A one day excursion will begin after boarding a luxury wooden boat, the Mekong Queen, with a visit of the colorful Cai Be floating market, where you can witness all of trading activities of local traders with several kinds of agricultural product from one boat to another. The Cai Be floating market is one of the many well-known and the biggest wholesale markets in the western region of Southern Vietnam, which was formed during the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century. The market is always busy, bearing all the characteristics of the Southern local’s life in the Mekong region. All the goods are transported to the market by boats. The floating market lies in the Tien (Upper) river, and is divided into two parts: buying and selling places. Boats are anchored along the two sides of the river for kilometers. From the floating market, goods are shifted for selling at inland markets or small boats take them for delivery along canals in the Plain of Reeds. Approximately 400 to 500 boats filled with fruits, vegetables, and other products are anchored here and make it very busy from 05:00 am in the morning until late in the afternoon. Traders live on the river and some link their lives with boats like their mobile houses for generations. The products are hung on a pole in front of the boats to attract customers and it is also easier for customers to see the products they want to buy from a far and no need to go from one boat to another to save their time. You then continue the cruise to a local factory to visit and learn how pop rice, pop corn, rice paper and coconut candies are made. You also have an opportunity to taste these products served with hot green tea. Returning to the boat to take a 50 minute excursion to Dong Hoa Hiep Island and discover the beautiful and peaceful sceneries together with the typical life of the region a long the Mekong River. Stops and visits can be made during the excursion.
A 10 minute walk through a local village and fruit gardens, you will be able to stop to visit the local family scaled Longan process factory, where you have another opportunity to take photo of and interact with several friendly and hard working local people before coming to an old Mandarin house, built hundred years ago and it is where at least four generations of this family have been living. A so delicious Vietnamese lunch will be served by the owner of the family, Mrs. Kiet and you will listen to traditional music, performed by the locals when you are enjoying lunch. One of the highlights after lunch is to walk around the orchard to get to know how the main contribution to the economy of the family is based on.
Walking or taking a small rowing Sampan back to the boat for a half an hour cruise on the Dong Hoa Hiep canal back to the pier. Stop on the way to visit Mr.Ba Duc family if time permitted or as requested .The excursion will end around 14:30 pm for a drive back to Saigon.
