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Today our tour company, Indochina Journeys, organised a day on the Mekong Delta with Mango Cruises.www.mangocruises.com It is a company that provides tours, guesthouse accommodation and overnight cruises for couples and small groups. Our tour today worked at clockwork precision from collection from the hotel at 8 to delivery to local guide, transfer via small truck through small tropical paths, river boat down the Mekong River, dugout canoe down canals with stops to view local industry - coconut usage, brick building, rice noodle and paper production. Amidst this activity we were given snacks in grass huts,tea at a local home and delicious lunch at their guesthouse. Highly recommended.
Leaving Saigon. Saigon has a population of 7 million. Half own motor bikes!
The thick vegetation along the Mekong River. Two hours drive from our hotel in Saigon.
We were delivered to our guide and transported to the river on a small truck.
Our guide, Yeng, who led us to our wise-eyed boat.
Our very comfortable vessel.
All along the river were smoking ovens burning coconut husks into charcoal, which is sold for.power generation and fertiliser.
A small coconut factory, every part of the coconut used - furniture, matting, cooking oil etc.
Rice noodles and paper produced by small businesses. This woman makes rice paper for Vietnamese rolls and gave us a demonstration in her rudimentary, clay-floored home.
A canoe ride through the canals.
The Mango Cruises guesthouse and small restaurant.
Every course cleverly decorated with creatively cut vegetables.
Activity in the garden
Lotus flowers everywhere, harvested for local floral businesses
Dinner with our Canberra friends, Shane and Kristin, and Mark's brother, Piers, at Thanh Toan.
M&M
2/10/2015
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