Mekong Delta 1 Day Tour - Mekong boat and bike experience | Mekong Delta Tours

Mekong Delta 1 Day Tour - Mekong boat and bike experience | Mekong Delta Tours

Vietnam

(27 Reviews)

from/per person: $ 115.00 - 145.00
  • 1 Day
  • Min People : 2
  • Tour guide
  • Flexible
  • Min Age : 4+
  • Homestay
  • Bicycle
  • Boat
  • Car

Overview

You have a limited amount of time while in town but still want to make a day trip to Mekong Delta and see the beautiful countryside of Vietnam? You’ll be in good hands with our 1 day Mekong delta small group tour.

On this trip, we’ll take a boat down the Mekong River into the green and lush agricultural heartland of Southern Vietnam. You’ll be on a sampan down the canal, chatting with the locals (our tour guides are better than Google Translate and more attuned to the local stories), try one of their crafts (weaving, cooking, fishing, etc.) (available by request), and gaining insights into the daily life of a Vietnam farmer. Relax and enjoy yourself among nature and jovial local farmers are all you have to do on this Mekong delta small group tour.

MEKONG DELTA SMALL GROUP TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • No tourist shops/ traps
  • Enjoy exotic tropical fruits and delicious seafood
  • A visit to the local farmers’ homes, their place of worship, and the craft workshop where they make their living.
  • A 40-minute bicycle ride through the village (Vietnamese children will be waving and cheerfully saying "Hello!" to you).
  • A motorized boat trip and hand-rowed sampan trip through the peaceful canals (Venice’s canals will look like a small city block after ours :).
  • A visit to Ben Tre, the largest wholesale and retail market for local fruits, foods, and everything one can eat or choose not to eat (ah, there it is! The ever-polarizing “delicious, fragrant, pudding-like” / “stinky, pungent, acrid-smelling” durian) in the South of Vietnam.

SCHEDULE DETAILS

DURATION 1 day
TOUR TYPE/SIZE Mekong Delta Small group tour / Private tour (Minimum is 2 people and the maximum is 8 people)
MEETING/ENDING POINT Your hotel. Please note that we only offer free hotel pickup and drop-off in District 1,3 (some exclusions apply).
We kindly request guests staying outside of our pickup areas to meet us at Saigon Opera House in District 1.
DEPARTURE/ENDING TIME 07:00 AM - 4:00 PM

 

 

Itinerary

NOTICE

The tour includes a short cycling trip that suits 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 traffic behavior is quite different from the West or developed countries. Children under 12 are REQUIRED to sit on the back of the bike. In some exceptional cases, Western children (ages from 9-12) are taller the average Asian children, she/he can ride a bike her/ himself.

7:00 AM

We will pick you up from your hotel for a two-hour drive to the picturesque and friendly Ben Tre Province where you’ll be one of the rare foreigners who make it here.

9:00 AM

We will make our first stop at a beautiful local market, one of the largest of its kind in the region, and watch from robust trading activities going on to everyday family grocery shopping. Don't miss trying a variety of tropical fresh fruits from the local home garden.

We will then board a cruise going down the Mekong River to watch the daily going-one of the locals, and then Xe lôi (a motorized cart, a form of local transportation that is more comfortable than the traditional ox-pulled cart) and continue our exploration. Ben Tre Province is The Coconut Producer in Southern Vietnam. As such, our tour would have been missing if we didn’t take you to a coconut-processing factory and explain to you how the locals make a living from coconuts and the variety of products that come from coconuts (who knew coconuts have so many uses?). Aside from coconut, there are many other traditional ways in which the Delta provides for its inhabitants and we’ll go explore some more of them.

Then we switch to a hand-rowed sampan to go through the smaller canals (the equivalent of a back street in the city), lined with lovely local palm trees, live in natural sounds, and immerse into a peaceful feeling.

12:00 PM

For lunch, we will serve up wonderful “home-cooked dishes of delicious Vietnamese food. And don’t worry if you’re a vegetarian, let us know and your needs will be accommodated. After lunch, we will come to the highlight of our trip – a 40-minute cycling trip through the charming shaded village roads among the friendly, welcoming residents.

4:00 PM

This tour ends when you arrive back at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City at around 4:00 PM.

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

 

Prices & Offers

PRICE

  • Rates are in USD per group.
  • 30% surcharge applies for: Apr 30 & May 1; Sep 1-2; Jan 1, 2025

SMALL GROUP TOUR'S POLICIES:

  • Please note that the price applies for the number of people in the combined group (maximum 8 pax) on the date of the tour. So, we will REFUND you if we have more customers joining with you. In case, there is only your group, the tour will be organized as a private option.

  • Although we do accept solo traveler (or solo adult with children), we’ll need to match you with other travelers who wish to take the tour on the same day as you. The tour is only guaranteed to depart with a minimum of 2 adult travelers. In this case, please contact us by either phone or email to confirm the availability. 

