Mornings are far from mundane at Cai Rang, Vietnam's biggest floating market out of six others. The day here begins earlier than the rising sun as merchants offload fresh local produce onto smaller sampans for distribution to businesses on land. Cai Rang floating market alone has about 200 merchant boats involved in trading activities. This photo was taken on 15th February for "Mother Mekong", a long-term photo project on the livelihoods of those living at the Mekong Delta.

A boat house inhabitant rests on his porch area while watching the ongoing commotion happening at the floating market.

About 7.30am, two women emerge from a large boat for the offloading of local produce onto their sampan. A long pole furnished with perishable items for flags act as a sign to inform other traders or customers of the crops or fruit they sell.

During the busy hours of the floating market, a woman is seen washing clothes rather vigourously. Domestic chores on boat houses are a typical scene in the Mekong Delta. Many locals choose to live on their boats to avoid paying the increasing rates of land taxes imposed by the government.

The activities of Cai Rang floating market begins very early in the morning and tradings between small merchants and large supplying boats take place.

Cultivated directly from the Mekong River Delta, these sweet, juicy and fragrant Queen pineapples were a zesty treat to the tastebuds during the wee hours of the day. The Cai Rang floating market located in the urban district of Can Tho is the biggest and busiest in all of Vietnam with 200 merchant boats selling fresh produce.

Ladies of the river Mekong standing for a portrait with their faithful little puppies.

The abundance of big and healthy jackfruit growing on a tree in an orchard where water irrigation is supplied by the Mekong river. For generations, the livelihood of millions in Southern Vietnam depend on this river system that continues to provide for their agricultural industry, where it has helped them yield income from their crops.

A Vietnamese woman surrounded by stacks of watermelon sits patiently waiting for passersby to make their purchase. This photo was taken at Can Tho's city centre. Smaller sampans are used to transport crops from Cai Rang floating market to supply to merchants operating on land.

During a hot afternoon, a lone man sits in an alley under a shade looking out onto the river Mekong with a sombre mood. The Mekong river is the sixth longest river in Asia beginning from the high pleateaus of Tibet and finally ending at the Mekong Delta of Vietnam before converging into South China Sea. Can Tho is home to the biggest floating market in Vietnam called Cai Rang.

A portrait of an observer of the street with his motorbike in the city of Can Tho, the epicentre of the Mekong Delta. Although Can Tho is a developing large city with a population of 1.6 million, the city center can become extremely relaxed in the afternoons, filling the streets with idle observers against a backdrop of shops temporarily closed for breaks.

Mother Mekong

"The water flows gently or wildly as it pleases. It knows nothing of being in the between. It is nurturing. It is stern. It carries life. And even sometimes, it carries the weight of our demise."

- Penned down thoughts, 2018.

For generations, the livelihood of millions in Southern Vietnam depend on this river system that continues to provide for their agricultural industry. This photo project documents the lives of those living in the Mekong Delta who are directly connected to this vital waterway. Inherently, one would find a plethora of life form gravitating towards this river that is ever sustaining.

Mother Mekong is an ongoing, long-term project.

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