Mekong Delta and Phu Quoc Island

Monday 2^nd Dec.

We wanted to take an early bus to Can Tho, but considering our late night out, we slept a bit longer than we were suppose to. Our host promised to book the bus for us, so as soon as we woke up we went to the reception, but we couldn’t see her anywhere, and the door was locked. So she was probably out. After several times looking for her, we decided to pack our stuff, and go sort the bus out in an agency on the streets. We couldn’t wait for her any longer, we were already late. She knew that we would check out, so at some point we expected her to be there. We tried in vain to look in the reception for her phone number, so we could contact her, but didn’t find any helpful information. Time was ticking for us, so in the end we ended up leaving money for her in the same drawer, where we found our passports. We figured that would be okay. Just a shame that we didn’t get to say bye to her, cause she was really sweet and generous.  We quickly found a bus towards Can Tho in the Mekong Delta, and the bus drive only took half the time, as we were told, so we were very impressed. The Mekong Delta is a waterworld where houses, restaurants, boats (surprise) & markets float upon the rivers canals and streams. Can Tho is a buzzing city, with wide boulevards, narrow backstreets, a fantastic waterfront and floating markets, the market was our main purpose to go here.  The market is on from 6am to 9am, the best time to visit is 6am, cause then we could avoid all the other tourists. We book a boat through our hotel, with pick up at 5am, then we had to catch a bus to Rach Gia 8.15pm , and then  a ferry to Phu Quoc island at 13pm. An upcoming busy day for us. So at night we spoiled ourselves with sauna, steam bath, spa (cold!!) and a massage. The worst massage we have had so far, but still nice and relaxing. I woke up in the middle of the night and went sleepy to the bathroom (like most nights), I turned on the light and I will give my left arm away for not having to experience that sight again. 4-5 cockroaches was crawling on the table, the sink, walls and the floor... Oh my god, I woke up immediately, they were so gross and disgusting, and as big as my thump. I grabbed my flip flop and kill two of them, they didn’t escape quick enough for my killer instinct. I was disgusted by that experience, and every inch of my body was itchy and full of goose bumps. Eeeeew!! Going back to sleep was a fight against my fears, and my biggest wish was to leave the place as soon as possible.

Statue of Ho Chi Minh in Can Tho

Overfloated Mekong river, is apparently very common in Can Tho

This is the kind of street signs, we have to work with alot of times

A normal holiday picture, with nice food and big drinks!

Tuesday 3^rd Dec.

I couldn’t get fast enough out of that room, so when the alarm clock was ringing 4.30am, I jumped out of bed, woke the sleeping bear cub up, and we left. Our boat guide was already waiting for us, ready to sail us to the market. It was pitch dark outside, but the sun was rising behind us, and it was light before we came to the market. Big motorized boats was selling all kinds of fruit and vegetables, most of the boats were loaded to the maximum, with only a few centimeters to the water surface, smaller boats was selling tea, coffee, juice, sodas etc. We approached a smaller boat for some breakfast, and the lady served us noodles, pork and a lot of different spices. A very tasteful, and delicious breakfast. Honestly we were a bit disappointed about all the big motorized boats, but it’s not always as you expect it to be. We were on a strict schedule, and had to be back at the hotel at 6.40am, sailing back into the city made us realize how tired we were. So we looked forward to the hopefully good bus drive, where we could take a nap. The boat trip to Phu Quoc island were less pleasant though, the water was swinging, rolling and lively. Phu Quoc island is still a undeveloped and untouched area of Vietnam, it has fringed idyllic beaches and tropical jungles. Most restaurants serve, the catch of the day, fresh seafood, and it’s common to pick your own fresh fish, from one of the many fish tanks. A paradise for seafood lovers, and the best part is the unusual low price. Most of the roads on the island are under construction, and they don’t finish one road before they start on another, so they’re all unfinished, full with potholes and mostly only one lane roads. On the other hand there’s the uncommon finished roads, they have 3 lanes in each direction, and that’s for sure never gonna be used. There’s very little traffic on the island, so no need to make those big highways. But the Vietnamese are thinking big (or maybe not thinking at all)! After arriving at the island we went for a chat in a kiwi-owned ice cream bar, Buddys, and had a great and useful chat with the guy in there + some very nice western food. He arranged a place for us to stay, with swimming pool and breakfast included. We watched the sunset from the beach, and did a private very quiet pubcrawl, just the two of us.

Fishing boat on the Mekong, in the early morning

Big lumber transportation

Hard to believe, but people is actually living here

From the grey Mekong delta, to the coloured island of Phu Quoc

The Floating Market video

Wednesday 4^th Dec.

