Homestay
3 days
Bicycle
Boat
Car
Tour guide
 

Overview

The Mekong 3 Days Culture Tour allows you to fully immerse yourself into the culture of Vietnamese people. The bike ride takes you through the rice fields and on secret trails, walking through the local market will connect you to the depths of local life. Having breakfast at the floating market was a lot of fun and after our guide bought pineapple for us all from one of the fruit boats. The land market was also great to see. It is used by the locals for fresh produce rather than tourists so very different from any of the other markets. You visit a real insight again into Vietnamese life. 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Visit a colorful local market
  • Visit a local home and enjoy fresh tropical fruits
  • Spend a night at an authentic homestay with a friendly host family
  • Enjoy a beautiful boat trip and hand-rowing sampan through canals
  • Visit Cai Rang floating market - the worthwhile floating market in Vietnam
  • Join an interesting cooking activity and enjoy home-prepared dinner with the host
  • Visit local homes and workshops (brick, broom-making workshops) where they make their living
  • Enjoy a picturesque bicycle ride (2.5 - 3 hours) through rural villages with pagodas, tropical orchards and paddy fields

And more...

SCHEDULE DETAILS

DURATION  3 days
TOUR TYPE/SIZE Private
MEETING Your hotel. Please note that we only offer free hotel pickup and drop off in District 1,3 (some exclusions apply)
ENDING POINT Your hotel in HCMC OR Can Tho bus station (to Rach Gia/ Ha Tien/ Chau Doc) / or Rach Gia by private car (extra fee).
DEPARTURE/ENDING TIME 07:30 AM - 5:00 PM (in HCMC on day 3)

 

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Itinerary

NOTICE:

The tour includes a short cycling trip that suits for the children from 12 years or above. For safety reasons, we do not provide small bikes for young children who are under 12 years of age, as local traffics behavior is quite different from the West or developed countries. Children are under 12 are REQUIRED to sit on the back of the bike. In some exceptional cases, the Western children (ages from 9-12) are taller the average Asian children, she/he can ride a bike her/himself.

Day 1: Saigon – Ben Tre – Vinh Long (_, Lunch, Dinner)

7:30: Begin your journey with 2 hours drive to a picturesque little province of Ben Tre where tourists are still a scarce species and locals are open and friendly. We get boarded our boat for a cruise on the Mekong River to watch local daily life and enjoy fresh tropical fruits which are well-known in the Mekong area. Continuing our Mekong discover, we'll travel by Xe Loi (motorized cart). Your local guide will explain how the local people make their living at the coconut-processing factory. As we meander down the Mekong, we'll have a chance to visit local villages in the area and learn more about the traditional lifestyles, culture, and customs of people who call the Delta their home. Then to a hand-rowing sampan to wind through some green, lush, picturesque canals between lines of nipa palm. For lunch, you will be served home-prepared dishes of delicious Vietnamese food.

After lunch, we continue your journey by car (around 2 hours) to an untouched area of Vinh Long called Tra On. We will take a local ferry to reach the homestay you will be greeted by the friendly host family. After having a short break, we will get ready to cook dinner with the host and enjoy delicious home-prepared dishes as well as share stories about life in the Mekong Delta. Stay overnight at the homestay.

Day 2: Vinh Long – Can Tho (Breakfast, Lunch, _)

7:00 AM We start off by a local ferry, enjoy the fresh air on the Mekong River, we stop at a colorful land market in Tra On for the view of trading customs as well watching the friendly market goers buying their food for the incoming meals then have your breakfast at the market like locals.

After breakfast, we will have a stunning bicycle ride as your guide will take you weaving through the canal trails and orchard paths into the charming villages with paddy fields, pagodas and meeting friendly, welcoming people (around 2,5 - 3 hours, including visits along the way).

Finish the bike trip, we come back the homestay when your delicious lunch is ready. We take it easy after lunch by relaxing on the hammock.

Soon we will have to say goodbye to our friendly hosts (at around 3 pm) for our trip to for Can Tho. We will travel like a local by taking a local wooden boat (about 1,5 hour), the nice & cool wind is blowing on your cheek while you are watching the daily life activities along with the Mekong River.

As the name of the tour implies, you will be immersed yourself the Delta way of life. This is why we choose the local boat instead of a car for this route (however, traveling by CAR can be requested if you do not like going on the boat).

