A/ Overview
B/ Cai Be floating market
C/ Tan Phong island
D/ Cai Be - Vinh Long river cruise
E/ An Binh island and Homestay
F/ Vinh Long market
G/ Getting there
H/ Others
In southern Vietnam, pigs stay healthy with daily treat of music, radio news
A/ Overview
The Cai Be floating market is not really interesting as it is a very small one. There are just only some boats selling/buying sweet potato, tapioca, pumkin, water melon, pine apple... I see most Asian touirists feel dissapointed with it. In fact, you just have a poor concept of how a floating market is! If you really want to see a great floating market, head straight to Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets of Can Tho city.
So why we should go to Cai Be - Vinh Long?
Firstly, there are many fruit gardens around Cai Be town of Tien Giang province and Vinh Long city. Asian tourists will find them the great places to pluck rambutan (in April, May and June), milky fruit (in January, February), rose apple (around the year) and longan (almost around the year)... Come here in summer, and you will surf yourself on a red and yello carpet - the attractive, eye-catching colours of vast rambutan gardens!
Secondly, you can enjoy a nice boat trip from Cai Be to Vinh Long.
Thirdly, there are some quiet beautiful islands where you can stay with a friendly local family (homestay), learn how to cook Mekong delta traditional dishes, enjoy bicycle ride along the small, zigzag and shaded streets on ther islands
Note: Vinh Long city belongs toVinh Long province
Cai Be town belongs to Tien Giang province
Vinh Long city is about 140km from Sai Gon.
Cai Be town is about 100km from Saigon and 40km from Vinh Long city
Pic: BenTre.gov.vn
Note: Vinh Long city belongs toVinh Long province
Cai Be town belongs to Tien Giang province
Vinh Long city is about 140km from Sai Gon.
Cai Be town is about 100km from Saigon and 40km from Vinh Long city
B/ Cai Be floating market
Cai Be floating market belongs to Cai Be town of Tien Giang province which is about 100km from Saigon.
The market is very small and poor in products.
Open almost everyday (Close in the first three days of Vietnam traditional new year)
Best time to visit: Some days before Vietnam traditional new year as its more crowded and has more products
Tips: The below photos were taken at boat sation where tropical fruits were loaded to trucks and transferred to Saigon. Its in May - the season of rambutan
Photo credit: Vietnamguidebook
Video - Cai Be rambutan garden in September, 2016
C/ Tan Phong island
Overview: Tan Phong is just about 10 minutes from Cai Be floating market by motorised boat. This peaceful, lovely island is famous for milky fruit, durian, longan, especially rambutan. In summer, Vietnamese people come here to enjoy plucking the "fire fruit"
Activity: Bicycling around the island
Accomodation: Tan Phong island travel company offers 05 nice bungalos in a vast rambutan garden. (05 more bungalos are coming soon)
www.tanphongislandtravel.com
Tel: 0127 592 5371 (Ms Hong Que)
Bungalo: 60USD (Public rate)
Getting there: A boat trip from Cai Be town to Cai Be floating market and Tan Phong island costs about 150,000VND. Contact: Ms Lan (0913 660 435). She can organise everything.
Motorised boat trip to Tan Phong
Small, zigzag and long roads on the island: great to enjoy bicycling
Milky fruit: soft and sweet like milk (another name is star apple)
Longan
Guava garden
The bugalos and restaurant of Tan Phong island travel in rambutan orchard
Pics: Vietnamguidebook
D/ Cai Be - Vinh Long river cruise
It takes about 1 hour 15 minutes from Cai Be town to Vinh Long city by motorised boat (depends on water tide).
Videos (vietnamguidebook)
A rowing boat carried passenger with bicycle on Cai Be river
The vast green water hyacinths on Cai Be river
A small fishing boat along the river
Some luxury bungalos along the river
A large motorised boat carried wood for building
A large motorised boat carried rice
A luxury cruise ship
Xeo May restaurant with colourful flower garden along riverside
E/ An Binh island and Homestay
The quiet beautiful An Binh island belongs to Long Ho district of Vinh Long city. Take a ferry on 1/5 street, opposite Vinh Long museum, to the island.
The island has many families offering homestay service. The accommodations are very simple, but they have lovely surrounding gardens. Forget the city's clubs, bars and enjoy relaxed peaceful time. Go to sleep early with the sounds of frogs and wake up with birds chirping.
Activities: ride bicycle around the islands and learn how to cook Mekong delta traditional dishes.
