A riot of seasonal colors descend on Long An

The rustic lifestyle of Mekong Delta province Long An emerge colorfully via the lens of Le Hoang Thai.

Tan Lap Commune in Moc Hoa District glimmers with residential clusters interspersed with aquaculture ponds and rice fields stretching along the banks of Vam Co Tay River.

A melaleuca forest inside Tan Lap floating village, an emerging eco-tourism destination not far from Ho Chi Minh City. The forest is considered one of Vietnam's largest, and inhabited by thousands of storks each spring. The best way to explore the village is by boat or canoe.

A woman rows her boat beneath pink shower trees (Cassia grandis) in Tan Lap Commune. The early summer, when seasonal rains first appear, is when the pink shower trees shed their leaves and flowers bloom in profusion. This plant can be seen scattered along roads, fields and riverbanks.

An aerial shot captures a farmer watering dragon fruit. Long An Province has 11,800 hectares of dragon fruit, harvested from May to August. Due to the impacts of Covid-19, the price of dragon fruit fell sharply, at only VND3,000-5,000 ($0.13-0.22) a kilo.

Farmers tend their watermelons in Tan Lap ahead of the Lunar New Year. Watermelons are a popular fruit and house decoration for the holiday.

A farmer feeds a raft of ducks in Tan Lap Commune. Across the Mekong Delta, free-range ducks are typically fed on rice to reduce costs, though this method holds the risk of disease outbreaks.

In Long An, the rice harvest has been largely mechanized. About 22 million people or 24 percent of Vietnam's total population live in the Mekong Delta. Farmers in the delta produce more than half of the nation’s rice output and contribute 80 percent to its rice exports.

Buffalo herders fly a kite at dusk.

Generations of women in the Mekong Delta have used small boats to collect water lilies, wash and sell them at local markets. Water lilies are used for decoration and making tea. Their stalks can be eaten raw in a fermented paste or braised dip, or cooked in a sour soup or hotpot. Water lily season in Mekong Delta lasts from early September to mid-November. Along with other aquatic resources, water lilies help people earn an additional income.

Fishermen cast their nets in Tan Lap. The interlaced canal system creates a rich resource of fish and shrimp. Tan Lap boasts a tear-round range of fresh produce like frogs, snakehead, perch, yellow catfish, goby, gourami, shrimp and crab.

(Source: VNExpress)