The Mekong Delta during the flood season.

Every year, from July to October in the lunar calendar (approximately August to November in the Gregorian calendar), the waters from the upper reaches of the Mekong River flow into the Mekong Delta, especially in the provinces of Dong Thap, An Giang , and the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, creating a vast expanse of water. At this time, the once green rice fields are transformed into boundless stretches of water, creating incredibly beautiful scenery. This is also the season of abundant shrimp and fish catches for the hardworking people of the Mekong Delta.

The flood season, a time of both sadness and joy for the people of the Mekong Delta – a land lacking the majestic mountains of other regions, where they possess only a generous and open-minded spirit, carefully selecting what the floodwaters offer to create the cultural values ​​of an entire area.

Houses nestled amidst the vast expanse of water, small boats casting their nets under the setting sun, gradually flashed past the car window on this journey connecting the heritage sites of the Mekong Delta.

We traveled upstream along the floodwaters to Thap Muoi to immerse ourselves in the fragrant lotus blossoms, then hurried to catch the Tan Chau ferry to the headwaters of the An Giang - Dong Thap river; to Chau Doc amidst the vast rice paddies in their prime; stopped in Tri Ton and Tinh Bien to find peace under the shade of palm trees and hoarsely cheer on the bull race at Ro Pagoda; and admired the way Khmer women wove their fabrics or the deep, captivating eyes of Cham girls in Da Phuoc.

Not only does the flood season in the Mekong Delta bring new life to the local farmers, but it also revitalizes lotus plants, water lilies, sedges, and mangrove forests, making them even greener and more lush. When the flood season arrives, the Mekong Delta seems to put on a new coat of color. This is also the season when birds return in large flocks to build their nests. In other words, this is the time when everything in this region flourishes and thrives.

Depending on the climate each year, the floodwaters arrive earlier or later. The flood season in the Mekong Delta offers many wonderful and rustic specialties: even hastily picked water hyacinth flowers can be used to make sour fish soup with water hyacinth flowers, as well as dried snakehead fish, boiled mixed vegetables, and freshwater crab claws…

Every year, starting in mid-summer, storms and tropical depressions cause heavy rainfall in the upper reaches of the Mekong River, leading to a rapid rise in water levels. As it flows downstream, some of the water flows into Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia, while the majority crosses the border into Vietnam via the Tien and Hau rivers and flows into the East Sea through multiple estuaries.

A fairly large area at the headwaters of the Mekong River has low-lying terrain, so it is prone to overflowing, flooding canals, ponds, and rice fields for extended periods (approximately several months).

In the Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, you'll be taken by motorboat deep into the mysterious, lush green melaleuca forest. This is the most typical and unique natural habitat of the wetland ecosystem. What could be more enjoyable than sitting in a motorboat cruising through the forest, admiring the shimmering white melaleuca flowers, the vibrant green patches of water hyacinth, and flocks of rare birds just a few meters away?