Practice martial arts in the Delta

A tour to the Mekong Delta could be an interesting trip for visitors who want to explore the culture and the daily life of the local people in the southern area of Vietnam. This time, it could offer them a more special experience as the tour operator has added a new feature: a chance to learn some martial arts.

This two-day tour in Vinh Long Province in the Mekong Delta starts in HCMC in the morning. After a sight-seeing trip to the Vinh Sang Farm in An Thuan Hamlet, An Binh Commune, Long Ho District, martial arts instructors will join the tour to explain some martial arts postures to guests and tourists will practice the postures in the fruit garden.

This not only gives guests some hints on how to protect themselves but also helps them reject stress and improve their health. “With elderly people, we will show them some tai chi and describe methods to reduce stress,” said Cao Ngoc Minh, public relations executive of Ben Thanh Tourist, the tour’s arranger.

Tourists practice the martial arts under guide of the martial arts instructor

She said that each group of 15 to 20 guests will receive guidance from a martial arts instructor from HCMC. While the elderly people on the tour are offered opportunities to explore the culture, history, and rural scenery of the Mekong Delta, the younger people will spend more time practicing martial arts.

In the evening, tourists will have a romantic dinner on a three level boat and enjoy don ca tai tu (amateur traditional Southern opera). The ideal time for the tour could be on Saturdays, when all the lights of My Thuan Bridge are turned on creating a wonderful view of the bridge and the river.

On the second day, tourists will practice martial arts again, catch fish and bathe in the Co Chien river. At Vinh Sang Farm, tourists will also have the chance to become farmers as they learn more about the daily lives of the southern delta peoples. They will wear ao ba ba (a kind of shirt used by South Vietnamese peoples), and khan ran (bandanna) provided by the farm to catch fish, and try some of the other daily activities of farmers.

Guests who enjoy adventure could try riding one of the many ostriches at the farm who are used to having visitors ride on their backs.

The tour costs VND675,000 per tourist for groups of ten people, VND595,000 per tourist for groups of 20 people.

By SGT