My Tho (Mekong delta)
The Mekong Delta covers an area of 67,000 square km in the southernmost
region of Vietnam and is often referred to as the rice bowl of Vietnam
as it produces three harvests per year. The Mekong River begins
its life in Tibet and travels 4,500 km through six countries before
eventually splitting into nine tributaries (Cuu Long in Vietnamese)
and flowing into the South China Sea.
Because the plains are periodically flooded by the rising Mekong
River, traditional transportation is by boat, along a vast network
of canals. These canals are the very lifeblood of the Delta and
her 15 million inhabitants. Everything from human cargo to tropical
fruits such as Dragonfruit and Longan (Dragon's eye) traveling along
this complex system of waterways. A cruise along these canals with
their floating markets always proves to be a fascinating and rewarding
experience for all visitors.
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