We will arrive in Can Tho at around 4:30 pm, you will check-in to your hotel and have free time to explore the city in the evening (DINNER is NOT included for this evening).

Day 3: Can Tho - Floating Market - Ho Chi Minh City (Breakfast, Lunch, _)

7:30 Start your day early to enjoy peaceful fresh air in Mekong Delta, we take a short walk to Ninh Kieu Wharf, then get boarded on the boat to visit the Mekong Delta's most intimate and best floating market, Cai Rang - the biggest wholesale market floating market in the Mekong Delta. You will be able to observe authentic trading customs on boats and sê daily life on rivers where big boats are lined up with colorful fruits and vegetables such as pineapple, dragon fruit, watermelon, yam, and cabbage on the top of their boat. Look at what's tied to the long pole above the boat to figure out what they're selling to smaller traders. Then let’s enjoy an authentic Vietnamese breakfast like rice noodle “Bun” or “Hu Tieu”. It is very interesting to have your breakfast in the middle of the river and try to manage the chopstick and soup bowl while you are on a boat or floating restaurant. (optional, breakfast at the hotel is also included, you can choose either one at your desire).

After your stomach is filled up, we will continue the trip to visit an ancient Khmer temple to learn more about the local belief as well as discover the multi-culture of community in Mekong Delta.

On the way back to Ho Chi Minh City, you will stop to visit a beautiful island which is known as the heaven of fruits such as durian, rambutan, guava, and jack fruit...and fill your stomach with delicious seafood from Mekong river at our lovely restaurant. This tour ends upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City at your hotel around 4:00 PM.

*** Regarding the travellers who would like to stop the tour at Can Tho to continue your excursion to Phu Quoc/ Da Nang/ Ha Noi. We will visit a Cacao garden and Chocolate making process to learn about how people make chocolate from Cacao fruits to a bar of chocolate and listen to the inspired stories of the Mekong old man who spends all his love with Cacao trees on the motherland before ending the trip at Can Tho City at around 09:30AM. For this case, we will support to drop you off at the airport to replace your lunch and prepare a light snack for you. ***

Note: some activities can be rearranged due to unexpected situations (weather, tidal systems, etc.)

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Prices & Offers

COMBO TOUR

You will receive the $10 USD off per adult for the 2nd tour with us

PRICE

  • Rates are in USD per person.
  • 30% surcharge applies for: Jan 21-29, Apr 30 & May 1;   Sep 2;   Dec 31, 2023 &  Jan 1, 2024

FEATURES & INCLUSIONS

Included:

  • Free hotel pickup and drop off in District 1,3 (some exclusions apply)
  • Private transportation: Car, boat, Sampan, Xe Loi, Bicycle, etc
  • Meals (cater to vegetarian, food allergies, etc): 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner
  • 2 small bottles of water/passenger/day
  • Homestay in Vinh Long (Double / Twin Share / Communal room)
  • Hotel 3-star in Can Tho (Double / Twin Share / Family Room)
  • English speaking guide
  • Tropical fruits
  • Entrance fee

Excluded:

  •  Other meals
  •  Personal expenses
  •  Dinner on 2nd night in Can Tho
  •  Insurance, tips and gratitude
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Important Notes

CONFIRMATION OF BOOKING

When you submit your booking, it does NOT mean your tour is booked. You will receive a confirmation email from our booking staff shortly. 

If you do not hear back from us within 24 hours of your booking request, please check your SPAM or JUNK mail folder or contact us again via [email protected] or call us at (+84) 834391331. Thank you!

ESSENTIAL TRIP INFORMATION

1. We only offer free hotel pickup and drop off as long as your hotel is located in District 1 (some exclusions apply). We kindly request guests staying outside of our pickup areas to either meet us at the suggested meeting points in District 1 for the start of the tour.

2. Although children under five are free of charge. 50% of the adult price will be charged for the second child (if there are more than 1).

3. There will be quite a bit of driving on this tour as we have to cover a vast region.

ITINERARY DISCLAIMER

Please note that while we operate successful trips in this region throughout the year, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes. This can happen with little notice so please be prepared for modifications to the route.

