Farm Tours in the Mekong Delta have been on the rise, with weary city dwellers tempting to relish the tranquility, sphere and freshness of the rice paddies alongside local farmers

As far as 250 kilometers southwest from Ho Chi Minh city there comes An Giang province’s Long Xuyen town, a busy commercial center along the Hau river and significant Mekong distributary. Whereas a 20 minute ferry stroll across the river hides out the peaceful farming village of My Hoa Hung islet, an appealing destination for tourists seeking for a taste of simpler Vietnam.

On the ferry ride leading to the village, the water is peppered with fish cages and the shoreline dotted with rice paddies and fuite and vegetable orchards looked after by locals for proceeds.

Tourists accompany local farmers through shady paths of orchards and on the water to help breed and catch fish.

photo by mckaysavage under Creative Commons -licensed content

Farmers guide visitors how to cultivate properly and do fishing own their own, hoeing and plowing. Tourists would learn to get their hands dirty handling manure at the mango and cherry orchards.

Chau Van Ly, deputy chairman of Vietnam Farmers’ Union An Giang branch, said non-natives would like to be submerged in the local culture during their trips by breaking a little sweat farming rice. Thanh Tung, a representative from An Giang province’s Farm Tour Management Board, stated all farming households chosen to host such tours were trained to use English. And the families offering shelters to travelers have also been made convenient and comfort.

“Looking after our trees and strolling around the islet is pretty exciting for tourists,” said Dinh, head of one of the families participating in such type of tour offering. After a trial farming, tourists will have time to relax and enjoy the quiet atmostphere by wandering orchard lined paths in the afternoon. They can even try some tastes at some street stalls with cheap snacks like boiled duck eggs. They’ll also have large meals catered by their host families.
Community right next to My Hoa Hung is Tinh Bien district’s Van Giao commune at the foothills whose people are ethnic Khmer.

At Van Giao, farming tours offer tourists the chance to listen to traditional Khmer music, said Thanh Tung from the Farm Tour Office. He said such trips wouldn’t be less exciting if they are blend with local Khmer weddings, festivals or other local community events.

Moreover, non-natives are able to visit brocade weavers and household mills that make Chinese sausage (Lap Xuong), southern pork noodle soup (Banh Canh) and fermented fish sauce (Mam).
Attending An Giaing during high tide tourists will also have chance to help farmers harvest sebania sesban flowers (Bong Dien Dien), also known as Egyptian peas and water lilies.

Those plants are used to made delicacies.