The ferry
My Thuan bridge connecting Tien Giang province and Vinh long city
The island is quiet. Local people enjoy riding bicyle along shaded streets
Two rows of papaya at both sides of the street
A zigzag street with yellow flowers
Green colour of vegetable
White flowers of pomelo
Rose apple
Dragon fruit garden
Mango garden
A narrow bridge
The Tien Chau pagoda is l;ocated near the ferry station of An Binh island.
Videos: papaya and longan streets on the island
Homestay on An Binh island
1/ Ba Linh homestay
Address: 95 An Thanh - An Binh island, Long Ho district, Vinh Long province
Tel: 0703 858 683 - 0939 138 142
Email: m.balinh@yahoo.com.vn
Room rate: 14USD/bed (with breakfast and dinner)
Overview: The simple wooden house of Mr Ba Linh has very basic beds with fan, shared bathroom and hot shower. The surrounding garden is quite beautiful. Friendly
Minus: No private space for a couple.
2/ Ba Hung homestay
Address: Binh Hoa Phuoc village, Long Ho district, Vinh Long province
Tel: 0703 859 908 - 0903 877 539
Website: www.dulichsinhthaibahung.com
Room rate: 12 - 15USD/pax (with breakfast and dinner)
Overview: Mr Ba Hung offer basic beds and simple private rooms. Shared bathroom with hot shower. Free bicycle. Friendly
3/ Nam Thanh homestay
Address: 179/ 2 An Binh island, Long Ho district (some 300m from ferry station)
Tel: 0703 858 883
Room rate: 15USD/bed (with breakfast, dinner and free bicycle)
Overview: Nam Thanh offers basic beds and some simple private rooms. Shared bathroom with hot shower. The street to Nam Thanh is beautiful with a row of yellow flowers. Friendly
F/ Vinh Long market
* Phuong Thuy restaurant (opposite Cuu Long hotel on 1/5 street. Some hundred steps to Vinh Long market)
This riverside offers breakfast and lunch. Great location which give the best river view. I like to enjoy beef noodle soup and coffee here.
Clean restroom
* Hoa Nang coffee (Some steps from Vinh Long market)
Excellent location with cheap iced milk coffee make it the most crowded coffee shop at riverside.
Minus: the restroom is not in good condition. Sometimes its quite smelly
* Vinh Long market
One of the largest markets in Mekong delta. Selling many kinds of tropical fruit, vegetable and alive... fish, eel, frog, snake...
Selling durian
Mango
Milky fruit
Vegetable
Pics: vietnamguidebook
G/ Getting there
1/ Saigon - Cai Be - Vinh Long by bus and boat
1-day tour
Most tourists take a 1-day trip from Saigon to Cai Be -Vinh Long
The bus takes about 2 hours from Saigon to Cai Be town where you will get on a motorised boat leaving for Cai Be floating market and a village (actually the shops!) earning living by making coconut candy, pop corn and honey. Lunch is usually served at riverside restaurant. Then enjoy a 1-hour boat trip from Cai Be to Vinh Long. Arrive in Vinh Long city, have some 30 minutes to visit the Vinh Long market, then take a 3-hour bus back to Saigon.
Where: This 1-day tour is sold everywhere in Saigon backpacker area.
Price: about 15USD/pax (include bus, boat, lunch, English speaking guide)
Combine: Leave the tour at Vinh Long market of Vinh Long city. Take a ferry to An Binh island and overnight in a homestay. Enjoy a bicycle ride around this quiet beautiful island and learn how to cook Mekong delta traditional dishes. You can spend 1 or 2 days here. Then continue to Can Tho/ Chau Doc or go back to Saigon (Note: If you buy a 1-day tour of TheSinhTourist, you can ask them to pick you up at Vinh Long market. The bus usually leaves for Saigon/ Chau Doc at 1:30 - 2:00PM. Backing to Saigon is free of charge)
Private boat for Cai Be - Vinh Long
You can get on the boat at Cai Be town or Vinh Long city
The boat charges about 350,000 - 500,000VND (visit floating market, fruit garden and 1-hour boat trip Cai Be - Vinh Long. Total time is about 2 - 3 hours. Mekong delta music is available at many fruit garden)
Contact: Ms Lan (0913 660 435). She can organise everything.
