Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Explore the Mighty Mekong Delta in Vietnam


After traveling about 70 km along the National Highway south-west from Ho Chi Minh City, we arrived in a town called My Tho, where a ferry boat was waiting for us to explore the Mekong Delta area.


My Tho Town where the jetty is located.


There are many ferry boats waiting for their turns to carry tourists to explore the Mekong Delta.


The typical ferry boat that brought us to explore the Mekong Delta.


The captain of the ferry boat.


Ferry Boat plying in the Mekong River.



Typical ferry boat carrying tourists.


Fishing village

A bridge being built.


Ferries plying the Mekong River

Fishing village



A sand boat where sand is pumped from the bed of the river.

A sand boat

Boat Homes along the Mekong River.


A typical boat home along the Mekong River.


We started our Mekong Delta Tour from the jetty in My Tho town. The ferry boat will bring us to the Ben Tre where we will visit a Coconut Candy factory, longan orchard, tropical fruits villages, horse ride through a village, relaxed rowing boat ride along a small canal and a honey bee farm.

If you have only a day to spare in Ho Chi Minh City, do take this tour and see for yourself the richness in daily life of its inhabitants in the Mekong Delta area.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Visit to VABE Handicapped Handicrafts Factory in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam


The One-Day Mekong Delta Tour includes a visit to VABE Handicapped Handicrafts Factory on the way to My Tho. The factory employed handicapped people, some caused by the Vietnam War, to give them and their families some forms of employment.


The production process in making handicrafts mainly lacquered paintings and souvenirs.


Painting the lacquered panel.
Making lacquered vases and other handicrafts.


Giving a finishing to the lacquered panel.


Putting the final touch to an painted art piece.


Finished products for sale in the showroom.



Paintings and sandals for sale in the showroom.


More finished products for sale in the showroom.





All sorts of souvenir and handicrafts for sale in the showroom.

Finished handicrafts for sale in the showroom.

Beautiful flower vases for sale in the showroom.

Paintings.



Final Finished products.


All the arts and paintings are hand-made and painted by the handicapped people in the factory. The products are beautifully done and of high quality. The sale to tourists who visited the factory is quite good from what we see. This is a good example of a social enterprise.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Where to find a US$9 One-day Mekong Delta Tour including lunch in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

You can find a US$9 Mekong Delta Tour including lunch fully-conducted by a English -speaking tour leader in Ho Chi Minh City. Look for TNK Travel.

TNK Travel has 3 locations, all around each other. See map above for the locations.

216, De Tham St, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
161, Pham Ngu Lao St, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
40 Bui Vien St, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City


The area where you can find many of travel companies catering for tours. TNK Travel is one of them which offers cheap tours to CU CHI Tunnels and Mekong Delta (1,2,3 days package). Go to the area and look around for the best and cheapest tours.


One of the TNK Travel shop front.


They offer One-Day Mekong Trip ( My Tho- Ben Tre (The Upper Mekong River),
Two-Day Mekong Trip ( My Yho - Ben Tre - Can Tho - Cai Rang - Phong Dien)
Three-Day Mekong Trip (My Tho -Ben Tre -Chau Doc -Can Tho -Phnom Penh)

We took the One-Day Mekong Trip which takes us to My-Tho -Ben Tre .

The price is only US$9 per person.

Leaving Ho Chi Minh City, we enjoy the scenic journey along the National Highway.

This is the introduction of the One-Day Trip which will takes us to the following places of interest :VABE Handicapped Handicrafts, Coconut Candy factory, Longan Orchards, Boating along Mekong River, Horse ride and Honey Bee cottage industry.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

CU CHI Tunnels in Vietnam

A book written on the famous Cu Chi Tunnels.


The Cu Chi Tunnels is a system of tunnels deeply underground, with three floors, a labyrinth of intricate ways and windings over 220 km lone, wherein are sections for accommodations, meeting and preparing for battles.



Traps for the enemies.



The tunnels opening in the jungle.



Cu Ci revolutionary guerrilla fighters or what we know the Viet Cong.

They always move in group of 5 with one woman. She is responsible to provide food for the group.

Self-made Weapons gallery


Traps for the


The preparation for war including making all the weapons.


Making of rice flour covers for use in food preparation ie. spring roll.

The hole in the tunnel is quite deep underground.


A typical tunnel in the jungle surrounding.



Shoes & Slippers making workshop.

Making clothings for the Cu Ci guerrilla fighters.


A B52 Bomb Crater.


A tunnel where you can try to crawl through. Anybody who cannot take the struggle to move in the dark tunnels, can climb up the ladder into the opening in the jungle every 30 m long.



Smoke in the Kitchen is diverted to a opening many metres away to prevent the enemy pinpoint the kitchen for air raid.


The air vent in the surrounding is for supplying air to the three floors in the tunnels.

It is very interesting to see for yourself how the Cu Chi Tunnels are made and operated by the Cu Chi guerrilla fighters against the mighty Americans during the Vietnam War. You are given a opportunity to crawl through a section of the tunnels.

Visitors