Cycling Around the Mekong Delta
Our trip will last 16 days and cover more than 600 km. Thankfully, because it’s around a river delta, the land is flat.
Starting at Ben Tre
We travel to Ben Tre by mini van, and stop along the way at My Tho pagoda/temple complex with its huge laughing Buddha. It’s impressive.
Our First Pedal
Once we reach the hotel we get our bikes and go on a little ride to get our tires pumped and pick up some beer and snacks. The bikes have been sitting since early 2020 so need a little TLC.
I have a river view room overlooking one of the arms of the Mekong River. The sunset and cloud formations are beautiful.
Coconut Island
Our first riding day is a 20 km loop around the countryside of Ben Tre, also known as Coconut Island.
We stop at a coconut processing place and a coconut candy factory. We have delicious fruit, coconut candy, and are entertained by a band with singers.
Ending up in Ben Tre, we park our bikes and tour the Ben Tre market with its huge fish section. Fish from the mouth of the Mekong.
Ben Tre to Tra Vinh
On the move, we’re riding about 45 km to Tra Vinh, and taking five ferries.
At one of the smaller ferry stops, a man, surrounded by wasps, is crushing sugar cane to make sugar cane juice. Yellow, sweet and refreshing over ice. Just what I need on this hot and humid ride. And if you are lucky, you’ll get a dead wasp at the bottom of your cup, as I do.
When Pigs Float
Was that really a pig floating by? I’m in the second group waiting for one of the smaller ferries, and as I wait I see a pig floating, trotters up, down the river. It happens so fast and I am so stunned that I have no time to take a photo.
Sad Saddle Bags
Further along the way we break for lunch. Chicken and rice.
After 3 years sitting in storage the paniers on our bikes our falling apart. They are waterproof, expensive paniers but the glue that binds them is no match for the tropical heat and humidity. One of the local men at the restaurant tries to sew mine together but the repair is only temporary.
Countryside around Tra Vinh
A day of verdant rice fields and the oldest pagoda. We do a 30 km loop around the countryside.
Off the Tourist Trail
Ang Khmer is the oldest pagoda in the region.
We have a picnic lunch which we had bought at the Tra Vinh market – a fried dough pastry from a street vendor, baguettes, oranges and cheese. There are no cafes or restaurants on our ride today.
Usually for lunch we can find a cafe along the way, or Nhi can order from a nearby takeout place.
Tra Vinh to Tra Cu
I begin the day with Pho Bo at the hotel. It is delicious. Though we (English speakers) see Pho and want to say Fo. We’re told that it’s supposed to sound like Fu/Fa but it feels awkward to say that. Until I read about the French connection and that it comes from feu (fire), like pot au feu. That I can say somehow because it’s gotten rid of the pesky ‘o’ sound. Language and how it works in our brains is strange.
Getting Our Biking Legs
Today is the first of two long biking days. We’re riding 46 km to Tra Cu where we’re staying just one night. Most places we stay two nights.
For lunch we stop at a little rest area with hammocks and shelters and chickens plucking around. Nhi orders takeout from who knows where – rice with dried little shrimps in their shells. I do not enjoy their crunchiness. Thankfully we had indulged in ice cream at our morning drink stop.
Spiritual Monuments
Today is also a day of two pagodas – Vinh Phuoc and Ta Hiep. Both had large reclining Buddhas.
At Vinh Phuoc we meet a monk who had been to Canada recently.
Ta Hiep is a very ornate, Khmer pagoda. The reclining Buddha is huge. Its long row of golden monks are quite stunning.
