It has taken me such a long time to take this kick though the account had created years and I have finished almost a hundred trips since commencing our travel agent.

The blog on our business website http://www.tonkin-travel.com has been updated quite regularly but this is my very first post on my personal blog as a travel lover. A big reason is a simple mistake that I often make as travelling: I am always lost myself in experiencing and forget to record it. Another reason for this delay is the question of “unseen places” or “unbeaten paths” that hesitates me much.

Until two weeks ago, on the occasion of a business trip, I took a checking to Can Tho – one stop of Mekong Delta tour that is much well-known to the travelers – the land that my feet printed on again and again. This trip gave me full answer for the question. It turned out very easily, can you guess? Here it is.

• Do you see those pictures before? If not, it is unseen place to you although it might be so familiar to other travelers. So, don’t say that “I hate doing the same as others”. It must have something attracting them to do so even though they know others also do that.
• Are you sure that you did exactly the same as others? If not, I means, if you still find an interest, it is unseen to you. In addition, you might take the same way with them but just making a little turn, it would lead you to a totally different experience.

So, don’t worry about the word “unseen” or “under radar” or “unbeaten paths” so much. And, here is my trip this time.

My snapshot

Early morning, I joined a group tour by boat to Cai Rang floating market seeing a hustle bargaining of sellers and buyers, hundred types of good from local farming. For each of them, I was told an interesting story such as the origin, the production or growing process, harvesting, transporting, where it would go.

On the way back, I was taken to coconut candy workshop and dry noodle workshop. Of course, these shops are mostly for showing off to travelers but I am sure that you have never seen that in your country before. You might see dry noodle is also produced in the north provinces of Vietnam but the techniques are not the same. Coming there, you would be presented detailed producing process. Of course, I’m a local so I skipped this step and took a round for review.

That is how they make coconut candy by hands

Then, my little turn is here. I decided to visit an open market near the tourist center. What I saw there so interesting. It seemed a total different world that told me a lot about local life.

Fresh seafood. The woman was filleting the fish as the buyer ordered

Eggs (chicken, duck, quail) and balut (quail and duck) – one the most terrifying foods in the world. The black crabs named Ba Khia (scientific named Sesarma mederi) could only find along Mekong River

All kind of spices: chili, onion, garlic, ginger….

Fruits: mango, soursop, watermelon, plum, passionfruit, jew plum… Fruits in season are always fresh and yummy.

Fresh noodle is stored in the white baskets, made from rice, quite common dish in Vietnam. The hangings are local specialties named NEM CHUA and GIO and BANH TET. Let me tell you little bit about them to provide some inside look in the next post (PART II: FOOD OF CAN THO).

Back to Victoria Can Tho Resort at noon, we had a quick lunch with some yummy spoils from the open market tour then a sunbathing and swimming. The pool was narrow but very clean. A sudden shower interrupted our swim but it didn’t take long and chill the hot out.

Just seconds before the rain

Anyway, it was time for another walk to the center of the small city – Ninh Kieu quay, visit beautiful Nam Nha pagoda. Finally, we ended the day by a tour around Ninh Kieu night market and tasty dinner there.

Night market: Not many things to buy but much chaotic atmosphere to see and cheap-but-good foods to eat

This month of year was not harvest time of Can Tho typical fruits. So we did not book fruit farm tour. It was not raining season so we could not enjoy small canal tour.

My conclusion

• Generally, Can Tho or Mekong Delta is not for luxury tour but adventure and experiencing instead. Tours to Can Tho are available 12 months a year but to optimize your trip, fruit season from to March and raining season from Sep. to Dec. are most favored.
• Stay: It is not difficult to find good accommodation at low cost. Hotel, hostel or homestay are okey.
• Eat: Cheap but good along Ninh Kieu Quay and along walking streets. Boards at Ninh Kieu quay only offered dinners. Some typical dishes such as Lau Mam (salted fish and fish sauce hot pot) and Mam Ca Linh (a kind of small fish salted), Goi bon bon (bon bon salad) and local sea foods.
• Visit: Can Tho is small town that you could have easy walking tour. Other places including (names in bold are highly recommended) Binh Thuy ancient house, Tay Do night market, Nam Nha pagoda, Can Tho Museum, Cai Rang or Phong Din floating market, Cacao Farm, small canal tours and villages surrounding Can Tho.

Some tips

• For me, visiting Can Tho in wet season is the best choice for authentic experiencing of local life and enjoying best foods such as small canal tours, lau mam (fish paste hotpot) or local vegies/flowers soups, which are only available or best in rainy months.
• If you want to visit real floating markets to experience the local lifestyle, must wake up very early because there are only few small boats showing off to tourists from 7AM.
• Visiting to local villages and small open markets are highly recommended because of its real experiencing. Don’t hesitate to ask the local, a lot interesting things you could hear from them.
• Local typical foods are tasty but quite changeling to choosy stomachs, be prepared for this situation. 🙂