Tour to the Mekong Delta: itinerary ideas in 1,2,3,4,5,6 days to know

The Mekong Delta, which is crisscrossed by a large number of rivers, has attracted the attention of travellers from around the world for a long time. As part of this article, Authentik would like to present you with itinerary ideas to discover this region depending on the length of your stay: 1-2-3-4-5-6 days. Your discovery of the Mekong Delta will now be easier than ever.

1. How to get to Mekong delta?

- By road: The Mekong Delta is easily reached from Ho Chi Minh and Cambodia
- By plane: Vietnam Airlines still offers direct flights from Ha Noi to Can Tho and from Phu Quoc to Can Tho
- By boat: From Phu Quoc, you can also take a boat to reach Rach Gia in the Mekong region of Southern Vietnam. From Phnom Penh, you can go to Chau Doc by boat for 4 hours

2. When to travel to the Mekong Delta?

The best period falls from December to April because it is the dry and sunny season in the South of Vietnam.

3. IDEAS FOR ITINERARIES TO KNOW DEPENDING ON THE DURATION OF THE STAY

Here is a list of itineraries to do so as not to miss anything of this wonderful region.

3.1. 1-day tour to the Mekong Delta: HO CHI MINH – BEN TRE – HO CHI MINH – 110km x 2

If you have limited time, a visit to the Mekong Delta is still possible. Go to Ben Tre, located 1 km South of Ho Chi Minh City, at the end of one of the major arms of the Mekong River. This destination has typical characteristics of the delta: a multitude of rivers, billions of small canals, and tropical fruit orchards...

Ben Tre - “land of coconut trees” remains an off-the-beaten-track destination in the Mekong Delta. If you are looking for tranquillity and countryside authenticity, this place is undoubtedly a must-see.
Ideas for itineraries to suggest to you:

Departure from Ho Chi Minh, the road to Ben Tre. Arrival in Ben Tre, from Hung Vuong Pier: take a boat trip on the Ben Tre River to discover the daily life of the locals. Stop to visit the making of coconut candies or bricks and meet local people. Continue the canal boat trip to Nhon Thanh village. This will be an opportunity to taste fresh fruit. Then, you can take a bike ride (or tuk-tuk) along small paths through the villages, observing coconut groves, rice fields, vegetable gardens...

Lunch with locals with elephant ear fish and typical dishes of the region. Then, a short stroll on foot and in a rowing boat in the small canals shaded by wild palm trees is recommended for an in-depth discovery of local life.

Late afternoon: return to Ho Chi Minh.

3.2. 2-day tour to the Mekong Delta: HO CHI MINH – BEN TRE – CAN THO – HO CHI MINH

In case you have 2 days, you can go further towards Can Tho.

Ideas for itineraries to suggest to you:

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh – Ben Tre- Can Tho ~ 85 km + 150 km

After visiting Ben Tre (like the Ben Tre in the one-day visit program above), you continue the road to Can Tho. You arrive in Can Tho late in the afternoon and spend the night in Can Tho Town.

Day 2: Can Tho – floating market – Ho Chi Minh ~ 170 km

Early in the morning, you transfer to the dock where you take the boat to participate in the Cai Rang floating market, the largest and liveliest in the Mekong Delta. So many colours and smells are there in a bustling atmosphere where hundreds of boats and sampans filled with goods are concentrated: rice, fruits, local products... Everything is sold there in full activity from early in the morning.

You leave the market and continue the boat ride in the canals then visit a fruit garden (or replace the garden with small nursery fields along the river).

You disembark and then visit the An Binh market and the Binh Thuy orchid house (filming location of the film “The Lover”).

Return to Ho Chi Minh where you arrive late in the afternoon.

3.3. 3-day tour to the Mekong Delta: HO CHI MINH – BEN TRE – CAI LAY – SA DEC – LONG XUYEN – HO CHI MINH

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh – Ben Tre – Cai Lay ~ 110 km + 35 km

After visiting Ben Tre, you take the road to Cai Lay where you will spend the night. In the evening, it’s time to get to know the host family.

Day 2: Cai Lay – Sa Dec – Long Xuyen ~ 90 km

After breakfast with the locals, you take a bike ride (1h - 1h30) on the paths from Dong Hoa to Tam Binh, via the longan gardens.... Here, you still have the opportunity to meet the welcoming and hardworking population, and then visit a local village market. For those who like a bike ride, it is possible to cycle on the island of Ngu Hiep whose alluvium from the Mekong has formed fertile gardens.

