Mekong Delta homestay experience

We all know Mekong River is a heaven for cruising. Several cruise companies don’t miss their business opportunities on this market. However, Mekong River does not offer an amazing water way for cruises but fertilizes a unique water life. While cruising is the wonderful trip to explore the river, a homestay experience is an amazing way to see an authentic water lifestyle of locals. I posted quite many about cruise Mekong River before, I suppose that’s quite enough for cruising. Then today is for some off-shore to-do things, Mekong Delta trip – biking, boat riding, homestay ect.. all are here! :)

Let’s check what this South Vietnam holiday looks like? The expedition starts with a pick-up at hotel and departs for Co co where you start your biking tour from Coco to Hoa Loc to observe the rural local daily life covered orchards and have chance to meet local people who rarely see any foreigners in this area (really they are). Then take a boat to cross the river delta and weave through the small canals of Binh Hoa Phuoc island to discover the lush scenery and people working on the farm. Visit CaiBe Floating market then enjoy your lunch with local delicacy with fresh water fish of "elephant ear-fish". Boat ride to Vinh Long. Visit Vinh Long local market where you have chance to see all kind of farm-products of Mekong Delta such as: many kind of fresh vegetables, Abundant tropical fruits, Pigs, ducks and chickens market, especially snakes, rats, frogs, snails.... be back to island for homestay.
Highlight activities: sampan ride, biking for about 2 hours, see orchards and farms

Second day, taking breakfast in authentic local peaceful atmosphere, then boat ride to Vinh long dock. Car transfer to Sadec with the stop to visit the Huynh Thuy Le ancient house where is famous for the best novel of Margaret Duras “the Lover” will be followed with a drive to Chaudoc. In the afternoon is another boat ride and enjoy spectacular view from a local summit, see Vietnam-Camboida border gate.
Highlights Activities: See the an ancient house, visit floating market with floating house

Next day is another homestay. Start with a drive to visit Bang Lang Storks Garden and Binh Thuy Shrine. Drive to Truong Long Village (15km) for your homestay. (Important note: Homestay at basic condition – You do not try to experience a homestay with 4 star hotel standard, don’t you? You will see the locals’ real daily lives not the ones well arranged to show off. Be prepared that you stay in someone’ real home not someone’s business)
Highlight activities: See the remote villages of Mekong Delta, homestay

The forth day, wake up at 6:00am - an interesting, pleasant day awaiting today! After a healthy breakfast at your local house, jump straight into an arrow-boat and enjoy an early boat cruise (4 hours) to visit the stunning floating markets of Phong Dien and Cai Rang. Phong Dien is smaller in scale and is more of a retailed one while Cai Rang is bigger and is more of a wholesaled one. And what you need to do is to sit back and relax on the boat, have some sips of local coffee and watch the world of trading activities going on and on from boats to boats. If you are fruit lovers, go for the freshest ones here at these markets. In between the two markets, we will get off our boat for some short bike-rides along the remote villages’ paths. Hop back on our car after cruising through Cai Rang floating market and head to Cantho. Today we stay in a hotel
Activities: See floating market and garden houses, biking ride

The last day, drive back to MyTho. Take on a bigger wooden boat and cruise crossing the mighty Upper Mekong River before boarding a wooden sampan and cruise through a green, lush, picturesque and Amazon-like creeks of Tan Thach. Heading to Gocong by road.with some more breaks en route to visit an incense workshop, a local village where the people have produced some of the finest pieces of furniture in the South, and a legumes nursery which surely is an eye-opener for any one! Short bike ride crossing paddy fields and through remote villages dotted with coconut palm trees then continue the trip back Saigon with the backroad via My Loi ferry on Vam Co river. We finish in Hochiminh city around late afternoon

