Holiday in Mekong Delta

About Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta in southwestern Vietnam is a world on water: Here, the mighty Mekong splits into nine branches (hence the Vietnamese name Cửu Long — "Nine Dragons") and flows through an endless labyrinth of canals, river arms, and flooded rice fields, forming one of the most fertile regions on Earth. About 18 million people live here in close connection with the water — their houses are built on stilts, they travel by boat to the market, and their livelihood is dictated by the rhythm of the river. The floating markets are the heart of the delta experience: At the Cai Rang Market near Can Tho, the largest floating market in Vietnam, hundreds of boats laden with mountains of pineapples, rambutan, watermelons, and coconuts gather every morning at sunrise. Vendors hang their goods on bamboo poles above the boat so that buyers can see what is offered from afar. Between the wholesalers, small rowboats bustle with steaming Phở, fresh baguettes, and hot coffee — a floating breakfast buffet. A boat ride through the narrow canals of the delta reveals a paradisiacal garden landscape: Coconut palms form green tunnels over the water, orchards offer fresh dragon fruit and pomelo for picking, and colorful butterflies flutter everywhere. In the villages, artisans showcase their crafts: Here, coconut pralines are made, there, rice paper is dried in the sun, and by the riverbank, a small distillery produces rice liquor. The delta is also a culinary paradise: The cuisine of the south is sweeter, more coconut-centric, and fruitier than in other parts of the country. The region around Cần Thơ has also established itself as a center for homestays — overnight stays with local families in stilt houses by the river, where one can cook, fish, and enjoy the sunset over the rice fields together.