Then, continue the road to Long Xuyen via Sa Dec where you visit Kien An Cung Pagoda, Sa Dec Market, and Huynh Thuy Le House, the former residence of Huynh Thuy Le, the main character of the novel “Lover” by Marguerite Duras.

Continuing the road to Long Xuyen, you visit a Cao Dai temple on the road and a crocodile farm. Arrival in Long Xuyen late in the afternoon and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Long Xuyen – Ho Chi Minh ~ 190 km

Early in the morning, you board a boat to discover the very lively and authentic Long Xuyen floating market, located on the 2nd arm of the Mekong. You will be fascinated by a wonderful spectacle created by hundreds of boats filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables from the region. You should be careful to leave very early in the morning to be able to visit these markets during the busiest time.

(Note: From Long Xuyen, possibility to take you to Rach Gia (2h-2h30 drive) to take the 1:00 p.m. fast boat to Phu Quoc for your seaside stay)

3.4. Another 3-day tour option in the Mekong Delta: HO CHI MINH – SA DEC – LONG XUYEN – CHAU DOC – HO CHI MINH

Day 1: HO CHI MINH – CAI BE – SA DEC – LONG XUYEN ~ 200 km

From Ho Chi Minh City, you go to Cai Be. You visit Cao Dai Temple on the way. Arriving in Cai Be, you board a boat to cross the Cai Be floating market. Make a stop to visit a village, then continue the boat trip on the Mekong River to reach Tan Phong Island where you can take a bike ride or walk through villages and fruit gardens meeting locals and tasting local specialities.

You then disembark to take the road towards Long Xuyen, via Sa Dec where you visit the Huynh Thuy Le house which is found in the novel “Lover” by Marguerite Duras, and the Sa Dec market, very rich in fish, vegetables, and fruit. Night in Long Xuyen.

Day 2: Long Xuyen – Tra Su – Chau Doc ~ 65 km + 35 km x 2

After breakfast, don't miss the discovery of the Long Xuyen floating market which preserves authenticity, far from tourist flows. You better understand the life of people living in the Mekong. You then take a bike ride or walk on Cu Lao Ong Ho Island.

Continue the road to Chau Doc. Arrival at Chau Doc, you embark to visit the floating fish village and the Cham Islamic village.

Return to the city, then you go to the Tra Su cajeputier forest which promises you an experience in the great outdoors and to immerse yourself in a soothing atmosphere. Here, you board a rowing boat to explore the heart of the forest, where the water is covered with green duckweed, like an immense natural green carpet.

You return to Chau Doc Town to visit Sam Mountain (287m) with its colourful temples and pagodas: Chua Ba Chua Xu, Lang Thoai Ngoc Hau, and Chua Tay An…

Night at the hotel in Chau Doc.

Day 3: Chau Doc – Ho Chi Minh ~ 250km / 6h drive

After breakfast, you take the road back to Ho Chi Minh. On the road, you can visit Tram Chim - a large park of flooded mangroves where the typical flora and fauna of the region are preserved.

Arrived in Saigon late in the afternoon. Transfer to your hotel.

3.5. 4-day tour to the Mekong Delta: HO CHI MINH – BEN TRE – TRA VINH – SA DEC – LONG XUYEN – HO CHI MINH

Day 1: HO CHI MINH – BEN TRE – 110 km

Transfer to Ben Tre to discover this land of coconut trees.

When you arrive in Ben Tre, you disembark aboard a boat to discover the daily life of the inhabitants along the Ben Tre River. You can make a few stops to visit the coconut products factory and meet local people by taking a bike ride or tuk-tuk through villages shaded by coconut trees. After lunch, a discovery of Ben Tre is made even better by a short trip in a rowing boat in the small canals.

Dinner and night at a local’s home in Ben Tre.

Day 2: BEN TRE – CHO LACH – TRA VINH ~ 120 km

After breakfast, drive to Cho Lach and Tra Vinh with stops at bonsai fields. Arrival at the Cau Ke village of the Khmers, Tra Vinh province.

This place is ideal for taking a bike ride through the Khmer villages. This is an opportunity to get closer to the way of life and hospitality of the inhabitants of the region.