Please note that the homestay program like this is a typical one, well combined between comfortable stay in a hotel and an authentic stay at local’s house. If you want to deeply dive in Mekong delta, a complete homestay holiday is a recommendation, I mean all nights at local house! As I mentioned (somewhere above), don’t expect something thoroughly comfortable with all-supplied services, you are living in a local’s house, stay focus on what you’re seeing, not on what you’re staying! That will make your homestay experience amazing, a true highlight of your trip even though you once experience best 5 star accommodations before

Tags: Mekong homestay, Mekong Delta homestay trips, holidays in Mekong, holidays in Vietnam, Vietnam holidays, hometay holiday Vietnam, Mekong River, Cruise Mekong River, Vietnam river cruise, Mekong boat and homestay, biking Mekong

RV The Jahan Mekong cruise to first set sails

In order to support to my post about Water Adventures in Mekong Delta Vietnam, I introduce one of the newest River Vessel offer an thorough expedition to explore the delta - RV The Jahan Mekong cruise. The cruise is the baby brother of famous RV The Jayavarman cruise. Besides inheritate of amazing design and standard of his brother cruise, The Jahan cruise extends the luxury style much more than the definition being understood among Mekong cruises.

Check out some detailed technical, theme and architectural information of the cruise now:

The JAHAN brings river cruising on the Mekong River into a new realm. The singular touches of a luxury boutique hotel, the leisurely pace of a river cruise, and the opportunity to collect new experiences, are the signature style of Heritage Line. Fascinating shore programs — privatized, or in a small group, allow for the discovery of a more exotic Indochina. For luxury relaxed adventure’ travelers with a passion to explore the unknown at their own pace, the worlds cultural heritage and hinterland and experience it in rare ways

• First boutique style river cruise liner
• Distinctive British Indian colonial theme design
• Cruise concierge desk and private shore excursions with a tour assistant
• Largest balcony staterooms on Indochina’s waterways 30—50m2
• A floating sanctuary for couples and small groups
• Highest staff-cabin

S I G N A T U R E A C T I V I T E S

• Helping Hands — Healing Hearts Shah Jahan Passionate lover and builder
• Helping Hands — Healing Hearts
• Educational & Lecture Club: art, social, humanitarian, ethnology
• Mode of transport: Ox cart, cyclo, sampan bicycle, dinghy
• Khmer cooking class
• Early Bird Tai Chi class
• Gymnasium, steam bath and pool deck
• Pool deck barbeque dinner
• Private dinner at the Observatory

Accommodation – A Sanctuary of Style and Space

Carefully designed staterooms and suites with floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors open onto a private balcony and many thoughtful touches offering privacy and uncompromised luxury.
All balcony staterooms with king size beds
Well appointed bathroom with double vanity and glass shower cabin
Apple Ipod’s, tea making facilities and mini bars in all staterooms

• 12 Superior cabins - 29 m2
• 08 Deluxe staterooms -- 29 m2
• 04 Signature state rooms - 34 m2
• 02 themed Jacuzzi Suites - 50 m2

Unique and Passionate
The Jahan, a fine boutique cruise liner inspired by a great Mogul, builder and passionate lover, hah Jahan. The first real boutique cruise liner from A-Z. An Eldorado for the admirer of great art and the finer things in life
Explore the Mekong at Your Own Pace: A la carte private shore excursions with a cruise concierge and shore-ex butler. River cruising - as boutique as it can get. The choice is yours: ask your cruise concierge and choose between an array of private shore excursions or join your fellow passengers to explore the Mekong and its tributaries at your leisure.

