For Day 6, we got up bright and early to head out for the much-anticipated Mekong Delta day. We did so many fun things right from the start, including two hours of bus karaoke (of course). We had to weather the rain for a few minutes once we arrived, but luckily, this didn’t set the tone for the whole excursion.

We first took a boat to Unicorn Island, where we tried a delicious tea made with honey, sesame, and longan. The flavor was amazing, and the experience was made even more memorable when they let us hold a frame of bees. Right afterward, we got to hold giant pythons. Luckily, I held one before the first python got a little annoyed and started hissing.

Next, we walked down the street to watch how coconut products were made. We saw a close-up demonstration of coconut shucking and got to try coconut candy. It wasn’t my favorite, but it had a really good coconut flavor. Right across the street from there, we bought some bags for under $10 USD. We might have been able to negotiate for a cheaper price, but it was still a good deal for a really nice product.

Then came one of the highlights: the fresh fruit and music. My favorites out of the pineapple, mango, red dragon fruit, guava, watermelon, and pomelo were probably the mango or dragon fruit. The music was really cool, and we ended with a rendition of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”—maybe because Unicorn Island is associated with happiness.

Before lunch, we took a horse-drawn cart to the river boats, which were paddled by two locals with four passengers per boat. We got some great pictures, and surprisingly, the weather felt quite cool during the ride.

For lunch, I believe we traveled to Dragon Island. The spread was amazing—whole fish, hot pot, chicken, beef, noodles, vegetables, and shrimp. I think my favorite was the fried ball with a mochi-type filling inside. The sauce that came with it was so good—a little spicy but perfectly balanced with the fried exterior.

Then came the bubble/balloon activity. I didn’t go in one (and I’m glad I didn’t because it looked quite hot and humbling), but it was fun to watch everyone else. I did, however, feed both the crocodiles and fish. I tried to keep the food away from the crocs, but I guess I just wasn’t fast enough. In usual fashion, we ended the Mekong Delta day with more karaoke on the boat. I can’t imagine what the surrounding locals thought, hearing Katy Perry blasting from us.

Thinking about the socioeconomic aspect of the trip, I’m amazed by how many people make their livelihood here. A lot of them seem to rely on selling their products. The woman with the honey, the boat drivers taking tips, and even the people offering fruit tastings—all depend on tourism. Even though things are relatively cheap for us, I wonder how much they actually earn from tourists.

Rainy season likely brings its own challenges. Like we discussed in class, flooding is a major issue. If something bad happens to the delta, many of these people could be out of work. Since tourism is such a big part of the economy, I wonder if, when conditions worsen, people are forced to move elsewhere.

Global warming makes the environment more unstable. You could usually rely on tourism, but if that becomes unreliable, there will need to be alternatives. Maybe something less impacted by flooding—like fishing—though that has its challenges too. At least it’s not directly tied to tourism.