Philippines.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Martin Sheen Apocalypse Now.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

To get onto the Mekong Delta myself, I had to pick my way through a glut of operators. Unfortunately, much like my research on Halong Bay, I came across all kinds of cowboy outfits. Operators that pack their customers like sardines onto tiny boats. Who ensure their passengers spend more time in souvenir stores than they do on the river itself.

Vietnam travel guide

Finally, after much online research, I settled on the Insight Mekong Delta Tour through a Ho Chi Minh based company called Deluxe Group Tours. I rarely go down the group tour route. However, The Mekong Delta is an isolated region and I really only had a day to spare before my return flight to China. Moreover, they assured me there would be no more than ten people on the tour, which didn’t sound too bad.

Ben Tre Province Vietnam.

Ben Tre Province, Vietnam.

Thus I paid my dues ($45) and they picked me up from my hotel as promised, between 08:00-08:30. From there it was a two hour minivan drive into the heart of rural Ben Tre Province. Eventually, we passed along a wide section of The Mekong River and down onto a series of dusty roads. And just minutes later we were rumbling to a stop outside the tiny village of Nhon Thanh.

Nhon Thanh Brickmaking Village The Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Perched on the edge of The Delta, the village is home to a small but dedicated brick making community. They make their bricks using clay dredged directly from The Mekong. “You can see many factory like this on The Delta….” our guide said, leading us into the heart of Nhon Thanh’s modest operation. “Little skylines of brick towers… smoke rising… smell of baking clay”. 

Nhon Thanh Village.

Brickmaking The Mekong Delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

The towers he was referring to are orange kilns. Nhon Thanh had about a dozen, which I found strangely alluring. Bright orange, wonky and hive-shaped, they serve as furnaces to cook the bricks. Once fished out of The Mekong, the villagers leave the clay to dry in the sun for several weeks before baking.

Brick kiln The Mekong Delta Vietnam.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Next we got to enter one of the kilns. It felt like going inside a giant beehive, thankfully without the buzzing things. The baking process, powered by rice husks, takes up to several days. “On cooking day it gets crazy hot here” laughed our guide. “In fact, workers need to wear hat, goggles and protective suit”. Furthermore, he revealed that each kiln was good for “about 50 years” before it had to be replaced.

Meet the people of The Mekong Delta Deluxe Group Tours

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

He also led us through several large storage areas, where piles and piles of finished bricks awaited pickup. They’d be going, Mr. Guide said, all over Vietnam for various construction projects. Under a rickety wooden shelter, we came across some villagers resting by a mountain of rice husks. A worryingly thin grandfather, his son and grandson, seemingly keeping a polite distance from our tour. The young boy, enthusiastically sucking on a lollipop, shot me a cheeky look as I grabbed my photo.

Sampan cruise Mekong Delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

From Nhon Thanh Village our guide led us down to the banks of The Mekong. “Jump on…. make yourself comfortable….” he laughed, gesticulating towards a massive wooden Sampan. It was lovely onboard, all polished wood surfaces and loads of space. Within minutes we were chugging through the water, while our guide and a crew member handed out coconuts. “Drink… drink, enjoy the view”. 

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Fresh coconut juice Mekong Delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Sipping on fresh coconut juice… sheltered from the burning sun… it wasn’t exactly a scene out of Apocalypse Now. Which was probably a good thing, as I had no particular desire to be shot at. “You know, we always choose quiet part of Delta” our guide boasted. And true enough there was no sign whatsoever of other tour boats. Just an unblemished landscape of muddy water, lush green jungle and a blue, cloud-laden sky.

Exploring The Mekong Delta in Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

After half an hour of cruising another vessel came into view. “Some villages make the clay pots” we learned. “This one go to Ho Chi Minh, soon they will be in hotels… companies… souvenir stores. Is good business”. 

Boat transporting clay pots Mekong Delta Vietnam

Pots, pots, pots.

Our next stop was a coconut candy workshop. We literally just pulled up at a nondescript clearing and picked our way through the jungle to a raised wooden hut. In that brief two minute walk I was left drenched in sweat and had a line of bugs installed on my neck. Thankfully a brief swish of my hand sent them packing.

In Vietnam people affectionately refer to The Mekong Delta as Coconut Country. “Yeah, you can find hundreds of coconut factory here” our host said, as we gathered inside the hut. “They make juice… fresh coconut slice… oil… craft product… but the candy is the best! We call it Keo dua“.

Coconut Candy.

Coconut Candy production The Mekong Delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

In one corner of the hut we saw a pair of men hacking flesh out of a pile of coconuts. In another, a teenage boy sat on a wooden stool grinding a pile of shavings into an oily wok. “They cook the coconut with a secret mixture” our guide chuckled.

“They even won’t tell me precise ingredient, but you can be sure some milk and A LOT of sugar”. 

