Mekong Delta, Vietnam

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The Mekong Delta covers an area of about 40000km2 (25000 square miles). One of the world's great rivers, the mighty Mekong empties waters from Tibet 4500km (2,800 miles) away into the South China Sea through the Mekong Delta. This great river crosses into Vietnam from Cambodia and divides into the many rivers that create the Delta (Cuu Long or Nine Dragons in Vietnamese), and nourish one of the worlds greatest rice growing regions, before ending its journey in the South China Sea.

This region saw the first Europeans arrive in the 16th century. The Mekong Delta is an amazingly diverse area, with followers of religions as varied as Catholicisim and Islam existing side-by-side with the uniquely Vietnamese Cao Dai and Hoa Hao. The Mekong Delta is still heavily populated by Khmer people, but is also home to Chinese, Cham and Vietnamese people.

As you would expect, water is the most dominant feature of the Delta, it is everywhere. Water gives this area its amazing fertility and unique river culture. The population here lives, works, and relaxes on the water, as farmers and fishermen. The backwaters and canals of the Delta are home to hundreds of floating markets, absent now from most other parts of Asia

Today the Mekong Delta is an extraordinarily vibrant place, with markets and agricultural enterprises seemingly everywhere. However, in contrast to the hustle and bustle of its commercial life, the Mekong Delta is also as relaxing and leisurely as any rural setting in the world. Visitors are often surprised to see the diversity of the Mekong Delta, from snake farms in My Tho to orchards in Can Tho.

A trip into the Mekong Delta provides an excellent opportunity to experience traditional Vietnamese rural life. Boating through the maze of canals and waterways gives the opportunity to view rural life in the countryside as it really happens: peasants hard at work in the paddy, docile but mightily strong water buffaloes, orchards groaning with delectible fruits, humble thatch-rooved dwellings, ancient Khmer temples, fishermen and everywhere, excited children!

Floating markets: The very essence of river culture

The floating markets are the lifeblood of the Mekong Delta and contribute greatly to its culture and atmosphere. A floating market will spring up anywhere that sellers and buyer happen to meet. Trading can take place for a few minutes or all day, but it is always most exciting in the morning as the buyer's boats are empty and the supplier's boats are laden with their produce. And the range of produce can be bewildering: from food for special occasions to rambutan, oranges, pomeloes, mangosteen or durian the staple fresh-water fish, turtles, snakes, field crabs or shrimps. Apart from the ad-hoc buying and selling on the backwaters, there are well established floating markets worth seeing at Phung Hiep, Nga Bay, Phong Dien, Cai Rang and Cai Be. The produce offered at the floating markets is usually sold at wholesale for further processing or onward sale in the bigger towns and cities.

Source : http://www.discovermekong.com

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