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DAY 1: SAIGON – BEN TRE
At 8.00am, depart for a 1.5 hour drive from Saigon to Ben Tre, one of the country's southern provinces, situated in the Delta of the Mekong River. Take in the highway as you leave behind the busy city. Pass Rach Mieu bridge before reaching Huu Dinh hamlet. Get on a tri-motor cycle (xe loi) ride to enjoy the lush surroundings of rice paddies and fruit farms alongside the narrow village roads. Arrive at the waterfront, board the charming Mango Cruise for a glimpse at the Delta scenery while enjoying coconut juice. First stop for a visit at the coconut processing, then back to your cruise and the cruise will stop at a brick making shop, where the locals still use centuries-old traditional methods to make the bricks by hand where you will start a Bicycle trip around Phong Nam village around 4km, through gardens and stop at the a rice noodles factory “hu tieu”, one of most popular breakfast dishes in the region .Walk about 3 minutes to visit at Mrs. Huong’s home. Her family live on fishing, shrimp and farming. Enjoy the tropical fruits and honey tea in her garden before taking the rowing sampan , be paddled by a personalized rower trip to discover the maze of small canals.
Then rowing you back to your mango boat and head to Mango home restaurant, enjoy your 5 course lunch and freshen up before switch to a bicycle and ride 500m About 4 minutes( or 7-10 minutes walk) on village roads past green gardens and local houses, and stop at another local house of Mr Sau Tuong, a former Vietcong soldier who survived two years fighting the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh. Now he and his wife live on making rice paper which is the most famous specialty of My Long village. Have a chat with him and enjoy the crispy rice paper made by his wife, and see how it is made and then continue cycling around 500 m (4 minutes by bike or 7- 10 minutes on foot) to visit the nearby house of Mr Hung, who is a famous sticky rice maker in the village. You can also feed his stock of catfish and walk through his fruit garden.
Walk back the local house to catch fish in the pond & pick your own vegetables, and then in the early evening prepare to join the cooking demonstration with the family.
Overnight will be spent in the Mango Home Riverside.
DAY 2: GIONG TROM - SAIGON
Breakfast will be served at the homestay, then take a boat trip to Tai Phu canal and stop to visit a coconut processing workshop before taking a bicycle to the busy local market of My Long. After that, cycle to Cau Hoa to visit the local Phuoc Long Tu temple and war memorials.
Return to the home and enjoy a final 5 course lunch on the home verandah.
Then cycle to Phong Nam village and your boat will take you to Ben Tre city where your driver takes you back to Saigon.
End of tour.
