After our coconut candy nibling and cobra wine binge we embarked on another long jungle trek. This time our destination was a small waterway where we were to ride in a sampan-like boat through the dense forest.

Again surrounded by lush tropical vegetation in which there were sudden appearances of temples, pagodas, burial monuments (many of them probably for Buddhist monks), stilt houses, thatched huts, modern structures and home-stay lodgings. Since we had a kilometre hike ahead of us we were soon offered the option of riding in horse cars (for a price). We decided to keep walking to get the full enjoyment of the experience. 

Our paved pathway ended at the small dock area. Three of us and our local guide piled into a small sampan navigated by a Vietnamese woman of fairly advanced years. Our "captain" provided us all with coulee hats which put us all in character for the even. She stood at the back of the craft which she propelled by means of pushing with a long pole. Many things to see along this small channel lushly fringed and overhung by ferns and water coconut trees -- even a derelect craft beached along the shore. The water coconut grows in the water and the fronds are used for thatch on houses, hats, baskets, etc. The fruit, when young, can be eaten, but it doesn't look like regular coconuts.

The experience was memorable, but all too short and we soon reached open waters where we boarded a larger craft to take us across to the next island for a dining experience.