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MEKONG DELTA
Mekong Delta, Con Phung Orchard,
U-minh Forest, Ha Tien Beach,
Snake Farm, Bird Sanctuary,
Sam Mountain,
Cai Rang Market, Phu Quoc Island
 MEKONG DELTA
The far south of Vietnam is one of the two
main rice bowls of the country.
 Dominated
by the Mekong Delta, the surrounding lands are comprised of low
lying rice paddies and the rivers are bordered by dense
mangroves and palms. The tributaries of the hectic Mekong River
highway provide a comprehensive network of canals and channels.
The rivers are the best methods to explore the region at a
leisurely pace and offer the opportunity to experience the truly
unique Mekong River lifestyle. What follows is an exploration of
the Delta in a clockwise direction, beginning south of Ho Chi
Minh City at Mytho, visiting areas both very popular with
travelers, and those which are virtually unknown. Cruising up
river on the roof of a boat laden with all manner of fish
produce, as the sun sets over the distant coconut tress, is a
truly remarkable experience..
CON
PHUNG ORCHARD
This island is also known as the Island of
the Coconut Monk named after a monk, Ong Dao Dua, who meditated
on the island for three years during which he ate nothing but
coconuts. An active supporter of the reunification of Vietnam,
he strongly believed that reunification could be achieved by
peaceful means. In the early 1960s he founded a community in
support of this ideal, and as a result was imprisoned by
President Diem on a number occasions. At his time, the island
became a sanctuary for those who were attempting to escape the
ravages of war. Ong Dao Dua also headed his own sect, which was
a bizarre mix of Christianity and Buddhism. The large cross that
you may stumble upon in his sanctuary is not a swastika, but
actually communist victory his community dissolved, and the
island is now a little run down. You can reach Con Phung island
by boat from Mytho which takes about half an hour.
U-MINH
FOREST
U-Minh is the largest mangrove swamp that can
be found excepting the Amazon. Once in U-Minh forest you can
take an interesting walk around the rice fields and mangrove
forests. It is very quiet and spacious, making a worthwhile day
trip from Ca Mau.
HA TIEN
BEACH
 Ha Tien, a very beautiful beach and market
town, is situated virtually on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border
and offers a diverse spread of Vietnamese life. There is a high
percentage of Khmers living in this area, reflecting the
historical significance of the area that has changed hands
between Cambodia and Vietnam and in the late 1970s bore the
brunt of Khmer Rouge raids across the frontier. Today ha Tien is
a bustling smuggling town between two former enemies, but for
the traveller, the main attractions of the area are the superb
beaches.
SNAKE
FARM
If you enjoy having enormous pythons wrapped
around you, this is the place for you as snakes are greed here
for anti-venom and medicinal purposes. If snakes do not turn you
on, then bay be the turtles will. The Snake Farm is home to two
yellow turtles, the only two living of their species known to
the human race. They live to 1,000 years old so these ones have
another 800 years to look forward to. The Thai government
offered US$ 250,000 for the turtles, but the Vietnamese
authorities declined the ‘generous’ offer, so that they could
keep these very special creatures.
BIRD
SANCTUARY
There are two bird parks that you can visit
from ca Mau. The first, Bac Lieu bird garden can be found about
3 km out of Bac Lieu. The second bird garden is in Minh Hai in
Vuon Chim in the Bam Doi District.
SAM
MOUNTAIN
The main attraction of Chau Doc is Sam
Mountain. Situated 7 km from town along Bao Ho Thoai Street, the
mountain has a number of pagodas at its base, and some kind of
army listening post on the top. The main pagoda gets full marks
for kitsch. Although the pagodas at the base of the mountain are
nothing to write home about, the view from the top of the
mountain is well worth the climb.
CAI RANG
MARKET
 Cai Rang Market is situated about 8 km from
Can Tho by road or a 20 km loop by boat. This market is quite
nice and sells a variety of fruit and vegetables and operates
from 5 am to 11 am, though the markets are better the earlier
you can get there. A cyclo from Can Tho will take about 15
minutes to get to Cai Rang Market. Another market, Phung Hiep
market, is 31 km from Can Tho. This is the snake market, selling
a plethora of living, wriggling and often poisonous snakes.
Pythons and Cobras are sold here by people from the countryside
who have caught them by hand, whilst others have come to
purchase snakes for restaurants, medicinal reasons or personal
consumption. This market is open from 5 am to 5 pm. If
travelling by boat, you can add a dimension to your day by
stopping and visiting some of the fruit gardens, which sell
pineapple, rambutan and papaya amongst many other fruits.
PHU QUOC
ISLAND
 Situated in the Gulf of Thailand, close to
both Ha Tien, Rack Gia and the Cambodian coast, Phu Quoc Island
possesses excellent white sand beaches and great snorkeling
opportunities. Some of the islands to the South of Phu Quoc are
also great for swimming and viewing the marine life.
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