Many travelers to Vietnam have a dream of discovering the beauty of Mekong River / Mekong Delta. Enjoy the picturesque landscapes, bustling floating markets, and rich culture of this lush, vibrant region. But can one day trip to the Mekong Delta give you all this? Absolutely yes to both. By planning, it would be an unforgettable experience if you travel from large cities like Ho Chi Minh City and explore deep into the unique Mekong Delta-and don’t forget to read this guide while you are at it. To help you prepare and navigate your way through the Mekong Delta, this guide outlines everything you need to know for an unforgettable and culturally rich day trip.
The Mekong Delta Explained
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta which is situated in the southern part of Vietnam, is a tremendous network of rivers, swamps and islands. This area – it’s often called the “Rice Bowl" of Vietnam – covers over 40,000 square kilometers and hosts over 17 million human souls. The delta encompasses large cities like My Tho, Ben Tre, and Can Tho, each with its own set of attractions and exemptions to bask in.
The Mekong Delta is a cultural crossroads of Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese traditions. You can see that culture diversity in their architecture, festivals, and foods as well. In My Tho, visitors might wander through the beautiful, architecturally rich Vinh Trang Pagoda, a temple that blends Vietnamese, Chinese and Khmer design elements.
Best Time to Visit
Plan for a day trip to Mekong Delta with the right time to go Climate of Mekong Delta: Mekong Delta features a tropical climate that has 2 distinguishable times: dry season (Dec – Apr) as well as rainy season (May – Nov).
For anyone who thinks a little more fruitfully, the summer months (June-August) are when to arrive, which is also the fruit harvesting season. Juicy fruity acres everywhere planted with mangoes, durians, and rambutans that you may savour straight off the trees.
No matter the season, one must always depart early in the morning for Mekong Delta days trips not only to maximize time but to escape the scorching midday flares.
How to Get There
My Tho is just an hour or so from Ho Chi Minh City, so this day trip to the Mekong Delta is most easily done from Saigon. Information Different Transport Alternatives
- By Bus: Several bus companies run daily services from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho, Ben Tre, and Can Tho. The duration of the journey approximately takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Cheap and cheerful: Buses costing between $5-10 USD. Futa Bus Lines and Mai Linh Express are two most popular bus companies, providing high-quality and safe services.
- By Car: It is best experienced by renting a car or calling a private taxi service, for a more convenient and flexible tourist, especially for groups or families. It is one and a half hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho. The cost of a car depends on the region, but the average price is usually in the range of 60-100 USD per day (including the price of fuel and driver services)
No matter what, keep in mind the cost, the comfort and convenience element for an unparalleled day trip to Mekong Delta?
Popular Day Trip Itineraries
The Mekong Delta day trip offers a lot of things but at the same time, planning can be quite overwhelming due to all the different activities that can be chosen from. Here, we post itineraries so that certain ones may be better suited to your interests and you are able to maximize your short time there.
Itinerary 1: My Tho and Ben Tre
Vinh Trang Pagoda
Morning:
- Leave early morning from Ho Chi Minh City: to start your day as soon as possible. It’s best to leave by 7 AM.
- Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda: Your first visit is Vinh Trang Pagoda in My Tho. The beautiful pagoda is a blend of Asian and European style and offers tranquil settings within its lush gardens.
- Boat Ride along the Tien River: Following the visit to the pagoda, embark on a boat for a short trip on the Tien River. The ride offers spectacular views and the chance to observe the local life along the riverbanks.
Midday:
- Discover “Four Islands": Advance a little further with your boat tour and discover the mythical “Four Islands", which are Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise, and Phoenix. The specificities of each of these lies in the character of traditional music performances, the quiet flow of fruit orchards or poignant seaside landscapes.
- Lunch at a local restaurant with Mekong Delta specialty. Dishes will typically involve fresh fish, spring rolls, and tropical fruits.
Afternoon:
- Visit Coconut Candy Workshops and Fruit Orchards: After lunch visit Ben Tre Province which is famous for its coconut candies industry. This is from my visit to the world renown ‘Rocky Point Ice-Cream’ Master Chef, with Master chef Jock. Watch how the candy is made, pretty awesome stuff, and tasting fresh cocnut… just wicked! If you have time, please visit a local fruit orchard, you will have the chance to taste some fruits there: rambutan, mango, and dragon fruit.
- Day return to Ho Chi Minh City: Enjoy a sampan cruise back to My Tho, where your vehicle awaits to take you back to Ho Chi Minh City in time for an early evening arrival.
Itinerary 2: Cai Be Floating Market and Vinh Sang
Cai Be Floating Market
Early Morning:
- Start from Ho Chi Minh City: From Ho Chi Minh City Leave at around 5:30 AM to catch the hustle and bustle of the Cai Be Floating Market early in the morning.
