The ‘little known Chong Koh silk-village’ has become a living tourist attraction. Everybody goes there. Pandaw began going to the bloody silk-weaving village years ago. Now each week five boats go to the same silk-weaving village. That’s about 3 – 400 people a week. I’ve been there four times. You’d think it’s the only silk-weaving village on the Mekong – but it’s not. It’s the preferred silk-weaving village – which opens up the difficult question of who preferred it.

Disembark at Chong Koh Village

The ship disgorged the passengers. They wobbled unsteadily up the path to be greeted by a chorus line of women and children. Everybody is set to work. Mum sits behind a pile of cloth while the kids adopt a tourist as they arrive. If the child fails to sell they drop away to be replaced by another one – there’s no pushing in. Obviously the system is well worked out. Everybody gets an urchin.

Each urchin carries a pile of scarves. Hardly a tourist doesn’t buy. The kids are too cute, too poor, too persuasive. They’ll break your rich man’s heart.

Then Pandaw added it to the itinerary, thenLa Marguerite as well. Two boats will dock side by side simultaneously, the battle to bust the village well in hand.
This is what we came here for!’ gasped the Swiss man. His wife was busily trying to charm a photogenic village child. ‘We’re village people!’ Someone picked her up and plonked her on a bike. Click, click, click.

Chong Koh Village

Chong Koh Village
 

Boats cruising on the Mekong
river saigon cruise
la marguerite cruise
jayavarman cruise
jahan cruise
amalotus cruise
pandaw cruise
le cochichine cruise
mien tay boat
mystic sampan
song xanh sampan
cai be princess sampan