Mekong Delta: My Tho & Ben Tre Private Day Trip with Lunch

Summary

Boat rides, orchard lunch, coconut candy and folk music in the Mekong Delta

You’ll float down winding canals in the Mekong Delta, snack on coconut candy in Ben Tre, listen to local folk music over tropical fruit, and share lunch under orchard trees. With hotel pickup included and a local guide leading every step, you’ll get glimpses of real riverside life that stick with you long after you’re back in Ho Chi Minh City.

What’s the experience like?

I’d been curious about the Mekong Delta for ages — something about all those winding rivers and green fields just felt different from anywhere else in Vietnam. When our guide, Hien, picked us up right at our Ho Chi Minh City hotel (early but not painfully so), I was already wide awake. The drive out to My Tho went quick — rice paddies zipped by, and Hien kept pointing out things I’d never have noticed, like how people dry rice right on the roadside. At Vinh Tràng Pagoda we wandered past giant Buddha statues and smelled incense mixing with frangipani. There was this old lady selling tiny lotus cakes outside; I bought one and it crumbled everywhere — worth it.

Getting on the motorboat felt like stepping into another world. The air changed — warmer, a little sweet from the river plants. We passed fishing boats painted wild colors and kids waving from the banks. On Tortoise Islet, locals played this music I can’t really describe (Hien called it “đờn ca tài tử”) while we tried dragonfruit straight off the tree. The honey tea at the bee farm was sticky-sweet; I probably spilled half of mine because I was distracted by a python someone casually held out for photos (nope). Lunch came under tangled orchard trees — fish so fresh you could taste river water in it, which sounds weird but honestly worked.

Ben Tre had its own feel — quieter somehow. The coconut candy workshop smelled like burnt sugar and wood smoke. I tried stirring a batch (badly), and Li laughed when I tried to say “kẹo dừa” in Vietnamese — probably butchered it. Later we drifted down a narrow canal in a little rowing boat; water coconut palms arched overhead so close they brushed my hat. It was humid and peaceful except for cicadas going nuts somewhere above us. After that there was an electric car ride through sleepy lanes before heading back to the city. I still think about that light on the river late afternoon — sort of gold and soft, you know?

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh City

• Depart Ho Chi Minh City hotel at 8:00 AM
• Drive 1.5 hours to My Tho, passing rice fields
• Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
• Take motorized boat on Tien River to Qui islet
• See fishing port and boat-building workshops
• Visit Dragon, Phoenix, and Unicorn Islets
• Walk in village and visit fruit garden
• Taste tropical fruit and hear folk music
• Visit bee house and see pythons
• Enjoy lunch in orchard garden
• Boat cruise through Bao Dinh canal to Ben Tre
• See Garden – Pond – Cage agricultural model
• Visit coconut candy-making shop
• Rowing boat trip on small canal
• Ride electric car around island
• Return to bus and head back to Ho Chi Minh City

Top questions

How long is the Mekong Delta day trip from Ho Chi Minh City?

The tour lasts around 8–9 hours including travel time; pickup is at 8:00 AM with return between 4:30–5:00 PM.

Is lunch included on this Mekong Delta private tour?

Yes, lunch is served at a riverside restaurant in an orchard garden during the tour.

Are hotel pickups available for this day trip?

Pickup and drop-off are included for hotels in Districts 1, 3, and 4 of Ho Chi Minh City.

What activities are included on this My Tho & Ben Tre tour?

The tour features motorboat and rowing boat rides, visits to Vinh Tràng Pagoda, a bee farm with honey tea tasting, fruit gardens with live folk music, a coconut candy workshop, an electric car or horse cart ride around the village, and lunch.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it's suitable for all physical fitness levels according to the provider.

Do you visit both My Tho and Ben Tre on this day trip?

Yes—after My Tho activities you continue by boat into Ben Tre province for more stops.

What’s included

Your day includes air-conditioned transfers with hotel pickup and drop-off from central districts in Ho Chi Minh City, all boat trips across both My Tho and Ben Tre riversides, entry to Vinh Tràng Pagoda and workshops along the way, an English-speaking local guide throughout your journey, plus a traditional lunch served right inside an orchard before heading back in the late afternoon.