Magnificent Mekong

A feast for the senses, Cái Bè is a Vietnamese enclave nestled among the lacework of waters of the Mekong Delta. Surrounded by fruit orchards, this small town with a charming village air boasts remarkably preserved old houses in its Đông Hòa Hiệp Commune. Village life here centers on the waters of the delta, where old-world commerce still survives as craftspeople trade and sell their produce and wares in small floating markets. The region is also known for Cài Luong, a Vietnamese-style folk opera that mixes ballads and theater with storylines focused on rural life.

Located in southern Vietnam, Sa Ðéc is a French colonial river port as well as an agricultural trading center. Prior to the 19th century, it was one of the largest cities in the Mekong Delta. Today, it is a sleepy, laid-back town where tree-lined streets invite easy strolls and old villas are surrounded by orchards and markets selling flowers. The childhood home of Marguerite Duras, one of France’s best-known authors, Sa Ðéc gained attention as the setting of her autobiographical novel The Lover, which chronicled her affair with the son of a wealthy Chinese businessman.