Sampans & Sweets

 

Smaller channels at Tan Phong

Our exploration of the Mekong continued this morning. We were treated to a sampan ride through the smaller channels on Tan Phong island. We had delicious fried banana. We went to watch local folk song. This was a little subpar to be honest. I didn't like that they were not upfront about the costs of the drinks, and shoving the tip jar in your face. I'd much prefer to just pay a fee to enter to watch should I choose to. After this, we went to a shop to watch how they make pop-rice, coconut candy and rice paper.

Our Mekong Delta adventure continued this morning with a serene sampan ride through the narrower, more intimate channels of Tan Phong Island. It would have been utterly charming, alas it was distressing to see plastic litter. We were treated to some utterly delicious fried banana – a childhood favourite of mine!

Next up was a local folk song performance. I'm all for cultural immersion, but this particular rendition was a little subpar. My main gripe, however, wasn't the singing, but the rather unsubtle approach to sales. I did not appreciate the lack of upfront pricing for drinks and the aggressively presented tip jar. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer to choose to support local artists, ideally through a clear entry fee, rather than feeling obligated to subsidise their questionable performance and beverage pricing.

Peaceful breakfast riverside

Cake similar to one found in Indonesia!

My parents would be so happy to eat these

Our skillful sampan rower

Deep fried banana

Riverside supermarket

Durians!

Traditional folk songs

The fresh fruits apparently was free

but not the drinks! I had to beg and borrow for cash...

After that little detour, we moved on to a more enlightening experience: a visit to a local workshop showcasing the production of pop-rice, coconut candy, and rice paper. It's truly fascinating to see how these staples of Vietnamese cuisine are made – a real insight into simple yet clever tools utilised to make these snacks. And yes, I did stock up on coconut candy. It's a sticky, sweet addiction, and I regret nothing.

And just like that, it was back to Saigon. The city greeted us with monsoonal showers and its usual glorious chaos. A whirlwind of last-minute shopping at the Ben Thanh Market (because one needed to buy souvenirs and clothes and as a result an additional suitcase) before my flight back to Sydney in the morning.

It's been an incredible 11 days here in Vietnam. I've been very fortunate to share this experience with a truly fun and friendly group of fellow travelers, making new friends and connections along the way. But perhaps most importantly, this trip has given me invaluable insight into the sheer dedication of the team behind the scenes – the people who tirelessly arrange the local guides, vet the hotels, and curate these fantastic tours. It's one thing to see the polished end product; it's another to appreciate the logistics involved that makes it all happen.

So, for now, it's a reluctant tạm biệt to Vietnam. You've been chaotic, charming, and a constant source of adventure. I'll be back, perhaps with a bigger suitcase and a few more Vietnamese Dong!

As usual, I used Airalo for my e-sim. Coverage in Vietnam is very good, with the exception of occasional patchy areas near Pu Luong and Ha Long Bay. If you purchase an e-sim use my referral code BELIND6864. You get AUD5 credit and I Get AUD5 credit. Win win!

They use rice husks as fuel, and "pop" the rice with fine sand

The sand is sifted through to be re-used

The popped rice then mixed with sugars and whatever flavouring you want

Moulded

Rolled

Sliced

Then packaged for sale

Rice paper production. Different to the one we made yesterday

This is then dried on top of a weaved surface to give that characteristic pattern that we see

Lunch was at a restaurant attached to an historic house

Traditional roofing

Interior looked almost Chinese

Down to the mother of pearl decorations

Oh dear we had to cook our own banh xeo

She kept telling me "wrong" 😅

The final product

Farewell dinner venue. Food was good

Seabass with pickled shallots. So tasty