Occasionally our itineraries are updated during the year to incorporate improvements stemming from past travellers' comments and our own research.

The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary from time to time.

TOUR FAQs

What to prepare for the trip? 

Passports

Sun cream

A small backpack

Sandals or similar

Mosquito repellent

Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, towel, soap, shampoo etc)

Luggage?

You can either ask to leave those at your hotel (if possible) and carry a small bag/ backpack for your trip OR you can carry them on the tour. Those can be left on the car/ at the homestay.

Wear?

We do not have a dress code for our tours however, dress standards are conservative throughout Asia, especially outside major cities. To respect this and for your own comfort, we recommend modest clothing. This means clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Loose, lightweight, long clothing is both respectful and cool in the predominantly hot Asian climate.

What is the homestay like?

Feel like home is what we can describe. Simple, basic but is sure to be a lasting memory of your tour. Our homestays are real local homes where you will stay with locals and see how the locals live, work and eat.

The room type is private OR or multi-share dormitory-style. However, the private rooms are limited so they will be offered on a first-come/first-serve basis. So if other guests book out your desired room, before you request us this type of room, we will only be able to arrange you the multi-share dormitory-style room.

Each room at the homestay is provided Vietnamese mattress, bed sheet, blanket, mosquito net and fan. The bathrooms and toilets (western style) are shared.

Homestay alternative?

Not so keen on staying in a homestay? No problem! Let’s stay in a Hotel instead.

However, this is a pre-designed tour which specializes in homestay and cycling. If you join a group tour we cannot change the activities out of consideration for our other guests. Thus, we have to make this tour private OR customize this tour base on your requests.

If you are still interested in the cycling, cooking and have dinner at a homestay, you still can take the "Mekong Trails & Tales" PRIVATE tour, we will just change the overnight at homestay to a 2 or 3-star hotel option. We will travel to Can Tho (takes 30 minutes) after dinner time (8 or 9 PM) to check-in to the hotel.

Otherwise, you can take a CUSTOM tour. 

Is cycling safe and children-friendly?

Yes! Our tour is kid friendly. We design the tour to be entertained and suitable for guests from 4 years and older. Family with the child is under 4 is NOT recommended for this tour.

However, for safety reasons, we do not provide small bikes for young children who are under 12 years of age, as local traffics behavior is quite different from that from the West or developed countries. Children are under 12 are REQUIRED to sit on the back of the bike, baby seat for the bicycle is provided for children from 4-5 years.

In some exceptional cases, the Western children (ages from 9-12) are taller the average Asian children, she/he can ride a bike her/himself.

What is the riding like?

The cycling is approximately 10 - 12 km long and we cycle mostly on flat concrete paths and small paved, rural roads. We will make a few stops during the trip to visit local sights such as local workshop, temple, rice fields and also a water break. Thus, anyone who can reasonably ride a bike can do this ride.

Please note that our tour includes a 2,5 - 3 hours cycling as a sightseeing activity, it is NOT a cycling type of tour. Therefore, the bikes which are provided on the tour are typical Vietnamese student bikes.

Cycling alternative?

Can not/ do not like riding a bicycle? No problem. We will provide an alternative.

However, if you join a small group tour we CANNOT change the activities out of consideration for our other guests. Therefore, you will have to take a CUSTOM tour. Please send us your requests and we design your own special tour!

Continue to Phu Quoc / Phnom Penh after the tour?

Yep! This tour is for you.

The tour ends either in Ho Chi Minh City at around 5 pm (default) or Can Tho at around 1 pm where you can take a bus to Rach Gia (3 hours) OR Chau Doc (3,5 hours) and then continue your way to Phu Quoc / Phnom Penh.

Please note that boat to Phu Quoc only starts TWICE per day at around 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM, AND the express boat to Phnom Penh only start ONCE per day at around 7:30 AM. This means you have to stay overnight in Rach Gia / Chau Doc on the date of your tour finish.

Is there any malaria or dengue fever in the Mekong Delta?

Malaria is now under control in Vietnam so the risk of malaria is very low but dengue should be more of a concern which is common in Vietnam.

Although Mekong Delta is NOT a malaria area and mosquitoes are only active at dusk and dawn, you should consider using insect repellent if you intend to take on the trip.

Is tipping customary in Vietnam?

