Joanna James
A seaward-winding Delta covering marvels of nature, culture, and architecture, the Mekong River region is ideal for chasing every brand of wanderlust. Here's how to reap the most exquisite and intimate experiences when following the lush trajectory of this iconic Vietnamese waterway.
The graciously mighty Mekong River is encompassed by memorable snapshots that capture the hearts of adventurers at every turn, from the lush green vistas of Vietnam's bountiful 'Rice Bowl' and floating markets laden with all the colours of the rainbow to the vibrant jasmine-scented walkways of Can Tho metropolis and mysterious Tra Su Indigo Forest with its wildlife-rich maze of rivulets. If you want to settle down in style before embarking on explorations of floating villages, musical waterfalls, and luscious orchard gardens, take time to get to know the delightfully eclectic and Instagrammable Ho Chi Minh City. Whether you're opting for a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, guided half-day tour, or atmospheric dinner cruise, make sure to customise your sightseeing to suit your tastes, whether that's shopping for ultra-chic vintage clothes, posing before timeless colonial façades, or diving into the city's ambient marketplaces.
Once you've enjoyed the neon-bright cityscape from the Saigon Skydeck and conquered its iconic enclaves on a bright red double-decker bus, it's time to embrace the gipsy-like charm of cruising along the river's scenic windings. While there is a myriad of ways to sample the exotic Mekong, none is quite as intimate and breathtaking as watching the play of mists, breezes, lights, and shadows of the Delta's diverse landscapes from the river itself, stopping to sample a taste of the liberating local lifestyle in picturesque destinations like the cinematic UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang, the musical jewel-toned Kuang Si Waterfalls, and the mesmerising undulating mountain plains near the Cambodian border. If you're seeking a luxury Mekong River cruise proffering first-class amenities for an immersive escape, venture no further than Mekong Kingdoms.
While the emerald pastures, decadent fruit-laden bowers, and quaint farming hamlets cradling Saigon are alluring in their own right, nothing beats discovering the Mekong cities through their mouthwatering food culture. Whether it's zooming through the neon-lit resplendence on a motorcycle tour and ending with a gourmet dinner, or a more hands-on ramble through the aromatic street food markets lighting up the riverbanks, you won't want to miss out on Vietnamese specialities like shrimp-topped rice cakes, flavourful pho, lip-smacking spicy snails, and generously stuffed flaky Banh Mih baguettes.
From character-enriching Mekong Delta homestays with villagers who know and love the land to fruit buffets under orchard trees and riding through the jungle on sampan boats, the rural gems of the Mekong are unsurpassed. However, if you want a whiff of city excitement, make your way to enchanting Can Tho with its photogenic souvenir markets, floating trade exhibitions, cacao farms, flower villages, and romantic French-style architecture.
From the serene Cai Be Floating Market, with its mountains of wholesale produce from baguettes to farm-fresh goods balancing on rustic rafts, just an hour away from Ho Chi Minh, to tourist-savvy Cai Be, with its speciality treats and scrumptious offerings of Vietnamese coffee and Mekong Delta cuisine. If you love these kaleidoscopic little worlds bobbing on the Mekong, consider an off-the-beaten-path river cruise tour to Tan Lap, a waterborne village where you can follow airy raised pathways over gorgeous water lilies in bloom and creep into dusky mangrove forests to glimpse the unique native wildlife.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
