Private journeys and custom trips across Vietnam
Southern Vietnam
Where the river sets the pace.
10.05° N, 105.75° EVietnam
Introducing Mekong Delta
The Mekong ends its long journey from the Tibetan Plateau in southern Vietnam, splitting into branches that spread across a vast, flat delta. The Vietnamese call it Cuu Long, Nine Dragons. Water shapes everything here. Houses stand on stilts along the banks, sampans carry fruit to market, and narrow canals shaded by coconut palms link villages that roads reach only reluctantly.
This is Vietnam's rice bowl and its fruit basket. Days are spent on the water and in orchards, at brick kilns and flower villages, eating fish grilled whole and fruit picked the same morning. After the noise of Saigon, the quiet takes a day to get used to.
This is Vietnam's rice bowl and its fruit basket.
Why go
Floating markets, riverside workshops and canal-side homes show a way of life still tied closely to the river.
Rambutan, longan and pomelo grow along the canals, and the nurseries of Sa Dec fill with flowers in the weeks before Tet.
After the pace of the city, the delta is green, gentle and quiet, an easy place to decompress.
Things to do
01
Arrive by boat in Can Tho as traders sell pineapples, watermelons and pumpkins from their hulls, each hanging a sample of their goods from a tall pole.
02
Walk raised paths between rows of potted flowers, and visit the old house of Huynh Thuy Le, whose romance inspired Marguerite Duras' novel The Lover.
03
Glide along narrow, palm-shaded waterways and stop at family workshops making coconut candy or rice paper.
04
Follow village lanes past fruit gardens and fish ponds, stopping for tea and fresh fruit along the way.
Before you go
The dry season from December to April is the easiest time to travel. From around August to November the river rises and some low areas flood.
Good to know
A day trip from Saigon shows you the edge of the delta. An overnight stay reaches Can Tho and the floating market at dawn, which is where the region really opens up.
Yes, though they are smaller than they once were, as roads and bridges have taken over some of the river trade. Cai Rang in Can Tho is still the best known.
Riverside homestays are a popular way to see the delta, though comfort levels vary. Tell us what kind of stay you prefer when you enquire and we'll suggest options.
If you want a route
4 of our journeys include Mekong Delta. Every route can be reshaped around how you want to travel.
6 daysHo Chi Minh CityMekong DeltaDa Nang +2
South to centre in six days: the Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong Delta, then a flight to Da Nang for Hoi An, Ba Na Hills, the Imperial City of Hue and the villages around Hoi An.
2 daysHo Chi Minh CityMy ThoBen Tre +1
Down the delta to Can Tho for the night, so you can be on the water at Cai Rang floating market while it is still busy.
2 daysHo Chi Minh CityCu ChiMekong Delta +1
The tunnels and a cooking class on day one, a night out in the delta, and the river, the coconut mills and a sampan on day two.
Tell us how you like to travel and we'll build it into a journey that fits.
