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| Mekong Delta |
Earth and Water
In Vietnamese, you refer to the land of Vietnam as "Dat nuoc Viet Nam", litterally "Vietnam's Land and Water", which does evoke the major role that the river and its delta play in everyday life.
Fantastic Mekong
The Delta shows varied landscapes: from rice fields to shaded coconut tree woods, to mangrove, to orchards, interspersed with timeless villages with their handicraft and even traditional industries of fruit drying, sugar cane processing, brick cooking...
Natural extension of the Mekong basin, the Delta is essentially made of the silt drained by the river. The Mekong may carry up to a few kilograms of dry earth per cubic meter of water during the periods of high waters, that go and fertilize the whole delat area.
The flow of the Mekong inverts back all the way up to Cambodia with the tide, hinting at a very flat slope. One may thus figure out the formidable volume of water in the Mekong, whose peak flow reaches 150,000 tons of water per second.
The evaporation of the river and flooded areas, as well as the lush vegetation, have a noticeable effect on the climate of the Delta, which is especially nice. The temperature in the Delta is always a few degrees less than in Ho Chi Minh city, although the city is very near.
Rural life
Far from the pace of the city, the rhythm of life is that of a rich and bountiful nature, and even if fieldwork is hard work, it is gratifying labour, as both earth and water bring into the peasant's basket rice and fruit, fish and shrimps.
It is a hard life, lived by the peasants, but also a quality life, all made of attention and care for the fields, the stock and the village community. The animals are well treated, and often will one see stables covered with a mosquito net.
The same is true of the warmth of the welcome. In the Delta, you will often be invited for some tea or even for some fruit by the peasants.
Vietnam's rice basket
The Mekong Delta is the most ecologically productive land in Vietnam.
Half of the rice of the country is produced in the Delta in three crops per year, as well as hundreds of thousands of tons of catfish, sugar cane, fruit and vegetables.
This formidable production -Vietnam is the second largest rice exporter in the world- is still today mainly made by hand, according to traditional techniques.
Life in the delta is still rhythmed by nature.
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Le Cochinchine Cruise On the Mekong River
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Le Cochinchine is a modern and tastefully designed river barge. Built in traditional style Le Cochinchine measures around 30 meters long from bow to stern and has two 420 HP engines , one in back up, making Le Cochinchine a very powerful and safe river vessel.
Le Cochinchine offers an elegant, relaxing and fulfilling ways to explore endless water way of Mekong River. The cruise brings us into contact with people in different corner of the Delta . With Le Cochinchine, you will have ample opportunity to see Vietnam in its authenticity and sample local culture and food, in a one unpacking, unforgettable vacation where your "floating hotel" get you insight into Mekong Delta and quaint villages.
Aboard Le Cochinchine you will enjoy the continuous and ever-changing scenery
as you encounter a lively world of legendary waterways and picturesque landscapes, floating markets, lush bonsais garden, rice fields, villages, pagodas and temples, fruit-filled orchards, boat laden bazaar and a host of smiling children.
Mekong Cruise by Cochinchine Boat 2 days / 1 night
Mekong River Cruise by Cochinchine Boat 3 days/ 2 night
Cruises along Mekong River in Vietnam & Cambodia 7days/6nights
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Bassac Cruise On the Mekong River
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The Bassac is entirely built of wood, from the hull of an 80-foot-long rice barge.
She can accommodate up to 12 passengers in six nicely decorated cabins, each with air-con and a private bathroom, and features a 100 sqft restaurant that opens all around, a large gallery, a small office room and 700 sqft of sundeck.
The Bassac can take her passengers on cruises up to seven days without stopping, and offers a great flexibility in programming your journey.
Public areas
Upper deck:
700 square feet, partly shaded.
The front is fit for sunbathing and rest on sunbathing couches;
The small bar at the back welcomes you for a drink outside as the sun sets.
Nearly all of the Bassac is accessible to the public, including the galley, which is the right venue for Vietnamese cuisine workshops to take place.
Each passenger can opt to join with the group in one of the common rooms, or look for a place to stay by oneself.
Restaurant and bar:
The 250 square feet at the stern of the main deck accommodate the restaurant and the bar can be completely opened to outside for you to enjoy the evening.
6 cabins in the front of the main deck: 4 with twin bedding, 2 with a double bed.
Heat and sound insulation in each cabin.
Air conditioning, private access.
En suite bathroom with shower and toilet
The comfortable cabins are set in the front of the Bassac and well insulated so as to provide the passengers with a good night's sleep even if under way.
They are entirely fitted with wood, and equipped as rooms in a good hotel.
Owing to a large heat exchanger on the main engine, the Bassac produces enough hot water for many showers a day.
Main technical facts:
Flag: Vietnam
Class: VR-SI, river cruiser
Displacement: 107 metric tons
Length: 80' / 24.40m
Beam: 18' / 5.50m
Draft: 4'10" / 1.50m half-loaded
Propulsion: Caterpillar 14,6 liters, 400 BHP, built to run 5000 hours per year
Navigation: Can operate by night and in bad weather
Autonomy: 7 days cruise
Owing to its large new engine and revised hydraulics, the Bassac can pull up to 10 knots and face the powerful Mekong, even facing strong currents.
As the Bassac has a shallow draft, she can go through all the main waterways regardless of the tide.
Mekong Delta Cruise Bassac 2 Days / 1 night
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Song Xanh Cruise On the Mekong
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The built unique sampans, all stylishly designed and inspired by ancient authentic traditional indochinese river boats. Designed for individuals looking for an authentic "Private Cruise" experience, with overnight on board. Exclusive Cruises 2D/1N and 3D/2NEquipped with a bathroom with lavabo, wc and shower, the sampans can also be used for daily private cruise programs for FIT's or Groups. (comfortable chairs and beautiful cotton floor mattresses). - Song Xanh : 18m long x 3,5m wide (1 bed room + 1 living room transformable into 1 more bed room at night, maximun 2 couple + 1 child).
Song Xanh Sampan launched in November is a new cruise to discover the Mekong Delta. This small boat equipped with a private toilet removable beds offers 2 days/ 1 night and 3 days/2 nights cruise, guests will be led to smaller rivers and canals, discovering life of local people on the river as well as on the land: floating markets, to orchards, local school and fruit production factories. Song Xanh will trace from Cai Be to various provinces in Mekong Delta such as Chau Doc, Rach Gia, Vinh Long, Sa Dec, Long Xuyen.
Mekong Delta Cruise Song Xanh 2 days / 1 Nights
Mekong Delta Cruise Song Xanh 3 days / 2 Nights
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Mekong Eyes Cruise on the Mekong
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The Mekong Eyes combines regional boat-building traditions with modern comforts to become the perfect holiday vessel to cruise the Mekong in style.
At 39m long and 8.5m wide, the Mekong Eyes river cruiser was built out of an old, traditional rice barge with the finest quality wood, and artfully decorated by skilled craftsmen of the Mekong Delta.
Why Mekong Eyes? – One of the traditional ceremonies performed on a newly constructed Mekong boat is the “eye opening”. The eyes are painted on the bow for good luck, a wide-awake crew and fast and safe journeys.
It contains 15 lavishly furnished twin and double rooms and can accommodate up to 30 passengers. Each room has a private bathroom with shower and hot water, wardrobe, air-conditioning and fan. The rooms are well insulated against climate and sound, and all offer a phantastic panoramic view of the river.
There is a large dining room in lower deck, and a stylish upper-deck inside sitting lounge, an open sitting area and sun deck on the top.
Technical specifications
Class: River cruiser
Max length: 39m (125 ft.)
Max beam: 8.5m (27 ft.)
Draft: 1.8m
Load: 400 tons
Number of rooms: 15 (9 twins and 6 doubles). All are deluxe standard with hot shower bathrooms attached.
1 dining room, 1 lounge/bar, outside sitting area and 1 sun deck.
Engine: Cummins 450hp.
2 Electric generators: Yanmar 100kVA. 24 hour electricity supply.
Toshiba central-controlled air-conditioning and air ventilation.
Heat and smoke detectors, Fire fighting system, Fire alarm system (Networks Inc., USA)
Mekong Delta Cruise Song Xanh 2 days / 1 Nights
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