Mekong Delta Day Trip: Boat Ride, Pagoda & Village Tour
The Mekong River's hand-rowed sampan boats are still poled by locals who know every canal.
A small-group day trip through the Mekong Delta departing Ho Chi Minh City includes a motorboat cruise past the Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle and Phoenix Islands, a sampan ride through water-coconut-shaded canals, a stop at a traditional coconut candy workshop, a five-course Vietnamese lunch at a riverside restaurant, time in a village garden or on a bicycle, and a visit to Vinh Tràng Pagoda before the return drive. The group stays under 12 people, an English-speaking guide leads throughout, and hotel pickup in Districts 1, 3 and 4 is included.
Options for this experience
4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Mekong Delta by boat and village
- Pick-up from District 1 hotels
- Drive 1.5 hours to Mekong River
- Boat cruise along Mekong canals
- View Rạch Miễu Bridge from boat
- Visit Bến Tre Village workshop
- Sample coconut candy and honey
- Take sampan ride on canal
- Ride Xe Lôi to explore village
- Enjoy 5-course Vietnamese lunch
- Relax in Mekong Delta garden
- Bicycle ride around village
- Boat trip back to Mỹ Tho pier
- Visit Vĩnh Tràng Pagoda
- Transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City
- My Tho passing by
- Mekong Delta 1h
- Vinh Tràng Pagoda 30m
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Districts 1, 3 and 4.
- air-conditioned minivan transfer.
- English-speaking guide throughout the day.
- motorboat and hand-rowed sampan rides.
- five-course Vietnamese lunch at a riverside restaurant.
- two 500ml bottles of water per person.
- snacks including tropical fruits, coconut candy and honey tea.
- entry to Vinh Tràng Pagoda.
- Xe Lôi village transport.
- and the option to spend afternoon time in a delta garden or on a village bicycle ride.
Times
- Every day 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:30 11:00
Before you book
Operated by Asiana Link Travel
Prices and times updated today
Traveler reviews
The experience
The day starts with pickup between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. from your hotel in central Ho Chi Minh City, followed by a 1.5-hour drive to Mỹ Tho on the Mekong River. You'll stop along the way for refreshments and a restroom break before boarding a motorboat to cruise the delta's main waterways. The boat passes the Rạch Miễu Bridge, one of the Mekong's largest Vietnamese-built spans, and takes you past the Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle and Phoenix Islands: named landmarks that frame the river's geography as you move through it.
The tour crosses to Bến Tre Village, where you step into a traditional workshop to watch the step-by-step processing of coconut candy and honey farming, with samples and traditional music included. From there, a hand-rowed sampan, poled by a local boatman, takes you through shaded canals lined with water coconut trees. The quiet of the narrow waterway is a sharp contrast to the motorboat stretch. After the sampan ride, a Xe Lôi (a local cart vehicle) carries you through the village itself. Lunch is a five-course Vietnamese set menu at a riverside restaurant, with vegetarian or Halal options available if you request them at booking.
The afternoon splits between two choices: spend time in a typical Mekong Delta garden soaking in the quiet, or take a leisurely bicycle ride through the village. Either way, you'll board the motorboat again for a scenic return trip through the water-coconut-shaded canals back to the Mỹ Tho pier. From there, the bus carries you to Vinh Tràng Pagoda, one of the delta's most prominent Buddhist sites, a blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and Cambodian architectural styles with intricate statues and carvings. The 1.5-hour drive back to Ho Chi Minh City closes the day, with drop-off at your original hotel or at a city-center location of your choice.
Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move through the delta by water and on foot rather than stay on a bus: the motorboat, sampan and Xe Lôi get you into the rhythm of village life instead of watching it pass. The group size under 12 means you're not competing for space on the narrow sampan or moving through the pagoda in a crowd.
Compare the 12 alternatives
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): 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 24 h before the start.
What exactly do you do on the sampan ride through the Mekong Delta?
The sampan is a hand-rowed boat poled by a local boatman through narrow, shaded canals lined with water coconut trees. You sit in the boat while the boatman navigates the waterway, letting you see village life and the delta's waterways up close without engine noise.
Is lunch included, and can you get vegetarian food?
Lunch is a five-course Vietnamese set menu served at a riverside restaurant and is included in the tour price. Vegetarian and Halal options are available. Just let the operator know at the time of booking if you need either one.
How long is the drive from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta?
The drive from your hotel in District 1, 3 or 4 to Mỹ Tho on the Mekong River takes 1.5 hours, with a stop for refreshments and restrooms along the way.
What is Vinh Tràng Pagoda like?
Vinh Tràng Pagoda is one of the Mekong Delta's most outstanding Buddhist sites, built in a unique blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and Cambodian architectural styles. It houses many intricate Buddhist statues and carvings and is the final stop before your return to Ho Chi Minh City.
Does the tour include drinks?
Two 500ml bottles of water per person are included. Additional drinks such as beer and soft drinks are available for purchase during the tour.
What is the group size?
The small-group tour is limited to 12 guests per group, keeping it intimate enough to move through villages and boats without feeling crowded.
Mekong Delta Day Trip: Boat Ride, Pagoda & Village Tour
9h–10h · EN
from US$ 44 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.