Deep in the Delta

Ho Chi Minh City – Cai Be

HCMC to Cai Be (105km): 2,5 hours

This morning, leave bustling Ho Chi Minh City for a two-hour drive into the beautiful Mekong Delta. Arrive at Cai Thia Village for a four kilometre cycling trip and explore the village, famous for its fruit gardens. Visit Mrs. Nam’s family to talk and see them perform the delicate steps to create traditional rice paper. Continue cycling around the fruit orchards and bask in the peacefulness of the village. Observe the daily life of the locals and see their traditional houses. Join a family of locals and learn to make ‘banh tieu’, a sweet fried rice cake. Taste this delicacy with some hot tea and prepare to get back to the village for a boat trip to Cai Be.

After arrival in Cai Be, lunch at a local restaurant and continue to Tan Phong Fruit Island. Take a characteristic row boat through the narrow canals around the island, and take in the lush landscapes so typical for this part of the Delta. Hop on a bicycle for a tour around the village and see the different crafts involving coconut leaves and dried water hyacinth. As the sun gradually sets, return to Cai Be. Explore the area as the sun goes down and dine at leisure before spending the night in Cai Be.

Cai Be - Chau Doc

Cai Be to Sa Dec (50 km): 90 minutes Sa Dec to Chau Doc (100 km): 3 hours

Leave Cai Be early for a 90-minute drive to Sa Dec, deep in the heart of the Mekong Delta. This charming, authentic Mekong Delta town seems to have escaped the modernization that has swept much of Vietnam. The town was immortalized by the French writer Marguerite Duras, who spent four years here from 1928 – 1932.

On arrival in Sa Dec, visit the charming Kien An Cung Pagoda before having lunch in the former home of Huynh Thuy Le, the main character in Marguerite Duras’ novel.  After visiting Sa Dec, continue by road to Chau Doc, arriving in time for a late lunch.

Chau Doc is a friendly riverside community where Buddhism and Islam co-exist side by side, due to its close proximity to Cambodia and its ethnic Cham minority.

This afternoon take a boat to Chau Giang District where many floating houses double as catfish farms. Explore a tiny mosque serving the local Cham community and learn about their history and how Arab merchants gradually brought Islam to these shores. The Cham also practice silk weaving and there may be an opportunity to see them at work. Spend the afternoon and evening at leisure and sleep in Chau Doc

Chau Doc - Can Tho

Chau Doc to Can Tho (120 km): 3 hours

Enjoy breakfast and seize the day with a visit to Chau Doc’s colorful market with a local guide. Continue with a three-hour drive to Can Tho, considered the largest city in the Mekong Delta. Spend the afternoon cycling around the quiet lanes and unhardened paths of Can Tho, as bicycles are the perfect way to get around. Explore the small farms, rice paddies and cottage industries, and discover hidden temples and friendly locals who are eager to talk and practice their English.

Spend the afternoon and evening at leisure and sleep in Can Tho.

Ho Chi Minh City

Can Tho to HCMC (180 km): 4 hours

Wake up early for a boat cruise to Cai Rang Floating Market. Whereas most floating markets in the Mekong Delta are gradually disappearing due to improved infrastructure and higher living standards, Cai Rang proudly maintains its floating market. Witness large wholesale boats anchor during the morning hours and create lanes that smaller boats weave in and out of. The main items sold are fruit and vegetables and every selling boat has a long upright pole at its bow from which samples of the goods for sale are hung. Depending on the season, the boats may carry mango, bananas, papaya and pineapple. The Cai Rang Floating Market has several pho vendors, a typical Vietnamese breakfast and there is even a floating coffee shop. Enjoy a lunch at leisure, check out and leave Can Tho in the early afternoon for the approximate four-hour drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.