Unlike in the northern sections of the Mekong River where navigating the river is difficult, navigation in the Mekong Delta is relatively easy. Since before Vietnamese people arrived on this land, Khmer, Cham and Chinese people have been traveling along the smaller rivers in the delta for trading and fishing.
Another unique aspect of the environment here comes about through its seasonal changes. During the dry season, the time when there is hardly any rainfall, saltwater from the sea comes further into the land here. When this happens, farming can be more difficult. However, when the heavy rains come, they push the saltwater back into the sea and flood the land with new water. This only happens in a few other places around the world, making the environment in this region different from many others.
During the rainy season, farmers in this region can plant large amounts of crops (mainly rice), which usually results in more food that can be harvested, sold, stored and eaten during the dry season. The majority of the rice that is produced in Vietnam is grown in the Mekong Delta region. Some of the rice that is sent to the U.S. and other countries also comes from this region.
During the dry season, people in the delta continue to grow things, but people in this region also use the heat to their advantage. During this time, in front of people's homes, you can see racks of rice paper, fish, other meats and banana leaves as well as long sheets on the ground covered in rice, beans and coconut shells being dried in the sun. Drying food in the sun is convenient way to preserve food items as well as make different things like dried coconut products, for example.
