I just realised – after looking through a remarkable backlog – that I’ve been going about this the wrong way. I really ought to tell you more about the lodge that we stayed at, before I went on about the stuff we did around the lodge.
isn’t it remarkable that all those images were taken within the lodge’s compound? I’m constantly amazed, looking back at the holiday photos, that there is such a space of tranquility not too far away from the bustling, crowded city of ho chi minh. I don’t have photos of the villas themselves (yes, a little numbskulled) but I’m going to try and recreate that for you in prose.
I checked out this side trip because like I’ve said, we’ve been to ho chi minh many times and never ventured far from the city centre and its great seafood restaurants. this place was well-reviewed online, and an email to the contact rendered an almost immediate reply with the package offered and prices – and let me tell you now that it was very reasonably-priced, and that it included meals, the side trips we took (many I’ve told you about already) as well as the transport there and accommodation. a pretty streamlined process, in all.
it was a bumpy ride out of ho chi minh, more because of untended and a rather sad excuse for a road -but we eventually reached a jetty where we caught a boat to the lodge – which was a rather large compound with lots of small bungalows.
two beds to a bungalow, mini dipping pools outside each one, and two communal dinings areas where food was served, it really was a tranquil and wholesome place. they also had lots of fruit growing about the compound, and beautiful plants.
we’re proper city people, and it was a definite change of scene – very good for a two-day break. I recommend you try it if you’re ever in vietnam.
from top:
- a quiet pool and a beautifully white bird
- the gak fruit – these were growing abundantly in the compound, but we didn’t get to taste them. we were told that the brightly-coloured fruit can be cooked with sticky rice and eaten for dessert – have you ever tried this?
- an assortment of flowers and gourds
- and our welcome platter of rambutans (very sweet and juicy) in the room when we arrived.
more on the mekong lodge experience:
bee farm
coconut candy
cai be floating market
cai be local market, part 1
cai be local market, part 2
cai be local market, part 3
andmorefood 