Magnificent Mekong

Located in southern Vietnam, Sa Ðéc is a French colonial river port as well as an agricultural trading center. Prior to the 19th century, it was one of the largest cities in the Mekong Delta. Today, it is a lively town where tree-lined streets invite easy strolls and old villas are surrounded by orchards and markets selling produce and fish. The childhood home of Marguerite Duras, one of France’s best-known authors, Sa Ðéc gained attention as the setting of her autobiographical novel The Lover, which chronicled her affair with the son of a wealthy Chinese businessman.

A feast for the senses, Cái Bè is a Vietnamese enclave set among the lacework of waters of the Mekong Delta. Surrounded by orchards, this small town boasts well-preserved old houses built in the typical style in its Đông Hòa Hiệp Commune. From the delta, visitors can witness how life here unfolds from the river, where old world commerce still survives; craftspeople trade and sell their produce and wares in small floating markets. The region is also known for Cài Luong, a Vietnamese-style folk opera that mixes ballads and theater with storylines focused on rural life.