First-hand accounts of Vietnam's Mekong Delta, as featured in our Vietnam travel guide, paint a picture of a forbidding wilderness, complete with leeches swimming like noodles and the loud buzz of mosquitoes feasting on buffalo. And, despite the developed infrastructure, the delta is still a wilderness, perfect for explorers who like to get away from the crowd.
On my most recent trip, which My Way Travel sponsored, I explored options outside the region's capital of Can Tho and the frequently photographed Cai Rang Floating Market. A ten-night trip right across Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is plenty to see everything I've highlighted here, or you can tack on a couple of these stops to the conclusion of a classic Vietnam trip.
The delta region's capital, Can Tho's calmer neighborhoods
Flower Fields, Sa Dec
Most visitors to Can Tho will access the city via its bridge, a four-lane structure spanning 2.75 kilometers (1.7 miles) over the Mekong.
Despite being a cliched must-do for most tourists, a trip to the historic floating market in the Can Tho neighborhood of Cai Rang is well worth your time.
Watch the action from a riverside coffee stand instead of joining the swarm of tourist boats that outnumber the market boats by a factor of five to one. Since it's a wholesale market open all day, you don't have to wake up early to go (it'll be much calmer if you sleep in and go a bit later).
The next stop for many tourists is a visit to one of the rice noodle establishments. Again, if you wait until the afternoon when it's calmer, you can watch the noodles dry in the sun on racks.
Vietnam's chocolate business is flourishing mainly due to the popularity of the artisanal brand Marou. Cacao farms, which still barely receive a trickle of tourists, allow you to see the chocolate-making process up close and even provide samples along the way.
The village of Sa Dec from Marguerite Duras's French book L'Amant and the film adaptation of The Lover are a short drive away. The colonial home that serves as the novel's focal point remains open to visitors, and the town's ancient, winding alleys, riverside promenades, and hectic markets are all still there.
All of the vegetation in the southern part of Vietnam originates here. This means that plants and flowers could appear practically anywhere.
With a knowledgeable guide, you may stroll through the flower fields and stop by the home of a local family who welcomes visitors to their flower garden, where you may find yourself reluctantly donning gardening gloves and pitching in to assist.
Victoria Can Tho
Where to stay in Can Tho
The Victoria Can Tho is a favorite of mine. The sampans gliding past at night illuminate the river as seen from the courtyard/pool area. The hotel's Spices Restaurant serves a variety of regional specialties, including the chewy rice-flour dumpling filled with shrimp or pork known as bot loc cake.
The island hotel Azerai is another option. After I checked in at the front desk, they gave me a cool towel and a glass of juice before directing me to a waiting speedboat. Visitors first notice the expansive grounds, large pool, and spacious suites.
Heading south to Soc Trang by sampan
Sampan, the Mekong Delta, and Vietnam, a cruise
Your route now departs from what most tourists do when visiting this area. Most people never go farther into the delta than Can Tho. Please return to the next big city, Soc Trang, to see the delta at its best (and calmest). Taking a one-night sampan cruise is the optimal method for accomplishing this. It's a great way to escape traffic and view the river and its inhabitants up close.
A cool towel and fresh coconut juice await aboard the classic sampan with a thatched top. The rooms are large, and there is an open front where you can sit and enjoy the scenery of the river. As you set sail, the boat is filled with refreshing air.
The sampan makes a pit stop at a floating garden where you can see the pinnacle of precision horticulture in action: small trees and plants grow on beautifully crafted floating platforms for wholesale purchase by bigger firms in Sa Dec.
You can get off the boat and go to a mushroom farm or a place where they make rice wine, and then you can go on a sunset rowing trip through the mangroves.
Local favorites like banh xeo (crisp pancakes) and tamarind chicken (grilled chicken with lime, ginger, and sweet-and-sour tamarind root) are served for dinner on board.
The journey to Soc Trang will resume after an overnight mooring.
