Exploring the Mekong Delta in style
15 December 2007 - Victoria Hotels and Resorts recently launched a three-day travel package for visitors to explore the Mekong Delta aboard multiple ships.In addition to seeing the region’s natural beauty, visitors will also experience the impeccable services and facilities of Victoria’s four-star resorts in the area.
As part of the “Jewels of the Mekong Package,” guests will travel aboard Victoria’s two converted traditional rice barges, Le Jarai and Lady Hau. The ships will cruise along the canals and rivers that crisscross the region.
The adventure begins with a morning car transfer from HCMC to Long Xuyen, where guests board Le Jarai for a six-hour river cruise. From the boat’s deck, guests will see floating markets, fish farms and locals going about their daily lives.
After an onboard lunch, guests will take part in a cooking class featuring an introduction to Vietnamese spices and herbs. Afterwards, guests can enjoy a massage on the lower deck or relax on the upper deck upon Thai cushions to see the sites.
Guests will stay overnight at the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel on the first evening. The property is located by the T-junction of two big rivers that run through the town of Chau Doc. The hotel offers guests a bird’s-eye-view of floating fish farms and distant floating markets.
The following morning, guests will take a boating excursion to a nearby Cham village to see how local women weave thổ cẩm (ethnic fabrics). From there, guests will transfer to the Victoria Can Tho Resort via car. The Victoria Can Tho Resort was the first such luxury hotel in the Mekong Delta.
From the Victoria Can Tho, guests will embark on the next part of the tour aboard Lady Hau, which begins with a breakfast cruise along the Hau River, the main southern arm of the Mekong Delta region. As guests cruise along the river, they will see farmers bringing their produce to the Cai Rang floating market.
The floating market, which is located eight kilometers from the city, is believed to have existed for 300 years. Similar to the region’s other floating markets, Cai Rang is busy from the wee hours of the morning until six in the evening. The best time to visit is between six and ten in the morning, when hundreds of boats of all sizes converge to buy and sell produce.
In addition to buying and selling their goods, farmers and traders buy soft drinks, sweets, salt, fish sauce, phở (Vietnamese noodle soup) and the other necessities at the market. After the tour of the Cai Rang floating market, guests will return by car to HCMC.
The Managing Director of the Victoria Group Eric Simard said that the group is creating an outstanding chain of boutique resorts and spas in Indochina by continually seeking to offer adventurous travelers the opportunity to explore beyond the traditional tourist trails.
The package tour priced at US$578 per person based on twin sharing booking, with a single supplement of US$495 and US$187 charged for a third person. Children under 5 are free of charge and a 50% discount is given to children ages 5–12.