Although our trips are inclusive of all costs and we ensure our guides and local staff are paid fairly, if you’re happy with the services provided a tip – though NOT compulsory – is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it’s of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels and inspires excellent service. Although can be difficult to source we advise you to carry small notes of local currency each day to make tipping easier.

The following amounts are per person suggestions based on local considerations and feedback from our past travelers:

  • Restaurants: Local markets and basic restaurants – round your bill up to the nearest US$1. More up-market restaurants we suggest 10% to 15% of your bill.
  • Drivers: You may have a range of drivers on your trip. Some may be with you for a short journey while others may be with you for a few days. We would suggest a higher tip for those more involved with the group, however, we suggest US$1-US$2 per day for drivers.
  • Your Tour Guide: We suggest US$3-US$5 per day for your tour guide for outstanding service throughout your trip

Of course, you are free to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is NOT compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service. However, please DO NOT tip with coins, very small denomination notes, or dirty and ripped notes. This is regarded as culturally as an insult.

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Review


N
Niels H
10:27, 23/01/2024
Great experience in rural Mekong Delta. We booked the 3-day private Mekong Delta tour and had a fantastic time. Communication with Innoviet was very smooth alnd the program was well thought through, including plenty interesting stops and some breathtaking scenery. The night we spent at the homestay really made the experience feel very local, the family were so hospitable and friendly and the food just delicious. Moreover, you could not ask for a better guide than San! So all in all highly recommended.

A
Aonghus C
10:17, 23/01/2024
Boats, bamboo and Banh Xeo. We loved the Mekong 3 day homestay + cycling tour. Set at the perfect leisurely pace to take in the river life, it kept us away from the beaten track, allowing us to watch locals go about their daily life. Visits were interesting and there was a good variety of activities. Our time at Homestay Cô Tư Trà Ôn, was absolute heaven. Located in an idyllic setting, where the hosts welcomed us like long lost friends, treating us to delicious meals, their secret technique for making Banh Xeo and plenty of relaxing hammock time. If we had one complaint... they fed us too much! Best of all was our personable guide: Percy made the whole experience unforgettable, with a unique blend of good-nature, discretion and humour, sharing stories and valuable insights into Vietnamese customs and history. He has excellent communication skills and is very easy to get along with.

E
Eileen Ray
11:30, 20/01/2024
The Mekong Delta 3 day tour is an exceptionally well-designed experience offering insight into the local customs and culture of the Mekong Delta. Visiting the home and workshop of the family who alternate between farming, broom making and pancake baking depending on market demand, was a memorable example. We enjoyed numerous private and public boat rides on the river itself. Transportation between activities was comfortable and seamless. The beautiful and peaceful bike ride around Tra On Island provided an opportunity to view local life and agriculture up close. With almost no cars on the island, all harvests are carried to market either by boat or in huge baskets strapped to the back of motor scooters. Fantastic photo ops at every turn! We really enjoyed the night in Can Tho, with the jaw dropping harbor view hotel and stunning light displays for Tet. The morning markets on the river and on land were both vivid examples of local business practices. Our host family and their neighbors for the homestay were incredibly friendly and hospitable. Their home and gardens provided a tranquil setting for the time we stayed, offering a nice balance to the many activities. As mentioned in another review, the dinner we got to help cook was the best meal we’ve eaten in Vietnam to date. Our guide Phuong was a pure pleasure to spend time with from the moment of hotel pickup. Besides being fun, personable and friendly, he’s very knowledgeable about Vietnam’s history, culture and geography. He’s well versed in the multiple religions and philosophies that have shaped Vietnam of today. As our trip coincided with the lead up to the Tet holiday, we had many opportunities to learn about the traditions involving ancestors, living relatives and friends. Phuong’s great sense of humor coupled with a consistent attention to the wants and needs of guests, really make him a standout guide. My husband and I enthusiastically recommend this tour!

