Travel before sunrise into the waterways of southern Vietnam as we explore the famous Cai Rang Floating Market in the Mekong Delta. In this episode, we climb aboard a tiny boat in the dark, drift through a maze of river traffic, and eat what might be the best bowl of soup I’ve ever had — all while surrounded by a floating world that has existed for generations.

Along the way, we step inside a pineapple selling house boat, wander quiet canals filled with wildlife and plastic pollution, visit a tiny rice noodle factory, and wrestle with a complicated question: is tourism destroying places like this… or helping keep them alive? From sunrise markets and river culture to electric fishing, invasive snails, and rats for sale at the market, this is an unforgettable glimpse into life on the Mekong River.

Musical Credits

Vietnamese Rivers by Audiobay, Tết Nguyên Đán Việt Nam EDM by VPRODMUSIC_Asia_BGM , Looking for A Way to Make It Right by P Richmond and Documentary Nature by Nikita Kondrashev all made available by Pixabay

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Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay

We leave Ho Chi Minh City behind and head south into the Mekong Delta—where life slows to the rhythm of the river, roads give way to waterways, and every stop is filled with unforgettable food and genuinely kind people.

In Can Tho, we explore tiny ferries, dirt paths, and a peaceful homestay surrounded by water and jungle. Then it’s off to explore fish farms, island villages, and a truly bizarre fish massage experience.

And just when you think the day couldn’t get more unexpected… we stumble upon one of the most unbelievable traditional food processes I’ve ever seen: puffed rice made with a literal explosion.

Musical Credits:

Quiet Girl by Name Percentage PRO, Julie Carpenter, Eric Cunningham and Chris Lang was provided by Slipstream Music.

We'Re In Limbo Now by The Benign One Ones was provided by Slipstream Music.

Over the Water, Humans Gather by Doctor Turtle is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License.

Support the show

Want to support the podcast? Go to Laura's Patreon site to see photos from the episode, maps of places she talks about and you can become a patron too!

Follow the show on instagram or facebook.

Buy any of these products that I fully stand behind- and I'll earn a commission.

Buy cute sustainable bags at: https://torrain.org/ Use Promo code: TRAVELALONG to get 15% off.

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Buy sustainably produced coffee: https://www.afueracoffee.com/ Enter promo code: TRAVELALONG for 15% off.

Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay

In this first episode from Vietnam, Laura and Carrie land in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) and step straight into the chaos — jet lagged, wide-eyed, and trying to cross streets filled with rivers of motorbikes. They explore its contradictions: honking traffic and quiet hidden alleyways, glass skyscrapers and corrugated tin rooftops. These are their first impressions of Vietnam — loud, complicated, and unforgettable.

Then we travel to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a 250-kilometer underground network used by Vietnamese soldiers during the Vietnam War (or the American War, depending on your perspective.) Standing where history actually happened makes the conflict feel real and complex. We learn about French colonialism, Cold War politics, Agent Orange, unexploded bombs, and the lasting impact of war that continues today. We crawl into tunnel entrances, watch propaganda films in a dirt-walled bunker, and confront what it feels like to be an American visitor in a place shaped by that history.

This episode is part travel diary, part history lesson, and part personal reflection — and just the beginning of our Vietnam journey.

Musical Credits:

Get Away In La, by Western Youths, Revolution Fever by Klaatu Verada Necktie,
Music provided by: Slipstream Music

Xanadon't by Mystery Mammal is licensed under a Attribution License.

Black Hawk City Fly-Over.wav by djfinski License: Attribution 3.0

Whispers in the Trees by Greg Kirkelie is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

My Native Land by Le Chaos Entre 2 Chaises is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License.

Support the show

Want to support the podcast? Go to Laura's Patreon site to see photos from the episode, maps of places she talks about and you can become a patron too!

Follow the show on instagram or facebook.

Buy any of these products that I fully stand behind- and I'll earn a commission.

Buy cute sustainable bags at: https://torrain.org/ Use Promo code: TRAVELALONG to get 15% off.

Buy matcha at: https://mantramatcha.com/ Use Promo code: TRAVELALONG to get 15% off.

Buy sustainably produced coffee: https://www.afueracoffee.com/ Enter promo code: TRAVELALONG for 15% off.

Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay