Discover the unique river culture of Mekong Delta
Talking about Mekong Delta without mentioning the influence of Mekong River on the culture here is such a shortcoming. Hundreds year of inhabiting and make living on the branches of Mekong River has formed a characterized culture.
The civilization of canals and rivers
The harvesting of rice by people takes place in the season of floating water, so the boat has become the main transport of the Southwestern people here. In order to facilitate transportation by boat, people have dug small canals together, which has formed a very attractive type of boat tours. That is why when we talk about Southwestern terrain, we often use the phrase "dense river network" to describe.
Rivers and canals bring interesting things to Mekong Delta
The civilization of floating rice and heaven rice
Cultivation characteristics of the Mekong Delta are non-cultivated crops. After each water season, the land here is accreted by fertile alluvial. Because of that preference, people just cultivate rice, it can grow by itself without any kind of chemical fertilizer. Let's take a tour of the Southwest of Vietnam to feel the beauty of the land and people here.
The civilization of the floating market
Since the period of the Phu Nam state, the Southwest of Vietnam has begun to form floating markets. Because of the rive terrain in four sides, the river trade was formed by local people. Over time, it has become a distinctive feature of the southwestern culture here. In the Southwest, almost every river region has a floating market. The market here is probably just a few boats on the river and sometimes a big crowded market in the river junction. Cai Be floating market (Tien Giang province), Cai Rang floating market, Phong Dien floating market (Can Tho), Nga Bay floating market (Phung Hiep - Can Tho), Nga Nam floating market (Thanh Tri - Soc Trang) ), Song Trem floating market (Thoi Binh - Ca Mau) are always the popular names when traveling to the Southwest. However, the biggest and most famous is Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho.
Cai Rang floating market
Going to the floating market in the early morning, visitors can see a lot of bustling buying and selling scenes of people on small boats, while when you are late, the market only has big boats of traders to stay at the next market. It can be said that the floating market lacks anything. From bread, dumplings, vermicelli, noodles, fruits, vegetables to lottery tickets, you can buy anything at the floating market. The floating market sells mostly products of the Southwest region, but each market has its own outstanding products and specialties of the region. Cai Be floating market often sells the good fruit of the Southern region such as durian, mangosteen. Cai Rang floating market sells fruits and vegetables such as gourd, squash, sweet potatoes, vegetables, pineapple. Phung Hiep floating market has specialties of the Southwest such as harvest mice, turtles, snakes, pythons. The floating market is not only a simple market but also a home and a feature of the people living in the Southwestern river. Through many lifetimes, floating markets - the typical culture of the Southwest remain until this day.
The friendly Southwesterners
Unlike the harsh climate of the North, the climate of the Southwest makes people here more comfortable. They are friendly to anyone no matter who you are or where you come from. They can answer you everything you ask and are ready to guide you if you get lost. If you have the opportunity, please sit by canoe to small canals to see the coconut palms on both sides and listen to the boatmen telling stories. They will tell you about the use of water coconuts, about where they will go and what to do in the water season. They will be ready to yield their unique hat to you when it is sunny.
The local people in the Southwest is very friendly and hospitable
Overall, Mekong River has been the sacred symbol in the spiritual life of people in Mekong Delta which formed the unique and characterized culture of this land. Let's join Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh to have a chance to understand the culture of this land.
