Mekong Delta

On the ground floor of our hotel, the family runs a small travel agency where we booked a trip to the Mekong Delta for just $15 per ticket, which included three meals but no drinks, so it was a real steal. We were able to store our luggage at the hotel for free, which made us feel pretty secure since the family seemed really sweet. We were set to go on a two-day tour with about 10-15 other tourists. First, we hopped into a minivan for a two-hour ride to the Mekong River. From there, we boarded three longboats and sailed out onto the river, visiting various factories along the banks. One of the highlights was seeing how a coconut candy factory operates. We bought some coconut candy that tasted absolutely amazing. A "piece" of candy cost only 15,000 dong, so we picked up some to take home as gifts. Next, we visited a fruit plantation where we got to sample some really exotic fruits. They also made wooden spoons there, and we couldn’t resist buying a set for 20,000 dong. For lunch, we sailed over to a small restaurant where we were served pork with rice. After lunch, we were taken back to the bus, which drove us to another spot on the river. From there, we spent two hours sailing upstream, but just before we reached the hotel where we were supposed to stay, the boat broke down. We had to wait for another boat to come and fix the engine. When we finally arrived at the hotel, we had some time to jump in the pool before dinner, which was served as a dinner cruise. By the jacuzzi, we struck up a conversation with others from the tour who were from France, Germany, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands. As mentioned, dinner was served on a boat that cruised around the river. It was really cozy, but there were so many mosquitoes that our bug spray didn’t stand a chance. Our toes, in particular, attracted a lot of them since we hadn’t thought to wear socks in 25-degree heat!