Secrets of the Mekong River Delta: Natural Riches and Vietnamese Traditions - 4k

Опубликовано: 05 Декабрь 2024
на канале: Alberto Carvalho

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#mekongdelta #vietnam #hochiminhcity #saigon
Let's discover the Mekong River Delta, the southernmost region of Vietnam.
This tour took place on March 25th, 2024.

--------------- Video chapters:
0:00 Synthesis
0:12 Mekong River Estuary
0:38 Floating Village
1:01 Mekong River Estuary
1:18 Canal
3:50 Tuk-tuk trip
4:17 Coconut factory
5:35 Typical lunch
6:16 Mekong River Estuary

-------------- Places visited on this tour:

The Mekong River is one of the largest and most impressive rivers in Asia, having a length of around 4500 kilometers. It rises on the distant Tibetan Plateau and passes through the Chinese province of Yunnan China, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Laos, Thailand and Cambodia before emptying into the South China Sea in southwestern Vietnam.

This region, where the river flows into the sea through a series of small estuaries forming a delta, is known as the Mekong Delta and is the most fertile region in all of Vietnam.

The delta is approximately 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City and is divided into 12 provinces, all with similar characteristics, with extensive rice fields, palm trees and large orchards with a diversity of fruits typical of the region.

We boarded a motor boat that took us to the canals allowing us to explore the province of Ben Tre, one of the 12 provinces in the delta. On the canals we boarded one of the typical rowing boats.

This province is famous for its canals and native flora and fauna and we felt a peaceful atmosphere very different from the busy Ho Chi Minh City.
On the way to the canals we passed a floating village that is a symbol of a charming and unique culture. The houses are based on a floating raft, where the whole family lives there.

Once we arrived at the canals, we boarded one of the typical rowing boats from this region of Vietnam, almost always driven by women, to delve into the jungle.

These narrow channels are surrounded by dense vegetation mostly made up of water coconut trees. All you hear are the sounds of nature, not even the oar makes any noise. This is the pinnacle of the tour, the most stunning scenery!

During the Vietnam War, the Delta served as an important supply route for Viet Cong forces fighting American troops. The canals of the Mekong Delta were used to transport supplies and weapons, playing a crucial role in the Vietnamese resistance.

This region was the scene of bloody and strategic battles, which had a significant impact on the result of the war. The image of soldiers crossing the river with weapons above their heads is from here in the Mekong Delta.

The fascinating history of the Mekong Delta has also been shown in cinema. An example is the film Apocalypse Now (1979), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which portrays the Vietnam war and shows scenes recorded in the Mekong Delta.

Other films that highlight the region are Platoon (1986), about a soldier in the Vietnam War, and The Lover (1992), based on the autobiographical novel by Marguerite Duras. These cinematographic works helped put the Mekong Delta on the global map, sparking the interest of travelers from all over the world.