Mekong Delta bike tour: Cai Rang floating market and rice fields

Ride quiet country lanes, then watch the river market come alive from the water

A two-day bike and boat tour through the Mekong Delta starting from Saigon, combining cycling through villages, orchards and rice fields with boat trips on the Mekong River and a morning visit to Cai Rang floating market. The tour includes a professional English-speaking guide, bicycle use, all boat trips and a night in a Can Tho hotel; pickup from Saigon is included, and children from age 6 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Sai Gon to Cai Be and Can Tho

• Shuttle from Sai Gon to Cai Lay
• Collect bicycles and cycle for two hours
• Visit local villages and factories
• Photo stop at Cai Be Catholic Church
• Boat cruise on Mekong River and Cai Be floating market
• Lunch on Binh Hoa Phuoc island
• Short cycling under green canopy and explore orchards
• Travel to Can Tho for overnight

Day 2 — Can Tho to Sai Gon

• Breakfast in Can Tho
• Morning boat trip to Cai Rang floating market
• Cruise along quiet canal and winding waterways
• Two-hour cycling along river bank roads
• Visit local markets
• Lunch in Can Tho
• Return to Sai Gon by private van
• Optional final bike ride from MyTho or LongAn

The Experience

The shuttle leaves Saigon at 7:30 am for a two-hour drive to Cai Lay, where you collect your bicycle and ride for two hours on country lanes and quiet roads that wind through local villages and along canals. You'll pass farmers harvesting peanuts, stop at a coconut candy factory and a puffed rice factory, and visit a market to buy fruit. The Cai Be Catholic Church, built in 1929–1932 with its distinctive steeple, offers a photo stop before you board the boat.

The boat cruise takes you across the Mekong River—roughly 1.5 kilometers wide—past waterfront villages and the Cai Be floating market, then to Binh Hoa Phuoc island for lunch of local specialties. After eating, you cycle again on small paths under a green canopy, mostly shared with pedestrians, local cyclists and scooters, to explore orchards and watch how farmers work. You stay overnight in a three-star hotel in Can Tho, with the option to upgrade to the Victoria Can Tho.

On day two, after breakfast you board the boat again to reach Cai Rang floating market in the morning, where hundreds of local traders work directly on the river. You then cruise up a quiet canal before pedaling for two hours along back country roads beside the river, past banana trees and fruit orchards, with stops at local markets to see how merchants do business. After lunch, you return to Saigon by private van. If you want more cycling, you can ask your guide about a final ride from MyTho or LongAn through rice fields on the way back, with a chance to walk into the fields and learn about the rice industry.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide for both days.
• bicycle use and helmet.
• all boat trips on the Mekong River and quiet canals, including the Cai Rang floating market cruise.
• local ferry crossings.
• breakfast and lunch on day two, lunch on day one.
• one night in a three-star hotel in Can Tho (with the option to upgrade to the Victoria Can Tho).
• pickup from Saigon and return transport by private van.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for back problems

Operated by Sinhbalo Adventure Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to cycle at your own pace through villages and orchards without navigating alone—the guide handles the route, the boat trips are timed around the cycling, and the floating market visit happens when the traders are most active. The two-day structure means you see both the quiet countryside and the busiest part of the river market, and you're not rushed through either one.

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Top questions

What is the Cai Rang floating market like when we get there?

Cai Rang floating market is where hundreds of local traders conduct business directly on the river. You explore it by boat in the early morning of day two, before the water gets crowded, and cruise up a quiet canal afterward to see the wider waterways.

How much of the tour is cycling versus being on the boat?

You cycle for two hours on day one through villages and orchards, then again for two hours on day two along country roads and river banks. The boat trips include the Mekong crossing to Cai Be floating market, the morning visit to Cai Rang, and cruising quiet canals—roughly 1.5 hours of boat time each day, plus travel between stops.

Is the cycling difficult, or is it suitable for someone who is not very fit?

The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The cycling is on peaceful country lanes and quiet roads, not steep terrain, but you'll be riding for two hours at a time on both days. The paths on day two are small and mostly shared with pedestrians and local cyclists.

What does the two-day tour include, and what costs extra?

The tour includes a professional English-speaking guide, bicycle use, all boat trips and local ferries, meals (breakfast and lunch on day two, lunch on day one), and one night in a three-star hotel in Can Tho. Pickup from Saigon is included. Gratuities and travel insurance are not included. A vegetarian meal option is available if you request it when booking.

Can children go on this tour?

Children are welcome from age 6. Specialized infant seats are available if you need them. A minimum of two people per booking is required, and a valid passport is needed on the day of travel.

What if I want to cycle more on the way back to Saigon?

On day two after lunch, you can ask your guide about a final optional cycling route from MyTho or LongAn through rice fields back to Saigon. This gives you a chance to stop, walk into the rice fields, and learn more about how rice is grown and harvested in the delta.