End of your excursion with a stop at a Khmer pagoda before returning to the locals' home for refreshments.

Dinner and night with the Khmers.

Day 3: TRA VINH – SA DEC – LONG XUYEN ~ 110 km

After breakfast, continue for a bicycle ride passing the nursery fields, continuing visits to Khmer villages: Canh Dai, Tra Khao, Giong Lon… Departure by car to visit the old Huynh Ky family house, dating from the early 20th century, which preserves a mixture of Eastern and Western architecture.

Then take the road towards Long Xuyen via Sa Dec, where we visit the Kien An Cung pagoda, the Huynh Thuy Le house which is found in the novel “Lover” by Marguerite Duras, and then the Sa Dec market.

In the afternoon, on the way to Long Xuyen, you can visit a Cao Dai temple and a crocodile farm.

Night at the hotel in Long Xuyen.

Day 4: LONG XUYEN – HO CHI MINH ~ 190 km

It is advisable to get up early in the morning to discover the Long Xuyen floating market which remains the most authentic in the region and not very touristy unlike those of Cai Rang and Phong Dien in Can Tho. The market opens onto a wide arm of the Mekong, called Hau. Hundreds of boats full of local fruits and vegetables come to exchange their produce in bulk with traders who then resell these goods on land.

The boat then takes you through fish farms to reach the island of Cu Lao Ong Ho, where the small museum of our late president Ton Duc Thang is located. Short bike ride on the island (or on foot if you don't want to cycle).

Road to Saigon, stop by and visit the flower fields of Sa Dec.

3.6. Tour to the Mekong Delta in 5 days: BEN TRE – SA DEC- LONG XUYEN – CHAU DOC – TRA SU – HA TIEN – HO CHI MINH

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh – Ben Tre ~ 110 km

You discover Ben Tre in one day like the programs above.

Night in Ben Tre.

Day 2: BEN TRE – SA DEC – LONG XUYEN ~ 145 km

After breakfast, you can take a bike ride to the village market to meet locals before going to Long Xuyen. On the way, you visit the Kien An Cung pagoda, the Huynh Thuy Le house which is found in the novel “Lover” by Marguerite Duras, and the Sa Dec market very rich in fish, fruits, and vegetables. In Long Xuyen, a visit to a Cao Dai temple and a crocodile farm is also offered to make the program enriching.

Night at the hotel in Long Xuyen.

Day 3: LONG XUYEN – CHAU DOC ~ 65 km

Breakfast early, and then you board a boat to discover the Long Xuyen floating market. The boat takes you through fish farms to reach the island of Cu Lao Ong Ho, where the small museum of our late president Ton Duc Thang is located. A short bike ride on the island (or on foot if you don't want to cycle) allows you to experience local life in depth.

Road to Chau Doc. Here you visit the Chau Doc market and take a boat ride to discover a floating fish farm and the Islamic Cham village with their traditional crafts.

If time permits, you can still visit Sam Mountain (287m) with its colourful temples and pagodas: Chua Ba Chua Xu, Lang Thoai Ngoc Hau, Chua Tay An...

Free time at the end of the day for a pleasant walk in the centre of Chau Doc city.

Night at the hotel in Chau Doc.

Day 4: CHAU DOC – TRA SU – CHUA HANG – HA TIEN ~ 200 km

After breakfast, depart for the Tra Su reserve which has exceptional biodiversity typical of flooded mangroves. It is also a bird park renowned for its many varied species. The boat and boat excursion is done in complete tranquillity, which will allow you to appreciate this moment lost in the middle of nature, and to listen to the song of the birds perched on the cajuput trees. A journey that can be described as poetic!

Continue the road towards Ha Tien along the border with Cambodia.

A nice route is recommended to visit a small beach, the Chua Hang pagoda, and the magical and symbolic rocks of Ha Tien called “Phu – Tu” (Father and Son) whose Father rock already fell into the sea a few years ago.

Continue to Ha Tien. If time allows: also visit the Mac Cuu temple – governor of the region in the 18th century, then the Thanh Van cave (Thach Dông).

Night at the hotel in Ha Tien.

Day 5: HA TIEN – continue to Phu Quoc Island or return to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)

Breakfast, transfer to the pier for the fast boat towards Phu Quoc island (08:00-09:20), or return to Ho Chi Minh. 