- Experience the Cai Be Floating Market: Arrive at Cai Be around 7:30 -Get started to take a boat to the floating market. Vendors here sell fruit and veg along with local good directly from their boats. Definitely a busy area to do some street photography in this area.
Mid-Morning:
- Visit An Binh Island: After the market, take a bamboo boat to An Binh island. It is also a delightful place to explore on two wheels, or on foot walking through the fruit-laden orchards or well preserved traditional villages.
- Visit Vinh Sang Tourist Area: Following on to Vinh Sang where you can engage in various activities such as fishing, rowing a boat or even riding a water buffalo.
Vinh Sang Tourist Area
Afternoon:
- We will then have a lunch with Mekong Delta special delicacies and experience some cultural activities. After lunch, you can get involved in those cultural activities like music and or traditional games.
- Back to Ho Chi Minh City: Drive to Cai Be and on the way back to Ho Chi Minh City, reaching there around mid-afternoon.
Itinerary 3: Can Tho and Cai Rang Floating Market
Can Tho Museum
Early Departure:
- Depart for Can Tho: Begin your journey at 4 AM because the earliest market of Can Tho starts early in the morning. This early start is important if you want to see the market with the most activity happening.
- Day Trip to Cai Rang Floating Market: 6:30 AM Check-in at Can Tho and go directly to Cai Rang Floating Market. These are the larger and more famous floating markets in the Mekong Delta featuring boats as mobile shops selling products.
Mid-Morning:
- Traditional Noodle Factory: From the market go to visit the traditional noodle factory where you can learn how rice noodles are made. A great experience as it is a learning curve on local food production.
- Can Tho sightseeing: Get around to other destinationsto visit in Can Tho like the Binh Thuy ancient house or the Can Tho Museum.
Afternoon:
- Lunch at a Riverside Restaurant: Lunch features a local conmixture of Hue cuisine by the riverside so you can rest in the fresh air of the Hau river.
- Ho Chi Minh City: Post lunch, it will be patsy lips to Ho chi minh City and we will try to wrap up your day trip to Mekong Delta by evening.
Must-See Attractions
Some must-visit places you should add in you day trip to Mekong Delta to make it better
- Vinh Trang Pagoda: Situated in My Tho, this pagoda is a blend between architecture of Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese and is set among a cluster of beautiful garden.
- Cai Be Floating Market: A lively market bazaar where local folks trade aboard boats A snapshot of the traditional commerce in the Mekong delta.
- An Binh Island: Ideal for bicycling, fruit plantations and local villages. It is a total peaceful retreat from all the busy markets.
- Coconut Candy Workshops: Proceed to Ben Tre to visit a coconut candy workshop. It is a fun cultural experience and a yummy treat.
- From the traditional orchards: around Mekong Delta, you can visit many islands located between the orchards to eat the taste delicious tropical fruits in their season from there.
- Local Cultural Shows: Catch a glimpse of some traditional Mekong Delta music and dance performances- this is often times included with the overall tours.
Tips for a Memorable Day Trip
If you are planing for a day trip to Mekong Delta would be the best choice for you, here are some useful tips while traveling to Mekong Delta that will make your experience fantastic.
What to Pack:
- Sunscreen: The sun can be surprisingly harsh in the Mekong Delta so it is important to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
- Hat and Sunglasses: Will help protect you from the sun & keep you feeling good all day.
- Water: Always, always keep a bottle of water with you, particularly if you’re out walking in the heat of the day.
- Mosquito repellent: there can be mosquitoes in the water and at dusk in the Delta area
Starting Early: It is always better to start your journey as early as possible to add value to your day. This is not just to enable you to see more, but also to skip the hot midday. Leaving around 7 AM is ideal.
Attire: Lightweight clothing in a breathable fabric. The comfortable shoes for walking – you plan to walk around a lot If you are planning to do any activities which may make you wet or muddy etc its worth packing a clean set of clothes.
Drink water all day to avoid dehydration and eat out local food: Also get to taste the Mekong Delta local food Eating, fresh fruits, gourmet seafood; It is a trip taken by food experiences.
Tour Booking Tips: Always look for companies with good reviews before booking a tour. Find out what the transportation also in the tours so you no need to worry about it, and the meals, and the Activities. In general, you get what you pay for and a more expensive, carefully planned tour can be totally worthwhile.
Conclusion
Finally, day trip to the Mekong Delta is a very convenient option and that certainly has its charms. This beautiful patch of Vietnam, with its unique culture, landscape and local life is something very typical of the entire country, but the Mekong Delta offers a more exotic and historically-rich experience that other regions can not immerse you in the same way. A perfect day trip for solos, families and groups to have a relaxing detour outside of the city. So grab your essentials, get a good travel tour, and set out to discover the enigmatic Mekong Delta. Your adventure awaits! Don’t forget to regularly follow our Fanpage for more interesting information about traveling Mekong to and to book Mekong Tours at the best prices.