Deck Plan: 3 Decks for maximum privacy.
Main Deck: Superior and Signature Balcony staterooms. Steam bath and Gymnasium
Upper Deck: Jahan Lounge and Cruise concierge desk. Deluxe and Signature staterooms. Taj Jahal Royal Suite, Wheelhouse
Pool Deck: Viceroy dining hall, Pool deck, Funnel Bar, Spa, Observatory & Wheelhouse sun deck

Facts & Figures: RV Jahan

Built: 2010/11
Vessels Registry: Vietnam
Type of Vessel: River vessel
Length: 70 m
Beam: 12.5 m
Draft: 1.7 m
Decks: 4 — lower, main, upper, pool deck
Gross tonnage: 950 tons
Cruising speed: 12 nautical knots
Crew: 40 (Cambodian and Vietnamese Crew)

That sounds cool, right? And it is cool, really!!! The Jahan cruise is to first set sail in 29 Oct 2010 and his maiden voyage is from Hochiminh city (formerly Saigon - Vietnam) to the heritage land - Siem reap (Cambodia)

The Jahan vessel offers most various programs in comparison with similar cruises in Mekong River which including 4 days explore Mekong Delta Vietnam (a really water adventure as I mentioned in my previous post), 5 days expedition of Angkor land and 8 days connecting Vietnam and Cambodia. The cruise embarks on fixed schedule (see here) and now open to receive the bookings with many hidden benefits.

See Up river and down river dates here! Compare with other cruise here!

Water Adventures in South East Asia

I found an interesting post about Water adventures in South East Asia and want to share in this blog. Please note that I do not write this one, this belongs to Melissa Ruttanai is a senior writer for Weekend Notes and a contributor to Vagobond, On Holiday Magazine, Trazzler, and Visual Travel Tours.

" In mainland Southeast Asia, adrenaline junkies and nature lovers will discover full-throttle water sport adventures. Without mandatory deposit fees equivalent to mortgage down payments, visitors trek, snorkel, raft and kayak in pristine waters. For those seeking beaches, grottos, and limestone landscapes, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam have become prime destinations. In Southeast Asia, adventure begins where the tides meet the shore.

1. Kayaking in Southern Thailand’s Angthong National Marine Park
For Hollywood filmmakers, billionaires, and broke college students, the Gulf of Thailand remains a draw for many waterborne adventure seekers. Northwest of famous Koh Samui Island, Angthong National Marine Park is an archipelago of 42 limestone islands carved by tide and wind. While camping is allowed with a permit, many visitors arrange tours out of Koh Samui that include swimming island lagoons, trekking trough the mountain, and eating at a local village. During the day, explore small coves and sandy beaches. Snorkel with tropical fish and survey Koh Wua Talap, the largest island in the chain, or Koh Mae Koh that boasts a green-blue inland sea called, Talay Nai. Glide kayaks across the Koh Mae’s bay and relax to the delicate sound of your paddle dipping into gentle waters while high promontories loom like grey-green sea monsters.

2. Boating through Vietnam’s Halong Bay
With a UNESCO World Heritage seal of approval, Halong Bay sits on the northern ridge of a limestone chain that sweeps up from the Gulf of Thailand and Angthong National Marine Park. Here, the karsts cluster into a mystical array of gray stone, verdant brush, and boats with iconic colonial sails and rudders. Meaning “dragon descending”, Halong Bay includes 2000 islands and over 600 square miles of the Tonkin Gulf, offering visitors dozens of beaches, grottos, and caves to explore. With its high salinity, bathers can jump right from the ship into waters so buoyant there’s hardly any exertion necessary. Stretching across the water surface, visitors can drift all day among spiraling crags. Visit floating houses lashed together into small villages. Or tether broadside to local fisherman, selling giant prawns and squirming squid straight from their nets. After a day caving, pull into Cat Ba Island, a favorite retreat for Hanoians escaping the city.

3. Sailing through Daily Life on Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
Six miles south of famous Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, Southeast Asia’s largest lake, Tonle Sap continues to play a vital role in the life of local Cambodians. Fed by the Mekong River during the wet season, Tonle Sap remains a major waterway for commerce and transportation. Every day, ferries carry commuters and cargo across the lake on their way to and from Battambong. For US$5, travelers can gaze through a window of life on the lake, witnessing how families live in boathouses, cooking, reading, and raising children in narrow canals. Children attend floating schools on large boats with open windows and basketball courts enclosed by high fences. Families visit floating hospitals, teetering gently in the wake. Women buy fresh fish and produce from vendors rowing along peacefully.

