Mekong Delta tour: Riverside market and temples

A Cao Dai Temple sits next to a Buddhist pagoda in the same afternoon.

This full-day guided tour of the Mekong Delta departs Ho Chi Minh City and takes you by speedboat and rowboat through the Delta's canals, markets and villages. You visit a bustling riverside market, drift through coconut palm groves on small waterways, stop at a traditional farmhouse to sample coconut and local whisky, eat lunch at a family home, then explore a Cao Dai Temple and Buddhist pagoda before returning to the city. The tour runs eight hours with a local English-speaking guide, includes breakfast, lunch and refreshments, and stays under 14 people to avoid large crowds.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mekong Delta and local culture

• Start at Saigon Water Bus Station
• Arrive at Mekong Delta watery expanses
• Visit colorful riverside market
• Rowboat trip along small canals
• Visit Mekong village and farmhouse
• Sample coconuts and Mekong whisky
• Enjoy traditional Mekong Delta lunch
• Visit special pagoda
• Visit colorful Cao Dai Temple
• Return to speedboat and depart

The experience

What makes the Mekong Delta different from the city is the water itself. You start at Saigon Water Bus Station and reach the delta by 9:30 am, where nine tributaries splinter from the main river. The first stop is a riverside market at 10:30 am, crowded with locals buying tropical fruits, fish and shellfish. By 10:45 am you're off the main waterway, turning into the Thu Thua area's small winding canals shaded by foliage, where a rowboat replaces the speedboat and the pace slows. Thousands of coconut palms line the water as you drift past a Mekong village and stop at a traditional farmhouse to taste coconut and Mekong whisky.

Lunch happens at noon at a local family's house: a traditional Mekong meal, not a restaurant setup. After eating, you visit a Buddhist pagoda, then at 1:30 pm the Cao Dai Temple, which the itinerary marks as one of the tour's highlights. The temple's architecture and the pagoda's spiritual role in the delta get explained by your guide as you walk through. By 2:15 pm you're back on the speedboat heading to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving by late afternoon.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included if you're staying in districts 1 or 3. The tour runs eight hours total. Wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes you don't mind getting damp from the boats. Water levels can shift the route, so the itinerary is flexible. Your guide will adapt the stops if needed.

What’s included

• Local English-speaking guide for the full eight hours.
• breakfast, lunch and refreshments including water, soft drinks and tropical fruits.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in districts 1 and 3 of Ho Chi Minh City.
• speedboat and rowboat transport through the delta.
• entry to the Cao Dai Temple and Buddhist pagoda.
• a stop at a traditional farmhouse where you sample coconut and Mekong whisky.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h 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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Les Rives Vietnam

Is this one for you?You're on a shared tour with up to 14 people, led by a local guide who handles the route, timing and explanations. This works best if you want the delta's rhythm without building the day yourself, and if you're comfortable on boats for most of the morning. The fixed schedule keeps all three spiritual sites and the market inside a single afternoon, so the experience holds together without gaps.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): 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's actually at the riverside market in the Mekong Delta?

The market at 10:30 am is where locals buy tropical fruits, fish, shellfish and other goods. It's a working market, not a tourist stall setup, so you see what people in the delta actually eat and trade.

Do I get to ride in a rowboat or just the speedboat?

You travel by speedboat from Ho Chi Minh City to the delta, then switch to a rowboat at 10:45 am for the small winding canals of the Thu Thua area, where the narrow waterways don't fit larger boats.

What happens at the Cao Dai Temple and the Buddhist pagoda?

The Cao Dai Temple visit at 1:30 pm and the Buddhist pagoda visit after lunch let you see two of the region's major spiritual traditions. Your guide explains the cultural and religious significance of each as you walk through.

Is lunch included, and what if I have dietary restrictions?

Lunch is included and served at a local family's house as a traditional Mekong meal. Let the operator know any dietary needs at booking, though vegetarian or halal options carry an extra charge.

How many people go on this tour?

The group stays under 14 people, which keeps the experience smaller and more personal than larger delta tours that run 20 or more.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included if your hotel is in Ho Chi Minh City districts 1 or 3. The tour starts at Saigon Water Bus Station at 9:30 am.