Aside from the lip-smacking yet mellow food of Ho Chi Minh, another highlight that I consider in my recent trip to Vietnam was the exploration me and my colleagues did at My Tho, Tien Giang Province located in the Mekong Delta.

The site is not the typical destination a tourist would expect.  The body of water is not pristine.  It definitely is not for snorkeling. White sand beach is non-existent.  The grounds and terrain are not well manicured.  And there is no amber-sun-setting-photo-opportunity to grab. It is not your typical tropical paradise.

For me Melkong Delta being a tourist destination is a totally different animal.  Their comprehensive river channels boasts of its boats which ranges from elegant sampans to unpainted and crude lumbering cargo boats.  The surprisingly odorless dark waters of the canals seem to have lots of  intriguing tales to tell.  The captivating bodies of water makes this place interestingly remarkable.

The activities on land, on river banks and along the river channels are busy yet I felt relaxed, languid and unhurried.  I particularly like the dense palms and mangroves ruling the comprehensive swamps and channels.

We tasted honey from bee hives, were served with various tropical fruits, listened to Vietnamese folksongs, went on tiny sampans to be rowed through swamps and canals, ate coconut sweets and had lunch in which the main dish is the massive fish appropriately called “elephant ear”.

strong woman of vietnam

coconut candy maker… an exotic delight…

blue sampans perfectly compliments the green palms and brown water

My overall trip to My Tho in Mekong Delta was fun, easy and leisurely yet indeed remarkable…

Relaks lang ang peg…