After cooking, the syrupy sweet coconut mix cools off before a team of ladies moulds everything into bite sized squares. These same women later wrap each individual piece, a relentless not to mention tedious process that takes up hours of their time every day.

Coconut Candy production Mekong Delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Needless to say they had plenty of coconut candy bags for purchase, should you be so inclined. But I liked how nobody put any pressure on us to buy. Rather, they simply treated the group to some complimentary pieces, safe in the knowledge that they’d most likely shift a few bags. And so it proved, because the candies were so soft and flavourful around half the group ended up taking a bag or two for the road. Each pack, containing around thirty pieces, goes for 35.000VND ($1.50).

Coconut Candy Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

They have some other curious products on sale too. Take this absolutely brutal rice wine, for example, containing either sun-dried cobra or black scorpion. Hmm, which one would you go for? I went for the neither option. Apparently, the high alcohol level (35%) neutralises whatever poison remains in the creature’s body. Yikes. What’s more, locals reckon just a small shot glass serves as a potent aphrodisiac.

Sun dried cobra and black scorpion soaked rice wine

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Back on The Mekong, we had another half an hour of river gazing. Leaning back, feet up, it was a joy to see us progress through the wide expanse into smaller networks of narrow river alleys. So fun, in fact, that I had to take up the guide’s offer of a photograph. “Just crawl to end of boat… keep going, keep going….”

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Sampan cruise Mekong Delta Vietnam.

“Cheese”.

Buried somewhere within one of these alleys, lies another tiny village. This community works in the mat and basket-weaving trade. Everything made from either bamboo or sedge (a grass-like flowering plant with fibrous leaves).

Mat weaving workshop Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

“One small mat sells for just $1” he told us, as the women carried on working without even looking up. I guess they were used to groups like ours strolling into their homes. It was interesting to learn that nearly all of the weavers were women, due to the fact that they had “small hands”. “And better patience compare to men” laughed our guide, referencing the very precise weaving process. “One mistake and BOOM, wasted mat”. 

Bamboo and sedge weaving in The Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

From the village our leader surprised us all by walking us to a nearby bike station. “Ok we got lunch coming” he announced, “But first you gotta work for it. So we go cycling”. Immediately, I began pondering what manner of bicycle I might have to get to grips with. But actually it was a decent bike more than capable of handling the ten minute journey ahead.

Cycling in the Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

I had expected the route to be… a bit wild shall we say. But in contrast the ride played out along a spotless stone road. Not even a pothole in evidence as we passed little clusters of houses and the occasional farm. Overall it was a piece of cake, though the sun was so burning hot I doubt we could have ridden for much longer without suncream and water.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Cycling in the Mekong Delta Vietnam.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Parking our bikes in the garden, we entered the idyllic jungle compound of Cai Coi Riverside Restaurant. This was a wonderful spot, an authentic Mekong Delta eatery with not even a glint of an online footprint. Inside the giant hut we gathered around a long wooden table, eagerly awaiting our Mekong feast.

Jungle restaurant The Mekong Delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

And what a giant banquet it was, with all the traditional Vietnamese staples such as noodles, fried rice, stir-fried chicken and vegetable spring rolls. The standout dish though was definitely the amazing deep-fried fish, served whole and perfectly battered from eyeballs to fin. A work of art really.

Deep fried whole fish Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Things did a get a touch cheesy on the last leg of our cruise back to the minivan. Our guide admitted that he needed new photos of clients enjoying the tour. Hence he asked a bunch of us to pose on the boat, wearing of course a traditional Vietnamese conical hat (Non La). Generally, I tend to run a mile from such situations. But I’d really enjoyed my day in The Mekong Delta, so I thought why the heck not.

Lazy river life Mekong Delta Vietnam.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

On the way back to Ho Chi Minh our guide announced an unexpected pitstop. “Now we’re passing biggest temple in Mekong Delta. We can take a quick look”. And so I hopped out of the minivan for a speedy but highly enjoyable self-guided tour of The Mekong Delta’s grand 19th century Vinh Trang Pagoda.

Vinh Trang Pagoda.

Vinh Trang Temple

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Dating back to 1850, the complex is fairly unique in that it combines classical Vietnamese architecture with Chinese, Khmer, Thai and even European flourishes. As you’d expect, the compound includes representations of all the iconic Buddha forms. Including The Laughing Buddha (symbolising happiness and good luck) and The Reclining Buddha (Gautama Buddha before he enters parinirvana).

Vinh Trang Pagoda Mekong Delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Above all, it’s a wonderfully peaceful place with vast courtyards, well-kept gardens, potted plants, fruit trees, bonsais, towering bronze statues and grand altars. I also loved the porcelain mosaic creations found peppered around the complex. All beautifully detailed and depicting traditional Buddhist stories.

Turtle sculpture Vinh Trang Pagoda.

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

A number of highly respected Buddhist monks rest within the pagoda in marked gravestones. Moreover, Vinh Trang serves as a children’s home for orphans and disadvantaged/disabled youths. Poke around some of the courtyard corridors and you might see them drinking tea, playing chess or studying in their dorms.

Vinh Trang Pagoda is free to enter daily from 09:00-11:30 & 13:30-17:00. Most Mekong Delta day tours from Ho Chi Minh include a stop here, either on the way in or back from the main tour.

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40 Comments

  • Nemorino

    This post brings back great memories of a 3-day Mekong Delta tour that my older son and I took in 1995. https://operasandcycling.com/mekong-delta-tour-1995/

    February 15, 2022 - 9:35 am Reply
    • Leighton

      Thanks for reading and leaving a comment! I’m guessing the Delta was a much ‘wilder” experience back in the mid 90s.

      February 15, 2022 - 9:45 am Reply
  • thehungrytravellers.blog

    Great stuff, interesting read and so full of things that draw us to South East Asia. We really are getting hopeful of picking up next year where we left off in 2020. We’ll most likely be referring to Leightonville when that plan is coming together.

    February 15, 2022 - 10:22 am Reply
    • Leighton

      Thank you so much, I feel like “Leightonville” was an opportunity lost when I named my blog. The way you guys are getting around, I’m sure Vietnam is just around the corner.

      February 15, 2022 - 8:42 pm Reply
      • thehungrytravellers.blog

        Leightonville rocks!

        February 15, 2022 - 8:51 pm
      • Leighton

        I’ll maybe keep it for the name of my debut album.

        February 15, 2022 - 8:54 pm
      • thehungrytravellers.blog

        And a follow up called Thomastown…?

        February 15, 2022 - 9:18 pm
      • Leighton

        I could live with that. Or Leighton Calling…

        February 15, 2022 - 9:27 pm
  • pedmar10

    Nice pictures brings back memories of it and also was in 2018. Now all is WhatsApp with the friends still there. Cheers

    February 15, 2022 - 10:31 am Reply
    • Leighton

      Thanks for reading!

      February 15, 2022 - 8:43 pm Reply
  • Little Miss Traveller

    What a splendid trip along the Mekong Delta Leighton and that sampan with its polished wooden benches looks so beautiful. Your cycle ride looked fun too and like you I would have thought the terrain would have been bumpy to say the least. The end to an epic trip and one that I’m certain you will remember forever.

    February 15, 2022 - 12:43 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Thanks Marion, it was indeed a fine way to end the trip. Secretly, I had been considering not going due to how exhausted I found myself at the end of my month-long travels. Glad I dragged myself out of my hotel to see it.

      February 15, 2022 - 8:46 pm Reply
  • kagould17

    Looks like you picked the right tour company who delivered the full and real deal, Leighton. Good for you. As to the advertising, I am OK with this and with reviews, if the company truly went above and beyond, but bad operators know better than to ask for good reviews. The bike ride and lunch as well as the Buddha stop were all nice touches. Thanks for sharing. Allan

    February 15, 2022 - 1:46 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Hey Allan, belatedly catching up with messages this evening after a full day’s exploring in London. My god was today’s weather a million miles away from those deep blue Mekong Delta skies. Once again we are on the same page, this time re advertising and reviews.

      February 15, 2022 - 8:49 pm Reply
  • Memo

    Charlie Sheen in sunglasses! Looks like you had a very restful and informative day. That fish seems fierce and yet I wanted to try some. Would have tried some cobra wine too. Still I can’t get over the feeling that in my mind, the Mekong Delta is synonymous with mosquito heaven. Too many bad movies probably.

    February 15, 2022 - 3:05 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Respect to you Memo for being up for that cobra wine. The mosquito factor wasn’t too bad, though I’d imagine it’s an absolute horror show at night.

      February 15, 2022 - 8:57 pm Reply
  • Monkey's Tale

    I love how untouristy this Mekong tour was and the low pressure sales at the stops. Sounds like you found a good company. We didn’t see this part of Mekong, we went from Cai Rang which is completely different so nice to see this section. Maggie

    February 15, 2022 - 3:49 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Thanks Maggie, what did you think of the Cai Rang stretch?

      February 15, 2022 - 8:58 pm Reply
      • Monkey's Tale

        We mostly went for the floating market. It’s very different from the ones in Thailand but very interesting. The Mekong is quite large there so hundreds of boats gather for the market.

        February 15, 2022 - 9:39 pm
  • grandmisadventures

    Truly an incredible tour down such a beautiful river and so interesting to learn about the industry there. I love that those women make the candy and then package them by hand. I would most certainly buy multiple bags of that candy for the hard work that went into them. But who in their right mind would call that wine an aphrodisiac? I can see the ad for it now “Nothing ramps up the love like cobras and scorpions stewing in a bottle- don’t worry the poison is gone!”. Not exactly a solid selling pitch.

