On the way to Phong Dien is Vong Cung Road, which links Cai Rang Bridge to O Mon District. A cruise along the Can Tho River from Ninh Kieu Wharf to Phong Dien floating market should be listed as a ‘must-do’ on any itinerary.
Drifting along the river and touching the alluvium water melts away the noise and stress of daily urban life and replaces it with peaceful and simple sensations.
Phong Dien floating market is busy from early morning to twilight. Tourists can buy indigenous specialties and enjoy the traditional seafood cuisine of the Mekong Delta, as well as the sweet melodies of cai luong (traditional southern opera) sung by southern girls in traditional costumes. The friendly invitations from sellers and the laughter and excitement of tourists exploring the market create a lively and animated environment.
Phong Dien District has many inter-connecting canals, all banked with green orchid. A rickshaw ride around the orchids gives an insight into the lives of local farmers who are hard at work in the rice fields, kaingin, rice husking factories, ponds and wharfs. Phong Dien is famous for the Lo Ren star apples from Ro Ren Canal, Ha Chau strawberry and jackfruit from Nhon Ai and Nhon Nghia communes in Phong Dien District.
After excursions on the rivers and canals or around the villages and orchards, accommodation can be found at My Khanh Tourist Village at 335D Vong Cung Road in Phong Dien District. The tourist village has been designed like a miniature panoramic view of the alluvial plain, with fishing ponds, orchards and traditional craft villages.
Skilled artisans demonstrate the traditional ways of making banh trang (girdle cake), coconut candy and wine and visitors will see ancient houses, with roofs made of coconut leaves and coconut tree-trunk as pillars.
Rooms at the resort are priced between VND100,000 and VND300,000 per room.
(Source: VietNamNet/SGT, URL:http://english.vietnamnet.vn/travel/2009/04/839615/)
