Happy August, friends! We’re entering the 8th month of the year. How’s 2023 for you so far? ð
This week, I’ll take you for a sampan ride in Tam Coc River, Vietnam. Sampan is a small boat with a flat bottom that is commonly used in Asia.
Think about the small boats that you see in Bangkok’s floating market. If it doesn’t ring a bell, I’ll show you what sampan looks like soon, hehe!
If you’ve been following my blog, you may remember that I love the sea and everything related to it – underwater restaurants, cruise holidays, island-hopping, and of course, sampan rides!
Whenever I look at the sea, it makes me feel calm… Starring at the never-ending sea, feeling the wind blowing softly ððð
I also like to hear the sound of flowing water. For example, I used to have something like this at home:
The sound of flowing water is very calming and invites peace to the heart and mind.
I’m not joking. The sound of flowing water has healing power, it could even improve the condition of people who are anxious, stressed, have trouble sleeping and are mentally ill.
When I was in Turkey, the tour guide showed us a ruin that used to be a place to treat mentally ill people.
Somewhere in that place, where the land wasn’t even, water ran down and the sound helped the patients to heal faster.
The Peaceful Sampan Ride in Tam Coc River, Vietnam
I enjoyed the sampan ride in Tam Coc River, Vietnam. It was even more memorable because I went to Vietnam with my mom and sister.
Before the sampan ride, we went to Tam Chuc Pagoda. It was beautiful and we had a good walk.
So, sitting on a sampan, doing nothing and just enjoying the view was perfect… It was good to have a relaxing sampan ride after a long day, before dinner ð
Like most sampan rides, there could only be three people in one sampan = the person who rowed the boat + two passengers.
Alas, since there were three of us, so either I or my sister had to be on another sampan.
My tour leader said it was ok if I wanted to be on the same sampan with my mom and sister, as I was featherweight ðŠķ
Pheew…! But then we saw the woman who would row our sampan.
Oh… the woman was quite chubby. The three of us were worried that the sampan would sink because it was overweight ððð
Luckily, suddenly Andrew asked me,
Andrew: “Clara, do you want to be in the same boat with me?”
Me: “Ok! Thank you!”
Andrew came with his parents and two sisters, so they were also in odd numbers. What a coincidence!
Then, not long after the sampan departed…
Andrew: “Thank you so much for saving me!!” ððð
Me: “Eh? No worries at all!”
Andrew: “Just now, if you didn’t help me, I would share the sampan with (insert the tour leader’s name).”
Me: “Oh… Why? You didn’t want to be on the same sampan with him?”
Andrew: “You know him, right? He talks non-stop!! I want to have a quiet sampan ride, enjoy the view and take photos…”
Me: ððð
Me: “Me too! I like peaceful sampan rides” ð§ââïļ
Also read: “Vietnam Day Trip: Tam Chuc Pagoda”
Also read: “Halong Bay Cruise Review: Era Cruises”
Also read: “Malaysia Day Trip: Pulau Ketam (Crab Island)”
ð 15% OFF ALL TOURS! Click below and enter my discount code: ð
CLARA15
Click “Add Promo Code / Voucher” and enter CLARA10 when you checkout at onelifeadventures.com
After around 30 minutes, we finally reached the end. Suddenly, everyone stopped and the women who rowed the sampans took out their handmade crafts.
Ooh… it’s shopping time! They showed us hats, keychains, bags, wallets, etc…
Since many of those women didn’t understand English well, we among the tour participants joked that we became hostages.
Andrew: “We must buy something… else they won’t row the sampan back.” ð
Me: “Yes, they will leave us here.” ð
Also read: “Serene Sunset and Floating Houses at Tempe Lake”
Also read: “The Bamboo River Boat Show and Ride in Hoi An, Vietnam”
Also read: “Toraja Trip: Rammang Rammang, King Kong Cave & Pias Poppies Hotel”
Actually, Tam Coc River isn’t deep and there are no crocodiles in the river. Touchwood anything happens during your sampan ride, you won’t be drowned, hehe!
So, what do you think about the sampan ride in Tam Coc River? Would you do this activity when travelling to Vietnam?
ð 15% OFF ALL TOURS! Click below and enter my discount code: ð
CLARA15
Click “Add Promo Code / Voucher” and enter CLARA10 when you checkout at onelifeadventures.com
