Awakening in the Mekong Delta is always an interesting experience. When compared with the relative quiet and peace of the upper Tonle Sap River, the Mekong Delta is alive and bustling. Large dredges pull up literal tons of river sediment, depositing it onto the decks of waiting barges. Small fishing boats putt-putt alongside us as they cross the river into smaller channels in which to lay their nets. Flat cargo boats carry the aforementioned sediment, as well as sacks of rice, huge piles of rice husk, or ballast tanks full of fish and water.
In the early morning, we navigated towards our anchorage outside of the city of Sa Dec. Our visit this morning was to a small island in the delta called Binh Tanh, and we accessed it through the use of covered local boats. The island, and specifically the village we visit, is known for its traditional mat-weaving. Mats are woven from jute and used as sleeping “pads”, as it is much too hot here for a western-style mattress. The weaving is done by women (and the occasional helpful husband) and passed down through generations of mothers and daughters. It offers an opportunity for women to work in the shade collectively, and to share stories and perhaps, (one perceives) local gossip or news. After spending time watching the dexterity of the weavers, we walked through the town past many of the small businesses on the main road. Upon entering a temple complex, we were greeted by a local man and woman who’ve each lived in the community for their entire lives. They graciously welcomed us and shared their personal stories with our small groups. After a lovely visit, we returned to meet our local boat at a landing ramp also used by the local ferry. We traversed a small channel that separates Binh Tanh from a larger, neighboring island, and had great views of local fishermen, women collecting water hyacinth, and small-scale fish farming operations.
During lunchtime, Jahan motored downriver and under the My Thuan Bridge. This was the first bridge built across the Mekong River and it has been the model for many other Mekong bridges to follow. Just after lunch we anchored outside of the bustling market town of Cai Be. Our same local boats brought us into the main waterway of the town, past the sleepy floating market. This market has its peak in the early morning and (although still full of activity), in the afternoon the boats are more engaged in personal things as opposed to negotiation and business.
Our boats stopped at a small production facility where they are making snacks and candy from local products. We watched as the expert staff popped rice and then added coconut sugar (the consistency of molasses), forming sweet and crunchy bricks. Some of the workers were engaged in producing candy from the coconut sugar and cutting it into small pieces. These are then hand-wrapped and perfectly packaged for sale.
Returning to Jahan in the late afternoon, we enjoyed cocktails and conversation on the top deck and throughout sunset. Our phenomenal Jahan crew gave us a perfect send-away, complete with Khmer music and dance lessons around the swimming pool!
Although we have a few more days of exploration in Vietnam and a visit to the controlled chaos of Saigon tomorrow, it is bittersweet to leave the ship which has been our beautiful floating home for the last week. The incredible hospitality aboard Jahan and the people along the Mekong River system will be in our hearts, in our minds, and in our camera cards for a long time to come.
