THREE DAY EXCURSION: CAI BE–VINH LONG–SA DEC

Day 1: On arrival in Cai Be, boarding your charming wooden boat, the Mekong Queen to visit the colorful Cai Be floating market, one of the many well-known and the biggest floating markets in the western region of southern Vietnam, which was formed during the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century. The market is always busy, bearing all the characteristics of the local’s life in the Mekong region. All the goods are transported to the market by boats. The floating market lies in the Tien (Upper) river, and is divided into two parts: buying and selling places. Rafts and boats are anchored along the two sides of the river for kilometers. Traders live on the river and some link their lives with boats like their mobile houses for generations. The products are hung on a pole in front of the boat to attract customers and it is also easier for customers to see the products they want to buy from a far and no need to go from one boat to another to save their time.
After the Cai Be floating market, you will then continue the cruise to a local factory to visit and learn how pop rice, pop corn, rice paper and coconut candies are made. You also have an opportunity to taste these products, served with hot green tea. Returning to the Mekong Queen for a 50 minute cruise to Dong Hoa Hiep island and discover the beautiful and peaceful sceneries together with the typical life of the region along the Mekong river. Stops for visits and photos taken can be made during the excursion.
Taking a 10 minute walk through a local village and fruit gardens, you will be able to stop at a local family scaled Longan process factory, where you have another opportunity to take photo of and interact with the so friendly and hard working local people before coming to an old Mandarin house, built hundred years ago and it is where at least four generations of the family have been living. A so delicious Vietnamese lunch will be served by the owner, Mrs. Kiet. One of the highlights after lunch is to walk around the orchard to get to know what the main contribution to the economy of her family is based on.

Walking or taking a small rowing sampan back to the boat and continue to Mr. Ba Duc house, where you check into your home stay, then the balance of the day will be at leisure on your own or you can bike around the village for more discovery of the area before dinner. The family will be your host for this evening and tell you more about the typical life in the Mekong region. Another option is to go down the kitchen for part of the cooking class if you wish. Overnight is at Mr. Ba Duc’s homestay (Lunch, Dinner)

Day 2: After breakfast, you start walking on a small trail along the river to see the daily life of the locals, and visit the village market which is just held early in the morning for the so busy farmers to buy things for the day. The market is also a place where you can interact with and take photo of the locals. If desired, you can revisit the Cai Be floating market. Afterwards, you bid farewell to your hosts and take your boat trip to Vinh Long. Stop on the way to visit Mr. Tam Ho (No.8 Tiger) family and take a walk around his nursery garden to learn how the seedlings of several tropical fruit trees are grown in order to provide to almost all farmers in the area. You then continue the excursion to the handicraft village to visit a ceramic tile factory, a tofu and fish sauce factory, a blacksmith’s, a roof Thatcher’s and a rice husking factory which are all run by the local families and also one of the places where some local people can earn their living.

After lunch at Mr. Sau Giao’s home, return to the Mekong Queen for another 40 minutes to An Binh Island. An optional one hour cycling tour to visit the fruit gardens with stops a long the way for photos taken and visits can be made a long the way - an opportunity to interact with the local people, whose livelihood is on the river. You will then take a small rowing sampan for another 30 minute cruise to Mr. Mai Quoc Nam family, where you will check in your home stay. The balance of the day will be at leisure on your own or take a walk around the village yourselves for more discovery of the area before dinner. The family will be your host for this evening and tell you more about the typical life in the Mekong region. Another option is to go down the kitchen for part of the cooking class if you wish. Overnight is Mr. Mai Quoc Nam’s home (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)

Day 3: After breakfast, you bid farewell to your hosts and take your Mekong Queen for a 2.5 hour ride to Sa Dec. Stop to visit the local floating houses where thousands of fishes are raised in the wooden boxes underneath in the natural water of the river and Tan Hoa Temple which was built hundreds of years ago by the locals. Continue cruising on the river for another one hour to Sadec, you will have a big chance to discover the beautiful landscapes and the typical life of the Mekong Delta along the way.

On arrival, landing at the central market located right on the bank of the river. After saying goodbye to the crew, take a very short walk to experience yourself at an ancient house which was built in French colonial architecture. This is a house shot in a very famous movie called “ The Lovers “, based on a true love story of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, a rich Vietnamese-Chinese gentleman and Ms. Marguerite Duras.  End of tour and board your own vehicle for a drive back to Saigon or Can Tho.


* Including:

- 3 day cruise with the Mekong Queen.
- 2 nights Home-stay with daily simply breakfast
- Two lunches and two dinners (meal only, no drinks/water)
- Fresh & cold towels, fresh seasonal fruit, mineral water, hot green tea and coffee on board
- Bicycles with the local standard.
- Rowing Sampan and all entrance fees on tour.


*Excluding:

- Drinks/water at meals
- Other meals
- Travel Insurance.  
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Other services not mentioned in the inclusion.