|
|
Vietnam
> Mekong Delta |
MEKONG DELTA
The far south
of Vietnam is one of the two main rice bowls of the country. Dominated by the Mekong
Delta, the surrounding lands are comprised of low
lying rice paddies and the rivers are bordered by dense mangroves and palms. The
tributaries of the hectic Mekong River highway provide a comprehensive network of canals
and channels. The rivers are the best methods to explore the region at a leisurely pace
and offer the opportunity to experience the truly unique Mekong River lifestyle. What
follows is an exploration of the Delta in a clockwise direction, beginning south of Ho Chi
Minh City at Mytho, visiting areas both very popular with travelers, and those which are
virtually unknown. Cruising up river on the roof of a boat laden with all manner of fish
produce, as the sun sets over the distant coconut tress, is a truly remarkable experience.
 Con Phung Orchard
This island is also known as the Island of the Coconut Monk named
after a monk, Ong Dao Dua, who meditated on the island for three years during which he ate
nothing but coconuts. An active supporter of the reunification of Vietnam, he strongly
believed that reunification could be achieved by peaceful means. In the early 1960s he
founded a community in support of this ideal, and as a result was imprisoned by President
Diem on a number occasions. At his time, the island became a sanctuary for those who were
attempting to escape the ravages of war. Ong Dao Dua also headed his own sect, which was a
bizarre mix of Christianity and Buddhism. The large cross that you may stumble upon in his
sanctuary is not a swastika, but actually communist victory his community dissolved, and
the island is now a little run down. You can reach Con Phung island by boat from Mytho
which takes about half an hour.
Snake Farm
If
you enjoy having enormous pythons wrapped around you, this is the place for you as snakes
are greed here for anti-venom and medicinal purposes. If snakes do not turn you on, then
bay be the turtles will. The Snake Farm is home to two yellow turtles, the only two living
of their species known to the human race. They live to 1,000 years old so these ones have
another 800 years to look forward to. The Thai government offered US$ 250,000 for the
turtles, but the Vietnamese authorities declined the ‘generous’ offer, so that
they could keep these very special creatures.
Cai Rang Market
Cai
Rang Market is situated about 8 km from Can Tho by road or a 20 km loop by boat. This
market is quite nice and sells a variety of fruit and vegetables and operates from 5 am to
11 am, though the markets are better the earlier you can get there. A cyclo from Can Tho
will take about 15 minutes to get to Cai Rang Market. Another market, Phung Hiep market,
is 31 km from Can Tho. This is the snake market, selling a plethora of living, wriggling
and often poisonous snakes. Pythons and Cobras are sold here by people from the
countryside who have caught them by hand, whilst others have come to purchase snakes for
restaurants, medicinal reasons or personal consumption. This market is open from 5 am to 5
pm. If travelling by boat, you can add a dimension to your day by stopping and visiting
some of the fruit gardens, which sell pineapple, rambutan and papaya amongst many other
fruits.
U-Minh Forest
U-Minh
is the largest mangrove swamp that can be found excepting the Amazon. Once in U-Minh
forest you can take an interesting walk around the rice fields and mangrove forests. It is
very quiet and spacious, making a worthwhile day trip from Ca Mau
Bird Sanctuary
There
are two bird parks that you can visit from ca Mau. The first, Bac Lieu bird garden can be
found about 3 km out of Bac Lieu. The second bird garden is in Minh Hai in Vuon Chim in
the Bam Doi District.
Phu Quoc Island
Situated
in the Gulf of Thailand, close to both Ha Tien, Rack Gia and the Cambodian coast, Phu Quoc
Island possesses excellent white sand beaches and great snorkeling opportunities. Some of
the islands to the South of Phu Quoc are also great for swimming and viewing the marine
life.
Ha Tien Beach
Ha
Tien, a very beautiful beach and market town, is situated virtually on the
Vietnamese-Cambodian border and offers a diverse spread of Vietnamese life. There is a
high percentage of Khmers living in this area, reflecting the historical significance of
the area that has changed hands between Cambodia and Vietnam and in the late 1970s bore
the brunt of Khmer Rouge raids across the frontier. Today ha Tien is a bustling smuggling
town between two former enemies, but for the traveller, the main attractions of the area
are the superb beaches
Sam Mountain
The
main attraction of Chau Doc is Sam Mountain. Situated 7 km from town along Bao Ho Thoai
Street, the mountain has a number of pagodas at its base, and some kind of army listening
post on the top. The main pagoda gets full marks for kitsch. Although the pagodas at the
base of the mountain are nothing to write home about, the view from the top of the
mountain is well worth the climb.
|
|
