Mekong Delta: 2-Day Floating Market, Biking & Local Lunch

Summary

Boats drift at dawn cai rang market fruit scents mingle with river mist

You’ll ride boats past Cai Rang’s floating market chaos at dawn, sip honey tea in Ben Tre orchards, and share a home-cooked lunch on Con Son Islet with local families. Expect early mornings and real countryside moments that stick with you long after you’ve left the Mekong Delta behind.

What’s the experience like?

We were already moving before sunrise, the van weaving out of Saigon’s tangle and into the flat green hush of the Mekong Delta. I kept my forehead pressed to the window — rice paddies stretching out, water buffalo blinking in the half-light. Our guide, Minh, had this way of pointing things out without making it feel like a lecture. “That’s Vinh Tràng Pagoda,” he said as we rolled up — all gold Buddhas and odd angles, incense curling in the muggy air. I tried to take a photo but honestly, it didn’t catch how quiet it felt inside.

By midday we’d swapped wheels for water. The boat ride on the Tien River was slower than I expected — not boring, just… gentle. At Ben Tre we stopped for honey tea (sweet but not sticky), and I watched an old woman stir coconut candy with her whole arm. She smiled when I tried a piece; I probably made a face because it was still warm and chewy. Lunch happened somewhere between orchards and open doors — plates of fish, herbs I couldn’t name, rice that tasted faintly smoky. Minh laughed when I asked what one leaf was called; apparently even locals just call it “that leaf.”

Can Tho at night surprised me — neon lights flickering over Ninh Kieu Wharf, families eating by the riverbank, teenagers singing badly to pop songs. There was this fried banana smell everywhere (I still crave it). The next morning started way too early (I picked 5:30am but some folks went at 4:00 — wild). We floated into Cai Rang Floating Market while vendors shouted prices across boats stacked with pineapples and dragonfruit. A little girl waved a mango at me until I bought one; it dripped down my chin before breakfast.

Biking through Con Son Islet felt wobbly at first — those bamboo monkey bridges are no joke if you’re clumsy like me. But there’s something about the slow pace here: roosters crowing from someone’s porch, old men playing cards under jackfruit trees, lunch cooked by people who actually live on this patch of river. The home-style Mekong food was simple but somehow perfect after all that pedaling around in sticky heat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Mekong Delta boat trip and Can Tho

• Pick up at hotel
• Boat trip in My Tho on Tien River
• Visit Ben Tre orchards and taste local treats
• Enjoy countryside lunch with local specialties
• Experience southern folk music and village walk
• Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
• Transfer to Can Tho and check in hotel
• Free time at Ninh Kieu Wharf

Day 2 — Cai Rang Floating Market and rural tour

• Early breakfast at hotel
• Visit Cai Rang Floating Market by boat
• Stop at riverside village to see rice noodle making
• Cross bamboo monkey bridge
• Explore Con Son Islet and tropical gardens
• Enjoy home-style Mekong lunch on the islet
• Return to Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho

Top questions

What time does the Mekong Delta tour start from Ho Chi Minh City?

Pickup is between 07:30–08:00 from hotels in District 1.

Is hotel accommodation included in Can Tho?

Yes, overnight hotel accommodation is included; options range from 3-star to 5-star depending on your booking choice.

Do I get to visit Cai Rang Floating Market?

Yes, you’ll visit Cai Rang Floating Market early on the second day by boat.

Are meals included during the tour?

Breakfast and lunch are included both days; dinner is on your own.

Is there biking on this Mekong Delta tour?

Yes, you’ll bike through Con Son Islet and try crossing a traditional bamboo monkey bridge.

Is pickup available outside District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City?

No, hotel pickup is only available in District 1.

Can vegetarians be accommodated?

Yes, vegetarian options are available if requested when booking.

How do we return to Ho Chi Minh City after the tour?

You’ll be driven back to Ho Chi Minh City or can choose to stay in Can Tho on your own.

What’s included

Your two-day trip includes hotel pickup and drop-off within District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City, bottled water for the journey, all boat rides through rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta, tropical fruit tastings and coconut candies in Ben Tre, breakfast each morning plus countryside lunches featuring local specialties (including one prepared by families on Con Son Islet), an overnight stay at your selected hotel class in Can Tho city—plus plenty of time to wander riverside markets or soak up village life along the way.