Biking Ben Tre

It was at Ben Tre that the Viet Cong ambushed the Army of the Republic of Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. So the town probably doesn't leap into people's minds as a viable vacation spot. Over 40 years later, Ben Tre is a picturesque river town best viewed from the seat of a bike.

A town of about 100,000 residents, Ben Tre is more laid than Chau Doc and Can Tho. No one hassled us about a moto ride when we arrived at the bus station; we had to hunt one down ourselves! Our guesthouse, Phuong Hoang, has a breezy terrace overlooking lovely Truc Giang Lake. The man-made lake is ringed by trees,cafes, and quirky trash cans shaped like penguins.

Besides the manufacturing of coconut candy, Ben Tre does not possess any specific tourist draws. I enjoy walking around town observing people engaging in their everyday lives without the hassles that plague more touristed towns. Many residents appear to have a higher socioeconomic status here than in Chau Doc or Can Tho. There are the merchants stooped over their wares at markets but locals playing volleyball, children painting pictures, and adults exercising by the lake are also visible. It is probably because tourism is still new in Ben Tre that people stare at Laura and I everywhere we go. Children call out "Hello!" to us, breaking into grins and giggles when we answer.

Best meal award goes to Nam Son restaurant, which serves plump shrimp, and a variety of tasty veggies along with the best pepper I've ever had over a bed of rice. At the local market, I purchase an entire pineapple, already carved and ready to eat for about 30 cents. And the grocery store even have Snickers!

One morning we rent (the only!) two wobbly bikes from the town's sleepy tourist building. We cross the bridge away from the urban area into the rustic settlement on the other side of the Mekong. Palm fronds brush the top of my head as I wind along narrow pathways and concrete bridges over muddy waters. Children dressed in school uniforms amble by, dogs lounge in a patch of sun, and women chat while leaning against their bicycles. I see stacks of coconuts on the riverbank and trees heavy with prickly jackfruit. Some of the homes consist of the typical thatch construction I've seen but others are sturdy cottages painted in pastel colors. We discover a lovely yellow temple in the woods, decorated with wood carved swans. Pedaling beneath the clear blue sky and lush landscape, I am flooded with happiness from the simple pleasures of Ben Tre.