Along the Mekong to Cambodia

Between Cambodia and Vietnam lies the vast Mekong River delta with many picturesque waterways, exotic natural scenery and especially with southern Vietnam farmers' country life. Everywhere you look you'll see people doing laundry, keeping chickens or working on the land. Sometimes you'll even see someone swimming across the river with a large group of ducks. The people in this area are very friendly and they're sure to wave to you as you pass and then continue on with their business. During this module you'll travel straight through the delta to Cambodia, partially through waterways where you won't find any other tourists. You'll also travel by rowboat through a part of the delta where you'll find different kinds of tropical fruit and you'll visit a traditional village. You'll spend one night in a comfortable hotel in Can Tho and one night at the Cambodian border in Chau Doc. After a while you'll travel by speedboat to Phnom Penh.

This module can also be done in reverse: starting in Phnom Penh and ending in Ho Chi Minh. The itinerary is quite similair, but it's a private tour. Click here for a full description of this module in reverse.

Today marks the beginning of your tour through the Mekong Delta and on to Phnom Penh. All around you you'll see water and that's why a boat is the best possible means of transportation in this exotic area. An air conditioned bus will take you from Ho Chi Minh City to the town of Cai Be, where you'll board a boat. When you arrive you'll visit the very popular floating market. Traders trade their fresh products from their boats for other types of fruit and vegetables. The multitude of different kinds of products makes this market one colourful place to remember.

You'll continue on in smaller boats through a maze of small, shadow-filled canals and you'll visit the An Binh islands (Vinh Long). Along the waterside you'll see different types of fruit growing and you'll also visit a local orchard where you can sample delicious fresh fruit. During a visit to the village in the Mekong Delta you'll be able to walk or bike ride through the area. You'll become acquainted with life in the Mekong Delta and the friendly people who live here. Far away from the hectic outside world, the Vietnamese in the Mekong Delta care for their own products. They make ceramics and they naturally cultivate rice and crispy noodles. After a short stop in the town of Vinh Long, you'll travel by bus to Cai Von and then you'll travel by boat to Can Tho. Here you'll spend the night in a comfortable hotel by the river.