Afloat on the Mekong Delta

Mike Yardley embarks on a sensory-rich Mekong Delta river cruise, revelling in its watery wonders, vibrant villages, and authentic cultural experiences.

Dubbed the ‘rice bowl of Vietnam”, the mighty Mekong Delta sets the stage for a striking and sensory-rich river cruise experience. I joined Emerald Cruises for their week-long float from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh, onboard the sleek new star-ship, Emerald Harmony. What a marvellously languid way to revel in the revelations of the Mekong’s watery wonder. As we drifted along the delta, a constant sight was the presence of people living on, by or near the water. Fish farms are a signature of the river, where a cluster of houseboats, buoyed by plastic barrels, harbour vast underwater pens of young fish.

After threading our way through the Cho Gao canal, which was originally dug by the French in 1876 to connect Saigon with the Mekong Delta, Ben Tre made for a memorable stop, nicknamed the coconut kingdom of Vietnam given its vast swathe of plantations. After disembarking the boat, we jaunted to the village of Dat Dua, home to one of Ben Tre’s famed coconut candy workshops. It was fascinating to see the production process first-hand, where the sticky mixture is rolled and cut into squares, before several dozen villagers hand-wrap the finished product.

After feasting on the coconut candy, we boarded a fleet of Italian Lambros, which are three-wheeled, Vespa-like farm vehicles, produced by Lambretta and principally used to transport produce, rather than indulgent river cruise passengers. They sure make for a fun ride in the canopied cargo deck. Zipping through the skinny lanes of Dat Dua, snatching a rich array of vignettes of the fruit orchards, humble village life and exchanging waves with friendly locals, we took in the architectural grace of Tan Long Pagoda and its gilded reclining Buddha, before enjoying some local folk music.

Another sensational excursion lay in wait at Sa Dec. This charming riverside town, richly infused with French colonial architecture, was the original setting of the autobiographical novel “The Lover” by Marguerite Duras, which was turned into a movie in 1991 — one of the first Western films shot in Vietnam after the war. Numerous old mansions and merchant homes line the riverfront on the march to the multi-sensory frenzy of Sa Dec Market. You’ll want to gird your loins before surrendering to the Wet Market, where hordes of fluffy ducklings encased in wire baskets competed for attention alongside the tied-up frogs, giant water beetles, snakes and various flapping fish. I was assured the ducklings weren’t being sold to be eaten.

Another Sa Dec highlight is Kien An Chung pagoda, which has a colourful history, serving as a prison before reverting to its original purpose, after being built a century ago by Chinese migrants from Fujian. Far from being a tourist trap, like so many excursions with Emerald Cruises, you get to savour a raw, authentic and unvarnished slice of riverside life in the Mekong Delta. I love how this region still feels untainted by tourism.

Further up the river, a whistle-stop visit to Long Khanh Island showcased more industriousness, where a village army of cotton weavers is cultivating a solid livelihood on the loom. Over 1000 shawls and scarves are produced daily by the village’s 50 workshops. We also admired the homely beauty of Hoa Hao Buddhist pagoda, where we met an 80-year-old war veteran who fought for the Viet Cong, who proudly posed in his uniform for photos.

After transferring ashore to Tan Chau by sampan, which are towed along by the Emerald Harmony, we saddled up for a traditional rickshaw ride through the bustling town. An absolute head-turner is the Cao Dai Temple, a riot of colour. Founded in Vietnam a century ago, Cao Dai religion draws from a number of world faiths, beliefs and symbolism, particularly Buddhism, Confucianism and Catholicism.

A complete change of scenery is the idyllic and oh-so-fertile Evergreen Island, a hidden-away haven of farming prowess. Passing by traditional rural homes flanking the pencil-thin lanes, the bounty of harvested produce could cover virtually every base in your supermarket’s fruit and vege section. The Mekong Delta is so much more than a rice bowl. It’s a bountiful food bowl. I marvelled over the freshly harvested corn, the ginger, the freshly picked bananas, sacks of freshly dug potatoes, so many leafy greens and a rainbow of tropical fruit. Building up quite the appetite, it was time to head back to the cruise ship for a flavourful lunch, powered by local produce.

Revel in the serene charm and style of Emerald Harmony on a seven-night Majestic Mekong river cruise, between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh. Your cruise includes 21 meals with complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks to accompany lunch and dinner on board. The effervescent English-speaking crew, drawn from Vietnam and Cambodia, are simply exceptional. Knowledgeable local guides will bring each destination to life in small group excursions.

www.emeraldcruises.co.nz