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Mekong Delta: My Tho & Ben Tre Day Tour with Boat Rides

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/12

Duration8h–9h

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Winding rivers, coconut groves, folk music and honey in Ben Tre

You’ll drift along winding waterways in Ben Tre by row boat, sample honey tea on Unicorn Island, cycle through coconut groves, and share lunch in a shady village spot—all guided by locals who make each stop feel personal. Expect laughter, new tastes, maybe muddy shoes—and memories that linger long after you’re back in Saigon.

8h–9h

Step-by-step itinerary

Travel 3 hours by bus to Mekong Delta
Visit Vinh Trang pagoda
Boat trip to Unicorn and Coconut Island
Enjoy traditional Vietnamese folk music
Taste tropical fruit salad
Ride sampan row boat on palm creek
Ride motorboat on palm creek
Take buggy or tuk-tuk in coconut village
Bicycle ride on village beaten track
Visit local family honey bee keeping
Attend coconut candy workshop
Return 3 hours by bus to Sai Gon

The Experience

I’ll admit, I was half-awake when our bus left Saigon for the Mekong Delta—three hours is longer than it sounds at 6am. But something about the way the city faded into green fields and then into these tangled palm creeks made me perk up. Our guide, Hanh, kept pointing out things I’d never have noticed: water buffalo grazing in the mist, kids waving from behind banana trees. It’s funny how quickly city noise gets replaced by birds and the low hum of boats here.

We stopped at Vinh Trang Pagoda first. The air smelled like incense and wet stone—kind of calming, even though I’m not really a temple person. Hanh told us about the giant Buddha statues; I tried to listen but got distracted by a cat sleeping on a monk’s sandal. After that we piled into a motorboat for Ben Tre. The river was wider than I expected, brownish but alive with little boats hauling everything from coconuts to crates of ducks (no joke). I got splashed once—river water is warmer than you’d think.

Unicorn Island (yes, that’s really what it’s called) was next. We tasted honey tea at a family-run bee place—sticky sweet—and tried tropical fruit while some locals played folk songs on old instruments. There was this moment when one woman sang and everyone just went quiet; even the fruit seller paused mid-peel. Then came the row boat ride under water palms. Our rower didn’t speak much English but grinned every time we bumped into another boat (which happened a lot). The creek is so narrow you can touch both banks if you stretch your arms.

I nearly crashed my bike during the village ride—turns out sand and flip-flops don’t mix—but nobody seemed to care. We watched coconut candy being made (I bought too many), rode in a tuk-tuk past kids playing marbles, and ate lunch somewhere shady with rice and fish soup that tasted like lemongrass and river air. By late afternoon I was sticky with sweat but weirdly happy. The Mekong Delta day trip isn’t fancy or perfect, but it sticks with you—I still think about those quiet stretches between villages.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from Saigon by bus, all entry fees for stops like Vinh Trang Pagoda and Unicorn Island, guided boat rides (motorboat and row boat), tuk-tuk or buggy transfers within villages, bicycle use for exploring local paths, hands-on visits to honey bee farms and coconut candy workshops—and a traditional lunch before heading back in the afternoon.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by ACE TRAVELS