M
Milan and Monica
16:33, 02/11/2023
Our guide Henry (Hao) was fantastic. His English was great and very easy to communicate with. I was very impressed by his knowledge of history and culture and we learnt a lot from him. He was very patient and well organised and made everything run smoothly. The 3 day Mekong experience was beautifully designed and covered everything I wanted to see and do and also more! I highly recommend this tour to anybody who wants to experience something of the real Mekong delta life. The food at our Homestay was honestly the best I’ve had in Vietnam (this is our 3rd trip). Really, Anthony Bourdain would have been impressed! All the best and thank you Milan and Monica

U
Ulrich G
10:54, 14/10/2023
great inside of rural Vietnam Oct 2023 • Couples We had booked a 3 day, homestay and cycling tour that exceeded every expectation. Our guide HAI spoke perfect English, had a wide range of knowledge, a great sense of humor and was flexible in responding to our wishes. It was quite sweaty, but we were compensated by the many smiling Vietnamese we met off the beaten track

K
Kim A
15:32, 28/03/2023
Lovely homestay and off the beaten path experience My husband and I did the 3 day Mekong Delta tour with homestay. Our guide, Henny (aka Khoa) was so kind and good natured. He answered all of our questions(no matter how silly) and had a good sense of humor. We loved the quiet of the delta after the chaos of HCMC. It was great to see how local people live and our homestay hosts were so friendly and welcoming and made delicious food for us! You could definitely do the 2 day tour, but we did enjoy the more relaxed pace of the 3 day tour.

J
Jenny Hogg
14:32, 02/03/2023
Worldclass tour! Was on a tour to the Mekongdeltaet with a bicycleride, homestay and visiting flodingmarket and sailing the Mekong. A great trip and the best guide, Tung.

V
Vivienne Chong
18:41, 11/12/2022
We booked 2 tours with Innoviet - the Mekong 3D Homestay cum Cycling tour and the Cu Chi tunnels Ben Duoc tour. These were very interesting, memorable and enriching experiences. Our helpful guides Hai and Tung were knowledgeable and patient with our family of 3 teens. The pace was just nice to help us have a glimpse of life in the Mekong delta. Truly enjoyed the variety of activities and transport modes, rain or shine. The homestay owner and family were warm and friendly. The meals were great and we were treated to fresh fruits and fish from their garden and pond. We also had fun preparing and eating local food. The floating market was unique and we could enjoy noodles and pineapples on a boat. Thank you Hai for sharing with us interesting information, legends and even your family’s war experience. Cu Chi tunnels at Ben Duoc was not crowded. We could try out the tunnels and visit serene Ben Duoc Temple too. Would certainly recommend these great tours!

S
Stephane
20:34, 28/04/2022
3 days 2 nights in the Mekong Delta. One of a kind experience! The best tour of my 20 years of traveling! Every aspect of the tour was top quality and genuine! 1- The tour was filled with an excellent selection of activities and visits. Some were spectacular, some were really interesting and helped us to understand how people live in the Delta. Most of the time we saw little other tourists making us feel as we were out of the crowd tracks. Alone, it would have been impossible to see so much. This only makes this tour of a great value. 2- Everything was very professionally organized. The contact with the agency before the booking was very responsive. Our tour guide Tung went the extra miles to make our 3 days enjoyable: We got plenty of interesting explanation regarding the culture, food, religion, etc. We took all kind of transportations (private van, boats, smaller boats, tuk-tuk, bike, walking) and we never had to wait! Tung got us fruits, local snacks and drinks along the way for us to discover. We did not have to pay anything for it. It felt like a friend was happy to take us on a journey in his country. Alone we would have never dared to buy street food like this. These little attentions made a big difference! 3 In the past we have taken many tours from bribed agencies selling an “authentic” experience which takes you to a fake "handcraft" shops where you see "tips" box at the end of the visit. The whole experience of this tour felt genuine. We saw so many people smiling at us and showing us things without expecting something in return. We never had the feeling that we needed to give money for a visit. We had the time we wanted to explore and enjoy. We are now back in France and The Netherlands filled with images of those amazing landscapes, smiles, and great moments. We saw and learned so much. Those 3 fantastic days exceeded our expectations. Thank you very much to Tunk and Innoviet for putting so much effort in making this tour so genuine! Don’t change anything and keep up with this quality. You are doing a great job!

K
Klaudia M
11:22, 06/05/2020
We really enjoyed staying at the lovely homestay. Another highlight is the cycling tour through the villages, we used many local ferries. The floating market was absolutely amazing. We had a lovely guide, Lin, she made our trip unforgettable! We can absolutely recommend it!