This is the second of four short blogs to fill the two week gap between Kampot, Cambodia and Dalat, Vietnam. As I've said, it's far too easy to get swept along and completely forget to blog -- especially when where you are is 'nothing to write home about'...

In our humble opinions, the watery world of the Mekong Delta is just one of those places. If you're longing for a taste of local life far from fellow travellers (the rest of Vietnam is a hive of activity in comparison), you should be satisfied by the small isolated cities, nestles between the countless canals and broad river branches -- but one or two days here are enough. After that it gets very samey. Down here it is less about the sights and more about the experience; so once you've boated down one or two waterways, you've kind of done it... Oh and I can get sea sick even on the smallest of canals apparently.

Waterways

That being said, I did enjoy the floating markets near Can Tho. Cai Rang is pretty much wholesale by boat. The vendors have large colourful motorised crafts -- we later found out that the painted faces of the boats were meant to scare away the crocodiles that once frequented the waterways -- full of fruits and vegetables sold by the sack load. Each boat has examples of their produce hanging from tall masts to act as signposts for customers. It is quite an experience to see it in full swing.

But perhaps the best floating market is Phong Dien, which has fewer motorised crafts and more stand-up rowing boats. It's also far less crowded, and if you get there early, far fewer tourists. The altogether peaceful atmosphere allows you to float through while the chatter and calls of the (mostly female) vendors wash over you.

Homestays

We did try doing a Homestay to really embrace rural life, but we were a bit disappointed. The chance to experience river life and to share a home-cooked meal with a local family is meant to be a highlight of a Mekong Delta visit, but I suppose it must depend on the Homestay. The concept has taken off on the islands around Vinh Long, but 'homestay' is not really the word I would use. Mostly, you don't actually stay in the family home but in specially constructed accommodation which is more akin to a rudimentary hostel. And you may or may not eat with the family; we stayed at Nhoc Sang, Binh Luong, where we were cooked a fantastic meal, but we were served our food on the veranda that surrounded the house, with the five other travellers.