Part 3 - Day 2 – Can Tho to Chau Doc
The 0530 wake up call works. The free breakfast is good enough - fried rice, vegie noodles bread with jam, tea or coffee and instant orange juice if you are desperate
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Those going on to Chau Doc are asked to put their luggage in a different storage are of the bus to those returning to HCMC. We leave at 0715, a bus ride for 10 minutes or so followed by a short walk to the low narrow boats for the floating market and canal tour. The boats are fairly basic (chose one with a fold down cover if it is available – sun gets hot quickly) with fold down seats to be clambered over. The engine looks like an ordinary 4 cylinder car engine with a long propeller shaft attached.
The Cai Rang floating market is still in full swing at 0745, the guide pointing out that the boat owners hang an example of the item/s they have for sale on a long thin bamboo pole. The boats are in varying states of repair and are the living quarters for whole families. Hammocks are slung at the rear living area of the boat, next to the kitchen, next to the sleeping section and alongside the laundry where clothes are hanging out to dry.
People in small row boats, medium sized motor powered boats are going from boat to boat and buying different produce. Some people are buying large amounts that are thrown or passed from person to person from the larger boat, presumably for resale in a land based market.
The produce looks very good and the slow circle around the market boats, at low speeds and up very close makes for great photo opportunities. There are vendors selling soft drinks and snacks that approach the boats with tourists. They all seem to have a young child, somewhere between 3 and 5 years old, with large sad brown eyes that holds out an item for sale.
After a lap of market we head down narrow water way and continue for about 45 minutes or so, passing peoples homes with women doing their laundry and young boys swimming. It is very calm and scenic but feels a little too invasive at times, passing people that are in their back yards that are going about their normal lives and private matters with a couple of boat lads of tourists taking photos. People smile and wave though, not seeming too upset at the repeated invasions.
We continue to fruit orchard but the guide (unlike the trip I took in October 2008) offers no explanation at all as to the various fruits. He will answer questions if asked but volunteers nothing. We stroll through the small show case orchard that has mangoes, papaya, jackfruit, pomelo etc growing and come out at a covered area with tables and stools and plates of fresh fruit for tasting. Hot tea is provided and other drinks can be purchased. The black iced coffee is only 5,000 VND and is very good. The WC facilities are just acceptable, clean enough but not designed for privacy.
After stopping off here for about 30 minutes or so we climb back into the boats and head on to a the rice husking factory. There are young men unloading a rice barge, placing the loose rice into bags and carrying them on their shoulders to the weighing station and then into the mill. An old woman sits with a large needle and assorted coloured twine, repairing the bags for another days use. The rice mill is very dusty and covered with spider webs – NOT recommended for anyone who has asthma or respiratory problems.
From the rice mill we walk along the river for about 10 minutes and come out where the bus dropped us off earlier in the day. It is an easy walk but it also shows the canal up as being very dirty with rubbish piling up against any obstacle to the slow flow of the canals brown waters.
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Back on to the bus and back to Can Tho for a lunch stop. I was disappointed to fins that they have changed the restaurant that is used for lunch. Last October the bus stopped at a river side restaurant, about 150 metres away from the large Ho Chi Min statue. This time we stop at a garden restaurant that is nowhere near the downtown river front area. This means there is no option other than to eat in the restaurant.
The garden restaurant setting is quite pleasant and the food is nice enough with meals around 40,000 to 60,000 VND and beers from 12,000 for Saigon green with soft drinks at usual restaurant prices. Disposable handtowels are 2,000 VND. The staff have very poor comprehension of English which leads to some confusion regarding orders and not everyone is happy, even a Vietnamese woman who’s food never arrives. The food, when it does arrive, is delivered by waiters on rollerskates.
From here it is back to Ferry crossing and then a drive back to Vinh Long again, arriving at about 1400 hrs. My group has to change buses to join up with others doing the 3 or 4 day Mekong Tour and even some people from other travel companies. We also change guides which is a blessing. The last one just told bad puzzle type jokes and shared little information about his country.
The bus change over is poorly organized and luggage treated very badly. It is never clearly explained how long we have to wait so it is not possible to go very far. I sit at the very well located river side café (for another black iced coffee) adjacent where the buses are parked. All the staff seem to disappear.
The suggested 15 minute wait turns into to 30 minutes and this is annoying as I could have walked through the market. Finally back on a different bus with different people and a new guide who is by far the best so far. The ETA for Chao Doc is around 1900 hrs.
After another ferry crossing to get to Long Xuyen before the last leg of the days journey to Chau Doc. There is a large amount of infrastructure work going on along the way, leading to crowded roads and slow progress. It is already dark by the time we finally arrive at the Ngoc Phu Hotel at around 1830 hrs.
Hotel Review (with photos) - http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g311303-d1418593-Reviews-Ngoc_Phu_Hotel-Chau_Doc.html
The hotel is adequate, clean and basic but with a fridge and even WiFi (from someone’s unsecured network – not the hotels). The reception staff keep the passports again. The stairs are wide enough to carry bags upstairs safely and at least it is only 3 stories. On the down side, it is located just outside the fresh produce market. It is dark and there is a quite a bad smell in the air and it is very slippery and grubby underfoot.
The guide has given Bay Bong Restaurant a good rave so a few of us head off there. It is Chinese food and I think I would have been better exploring other options first. I find a lively night food market area complete with Indonesian/Malay looking layer cakes (Bugis have been here) at 3,000 VND each. Chau Doc has more of a Chinese feel about it and seems interesting enough but just a bit underdeveloped and grubby. To be fair though, arriving after dark does not do it justice.
The highlight of the day, other than the trip down the narrow canal was asking the new tour guide some questions. It was interesting to be told the following;
• Income tax has just been commenced and starts at 5% for those earning above 5,000,000 VND per month and goes up to 20% for very high incomes.
• Motorcycle licences are for life and cost 200,000 VND after a written and brief paracticle test.
• Chinese motorbikes cost around US$300 and last for about 2 years before needing numerous repairs or parts replaced.
• Car licence are very expensive.
• Average wage is US$200 per month
• No free health or education but Government facilities are cheaper.




