Mekong Delta is the common name of the western provinces in the South of Vietnam. There are 12 provinces and 1 city in this region including Bac Lieu, An Giang, Ca Mau, Ben Tre, Hau Giang, Dong Thap, Long An, Kien Giang, Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh and Can Tho city. W ant to tour orchards, visit houses and markets floating on the river or see paddy fields and swamplands when travel the Mekong Delta? Here are the tips for doing it right. Let’s see!
The best time to travel the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta has hot, humid and mild all year round, so tourists can come here at any time. However, each season has its own charm and uniqueness.
In summer (June, July and August), it is the ripe fruit season. If you want to visit orchards, pick fresh tropical fruits by yourself and enjoy them right at the garden, you should come to Mekong Delta one these months.
From September to November is the floating season. Coming to the western provinces, you can see water floods every way you go.
In December, January and February, Tet holiday is coming. You can go to the Mekong Delta to visit famous flower villages such as Sa Dec, Tan Quy Don, Vi Thanh, etc.
How to get to the Mekong Delta?
- By Air
The largest airport here is Can Tho airport. You can take fights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or Da Nang to Can Tho then take a bus to other provinces.
- By car/bus
At Mien Tay Bus Station (395 Kinh Duong Vuong, An Lac Ward, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City), there are buses to provinces of the western.
- By motorbike
If you have experience in riding a motorbike, you can rent one to stop and explore all the corners that you like. This means of transportation is only possible for those who depart from Saigon or nearby cities or provinces.
Specialties of the Mekong Delta
Before starting to “run”, why not fill yourself energy with the most special and delicious food in this landscape?
Chuot Dong – Rice field rat – Travel the Mekong Delta
Maybe all of you have known that there are large fields in the Mekong Delta. It creates great conditions for rice field mouse to develop. You can think that it is crazy to eat rat. However, it is amazingly better than you think or I can even say it’s pretty damn good.
Not all kinds of rats are edible. Only those living in the rice fields, feasting on rice and fresh water can be eaten. After being captured, rats are butchered and removed the intestines. The next step, they will be soaked in BBQ marinade for 15 – 20 minutes, then put in the roasted vases. When it finished, the meat looks like roasted piglets. It is definitely a must-try in Mekong Delta.
Lau ca linh bong dien dien – Linh fish with river hemp flower hot pot
Flood season has become a part of the locals’ lives in Mekong River. A special dish that makes people live through the floods is Linh fish hot pot with river hemp flower. The fish is small but the nutrition amount in it is very high.
To eat this dish in the right way, you should put the fish last. Blanch bong dien dien in the hot pot – dip the flower into the boiling broth for just a second, then take it out. Follow these procedures, and you will have the most unique and most delicious hot pot. Remember to turn down the heat when you take a break.
Hu Tieu – A kind of rice noodle
This is one of the most popular dish in the Mekong Delta. It is a mix of locally made rice noodles, fresh shrimp, pork, cuts of pig liver, garlic, a squeeze of lime and broth. Hu Tieu is not just a dish to try, its flavor also expresses the cultural characteristics of the people in Mekong Delta.
To eat the best Hu Tieu, you should come to Cai Be Floating Market or My Tho. You cannot leave the Mekong Delta without trying this specialty.
Now, after fill your energy up, are you ready to explore all the corners in the Mekong Delta? Check all the places you can go here and let’s go!
