Note: The winner who answered correctly on the wild guess from my previous post is Small Kucing & Mamarazzi. I will send the mystery gifts next week cause I believe this week the post office has closed. For the rest of the readers, thanks for participate and don't be upset, cause there will be another give-away again.
Date of Visit: 3rd April 2012
If you have plenty of time just like my friends and I where we spend a week in Ho Chi Minh City itself (formerly known as Saigon), try opt for other tours such as Mekong Delta Tour and Cu Chi Tunnels which situated outskirts of the city center. After scouting around, we ended up booked two of these tours with STA Travel which tucked in District 1, not far away from our hotel. Previously, I booked my airticket to United Kingdom from STA Travel and because I think it's reliable and trustworthy, hence I did the same when I was in Saigon.
One day Mekong Tour cost 210,000 Vietnamese dong or USD$10 per person (aprox. to RM30). The tour cost includes air-conditioner tourist bus, English speaking tour guide, boat trips (for both motor and rowing boats), entrance fees, 1 water bottle, some fruits and honey tea as well as lunch. On top of that, it includes pick-up and drop-off from where you stay.
The tour started around 7.30am and we waited in front of our hotel for the pick-up. The journey from city center to Mekong Delta took more than 1 and half hours. There are also plenty of foreign tourists in this tour - some from Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Europe and etc.
#1: Board on wooden motor boat from My Tho to the Unicorn Island
Along the river's bank, we passed through natural creeks and quiet villages while watching the rural villagers doing their daily activities - going to school, work and and doing trade business. We also came across an interesting fisherman's port and also a row of stilt houses where half of them were on the land whereas the other half were on the water.
#2: The first pit stop at small tiny little village known as Diem
#3: We were given a free tropical fruits and local tea while watching the Vietnamese ladies and folks playing music, dance and singing.
Basically nothing much to do here. The local were trying to promote and selling their tropical fruits here; such as papaya, jack fruits, pineapple, sapodilla and more. I don't even have the interest to ask for the price cause most of the fruits we have back in Malaysia then. So, I just wandered around and looked at the souvenirs there.
#4: Then, we went on to another boat stop to have a ride on these small row boat -This is the main highlight of this tour
A ride on a small row boat with at least two boat paddler - one sitting in the front whereas the one at the back is the main highlight of this trip. I guess this is one of the things that should experienced by every traveller and tourist when visiting Ho Chi Minh City to witness through their naked eyes and provides insight on how the local people use to move around.
#5: Passing through mangroves along the Mekong River
#6: And that's me on a small boat row - The hat was given by the boat paddler for the purpose of phototaking
One small row boat can only fit up to 4 people. My friends and I tried to our best telling our tour guide that we would like to sit on the same boat, instead of being separated but at the end, he got no choice but to separate us. But when think back, it's not a bad idea to sit in a different boat cause my friends who were on the other boat could take photo of me (just like the above). And for your information, at the end of the ride, we gave some small tips to the boat paddler, or else the boat paddler would show his or her grumpy face.
#7: A little boy with the honeycomb full with bees where you can dare yourself to touch it
Next, we arrived in a bee farm where we had the chance to taste a tasteful cup of authentic honey tea. Apart from that, we were being served small portions of sweet nuts and jellies, ginger coated with sugar and fried banana crackers for testing purpose.
#8: There are even few local products being produced here
After that, we went to a village where we can observed how the coconut candies were being made. Besides candies, we also witness how the village people make handcrafted items from the coconuts.
#8: Coconut candy workshop
Before end this tour, we went to another peaceful and quiet small village for lunch break. Besides small boat, the villager's main transportation would be horse cart cause I saw quite number of them. Animals like chicken, ducks and goose were freely running around. We had our lunch at open-aired restaurant with only fans around. Although it's freaking scorching hot, but luckily enough they turned on the fan to the full blast.
#9: Little primary school kids waiting for their colourful candies at the roadside
#10: Simple lunch with rice, vegetables, few pieces of chicken and spring roll. Maybe we were too exhausted, so we didn't care whether it's taste nice or not, but we finished them all.
#11: Hen Gap Lai and it means "See You Again". We back to the port where we started the tour in the morning around 2pm local time.
There are different tour packages for Mekong Delta Tour - can either opt for one day, two days or maybe three. It's impossible to do within half day, so do spare at least a day cause the distance from city center to Mekong Delta might took at least two hours.
STA Travel
Address: 235 De Tham Street District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Tel: (08) 3837 6979
Last but not least, I wish all my blog readers and friends,
"Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri & Happy Holiday!"
