Quite interesting are the boats, canoes, and sampans carrying necessities, household goods, food, vegetables, and sometimes handicrafts, ornamental flowers, forged knives... going along the high and low tides through each canal and ditch.
Buying and selling "cotton goods" is a familiar and easy-to-remember term for the river market. The market floats on the river, the sound of machines and the bustling invitations of the whole neighborhood, from adults to children in the countryside, are all eagerly waiting to dock to buy things.
Ms. Tran Thi Lanh - who has been selling cotton on the river for many years in Hong Dan district - said: "This season, sales are good. People are reluctant to go to the market because boats use more gas than cars. I go to each house to sell. On this boat, everything is available, including beer and wine."
Road traffic is increasingly developed, the image of boats and canoes trading on the river is also gradually becoming rare. During the flood season, many dams have been built to prevent saltwater intrusion, separating large rivers from small canals and streams. Road traffic is flooded in many places, and landslides in some places make traffic difficult.
The people of Hong Dan, Phuoc Long, Bac Lieu province are not isolated because of this. Water transport is fully utilized. The sampans, known as the kings of the river, are a convenient means of transportation during this season.
Mr. Nguyen Van Dong, Ninh Hoa commune, Hong Dan district said: "If we can't go by road, we can take a boat and run it down the canal. Almost every house here has both water and land vehicles."
People in Hong Dan district, Bac Lieu are used to the annual flood season. For a long time, they have adapted to nature, not wavering or fearing, but living in harmony with what nature brings.