We decided to start the usual January diet this morning. So we went for a jog while the sun was rising, and cooled off in the pool afterwards. This guesthouse was a little over our budget, so we only stayed there for the one night. We found a cheaper place the night before, so we checked in there and saved 5 USD a night. The first thing I do when we get into a room is to do an animal inspection, so I went to the bathroom and looked for uninvited animals, luckily no one was found there. Another story is when I opened the drawer in the bed table, and we realized that cockroaches were living there, gross, but after hunting them around in the room for 10 minutes, we eventually got them overmanned and killed. Haha! Rented a motorbike for 2 days, and tried in vain to withdraw money from the banks and the ATM’s. We can’t take the maximum amount of money out in the ATM’s, which means that we pay a big fee for the very little money we get out (between 100 and 150 USD, or 500-750kr), and the banks couldn’t help us with withdrawing USD. We’re really wondering how it’s possible to calculate everything in USD, but not being able to take USD out in the banks. We were later told that it’s illegal for the banks to sell any other currency, than their own. I still don’t understand why the USD is on the market then. Nam is a mysterious (and stupid) country. We took the maximum we could get out in the ATM, 3 million dong (750kr). Apparently the police on this island is very strict when it comes to tourists driving and renting motorbikes, so we’re only allowed to drive 40km/h, the police know that most tourists don’t have a vietnamese drivers license (most vietnamese doesn’t either), and most of all because they want to avoid all the tourists being in accidents, and injure themselves. So if they catch you speeding, without helmet or maybe just because they can see you are foreigner, a ticket is almost unavoidable (normally around 3.000.000 Dong = 750kr). We drove very slowly and safe to the southern part of the island, and through twisted roads we found our way down to a beautiful authentic beach, with crystal clear water, white grain of sand and coconut palms. Normally we only see these fantastic beaches on pictures, and now it felt like we were in the picture. An unreal experience. We also worked our way to a small fishing village, and by the look on their faces and how much they stared at us, we assumed that they’re not use to see tourists, so again we found an unspoiled place. The whole way back to long beach where we stayed, was amazing, the road was just next to the water, and the sun was setting, so we had a beautiful view on the way back. We really have become sunset junkies, we watch it almost every day, and the best thing is that it’s for free. At night time we went into Duong Dong, and visited the night market, it’s the most atmospheric (and affordable) places to eat with a delicious selection of vietnamese seafood, grills and vegetarian food. They serve what they caught during the day: tunas, scallops, mussels, snails, calamaris, octopus, tiger prawns, red snappers, barracudas, crabs, lobsters, sharks etc. Yummy what a candy shop for us. We met Martin & Emma (that we meet in Mui Ne & Ho Chi Minh), and arranged dinner the following day.

Luckily for this gas station owner, there is not many cars around the island

Picturesque bounty beach

Don Juan

Another gorgeous sunset along the coast

Thursday 5^th Dec.  

We still had the motorbike, so today we would head north and west. We visited a few pepper farms on the way (there was heaps of them), and bought some fresh grinded pepper. In a little outskirt village we were lucky to see a fight between two roosters, all the men from the village was gathered together to watch this scene take place, and apparently they tie a big iron needle to the roosters feet, and they are taught to pierce each other to death. It didn’t take long before one of them got the other right in the neck or heart (hard to tell, but the one died immediately after it got pierced). A very brutal way to slaughter a chicken, the rooster that lost the fight, could provide a family dinner at nighttime, so maybe it wasn’t that bad. We drove through a big area where they dried small fishes, and we saw the little factory, where they discard the fishes and steam them before they’re put into the sun to dry. We drove through a lot of untouched beaches, and decided to take a rest for a while. We both fell in a deep sleep, and to be honest if somebody had robbed us, we wouldn’t have realized it. It happens a lot on the lonely beaches here, but we were lucky this time. The night went by with eating loads of fishes again, this time together with Martin & Emma.

Fresh pepper

Snake and lizard whiskey

The pepper clown got some fresh grinded pepper

Friday 6^th Dec.

Time for a jog in the morning again, it’s really hard to get out of bed around 5-5.30 (because it HAS to be before the sunrises), but it feels so good afterwards. The best thing is, that we can go back to sleep if we want to. This day we spend on the beach, so plenty of time for nabbing and relaxing. We got offered a job on the most visited beach bar and restaurant on the island. A nice aussie guy is leasing the place, and needed staff for the high season. Our visa expired on the 8^th Dec, so if we should do it, we needed to apply for a new visa, which should be easy when we get to Bangkok, but affordable. We would get free staff accommodation, food and drinks on half price and our salary would be 10 USD each day. The place was perfect for us to settle down for a while, but since we have booked stuff over Christmas and new years we can’t do it before January. We’re still considering it, and of cause we’re not doing it for the money, but for the experience. It would be a free month for us, because we could live for that amount of money. Anyway we will see where the world takes us. We booked bus-boat-bus to go to Cambodia the next day. Sunset was enjoyed together with Martin & Emma, and we ate a great but small pizza on an Italian restaurant. We were all knackered after a long and sunny day on the beach, so we went separate ways after dinner.

Rory's bar & restaurant, where we got offered jobs!

Chillin' on the beach with Emma & Martin

Phu Quoc Island video