Mui Ne Easy Rider

Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre - Easy Rider Trip

Susan Neil

31 Jan 2024 — 5 min read

With Mr Qua at Vinh Trang Pagoda, My Tho

This morning I am meeting up with Mr Qua of Mui Ne Easy Rider and we are continuing our adventures together. This time we are exploring the Mekong Delta but we have to get out of Ho Chi Minh City first … I am sure that will be daunting in rush hour traffic this morning. Yikes … more later.

We made it out of the city fine … no problems.

With Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, just days away flowers are being nurtured everywhere to ensure that they are looking their best.

Flowers for Tet, Mekong Delta, Vietnam — Flowers for Tet, Mekong Delta

Coconut, Mekong Delta, Vietnam — Coconut, Mekong Delta

This is a different type of coconut and is evidently only grown in the Mekong Delta. I tried a piece and it did not taste very coconut like or sweet but maybe it was young fruit.

Coconuts growing in the wild, mekong delts — Coconuts growing in the wild

We went to a place where they make insence. The machine that they have now makes it much faster as they used to have to do it by hand.

Insense drying in the sun, mekong delta — Insence drying in the sun

Making insense, mekong delta — Making Insence

Rice fields with family shrine, mekong delta — Rice fields with family shrine

Links of sausages drying in the sun, mekong delta — Links of sausages drying in the sun

We stopped for lunch and had Com Tam at a roadside restaurant. Not sausage but pork, egg and rice … the spicy sauce that you add to taste makes it very yummy.

After lunch we went to Vinh Trang Pagoda in My Tho.

At Vinh Trang Pagoda, My Tho — At Vinh Trang Pagoda

Vinh Trang Pergoda, My Tho — Vinh Trang Pergoda

I have just shown some of my photos from here … there was so much to see. There were beautiful bonsai here too … my favourites had small scented flowers and you could smell them as you walked past.

Scented Bonsai Trees, My Tho — Scented Bonsai Trees

During the afternoon we also visited a place where coconut tree timber was being turned into various objects, for household and tourism use, and we attended 2 honey tea tastings.

Turning Coconut Tree Timber, Mekong Delta — Turning Coconut Tree Timber

Bowls made from coconut tree timber, mekong delta — Bowls made from Coconut Tree Timber

Bee products for sale at honey tea tasting, mekong delta — Bee Products for sale at Honey Tea Tasting

Honey Tea Tasting, Mekong Delta — Honey Tea Tasting

We went to two different tastings, just by chance as were trying to find a boat tour that would help the local community and not tour companies.

The lady in the above photo is wearing Ao Ba Ba which is the traditional dress in the Mekong Delta and this is different from the traditional dress of the country which is Ao Dai.

Mr Qua managed to organise us a boat trip with some lovely local ladies.

Boat staff rest on hammocks while waiting for tourists

Drifting on a canal on the Mekong Delta — Drifting on a canal in the Mekong Delta

We stopped and this was one of the places that we drank the honey tea and we also watched coconut candy being made.

Making coconut candy, mekong delta — Making Coconut Candy

Me posing on a bridge, mekong delta — Me posing on a bridge

I also tried some cocoa here … not quite chocolate as we know it but it was nice to try it.

As the sun starts to lower over the Mekong Delta we make our way to our accommodation in Ben Tre.

Mekong Delta Easy Rider Trip — Mekong Delta

After resting at our hotel for a while we visit some local markets and look for dinner. The markets are for local people to shop for Tet … like our market days and late night shopping before Christmas.

We had fresh spring rolls for diner and after a look around headed home just as things really started to get busy. I think that it appears so busy because many people are browsing on their motor bikes.

There were so many beautiful flowers for sale at the markets. We met a Vietnamese lady who spoke very good English and she was trying to convince us to buy her bonsai plants. It was a fun chat.