Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh City: Villages, boat, pagoda

Nine hours through the delta: boat past stilt houses, walk a coconut village, taste what the river feeds

A full-day guided tour from Ho Chi Minh City into the Mekong Delta, traveling by bus to My Tho, then by boat along the Mekong River and into a small canal to reach a coconut island in Ben Tre. You visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, cruise past fishing villages and floating houses, walk through a village, taste tropical fruit and honey tea at a local home, learn how coconut candy is made, and return to the city by late afternoon. The tour includes pickup from your District 1 hotel or the office, air-conditioned transport, an English-speaking guide, lunch and all entrance fees. Groups range from 9 to 35 people depending on the option you choose.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mekong Delta and Coconut Village

• Meet at SST Travel office or hotel
• Travel by bus to My Tho city
• Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
• Boat trip along Mekong River
• Disembark at coconut island in Ben Tre
• Walk around village and visit local family
• Taste tropical fruit, honey tea, and honey wine
• Enjoy Vietnamese traditional music
• Visit coconut candy shop and handicrafts
• Lunch with special Vietnamese food outdoors
• Relax, walk, or bike ride around village
• Return to Saigon and end tour

The experience

The day starts at 7:30 am with pickup from your District 1 hotel or SST Travel's office, then a bus ride south through green rice fields toward My Tho, the heart of the delta. Your first stop is Vinh Trang Pagoda, built in 1849, where you can walk through the architecture (a blend of Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese styles) before heading to the river. From My Tho, you board a boat for the Mekong River cruise, passing fish cages and floating houses that sit on the water year-round.

The boat turns into a small canal away from the main river traffic and pulls up at a coconut island in Ben Tre. You disembark and walk the village paths, stopping at a local family home where you taste tropical fruit, honey tea and honey wine while listening to a live Southern Vietnamese folk music performance. A visit to the coconut candy shop shows you how the locals make candy by hand, and you see handicrafts woven and carved from coconut. Lunch (special Vietnamese food with vegan options available) is served outside under the trees. After eating, you have time to walk around, rest or take a short bike ride before the group gathers for the return journey.

The bus ride back to Ho Chi Minh City takes roughly two hours, and you arrive around 4:30 to 5:00 pm. An English-speaking guide travels with your group the entire day, and bottled water is provided. The tour runs nine to ten hours total, and the group size depends on which option you book: VIP groups stay under ten people, Deluxe groups go up to 35, and Luxury groups cap at 15.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your District 1 hotel or the SST Travel office.
• air-conditioned bus transport to My Tho and back to the city.
• entrance fee to Vinh Trang Pagoda and boat fees for the Mekong River cruise and canal ride.
• lunch with Vietnamese food and vegan options.
• tropical fruit, honey tea and honey wine at a local home.
• live Southern Vietnamese folk music performance.
• visit to a coconut candy shop and village handicraft sites.
• bottled mineral water throughout the day.
• professional English-speaking guide for the full nine to ten hours.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guide in English07:30

Luxury tour with a smaller groupGuide in English · 07:30

VIP tour in private D-Car with pickup across four districtsGuide in English · 07:30

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

AgesAdult (8 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 35

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish

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: “Note: This is a group tour. Please arrive at the meeting point at least 10 minutes before pickup time. Pick-up and drop-off are available at Ben Thanh Market or SST Travel office.”

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 yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SST TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Book the VIP option if your group is small and you want the guide's attention and a slower pace through the village; the Deluxe option works for larger groups or travelers on a tighter budget; the Luxury option splits the difference, keeping the group under 15 so the boat and village walk stay manageable without the smallest-group price.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 7 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

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 Vinh Trang Pagoda and why is it the first stop on the tour?

Vinh Trang Pagoda is a historic temple built in 1849 that sits near My Tho at the start of the delta. It's the first stop because it's on the way to the river and gives you a chance to see the unique architecture (a blend of Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese styles) before the boat portion of the day begins.

Can I ride a bike or do activities on the coconut island, or is it mainly walking?

On the coconut island in Ben Tre, you walk through the village and visit a local family home, but you also have the choice to take a short bike ride if you want. After lunch, there's time to relax, walk around or ride, so it's up to you how you spend that part of the afternoon.

What food and drinks are included, and are there options if I'm vegan?

Lunch is a special Vietnamese meal served outside under the trees, and vegan food is available if you request it. Before lunch, at the local home, you taste tropical fruit, honey tea and honey wine. Bottled mineral water is provided throughout the day.

How many people will be on the tour, and does that change the experience?

The group size depends on which option you book at checkout. VIP tours stay under 10 people, Luxury tours cap at 15, and Deluxe tours go up to 35. Smaller groups move more easily through the village and have more time to talk with the guide, while larger groups share costs.

What time does the tour end, and how do I get back to my hotel?

The tour ends around 4:30 to 5:00 pm when the bus drops you back at your District 1 hotel or at SST Travel's office. Pickup and drop-off are included in your booking, so transport is arranged both ways.

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

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You spend most of the day on a bus or boat, and the village walk is at a relaxed pace. The boat ride and village stroll don't require climbing or strenuous activity, though the day is long, nine to ten hours total, so stamina for sitting and walking at ease matters more than fitness.