Our final day onboard Jahan was spent learning many
aspects of life in Vietnam amongst the Mekong Delta. From weaving of mats, to
visiting elders, to the delicious treats created from rice (with lots of
tasting!), we experienced firsthand life in smaller villages here. We then
regrouped onboard for our final sunset over the Mekong, before transitioning
tomorrow to the urban delights of Ho Chi Minh City.
Mike learned early on that the best way to escape Ohio was to become a marine biologist. During college at Wittenberg University he attended a semester at Duke University's Marine Lab — that time only confirmed his love for all things oceanic and ma...
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
On our final full day on board the riverboat Jahan , we cruised further south on the Mekong where we could see changes in the number of other boats as general river traffic increased. The river here was also tidal and we could see mangroves start to appear in places along the banks. After breakfast we embarked onto local longboats for our transfer to the nearby island of Binh Thanh. One of many islands within the Mekong Delta which is criss-crossed by many canals and rivers. Along the way to the island we passed many small fish farms that are directly within the river, these rafts of floating houses with arrayed ponds raise tilapia and basa (a type of catfish). All along the narrow waterways, we also passed large floating mats of water hyacinth forming dense impenetrable barriers in places. On arrival at our dock our longboat paused to make way for the local ferry transporting a number of locals on motorcycles across to the mainland for their early morning commute to work. Our visit to this small community involved a stroll through the streets to a local temple that also serves as a local community centre. We had the opportunity to meet with one of the elders and understand how Vietnam has grown in recent decades and how they embrace peace and welcome American tourism to their country. We also had the opportunity to see how woven mats were weaved and how dried water hyacinth can be used to weave baskets. In the afternoon we visited another village via longboat to see how puffed rice, sugar palm treats, and rice wine were created. In the evening on board Jahan , over a farewell cocktail party we shared our appreciation to the wonderful crew and later enjoyed the voyage slideshow in the lounge.
On Jahan , we spend our first day exploring in Vietnam. We set off early at 6:30 a.m. for our first excursion to explore the town of Chau Doc by long boat. Our first stop was the floating markets then we went ashore to see the town. We started with a local transport ride of bicycle taxis through the city, then explored the morning market. We returned to the ship for breakfast. Our local guide, Tri, did a presentation on Life in the Mekong Delta. In the afternoon, we explored the local produce farms near My An Hung. Then, we had appetizers and drinks on shore on the My An Hung sandbank!
On Jahan , we left Phnom Penh to sail to cross the border to Vietnam towards Chau Doc. We spent the entire day at sea filled with tons of activities and talks on board to dig deeper into the history of Cambodia and learn more about our next location in Vietnam. We were also joined by our Vietnamese guides who will be with us the rest of the trip.
