Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta: Day Tour with Sampan & Lunch

Summary

Cu Chi’s hidden depths then slow riverside life in the Mekong

You’ll crawl through Cu Chi’s historic tunnels with a local guide, cruise quiet branches of the Mekong by sampan, taste honey tea at a riverside farm, and share lunch with fresh prawn and crispy fish. Expect laughter, new flavors, and moments that linger long after you’re home.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is ducking down into the Cu Chi Tunnels, knees brushing rough earth, my shirt sticking to my back. Our guide, Minh, tapped the wall and told us stories about families living here for years—he said some people even got married underground. It smelled like clay and old leaves. I tried to imagine cooking rice in that darkness. Minh laughed when I asked if he’d ever crawled through as a kid (“No way!”), but he showed us how they built air vents disguised as termite mounds. That detail stuck with me.

After that we drove out of Ho Chi Minh City—rice paddies flashing by, kids waving from bikes—and ended up at My Tho for the Mekong part of the day trip. The air was thick and sweet near the river. We climbed onto a wooden boat (paint peeling, bright blue) and drifted past little houses on stilts. At one stop, an older woman handed me honey tea with slices of kumquat floating on top; it was sticky and floral, not what I expected but really good. There was music too—someone plucking a dan tranh while we tasted mango and jackfruit right off the plate.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much trying to paddle a sampan along those narrow green channels (my arms are still sore). The coconut candy workshop smelled like caramelized sugar—I probably ate too many samples. Lunch at Tiny Garden Family farm was loud and warm: crispy elephant ear fish, pancake rolls you wrap yourself, grilled prawns that left my fingers salty. Everyone talked over each other in half-English, half-Vietnamese. It felt like being let in on something private.

By late afternoon we were back in the van—quiet now except for someone snoring behind me—and I kept thinking about those tunnels under our feet earlier. The whole day felt like two sides of Vietnam: tense history below ground, then slow river life above it. I still think about that view from the boat as dusk crept in… kind of hard to explain unless you’ve been there.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta tour

• Explore Cu Chi Tunnels underground city
• Embark private boat in Mekong Delta
• Cruise along creek to Mekong River
• Visit orchards and bee-keeping farm
• Taste natural honey and tropical fruit
• Enjoy traditional southern Vietnamese music
• See coconut candy production and taste candy

Top questions

How long does this Cu Chi tunnel & Mekong day tour take?

The tour lasts a full day including travel from Ho Chi Minh City to both Cu Chi Tunnels and My Tho in the Mekong Delta.

Is lunch included on this day trip?

Yes, a traditional set menu lunch is served at Tiny Garden Family farm with dishes like BBQ prawn or chicken and crispy elephant ear fish.

Are hotel pickups available for this tour?

The tour includes pickup service from your accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City.

What activities are included in the Mekong Delta part?

You’ll take a motorized boat ride, paddle a sampan along shady channels, visit workshops for honey tea and coconut candy tasting.

Is this tour suitable for all ages?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels but not recommended for pregnant travelers; infants must sit on an adult’s lap.

Will there be an English-speaking guide?

Yes, an English-speaking local guide leads the entire experience.

Do we enter the Cu Chi tunnels during the tour?

You will explore sections of the Cu Chi Tunnels network with your guide explaining their history and construction.

Are entrance fees included?

All entrance fees to attractions such as Cu Chi Tunnels are included in your booking price.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from Ho Chi Minh City by air-conditioned van, entry tickets to Cu Chi Tunnels and all attractions in My Tho, bottled water throughout the journey, motorboat and hand-paddled sampan rides along the Mekong’s quieter channels, plus a full Vietnamese set menu lunch at Tiny Garden Family farm before heading back in comfort.