Ho Chi Minh City: Mekong Delta Day Trip & Boat Tour
The Mekong Delta in One Day: Pagoda, Islands & Coconut Canals
You get picked up early, driven to a 19th-century pagoda, then spend the afternoon on boats moving between four river islands, walking through village gardens, listening to folk music, eating a full traditional lunch, and rowing through coconut-lined canals. The whole day is structured so you're never waiting or figuring out logistics. The guide handles timing, the boat schedule is built in, and you're back in the city by early evening.
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2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Mekong Delta cultural and boat tour
- Pick up from Ho Chi Minh City
- Drive 1.5 hours to Vinh Trang Pagoda
- Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
- Go to My Tho Cruise Port
- Boat trip on Tien River and see four islets
- Observe floating fish rafts and Rach Mieu Bridge
- Walk on Thoi Son island village road
- Visit local houses and fruit gardens
- Visit honey bee farm and drink honey lemon tea
- Enjoy Southern folk music and fresh fruit
- Row boats through small canal with coconut trees
- Walk to coconut candy shop and learn candy making
- Have local lunch at restaurant
- Relax, fish for crocodiles, or cycle village road
- Return to My Tho by boat
- Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City
- Drop off at meeting point or Ben Thanh market
- Vinh Tràng Pagoda 45m
- My Tho 2h
What’s included
Your day includes hotel or street pickup at 8am, air-conditioned vehicle transport to and from the delta, entry to Vinh Trang Pagoda, boat trips on the Tien River to four islands, a rowing boat experience through coconut canals, a traditional Vietnamese lunch with six to seven dishes (vegetarian option available), fresh local fruit, honey lemon tea, bottled water, and a guide who speaks English or Vietnamese throughout. You'll also hear traditional folk music and have time to explore village roads, fruit gardens, and a honey bee farm.
Times
- Every day 07:30
Before you book
Operated by Cong Ty TNHH Du Lich Anh Nhu
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
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The experience
The pickup happens at 8am sharp from Pham Ngu Lao Street, and then you're on the road toward the Mekong Delta. After an hour and a half of driving through the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, the bus pulls up to Vinh Trang Pagoda: a 19th-century structure that blends European and Asian architecture in a way that shouldn't work but does. Your guide (English or Vietnamese-speaking) walks you through the compound, explaining how it ranks third among all pagodas in the south. You're not rushed here. There's time to look around, take photos, sit in the courtyards.
Then comes the boat part, which is the real reason you came. You head to My Tho Cruise Port and board a larger vessel that takes you out onto the Tien River to see the four islets (Long, Lan, Qui, and Phung), and the floating fish rafts where locals have been raising fish for generations. The boat slows down so you can actually see how it works, not just glimpse it from a distance. After that, you switch to a smaller rowing boat on Thoi Son island (also called Lan), and this is where the day shifts into something slower. You walk through village roads, stop at local houses and fruit gardens, visit a honey bee farm, and sit down to fresh honey lemon tea while a musician plays Don Ca Tai Tu Xu Dua: traditional Southern Vietnamese folk music that sounds nothing like what you'd hear in the north. It's unhurried, and that's the point.
Lunch happens around midday at a local restaurant: a traditional Vietnamese set menu with six or seven dishes, vegetarian options available if you need them. After eating, you have a choice: some people fish for crocodiles (yes, really), others nap in hammocks, a few rent bicycles and cycle the village roads. Then it's back to the rowing boats one more time, this time weaving into narrow canals lined with natural coconut trees on both sides. You'll stop at a coconut candy shop where they show you how it's made and sell you handicrafts made from coconut wood. The boat returns to My Tho by 2:30pm, and the bus takes you back to Ho Chi Minh City, dropping you at the meeting point or Ben Thanh market by 5pm.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the Mekong Delta's main attractions (pagoda, islands, canals, village life) in a single day without arranging your own transport, boats, or lunch. The fixed schedule and included meals mean you show up at 8am and everything else is handled.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Vietnamese.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.
How long is the drive from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta?
About 1.5 hours to Vinh Trang Pagoda. The full tour runs from 8am pickup to 5pm drop-off.
What's included in the lunch?
A traditional Vietnamese set menu with 6-7 dishes. Vegetarian options are available.
Do I have to row a boat myself?
No. You can take larger boats for most of the river travel, but there's a rowing boat experience through the narrow canals. You can participate or just sit and watch.
Is this tour suitable for older travelers or people with mobility concerns?
It involves walking through village roads and getting on and off boats. It's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health, but it's suitable for all other fitness levels.
Are drinks included?
Yes, honey lemon tea, fresh fruit, and bottled water are included. Other beverages are not.
What time do I need to be ready for pickup?
Pickup is around 8am from 165 Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1, or Ben Thanh market area.
Ho Chi Minh City: Mekong Delta Day Trip & Boat Tour
9h · EN +1
from US$ 21 per person
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