09:00 – Pick up guests & Start the journey
Mekong Smile Tour Guide will pick you up at Ferry 147 - Southern Con Son Tourist Area (147 Le Hong Phong - 7km from Can Tho city center).
The group began the experience of “The death anniversary on the islet” – a place to recreate the warm and cozy death anniversary of the hometown. The space of the Western region opened with the aroma of familiar dishes, the clacking of knives and cutting boards, the bustling laughter and the unforgettable rustic human affection.
Moving to Con Son: You travel by ferry across the island (time 07-10 minutes). This is the typical and almost only means of transportation for residents of Con Son as well as other islands in the West.
Visit Aunt Ut's house: When the boat arrives, you will visit Aunt Ut's house. Here, you will enjoy the first hospitality of the villagers with a cool drink and rustic country cakes.
Transformation activities & preparation for the funeral: Guests enjoy cool drinks and rustic country cakes. The group begins the first activities to transform into genuine Westerners:
- Change into traditional costumes like ao ba ba or western style clothes.
- Your tour guide and local people will guide you through the cultural experience throughout the day.
- Preparing gifts for "attending a funeral" - a beautiful cultural feature of the Western region, shows sharing and contributes to the connection between the host and guests, creating a warm atmosphere like family.
09:45 – Go to the “Death Anniversary” at Con Son Ancient House. The group begins the Death Anniversary at Con Son Ancient House, one of the earliest houses built on the Islet and belonging to a long-standing prestigious family. Here, you will definitely hear many interesting stories about this land.
10:00 – Meet Uncle Hai: You will have the opportunity to chat with Uncle Hai – the first child born in Con Son. Uncle Hai will share the history of the Old House with its three-room, two-wing architecture, a typical feature of houses in the Southwest region – where many daily stories of people in the river region are preserved. The group will also hear about the profound meaning of the “Tien Thuong” ceremony – an important custom in the cultural life of the West, expressing gratitude to ancestors and the connection between generations in the family.
10:15 – “01 Ticket Back to Childhood”: Continuing the journey, Mekong Smile would like to give you the experience of “01 ticket back to childhood” through the following activities:
- Children & youth: participate in traditional folk games – games that most children growing up in Con Island in the past knew; now they are just beautiful memories.
- Women & adults: participate in cooking and cleaning; the sound of knives and cutting boards, the smell of fatty meat, and the lively conversation create a very typical atmosphere of a Western death anniversary meal.
10:45 – Go to the garden to pick fruit
After work, you can go to the backyard garden or neighbor's garden to feel the coolness of the homeland and the richness of Con land. The group can pick and enjoy seasonal fruits.
Enjoy the funeral party: The host has finished preparing, the group moves to Nha Xua to enjoy a party with a strong countryside flavor, organized according to traditional customs.
13:00 – Receive gifts from the host: At the end of the memorial party, the group receives small, pre-packaged gifts, imbued with the flavor of home, as a sincere thank you from the host. The gifts are simple but contain a lot of sentiment, helping you bring back a little taste of the West as a souvenir after a memorable experience. Travel by motorboat & experience childhood shaved ice The group travels to Aunt Ut's house by motorboat - a familiar means of transport for people in the West, with the rumbling sound of the engine winding through small canals.
Here, you can participate in the childhood shaved ice making activity:
- Shave ice yourself, add colorful syrups and enjoy a cool glass of shaved ice – an experience that reminds you of your childhood.
- After the activities, you will change clothes and end the meaningful and emotional journey of discovery at Con Son.
14:00 – Return to the mainland
The group returns to the mainland, the tour guide takes you back to the ferry. End of tour - tour guide thanks, says goodbye and sees you again!