Mekong Delta where the Mekong river empties to the South China Sea. Mekong Delta is an area in the Southern part of Vietnam. It has an area of 40,000 square km with over 20 million inhabitants. Mekong Delta has complex waterways and canal systems. This land is so nourished because it accumulates sediments and silts from upstream of the Mekong river over million years. It is considered a rice bowl of Vietnam and has abundant tropical fruits.
Mekong Delta is just an hour-driving car to the south of Saigon. It is a multi-ethnic area where Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese, and Cham live in harmony. Even though this land is predominant Buddhism but you still see churches, even Mosques in An Giang.
The majority of this land is a meter above sea level. Due to sea level rise and climate change, the majority of this land will be under the sea over the next one hundred years.
This land is known for traditional music called Cai Luong. Cai Luong is a unique Vietnamese opera. The Cai Luong often has two parts. The first part is dialogue or storytelling, and the second part is singing. Many people believed that Cai Luong is a product of the combined three cultures of Vietnamese, Khmer, and Chinese. Unfortunately, traditional music is dying out around the world, and Cai Luong is facing the same fate.
The cuisine in Mekong Delta has ingredients from the nature of this land such as rice, fish, shrimp, crab, and vegetables. There are three best dishes that you should try in Mekong Delta such as Nam Vang Noodle Soup, Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake), and Spring Roll.
I hope you know a little bit about Mekong Delta before you visit.