Cycling the Mekong

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to Cai Lay, a small but fertile town in the Mekong Delta. You will then board a small boat for a cruise along one of the small branches of the Mekong River. Witness the lively life of the locals on the water.

Disembark at Cam Son bridge where you will start a leisurely bike trip (or alternatively be transported in a “xe loi”, a type of rickshaw) to explore further into the Mekong. The ride is about 7km on shady narrow village roads curving over tiny canals and past fruit gardens and sleepy villages. Many kids will greet you with big smiles and a loud  “xin chao”, meaning hello in Vietnamese. En route, you will have the chance to stop and visit local factories, fish farms and rice paddies to learn briefly about the local economy and businesses. Arrive at a lush orchard with diverse tropical fruits and have a friendly chat with the owner – Mr Hai Cu, a former military veteran with interesting insights into Vietnam's history as well as his daily life, both past and present. He will be very happy to walk you around his garden where you can taste fresh fruit picked right from the trees. Then, relax with a sampan ride to visit a local ancient house of Mr Son and his wife. Have a brief chat with these friendly residents in their 100 year-old house before you enjoy a home-cooked lunch with traditional dishes of the Mekong region. Bid farewell to the family before going back to Saigon.