So we thought we'd tackle the Mekong Delta on our own, even with the vast choices of 3 day tours. We wanted to spend longer. So we set off by doing a 1 day trip and just didn't go back to HCMC. We thought this was a great idea seeing as it was only $2 more than a standard bus ticket. On our 1 day trip we went around My Tho and Ben Tre provinces, seeing coconut candy being made, sampling banana wine, honey tea, as well and various local fruits. All in all a good day.

We spent the night in My Tho and our plan was to move onto Vinh Long next. Unfortunately the travel information types weren't very helpful, but one local guy told us we could get the local bus to Cai Be and then get on another bus to Vinh Long from there. To us this sounded very plausible. We were told the ticket was 25,000 dong, 30 min later when we were given a ticket by a different guy and it said 7,000 dong on it. we fell victim to being white. Next we were told that it was time for us to get off the bus, it wasn't. We waited for another one to come along. When we got on it they tried to charge us more again. This time we were ready for it. A local kid told us it was 2,000 dong then the ticket collector gave him a stare and a grunt, the kid then said oh sorry 10,000 dong. A bit of an uproar started, but we all settled on 4,000 dong in the end and walked away quite disappointed.

Once in Cai Be the local tourist info office told us there is no bus service to Vinh Long, but there is a ridiculously expensive tourist boat we could take. We asked how they got there themselves? (as obviously they didn't pay the price they were asking). They said by ferry. So we told them "we want to do that, just tell us how" The response was that we couldn't take the ferry because it was too hard for us. Frustrated and getting nowhere, we moved on. After much discussion it was evident that nobody was going to tell us how to do it the cheap way. We had no choice but to find the best deal on a private boat. We found out later that there is also a water taxi service, which everybody failed to mention.

Doing the Mekong Delta on our own was beginning to look very expensive!

From Vinh Long we found a homestay for the following night. We got there early and spent the day riding bikes around the local villages on the island and chilling out in the hammocks. It was a great way to spend the day, and after the previous day of travel we needed it. When there we were able to link up with a group in the middle of a trip that was heading to Can Tho (a place we thought we were going to have to skip based on the costs of getting around on our own)

The boat trip from Vinh Long to Can Tho was just like any other. Until the engine broke down. We had to stop at a local house on the river bank. This was a wonderful experience. The people were so welcoming and fed us fruit from there orchard as we waited for a new boat to arrive.

From Can Tho we were taken to the Floating Market. This is by far the best out the the two markets we visited (the other being in Cai Be). There was more one on one interaction rather than wholesales. The market was complete with floating food and drink boats that made us wish we didn't have breakfast beforehand. But we didn't let that stop us from sharing a bowl of noodles and having a coffee. After the floating market we visited a local land market that had everything you could want, including deep fried eyeballs.

We spent an extra night in the city of Can Tho. When walking around that night there was a local wedding celebration that decided to park itself on the sidewalk and onto half a lane of road. Complete with loud Karaoke, including a ladyboy singer. All in all it was quite the sight to be seen.

The next day (on our own again) we made our way to Chau Doc. When arriving at the bus stop we of course walked the 2km into town, something the local moto and cyclo drivers never seem to be able to understand.

On our full day in Chau Doc we rented a motobike of our own. This gave us the freedom to explore up Sam Mountain which has views over the border into Cambodia, aswell as some nearby villages. Del found it good fun driving around like a local.

What started as a 'what were we thinking' trip, ended as a fantastic experience. It was nice not to be constantly moved on by a group the whole time. We had the chance to experience the Mekong Delta and not just see it. Although we did meet a lot of people who tried to over charge us, we met just as many who were fair and not just out to get a withdrawal from the walking ATM of white man. This was probably due to the fact that most tourist don't take local transport or eat at the local market in this part of the country. As a result people aren't use to seeing western people just walking around. Most loved to scream and say hello and give a big wave.

We leave Vietnam behind along with it's beautiful landscape, welcoming people (for the most part), the cheapest beer in the world (30p) and the most amazing food....