Time to say Goodbye at the Gala Dinner given by to us by Sun Spa Resort, Quang Binh.

Food here has been amazingly delicious and superbly presented.

Bob and Ty were the token traditional helpers on the night, with Bob singing Careless Whispers at the end of the night’s Karaoke – which also happens to be extremely popular in Vietnam. What a star performer! Not only that, our driver was a ‘dark horse’ too, singing in perfect English he took off some the best contemporary and modern-day singers.

After a quick flight from Dong Hoi airport we arrive in Ho Chi Minh City to find ourselves back on the road heading to Cai Be Floating Markets for the day.

Arriving at the Cai Be wharf we waited for a boat to take us to a luncheon feast. Yes, another one …

Pumpkins galore and not something I’d expect to see here. Cai Be is a charming small town, which is not very far away from Ho Chi Minh (approximately 2 hours by car). There’s endless rows of colourful fruit and vegetable gardens with hand-made crafts.

Doesn’t come much fresher than this and tastes sensational.

Trying the region’s snails – after all there’s a French influence in Vietnamese cooking … Bon appetite!

After lunch, we’re heading to soak up the atmosphere of the Mekong River and its inhabitants.

The French church from 1935 which can be seen from almost any direction.

Pulled up at this covered market for an interesting insight into how many of the locals produce their goods.

Ready-made coffins for easy shipment and loading on as cargo for someone’s final resting place.

There are numerous small canals in the area of Cai Be and the Mekong, with twists and turns which are easy to negotiate by sampan.

Stopping off at a local marketplace for afternoon tea and a chat.

We’re been shown how the experts mix the ingredients for rice paper and other produce.

Our host for the day showing how fresh and readily available fruit and vegetables in the area and no mention of pesticides!

We’ll all miss the organic vegetables and fruit Vietnam had to offer …

But not the durian known as ‘stinky fruit’. Some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance; others find the aroma overpowering and revolting. The persistence of its odour has led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in Southeast Asia.

Mary’s come along for the day and testing out the goods for sale on one of the numerous boats which are set up to sell as well as live in.

At the end of the day it’s been an incredible experience and we all feel we’ve learned so much more about the local’s culture, language and history. Tomorrow heading back to the real world via Singapore.

If you asked me what my last meal would be in Vietnam – without doubt Pho Soup.

Nice end to a fantastic trip, take home some Vietnamese coffee from the duty-free shop with those last remanning Dong.