Mekong Delta 2-Day Tour: Floating Markets & Cultural Exploration

Boat through floating markets at dawn, then cook and cycle through delta villages

A 2-day tour of the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City that includes boat trips through Cai Rang Floating Market and the Tien River, a hands-on cooking class with local recipes, a bicycle ride through rural villages, and one night in a Can Tho hotel. Hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide are included. You choose between a 3-star or 4-star hotel for your overnight stay.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho via Cai Be

• Pickup from Ho Chi Minh City hotel
• Travel to Cai Be
• Boat journey on the Tien River
• Explore Mekong Delta villages and antique house
• Visit family-run confectionery and taste sweets
• Boat ride through Upper Mekong Delta canals
• Enjoy authentic Mekong Delta cooking class and lunch
• Leisurely bicycle ride on Tan Phong Island
• Boat ride back to Cai Be
• Transfer to Can Tho City and hotel check-in

Day 2: Can Tho Floating Market and Return

• Breakfast at hotel
• Boat excursion on Bassac River
• Visit Cai Rang Floating Market
• Tour traditional noodle factory
• Explore Munir Ansay Pagoda
• Boat trip to Con Son and cake-making workshop
• Visit fruit orchard and taste seasonal fruits
• Transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City

The experience

The tour starts with morning pickup from your Ho Chi Minh City hotel and a drive to Cai Be, where you board a boat for the Tien River. You'll watch local vendors trade from their boats, see fruit orchards line the banks, and pass through narrow canals lined with water coconut palms. The itinerary takes you to a heritage home built over a century ago: wooden structures blending Vietnamese, Chinese, and French colonial styles, designed to handle the delta's tropical climate and seasonal floods. Your guide explains how rooms were arranged around central courtyards to catch the breeze, and points out the precious hardwoods and family shrines inside.

At a family-run confectionery, you'll watch skilled hands make coconut sweets and rice popcorn, then taste them warm. Lunch happens in a garden filled with tropical fruits and herbs, where you participate in a hands-on cooking class: learning to make spring rolls, craft rice paper, and blend the herbs and spices that define regional dishes. Local cooks share family recipes passed down through generations. After eating, you'll cycle on dirt trails through the island's countryside, passing swaying palms, rice paddies, and fruit groves. You'll ride through villages where farmers work and children play, meeting locals and seeing how daily life unfolds away from the main rivers. A boat carries you back to Cai Be at sunset, then a car takes you to Can Tho City for the night.

Day two begins with breakfast at your hotel, followed by an early boat ride on the Bassac River to Cai Rang Floating Market. This is the busiest time to see vendors displaying goods from their boats (fresh produce, household items, and regional specialties) using sample poles to announce what they're selling. Afterward, you'll visit a traditional noodle factory to watch rice noodles being made by hand from raw ingredients. A stop at Munir Ansay Pagoda, a Khmer temple with intricate murals and detailed carvings, shows the delta's Buddhist heritage. On Con Son island, you'll take a workshop in cake-making with local artisans, then explore a fruit orchard where seasonal fruits like durian, mangosteen, and longan grow using sustainable methods. A final drive returns you to Ho Chi Minh City.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Ho Chi Minh City and return transfer.
• English-speaking guide.
• boat trips on the Tien River, narrow canals, and Bassac River.
• visits to a heritage home, confectionery, noodle factory, Khmer temple, and fruit orchard.
• hands-on cooking class with lunch.
• bicycle ride through villages.
• one night's accommodation in Can Tho (3-star or 4-star, your choice).
• breakfast on day two.
• mineral water.
• air-conditioned vehicle.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English07:30

Guide in English07:30

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30Last departure this season: 31 Jan 2027

AgesAdult (9 to 70 years) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “***Meeting point is located in the backpacker area, and recommended to come is taxi or Grab. ***The meeting point address: + 112 Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Ward Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TNK Travel

Is this one for you?Choose the 3-star hotel if you want a comfortable, budget-conscious overnight stay. Pick the 4-star option if you prefer more amenities and a higher standard of accommodation. The two-day length means you have time to move slowly through villages, learn cooking techniques, and watch the floating market come alive at dawn, without rushing between sites.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What is Cai Rang Floating Market like when we visit it?

Cai Rang Floating Market is a bustling riverside marketplace where local vendors sell goods directly from their boats: fresh produce, household items, and regional products. The tour visits early in the morning from the Bassac River, which is when the market is most active and vendors are displaying their wares using traditional sample poles to announce what they're selling.

Do we cook during this tour, or just watch?

You participate in a hands-on cooking class at a garden near Tan Phong Island. Local cooks teach you how to make spring rolls, craft rice paper, and blend the herbs and spices used in regional dishes. They share family recipes passed down through generations, and you eat what you've prepared for lunch.

How much of the tour involves being on a boat?

Boats make up a significant portion of the two days. Day one includes a boat journey through the Tien River and narrow canals around Tan Phong Island. Day two starts with an early boat ride on the Bassac River to reach Cai Rang Floating Market. Between these, you'll bike through villages and visit heritage homes and temples on land.

What's included in the price, and what do we need to pay extra for?

The tour includes hotel pickup from Ho Chi Minh City, an English-speaking guide, boat trips, an air-conditioned vehicle, breakfast, one night's accommodation in Can Tho (your choice of 3-star or 4-star hotel), and the cooking class. Meals other than breakfast and the lunch you cook are not included, nor are tips, personal expenses, or travel insurance. An extra charge of 200,000 VND per person applies if you're traveling on April 7, April 30–May 1, or September 1–2.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit or have mobility concerns?

The tour includes cycling on dirt trails through villages and walking through heritage homes, temples, and orchards. It's suitable for all fitness levels, but it's not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health. The tour is not wheelchair accessible.

What hotel options are available for the overnight stay?

You can choose between a 3-star or 4-star hotel in Can Tho City when you book. Both are basic room-share accommodations (twin or double rooms). The choice is made at checkout and affects the total price.