4. White Water Rafting in Luang Prabang, Laos
Laos’ religious and cultural capital, Luang Prabang is a town known for Buddhist temples, daily markets, and a laidback pace of life. At sunrise, monks and novices traverse the UNESCO World Heritage streets. At sunset, fishing boats shift back and forth in the wake of speedboats heading to China. On one side of the town, the Mekong River skims along, a wide boulevard of fertile silt and dependable currents. On the other, Nom Khan River sweeps in from the east, offering visitors white water rafting and kayaking for any skill level. From town, tours can be arranged with door to riverside transport included. On their second day in Luang Prabang, travelers could find themselves clad in helmet and life vest, digging hard into rushing currents. Guides lead rafters through crashing white waters and ominous rocks creating whirlpools. In the reeds, Lao children play in the shallows, making the peace sign as they splash each other. Along the river, mountains as diverse as the wildlife press up against the shoreline. Stilted houses perch on slopes growing tea. Birds cut across black rock cliffs. And women plod up and down terraced vegetable patches.

5. Tubing in Vang Vieng, Laos
In the 1970’s, backpackers looked around for a convenient stopover during trips between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, the capital. From this necessity, Vang Vieng burst onto the scene, offering accommodations, meals, and more recently, tubing. On the riverside, two companies rent out massive inner tubes and drop travelers off upstream for a day of lazing on the river, listening to birds, and losing all thought to mountain peaks. From these humble beginnings, the tubing trend has become the main activity in town. On the river, bars jut out from the tree line, pulsing with Bob Marley tunes and hawking cheap mixed drinks. Bars feature ziplines, mudslides, and tug-of-war pits to keep patrons docked at their shores. On the river, meet other travelers and become inspired by how many consecutive days they’ve tubed the river. Back in town, relax on triangular pillows, enjoy the mountain air, and recharge for another day on the river.

6. Swimming with Elephants in Pai, Thailand
Sitting on the highway route between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son, the little town of Pai is a major stop along the traveler’s path in northern Thailand. Here, artists absorb nature’s inspiration and Thais retreat from the bustle of metropolitan life. While there’s plenty to do on foot and motorbike, a popular activity in Pai is elephant trekking. Hotel staff can make tour reservations. In the morning, a guide escorts you to the elephant camps. The world grows quiet on the outskirts of Pai. Elephants eat bananas and throw grass into the air. The elephant trainer called a mahout helps trekkers mount the pachyderms and settle onto a thick blanket. No saddles here, riders spend the day bareback in the sun as the elephants walk through the forest. At the river, elephants suck water up their trunks, spray a cold drink into their mouths, and save just enough to splash up at their riders. Once the mahout gives a command, the elephants shake. The riders hold on tight only to be flicked like flees off the elephant’s back. Up into the air and down into the river, the riders splash, getting their cold drink too. - by Melissa Ruttanai

However, for me who living in a country of South East Asia, I suppose that there is one more thing should be added to the list - Exploring Mekong Delta on boats. Mekong River is one of the longest river in the world. The river after her long journey passing forests, mountains in China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia then fertilize the biggest rice bowl of Vietnam then finishes in East Sea. The majestic delta brings up an unique water lifestyle of Vietnamese locals, unique creatures of the region (like river dolphin) or even a civilization which one blossomed centuries ago with mystery secrets - Champa Kingdom. All these facts is too much enough for you to spend some days or up to a week to explore Mekong Delta Vietnam. Some companies today even connect Vietnam to Cambodia by a trip along Mekong River in which an excursions to Tonle Sap is included.

Just my view, do you have another idea of water adventures in South East Asia, share with us here!

Tags: Water Adventures, South East Asia, Indochina Holidays, Mekong River, Mekong Delta, Halong bay, Halong boat trips, Halong cruise trips, Mekong boat, Mekong river cruise, Mekong cruise trips, Vietnam cruise trips, Vietnam holidays