Mekong Delta: Tuk Tuk, Sampan & Vinh Trang Pagoda Day Trip

Summary

Rowing through coconut groves, tasting bánh khọt and folk music in My Tho

You’ll drift along quiet waterways by sampan, explore Vinh Trang Pagoda’s incense-scented halls, taste bánh khọt with locals, sip honey tea during live folk music, and cycle through coconut groves on this Mekong Delta day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Expect laughter, warmth, and moments that linger long after you’re back in town.

What’s the experience like?

“You ever try balancing on a sampan while the river smells like wet grass and sweet fruit?” That’s how our Mekong Delta day trip from Ho Chi Minh City started to feel real for me. Our guide Minh handed me a little conical hat — not sure if I wore it right — and we drifted past coconut trees so close you could almost touch them. The water was brown but alive, with kids waving from the banks and old men fixing nets. I didn’t expect the quiet; just the soft splash of oars and some birds arguing overhead. Minh pointed out how every family here seems to have at least one boat. Makes sense now.

We’d stopped earlier at Vinh Trang Pagoda, which is even older than it looks in photos. There was incense everywhere — not overpowering, just this gentle woody smell that stuck to my shirt for hours. A monk nodded at us as we shuffled past a laughing Buddha statue (Li laughed when I tried to say the name in Vietnamese — probably butchered it). Then came the tuk tuk ride through narrow lanes, bouncing over potholes while women waved from their porches. Someone was frying something that smelled like onion and coconut; later I found out it was bánh khọt, which we got to make with a local chef (mine looked sad but tasted good anyway).

I still think about sitting under thatched roofs drinking honey tea while a group played folk music nearby. The singer’s voice was soft but carried over the chatter — she smiled at us like she knew we were tourists but didn’t mind. We tried fresh fruit (dragonfruit is way better here) and watched as they made coconut candy by hand. Cycling around the coconut garden after lunch felt slow in a good way; no one rushed us, not even when I lagged behind staring at the river light flickering through palm leaves. So yeah, if you want a Mekong Delta tour that feels less like checking boxes and more like wandering into someone else’s afternoon — this is it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh City

• Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho
• Explore My Tho's agricultural landscape
• Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda

Top questions

How far is My Tho from Ho Chi Minh City?

My Tho is 86km away from Ho Chi Minh City.

Is hotel pickup included for this Mekong Delta tour?

Yes, pickup is included from hotels located in Districts 1, 3, and 4.

What food do you try on this day trip?

You get to try bánh khọt (mini savory pancakes), honey tea, coconut candy, tropical fruits, and a Vietnamese lunch set menu with vegan options.

Do I get to row a sampan myself?

No, local rowers guide the sampan; guests sit back and enjoy the ride.

Is cycling part of this Mekong Delta tour?

Yes, there’s time for cycling around a coconut garden during the tour.

Are entrance fees included?

All entrance fees are included in your booking price.

Can children join this Mekong Delta day trip?

Yes, children can join but must be accompanied by an adult.

Is public transport available nearby?

Yes, there are public transportation options near meeting points.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from central districts in Ho Chi Minh City before heading out by air-conditioned minivan or bus toward My Tho. Entrance fees are covered for all stops including Vinh Trang Pagoda. You’ll enjoy motorboat rides on the Mekong River plus hand-rowed sampan journeys through small canals. There’s a tuk tuk or electric car ride through village lanes and time for cycling among coconut gardens. Tastes along the way include bánh khọt cooked with a local chef, honey tea with seasonal fruit tasting (four kinds), coconut candy samples and a full Vietnamese lunch set menu — vegan options available too. Traditional music performance rounds out your visit before drop-off back in District 1.