VIETNAM/CAMBODIA - 2025(16 & 17 May'25)
Friday 16 May'26 - Ho ChiMinh City/Mekong River Cruise (Vietnam)
A very cruisey day today (pardon the pun). After a late breakfast, we were transported to our home for the next 6 days, RV Bassac Pandaw. Whilst it’s an old vessel, it is well maintained, and the cabin is very spacious. We headed off down the Saigon River, headed for the Mekong Delta then up the Mekong River, heading for Cambodia. Before dinner we were treated to some local entertainment.
Saturday 17 May'26 - Mekong River Cruise (Vietnam)
After breakfast, we boarded a sampan for an excursion to the village of Ben Tre with our guide, Mr Danny. After disembarking, we had a small walk through the bush to a creek and boarded some small boats, the locals call Xe Lam. We were rowed through the creek that was surrounded by mangroves, water coconut palm trees and in places, very thick vines. After about 20 minutes, which included a good drenching rain 😊, we went to a local family farm where we were shown how they utilise the coconut for many things, including coconut candies and we enjoyed some tropical fruits and honey tea. Yummy!!! Mr Danny then showed us the snake wine that is so popular amongst the local villagers (apparently has Viagra type affect) but I declined in tasting it. It has an alcohol level of between 35-60%. We were back on the Pandaw by 1145, just in time to freshen up before lunch. The afternoon had a 1hr lecture by a local tourist guide, on the history of Vietnam then some downtime before the 1800 happy hour and dinner. A most enjoyable day all-round.
