We started the day with a fine breakfast in the Viceroy room before disembarking for Binh Tanh village via local boats. Binh Tanh is a small village on an island bounded by the mighty Mekong to the south and a much smaller channel to the north. As we putted up the channel we saw the local villagers going about their daily life, which included a large boat in dry dock, numerous floating houses and fish farms, and an assortment of boats big and small ferrying people and cargo back and forth along the waterway. After negotiating an intersection of canals we landed at the ferry port of Binh Tanh village.
First we saw the traditional craft of rattan mat weaving. This simple yet effective technique involved two craftsmen – one on the loom, the other feeding the strands of rattan. The wooden loom would be rocked back and forth to alternately lift and lower the longitudinal strands so that the lateral strands being fed in would interlock. The two ladies we observed demonstrated how quickly experienced weavers can work – a 6’x6’ mat taking just about 2 hours.
We also had the opportunity to meet with two village elders of Binh Tanh. They welcomed us into the village temple, where the ancestral and agricultural spirits are worshipped. The elders told us about their past, their current lifestyle and their hopes for the future. We returned to the Jahan via another canal for some relaxation time. Following a departure briefing in the lounge, we enjoyed another fine buffet lunch.
The afternoon was spent in and around the small city of Cai Be. Cai Be offered a marked contrast to the previous two days of travel. Here the floating markets were bustling with activity, boats large and small alike. We manoeuvred our way through the busy channel and made our way to another small workshop. Here we saw how rice paper is made, and were treated to some coconut candy and rice pops which we washed down with a shot of rice wine.
The evening was spent on the Jahan with some cocktails as we enjoyed another beautiful sunset. Later, we all assembled at the Funnel Bar for a final farewell from the ship’s crew and there was music and dancing on the upper deck. The night was capped off by yet another fine meal and a slideshow compiled from the photos of our amazing journey.