3.7. Mekong Delta tour in 6 days: HO CHI MINH – BEN TRE – VINH LONG – CAN THO – SOC TRANG – VI THANH – CAN THO – LONG XUYEN – TRA SU – CHAU DOC – SA DEC – HO CHI MINH

Day 1: HO CHI MINH – BEN TRE ~ 110 km

Departure to Ben Tre – a beautiful region in the Mekong Delta, famous for making coconut candies.

Arrival in Ben Tre, from the Hung Vuong pier: you take a boat trip on the Ben Tre River (an arm of the Mekong) to discover the daily life of the inhabitants. A few stops to visit the brick oven or the coconut products factory. Don't miss a bike ride (or walk) through small village paths observing coconut groves, rice fields, and vegetable gardens. A short trip in a rowing boat in the small canals will help you discover nature and local life in depth.

Dinner and night in Ben Tre.

Day 2: BEN TRE – CAI BE – VINH LONG – CAN THO ~ 120 km

Departure to Cai Be, visiting the Dong Tam snake farm and a Cao Dai temple on the way.

Arrive in Cai Be, and board a boat to cross the Cai Be floating market. Here you can take a short walk in the village to discover the beautiful Phu Chau pagoda and the life of the locals and have lunch and fruit tasting in a garden.

Then, continue the boat trip on the Mekong to arrive on Binh Hoa Phuoc Island, visiting a small local market on the island, a bonsai garden, or a pottery workshop before disembarking on Vinh Long. Then there is a visit to a market in Vinh Long, very rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish.

Road to Can Tho. Free time for a walk to the Ninh Kieu quay, on the banks of the Mekong.

Night at the hotel in Can Tho.

Day 3: CAN THO – SOC TRANG – VI THANH ~ 65km x 2

Breakfast. At an early hour, transfer by car to the dock, where you take the boat to participate in the Cai Rang floating market, the largest and liveliest in the Mekong Delta. So many colours and smells are there in a bustling atmosphere where hundreds of sampans filled with goods are concentrated. Rice, fruit, local products... everything is sold there in full activity from early in the morning.

You leave the market and continue the boat ride in the canals then visit a fruit garden (or replace the garden with small nursery fields along the river).

Return and disembark at An Binh market, rich in fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Road to Soc Trang, located 65 km from Can Tho. You can visit the Soc Trang Museum which exhibits Khmer culture, Bat Pagoda, Ancient Khmer Kh'leng Pagoda, and Vietnamese Dat Set Pagoda.

Return road to Vi Thanh.

Dinner and night in Vi Thanh.

Day 4: VI THANH – CAN THO – LONG XUYEN ~ 100 km

After breakfast, you can take a bike ride in the greenery of the beautiful champagne typical of the delta, via small rural paths and fruit gardens to discover this place in depth and meet very kind and welcoming locals.

Then departure for Long Xuyen, you visit the ancient house of Binh Thuy (also called the orchid house), the Bang Lang egret park, and the crocodile farm.

Night at the hotel in Long Xuyen.

Day 5: Long Xuyen – Tra Su – Chau Doc ~ 100km + 35 km

Early in the morning, take advantage of the time to visit the floating market and the floating village of Long Xuyen which are very lively, authentic, and far from tourist flows, an imposing landscape of the 2nd arm of the Mekong. This is undoubtedly a good opportunity to immerse yourself in daily life by meeting the populations of the Mekong.

Return to town and departure for Tra Su, endowed with exceptional biodiversity typical of flooded mangroves. It is also a bird park renowned for its many varied species. Sitting in a rowing boat, it's time to experience an interesting river journey under the shade of rows of trees.

Then, drive towards Chau Doc to discover Sam Mountain (287m) with its colourful temples and pagodas: Chua Ba Chua Xu, Lang Thoai Ngoc Hau, and Chua Tay An.

At the end of the afternoon, stroll via the Chau Doc market and then the boat to visit a floating fish village and the Cham Islamic village.

Night at the hotel in Chau Doc.

Day 6: CHAU DOC – SA DEC – SAI GON ~ 280 km

Breakfast then drive back to Ho Chi Minh.

Stop at Sa Dec, where you visit horticultural and bonsai gardens, the Kien An Cung pagoda, the Huynh Thuy Le house which is found in the novel “Lover” by Marguerite Duras, and the Sa Dec market very rich in fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Arrived in Saigon late in the afternoon.

All you have to do is book a discovery now!

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