Authentic Mekong Delta – 3 Days / 2 Nights
Details
Intinerary
Your day begins at 08:00 with a hotel pick-up in Ho Chi Minh City. Leave behind the city’s bustling streets and modern buildings as you head south on a 2-hour drive to Ben Tre, a province known as the “land of coconuts” in the heart of the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival, board a local boat and take in your first views of the Delta’s peaceful waterways and lush scenery. After disembarking, pick up a bicycle and enjoy a relaxed ride along quiet village paths, offering a glimpse into the daily lives of the locals. Stop along the way to visit family-run cottage industries, including traditional coconut candy workshops. Watch local women expertly boil sticky coconut paste in large cauldrons, then roll and slice it into sweet treats. Next, sample fresh tropical fruits and honey tea in a garden setting. Continue exploring the area via narrow village lanes—ideal for biking—or choose to ride a motor-tricycle, a nostalgic mode of transport that was widely used in southern Vietnam during the 1960s (Note: motor-tricycle must be requested in advance). Enjoy lunch at a riverside restaurant featuring Mekong Delta specialties. After the meal, check in at a local lodge and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool.
After breakfast at the lodge, begin your day with a scenic 1-hour boat cruise through the lush waterways of the Mekong Delta. Sip on a freshly picked coconut as you glide past quiet canals and wide rivers, taking in the vibrant activity of the region’s unique floating coconut market—stretching for kilometers along both riverbanks. Continue your journey by boat across a vast stretch of water to a truly special destination: a small, off-the-grid island known for its warm hospitality and commitment to sustainable, community-based tourism. Home to just 15 households, this island operates solely on solar power and has no roads—just peaceful footpaths connecting homes and gardens. Motorbikes don’t exist here, and that’s part of its rustic charm. Spend time with local families visiting their homes to learn about their daily routines and simple, self-sufficient lifestyles. Enjoy freshly picked tropical fruits, honey tea, and traditional Mekong snacks as you listen to stories of island life. Relax with a soothing herbal foot bath—an invitation to slow down and soak in the peaceful atmosphere.
For lunch, savor a home-cooked feast of Mekong-style dishes prepared by one of the families—a true taste of the region. After lunch, transfer by shuttle to Cai Mon, a center for ornamental horticulture. Explore local nurseries, bonsai gardens, and traditional brick kilns, gaining insight into the age-old methods of plant cultivation. If you visit during the right season, enjoy a sweet treat of ripe mangosteen picked fresh from fruit orchards. The day concludes with a scenic shuttle transfer to Can Tho via Vinh Long, bringing an end to a rich and authentic Delta experience.
Start your day early at 7:00 AM with a scenic cruise to the Cai Rang Floating Market, once the largest of its kind in the Mekong Delta. As the sun rises, the river comes alive with a vibrant maze of boats—some stacked high with tropical fruits and vegetables, others serving coffee or steaming bowls of noodle soup. Depending on the season and local demand, the number of traders may vary, but the lively atmosphere remains a highlight. You’ll see boats loaded with mangoes, bananas, pineapples, papayas, and more, as vendors compete for the best positions on the water. After exploring the market, your cruise continues through smaller canals, offering a quieter glimpse of local life. Along the way, you’ll stop at a family-run business that produces vermicelli and noodles, supplying these staples to nearby markets. It’s a chance to see traditional methods in action and understand how local food is made. Next, board your shuttle and head to the Binh Thuy Ancient House, a well-preserved French-Vietnamese residence built in 1870 by the Duong family, one of the wealthiest families in the region. The house gained fame after appearing in the 1992 film The Lover, based on the French novel. Its architecture is a striking blend of colonial French design and traditional Vietnamese elements, set among peaceful, manicured gardens. From Binh Thuy, begin the 3.5-hour transfer to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving by late afternoon.