Bus to Vinh Long city
The bus from Saigon to Vinh Long city takes about 3 hours. The most reliable bus operator is Trung Kien
Trung kien bus (29 seats)
Address: * 284 Tran Phu, ward 8, district 5, Saigon (a motorbike from Saigon backpacker area to here is about 10 - 15 minutes)
Tel: 3924 4044 - 3924 4262
* Coopmart, Ward 1, Vinh Long city (just 2-minute drive from Vinh Long market)
Tel: 0703 862 863 - 0703 836 969
Combine: Leave the tour at Vinh Long market of Vinh Long city. Take a ferry to An Binh island and overnight in a homestay. Enjoy a bicycle ride around this quiet beautiful island and learn how to cook Mekong delta traditional dishes. You can spend 1 or 2 days here. Then continue to Can Tho/ Chau Doc or go back to Saigon (Note: If you buy a 1-day tour of TheSinhTourist, you can ask them to pick you up at Vinh Long market. The bus usually leaves for Saigon/ Chau Doc at 1:30 - 2:00PM. Backing to Saigon is free of charge)
Private boat for Cai Be - Vinh Long
You can get on the boat at Cai Be town or Vinh Long city
The boat charges about 350,000 - 500,000VND (visit floating market, fruit garden and 1-hour boat trip Cai Be - Vinh Long. Total time is about 2 - 3 hours. Mekong delta music is available at many fruit garden)
Contact: Ms Lan (0913 660 435). She can organise everything.
Bus to Vinh Long city
The bus from Saigon to Vinh Long city takes about 3 hours. The most reliable bus operator is Trung Kien
Trung kien bus (29 seats)
Address: * 284 Tran Phu, ward 8, district 5, Saigon (a motorbike from Saigon backpacker area to here is about 10 - 15 minutes)
Tel: 3924 4044 - 3924 4262
* Coopmart, Ward 1, Vinh Long city (just 2-minute drive from Vinh Long market)
Tel: 0703 862 863 - 0703 836 969
Pics: vietnamguidebook
Ferry from Vinh Long city to An Binh island
It takes just only 5 - 10 minutes/ one way
Price: 500VND
Service: Morning till late afternoon. About 5 minutes has 1 ferry.
Where: The ferry is on 1/5 street, opposite Vinh Long museum, some steps to Cuu Long hotel and Vinh Long market
Tips: Its quite hot in the afternoon. Should have a hat and use suncreen.
The ferry
Cuu Long hotel
Vinh Long museum
Bicycle for rent (biking on An Binh island)
The Cuu Long hotel at number 1, street of 1/5, Vinh Long city (some steps to ferry to An Binh island) has bicycle for rent at 4USD/day
Tel: 0703 823 611
Website: www.cuulongtourist.com
H/ Others
In southern Vietnam, pigs stay healthy with daily treat of music, radio news
The ten sows at a pig farm in the southern Vietnamese province of Vinh Long start a new day as early as 4:00 am, when the radio above them is turned on, broadcasting the morning news.
The pigs relaxingly wag their tails as the sound of the news radio fills their farm, an apparent sign of their enjoying the treat.
The radio is played continually until 10:00 pm, a practice Pham Van Phuong, who raises the ten-pig herd, has followed for more than a decade.
“I learned from TV and newspapers that foreign people let their cows listen to music to produce more milk, so I thought it would work with my pigs as well,” Phuong told a morning show by national broadcaster VTV1 on December 8.
The idea flashed into his mind more than ten years ago, when his pigs were repeatedly startled by noises and miscarried.
“I think the music will keep the pigs comfortable,” he said.
With the radio playing for 18 hours a day, Phuong’s pigs will listen to anything the station broadcasts, from news to music and even cai luong, or the traditional southern opera.
“I didn’t choose any specific genre of music for them,” he said, adding “people think I’m mad.”
Strange as it may seem, Phuong has been rewarded for his method.
“The pigs have become healthier. They no longer miscarry and the shoats are always in good health,” he said.
The ten sows collectively give birth to 160 offspring a year, generating around VND1 billion (US$47,068) in revenue for the farmer. With all costs deducted, Phuong pockets some VND500 million ($23,534) in profit, according to VTV1.
His success is even a surprise to local industry insiders.
“I was at first surprised when I heard that [Phuong] plays music for his pigs,” Vo Van Vu, an official from the Vinh Long Farmer Association, told VTV1 in the same program.
“But reality proves his method is effective.”
Vu said letting the pigs listen to music has prevented them from getting startled by other noises and reduced their stress.
“This enables them to maintain good health, and so do their shoats.”
Phuong said he has plans to expand his farm. “Who knows if I won’t play 3D movies for the pigs then?” he said with a broad smile.
(Source: http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/24921/in-southern-vietnam-pigs-stay-healthy-with-daily-treat-of-music-radio-news)
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