The Flowing Trade

At first light, before the heat settles in, the river begins to move. At Cai Rang’s floating market, boats gather with fruit, fuel, and other essentials. Exchanged quickly, quietly, from one boat to the next.

For years, this rhythm has shaped life on the Mekong, Vietnam. But things are changing. Upstream dams, shifting weather, and new economic realities have started to alter the flow. Not all at once, but slowly. Fewer boats. Fewer families passing down the work. More people moving to the land.

This series stays close to the people behind the market. Those who arrive before sunrise, who still live by the water, who hold on to what they can while adapting where they must.