    February 15, 2022 - 4:14 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Ha ha I’m with you on the wine, I felt a bit queasy just looking at it. You’re right about the women too, and indeed all the locals really. They clearly work very hard day in day out in the searing bug-ridden heat. Respect, I wouldn’t last a week.

      February 15, 2022 - 9:03 pm Reply
  • 100 Country Trek

    This brings make memories of our time there. Sipping that coconut is so delicious. Not sure I would bike around, but you are strong. Such great photos and a great tour around. Anita

    February 15, 2022 - 8:43 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Thanks Anita, you know what they say… only mad dogs and Englishmen go biking in The Mekong Delta sun… 😉 or something like that 🙂

      February 15, 2022 - 9:05 pm Reply
  • Lyssy In The City

    When I first read this I thought it said May 2008, and I was like wow he mastered the selfie before they were a thing. But then I went back and saw 2018 ha! I am cautious about booking tours too because sometimes it can be a disaster but we’ve been pretty lucky so far!

    February 15, 2022 - 11:18 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Yeah, I think by the time I hit 30 I was over the tour thing. But every now and then the conditions warrant it. This was one of those times and luckily it paid off.

      February 16, 2022 - 7:02 am Reply
      • Lyssy In The City

        We like them too so we don’t have to drive in other countries on this windy roads or on the opposite side of the road haha

        February 16, 2022 - 2:10 pm
  • Lookoom

    Like you I don’t like to include a guided tour, but for logistical reasons it is sometimes necessary. This company has found the right balance to allow you to see many interesting things. I would have loved these factory tours. Thanks for sharing.

    February 16, 2022 - 12:56 am Reply
    • Leighton

      Thank you sir, glad you enjoyed this virtual tour of The Delta. Can’t believe I’ve finally wrapped up Vietnam, it’s been a long blogging journey.

      February 16, 2022 - 7:04 am Reply
      • Lookoom

        I haven’t finished reading all the articles yet, some are still in my inbox. It is a good source of information about Vietnam.

        February 16, 2022 - 8:45 pm
  • WanderingCanadians

    Taking a boat cruise sounds like a fantastic experience and a great way to see Mekong Delta. It sounds like all your research on which cruise outfitter to choose from paid off. I’d rather pay more and go with a smaller group. I love coconut and that coconut candy sounds amazing!! The rice wine with a cobra or black scorpion, not so much!

    February 16, 2022 - 12:13 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Yeah I was pleased the research worked out, these things are never really guaranteed. I should have picked up an extra bag of the candy. I reckon a few of those cobra wine bottles are still sitting there.

      February 16, 2022 - 5:22 pm Reply
  • wetanddustyroads

    I was wondering when I’ll see a river cruise 😊. I don’t like coconut water … but coconut candy can’t be too bad! What a nice boat ride (with a little bit of exercise on a bike – yikes, in that hot sun) … but at least it looks you had a great meal (and time)!

    February 16, 2022 - 4:20 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      I’m also not crazy about coconut water to be honest. But on that day in that setting, it had to be done, ha.

      February 16, 2022 - 4:35 pm Reply
  • rkrontheroad

    I did a one day boat ride through the Delta with different stops, but I loved this post. There was a woman with one arm who made those woven hats and other small villages. As a former potter, I would have found the kilns interesting.

    February 16, 2022 - 8:34 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Sounds like there are a variety of tours, I would’ve liked to have seen some woven hat production unfolding. Thanks for checking out my tour Ruth.

      February 16, 2022 - 8:39 pm Reply
  • Rebecca

    What a long, but fruitful tour you had! The Mekong Delta truly looks like a paradisiacal setting for a boat ride, coconut juice in hand (which you did)! I only like coconut in small doses, so those candies you had look to be just the right size to enjoy. Sounds like you saw a lot on this tour, yet it remained peaceful!

    February 17, 2022 - 4:28 am Reply
    • Leighton

      Thanks for joining me on these Vietnam files Rebecca. It was a great trip that took a month to do, nearly a year to publish in its entirety.

      February 17, 2022 - 7:37 am Reply
  • Toonsarah

    Catching up on some old posts 🙂 This looks like a great day out. For something like this a tour really is the only option and it seems you chose well. I’d have been stuck however as I don’t cycle and I suspect it would have been a long hot walk to get to lunch!

    June 24, 2022 - 3:23 pm Reply
    • Leighton

      Ooh yes, that would have been a bit rough. Luckily there are plenty of tours without the cycling bit. Sladja doesn’t do bikes either, so she made sure to choose a tour accordingly when she visited The Mekong. Thanks for dropping by!

      June 25, 2022 - 8:01 am Reply

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