Far from the crowds in the Khmer provinces
Wat Ang, a stunning Khmer temple in Tra Vinh city, southern Vietnam
The Khmer Empire dominated the area south of Ho Chi Minh City until the 17th century. Consequently, certain portions of the delta, places like Soc Trang and Tra Vinh Province on the coast, maintain a Cambodian character (particularly in architecture and gastronomy). As you reach these areas, you may see one of the numerous family-run businesses preparing dried fish and shellfish on the riverbanks.
After getting off the sampan, I recommend driving away from Soc Trang since there isn't much to see. The Rice is, the region's main export, is on display here. The endless rice fields outside of Can Tho provide a nice change of pace from the city.
Due to the slow pace of development in this area, you will need to use a local boat to go over rivers on your way through the region. Instead of major attractions, you'll find a quiet, undiscovered corner of Vietnam steeped in Khmer culture.
The best way to see the sights is on two wheels with a local guide, pedaling through the woods and Buddhist temples, rice paddies, and artisan workshops.
And the Khmer provinces are just the spot to go if you want to participate in a genuine regional celebration. The Cambodian Water Festival, or Bom Om Touk, happened during my most recent trip there.
Team rowers competed down a short section of river while my guide and I looked on, cheered on by hundreds of onlookers, colorful Buddhist flags, and saffron-robed monks. The competition was strong, and the tension was high. The victors were announced, streamers were let off, and the partying continued into the night.
Where to stay in the Khmer provinces
The Suonsia Homestay, located in the rural hamlet of Cau Ke in the province of Tra Vinh, is enough for a short stay.
The fruit orchards of Vinh Long
Coco Riverside Lodge, Vinh Long
The rice paddies give way to fruit orchards when you enter Vinh Long province (about an hour's drive north of Tra Vinh). Spend a few days unwinding here by boat, touring coconut plantations, and cycling through dragon fruit groves.
However, many people, myself included, consider visiting Mr. Luong the highlight of Vinh Long. He's a military hero who welcomes guests into his home and loves having long conversations with them. The second song he played had me completely captivated (especially after a few glasses of rice wine).
Where to stay in Vinh Long
The Coco Riverside Lodge is a small, straightforward operation. Its riverfront bungalows aren't exactly the height of luxury, but they're perfect for relaxing and watching life go by on the river.
I could have stayed there all day and watched the local fishermen haul in their nets and the coconut cargo ships.
Ben Tre, the kingdom of coconuts
Ben Tre, which is roughly an hour's drive from Coco Riverside, is where I suggest you finish your trip. The coconuts grown in this region are known for their very high oil content, making the region's name associated with the fruit.
Mekong Delta, Vietnam, between Ben Tre and Tra Vinh, with a boatload of coconuts
The area around Ben Tre has become rather congested with day trippers. Avoid the crowds and get an insider's look at Mekong's most important economic, transportation, and gastronomic hubs by booking a spot on the following private guided trip.
Before arriving at the little fruit-growing hamlet via motorized tricycle, you'll stop by a family-run sticky rice cake shop and a small coconut factory (with many opportunities to taste the goodies).
Visit an open-hearted Vietnamese family after strolling around their orchards. Coconut candy, banana brittle, and salted mango are other Mekong delicacies.
Afterward, you'll take a private boat trip down a slender canal into the Mekong. A huge Buddha statue stands on the riverbank of Ben Tre City, and it is from here that many people receive their first glimpse of the city.
Although several barges litter the stream, your ship follows the calmer side, passing some fishing nets and eventually docking at a modest shipyard.
The last leg of the trip is a leisurely bike ride through towns and fruit orchards, with a break for tea and refreshments at another local residence. Your guide will provide bicycles.
The trip ends after a sampan ride through the mangroves and lunch at a historic home in the heart of town. Elephant earfish is a must-try if you're in the area.
Where to stay in Ben Tre
Hidden in the delta, Mekong Home is just two hours from Ho Chi Minh City. Water gardens and coconut trees are all around the property's ten rooms. In addition to free bicycle usage and coconuts (not something you can say about every hotel), guests may enjoy the sunset from the sunset terrace.
The property's open-air kitchen and restaurant, covered by a thatched canopy, is a major attraction. Visualize the dappled green light of the delta while you dine on freshly made spring rolls, prawn salads, and curries.
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