On their recent Mekong excursion, at the enchanting Southwest area in Vietnam, photographers captured the rhythm of life in Sa Dec flower village and Nga Nam floating market.

The early-morning scene of busy business boats at Nga Nam floating market on a January 31st. The market draws visitors who want to experience the traditional local way of life in the Southwest area. It is located around 60 miles from the city of Soc Trang. At four in the morning, the market opens. From 6 to 7 am, when hundreds of boats are gathered on a section of the river, is often when it is busiest.

First on their journey to discover Tet in Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Can Tho, and Dong Thap was photographer Huy Le (Ho Chi Minh City) and his companions.

The Nga Nam floating market serves as a hub for travelers from the Southwest Vietnamese regions that surround it. The market moves quickly every day, and the most frequent business boats are those that offer fresh fruit, flowers, and pork.

On the top of a bamboo pole that the locals refer to as “bo,” they hang their goods for sale. In the picture, the business boat is hawking tamarind paste (for sour soup), sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, and cabbage.

The Shakyamuni Buddha statue is in the final stages of construction in Som Rong pagoda located on Ton Duc Thang Road, Ward 5, Soc Trang city. The statue is 63 m long, 22.5 m high and weighs 490 tons, it will be the largest reclining Shakyamuni Buddha statue in Vietnam.

The image represents a portion of the top of the Som Rong pagoda, whose full name is Botum Vong Sa Som Rong. The pagoda, which has been around for almost a century, has a close relationship with the community, particularly the Khmer ethnic group. Visitors arrive to check-in and shooters to compose at this alluring tourist site.

The pagoda building has a strong connection to the traditions of the Khmer people and is embellished with brilliant colors. Mr. Huy Le remarked, “I went to the pagoda to write on the day when a Khmer couple was having their wedding photos taken.

View of the Vi Thanh “Countryside Market” in the province of Hau Giang. The “countryside market’s” special feature is its prime position in the middle of the city. Every local vendor has a designated selling space that ranges in size from 2 to 4 m2. They distribute their goods while sitting in the center. As a result, there is a lengthy row of ground-level booths with pathways connecting them for shoppers to stroll around.

This market opens bustlingly at 2 – 3 am. In there, people sell local produce from various kinds of fishes (namely basa, snakehead, and perch) to vegetables (such as cabbage and carrot).

Early morning at Can Tho’s Phong Dien floating market, which is located about 17 kilometers southeast of the city. Market hours are typically 4-5 am and 7-8 am. A complete selection of agricultural goods, including food, fruits, and vegetables, can be found there. Phong Dien is still a popular tourist destination, especially for foreign visitors, despite the market’s diminished activity.

In Nhon Ai commune, Phong Dien district, two girls are experimenting with crossing the bamboo footbridge/”monkey bridge” (in Vietnamese, “Cầu khỉ”). This unusual bridge spans the river using bamboo stems arranged in a straight line on the main pillars and a railing at waist height. The “monkey bridge” is a really challenging challenge to complete the first time.

Dong Thap’s Sa Dec flower village, which spans approximately 600 hectares and has more than 2,000 producing houses, is recognized as the largest flower village in the Mekong delta. The town is buzzing with Tet energy during the final lunar month as local farmers tend to their flowers (water, fertilize, prune) in order to ensure that there will be enough goods for the Tet market.

“We had a lot of unique local encounters throughout our journey along the Mekong River districts. We got opportunities to experience the local way of life, the grandeur of the Khmer pagodas, and wonderful local treats like “bún nước lèo” (a type of noodle soup) and “canh chua cá lóc” (sour snakehead fish soup) while traveling. shared by Mr. Huy.

More related topic: Vietnamese Countryside