he Mekong Delta covers an area of 67,000 square km in the southernmost region of Vietnam and is often referred to as the rice bowl of Vietnam as it produces three harvests per year. The Mekong River begins its life in Tibet and travels 4,500 km through six countries before eventually splitting into nine tributaries (Cuu Long in Vietnamese) and flowing into the South China Sea.
Because the plains are periodically flooded by the rising Mekong River, traditional transportation is by boat, along a vast network of canals. These canals are the very lifeblood of the Delta and her 15 million inhabitants. Everything from human cargo to tropical fruits with exotic names such as Dragon fruit and Longan (Dragon’s eye) can be found along this complex system of waterways. A cruise along these canals with their floating markets always proves to be a fascinating and rewarding experience for all visitors