Tourists to the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, after visiting the floating markets of Cai Rang, Phong Dien, tramping around orchards and cruising along canals, they should extend their journey to craft villages such as Tra Uoi basket-weaving, Thom Rom fishing-net, Ba Rui clay-moulding or Thuan Hung paper cake villages.
But we suggest Di Tho fishing trap making village because it is an interesting venue to give tourists more of an insight into these artisan’s lives.
Di Tho is located in O Mon District, Can Tho City. The country road is rather tortuous but attractive due to its romantic and peaceful scenery of bamboo bridges, winding canals and colorful orchards. The village is sparsely populated but very busy for families. They are artisans who make lop (fish traps) in the flooding season from April to July in the lunar calendar.
People say the flooding season often brings danger to locals, but in contrast, it brings benefits for Di Tho villagers from the income of making lop. Flooding season is also the time for tourists to discover many delta specialties as well as explore the daily life and culture of the water land.
To make a lop, you have to cut off bamboo, dry it under the sunshine and weave it and make a lid. Coming to the village, tourists can try to complete some of the phases.
Therefore, tourists can witness the animated ambiance with people making lop everywhere, inside and outside their houses. An amazing scene is the drying bamboo strings and weaving lop overwhelming the village.
Do not forget to buy a lop as an indigenous souvenir so you never forget your pleasant trip.