Mekong Delta bike tour & cooking class from Ho Chi Minh City

Ride through villages and orchards, then cook lunch at a working farm

A small-group cycling and cooking tour from Ho Chi Minh City into the Mekong Delta, where you ride through rice fields and fruit gardens, learn to make Vietnamese pancakes in a hands-on class, and eat the meal you've made. The tour includes hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, all entrance fees, a boat trip on the Mekong and Tien rivers, and a hand-rowed sampan ride through small canals. Children from age 1 are welcome, and dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mekong Delta cycling and cooking tour

• Pick-up at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
• Travel to Ben Luc – My Tho
• Arrive at Family Tiny Garden
• Cycle through countryside and visit fruit gardens
• Join Vietnamese cooking class making Bánh xèo
• Enjoy Vietnamese lunch at the farm
• Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
• Check in cruise and start Mekong river boat ride
• Enjoy traditional music on boat
• Relax on hand-rowed sampan in canals
• Visit bee farm and taste honey tea
• Visit largest coconut candy factory
• Return by boat and bus to Ho Chi Minh City

The Experience

The day starts with pickup at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City between 7:40 and 8:00 AM, then a drive to Ben Luc and My Tho. By 9:30 AM you're at Family Tiny Garden, a working farm where the cycling begins. You ride through the countryside on quiet paths that pass rice fields and tropical fruit orchards, stopping to taste seasonal fruits as they grow. If cycling isn't for you, fishing is offered as an alternative at the same stops.

At 10:50 AM the cooking class starts. You learn to make bánh xèo—Vietnamese pancakes—from scratch in the farm kitchen, working alongside the family who runs the place. By 11:40 AM you sit down to eat what you've cooked, a fresh homemade lunch that includes the pancakes and other local dishes. After lunch you visit Vinh Tràng Pagoda, the largest ancient temple in the Mekong Delta, then board a boat for the afternoon on the water. You take a leisurely cruise on the Mekong and Tien rivers, watching the daily life of local people unfold along the banks. A hand-rowed sampan takes you through narrow canals where the pace slows even further. You stop at a bee farm for honey tea, then visit the largest coconut candy factory in the delta. The boat returns you to the bus around 5:30 PM for the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving by early evening.

The group stays small, which means the guide can adjust the pace and answer questions without rushing through stops. Your English-speaking guide handles all the logistics—timing, entry to sites, the boat schedule—so you move through the day without planning it yourself. The air-conditioned bus, mineral water, bike, and travel insurance are all included. Gratuities for the guide and driver are optional and not included in the price.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Ho Chi Minh City.
• air-conditioned bus with mineral water.
• English-speaking guide.
• bike and free fishing alternative.
• hands-on Vietnamese cooking class.
• fresh homemade lunch.
• all entrance fees to Vinh Tràng Pagoda and other sites.
• boat trip on the Mekong and Tien rivers.
• hand-rowed sampan ride through canals.
• visit to a bee farm and coconut candy factory.
• travel insurance.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Vietnam To Travel

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to cycle and cook hands-on in the Mekong Delta villages rather than watch from a boat, and prefer a small group that moves at a relaxed pace.

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Top questions

What is Vinh Tràng Pagoda and why is it worth visiting?

Vinh Tràng Pagoda is the largest ancient temple in the Mekong Delta, and you visit it after the cooking class and lunch. The tour includes entry, and you'll have time to explore the temple before heading to the boat for the afternoon on the river.

Can I do this tour if I don't know how to ride a bike?

Cycling is the main way to explore the countryside, but the tour offers free fishing as an alternative if you prefer not to ride. Either way, you visit the same orchards and rice fields and participate in the cooking class and boat ride.

What will I cook in the hands-on class?

You learn to make bánh xèo, a traditional Vietnamese pancake, in the farm kitchen. The class is hands-on, meaning you prepare the dish yourself, and then you eat it as part of your lunch at the farm.

Does the tour include lunch, and can you accommodate dietary needs?

Yes, lunch is included and consists of the Vietnamese food you cook in the class plus other local dishes. The operator can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other dietary restrictions if you indicate them when booking.

How long is the boat ride, and what happens on the water?

The boat portion takes up the afternoon after lunch. You cruise the Mekong and Tien rivers to see local life along the banks, ride in a hand-rowed sampan through small canals, stop at a bee farm for honey tea, and visit a coconut candy factory before returning to the bus.

Is this tour suitable for children?

Yes, children from age 1 are welcome. Infants can sit on an adult's lap, and specialized infant seats are available if needed. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, and the pace allows families to move at a comfortable speed.