FEATURES & INCLUSIONS

Included:

  •  Free hotel pickup and drop off in District 1,3 (some exclusions apply)
  •  Transportation: Minivan, boat, rowing boat, xe lôi, bicycle
  •  The first canned of Beer or soft drink
  •  2 small bottles of water/ passenger
  •  Meal (cater to vegetarian, food allergies, etc): lunch
  •  English speaking guide
  •  Fresh tropical fruits
  •  Entrance fee  Excluded
  •  Beverage (Except the first one)

Excluded:

  • Personal expenses
  • Tips and Gratuities
  • Travel insurance
 

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 don't 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 1,3 (some exclusions apply). Pickup/drop-off outside of this area and airport transfers are subject to extra charges

2. The trip concludes at around 5:00 PM in downtown. Please take this into account when making onward travel arrangements.

3. 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).

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 travelers' 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?

Bring?

Hat

Sunscreen

A small backpack

Sandals or similar

Mosquito repellent

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 strongly 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.

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.

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 a bicycle is provided for children from 4-5 years.

What is the riding like?

We cycle mostly on flat concrete paths and small paved, rural roads. Anyone who can reasonably ride a bike can do this ride.

Please note that our tour includes a short cycling trip (around 40 minutes) as a sightseeing activity. It is NOT a cycling type of tour, therefore the bikes which provided on the tour are typical Vietnamese student bikes.

I can not/ do not like riding a bicycle. Do you provide an alternative option?

If you join a small group tour we cannot change the activities out of consideration for our other guests. Therefore, you can instead relax on the hammock or walk around the village while others are on a bike trip.

Otherwise, you will have to take a PRIVATE tour and we will provide a 4o-minute boat trip as an alternative.

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.

 

Average Reviews

5/5

Very Good

From 27 Reviews

Cleanliness

100% Complete

Facilities

100% Complete

Value for money

90% Complete

Service

100% Complete

Location

95% Complete

Write a Review

D

Dimitri V

21:02, 19/05/2024

Great trip, very well organized, informative and with diverse experiences! Our guide Henry was wonderful, very knowledgeable and helpful!

J

Joanna

21:01, 19/05/2024

We went on a day trip to the Mekong Delta. Our tour guide was prompt, present, funny and full of knowledge. The tour provided a breadth of experiences including a larger boat, smaller canoe like boat and bikes. Lunch was delicious. I highly recommend this tour.

a

amanda_r_t

10:22, 23/01/2024

Fun local experience. We did the 1 day Mekong Delta private tour. We had hoped to find as untouristy options as possible and this fit the bill - we didn’t see a sing,e other tourist until our last stop for lunch. Our guide was very nice and the driver was safe. It was fun learning about coconut farming and processing, taking multiple types of boats plus the bike ride.

e

erintravels1

16:31, 22/08/2023

We were picked up from hotel promptly at 0700 by our guide San and our driver. It was around a two hour drive to Ben Tre, we had a quick rest stop on way. San was very friendly, knowledgeable of the Mekong Delta area, and a great photographer! When we arrived in Ben Tre, San showed us around a local food market and informed us about lots of different tropical foods typical of the area. Being British in a more rural area, we had a few curious stall owners saying hello and asking where we were from which was lovely, and didn’t feel any pressure to buy anything. San then took us on a boat ride, with free coconut water and fruits, down the river to an island. We looked around a handmade coconut candy shop and tried some different flavours, as well as some banana/coconut wine (at .35% alc vol!) We took a tuktuk to see some local ladies making brooms from coconut tree leaves, and then took an authentic rowboat down a small canal wearing the traditional hat (non la). We were taken by boat back to the mainland and had a delicious private lunch included in tour with view of the river. We barely saw any other tourists all day. We walked back through the town where our driver picked us up and we made way back to Saigon. Don’t plan to do anything straight after the tour, as the drive back is typically much longer (around 2hrs 30 at least) due to regular traffic at the time leaving. This was fine with us on the day, and we were informed of this on the way to the Mekong so we could decide whether to leave earlier. Many thanks to San for being a great guide, and for making us a video diary of the day, it was great!

F

Fabiana

21:09, 19/04/2023

Great Mekong delta tour Mar 2023 • Couples This is the Mekong one day tour which includes visiting a market, taking a traditional boat on the Mekong and visit a coconut farm. We had a great time on this tour and found this region to be absolutely stunning with very friendly people ! Do not miss this one ! The tour was organised well and communication was seamless. We really enjoyed that the tour was off the beaten track and we were pretty much the only tourists there. Do keep in mind that this is only one day (and travelling to and from takes a big chunk of the day) so unfortunately, you are not able to spend much time doing each activity so it can feel a little short. If you can, do try to spend one night there, it's worth it. A special mention must be made to our guide, Hai who truly made the tour special. He was really knowledgeable on the area, open to answering all of our questions, with a kind, energetic and positive attitude and a great sense of humour! Best tour guide we had in all our trip in Vietnam. Thank you Hai!

R

Rachel

14:34, 02/03/2023

1 day Mekong delta small group tour We did the 1-day Mekong delta small group tour from Saigon and really enjoyed it. We ended up being the only two people on the tour which was great. Our guide Tung was great, he was very friendly, chatty and knowledgeable, happy to answer all of our questions. The best bit about the tour was that it truly felt less touristy - we didn't see another tourist all day. The places we visited were interesting, lunch was nice and the organisation was really smooth. Even though this trip was quite a bit more expensive than some of the others, I'd definitely recommend it, and we were sad we couldn't do a longer tour. The only negative was that breakfast wasn't included. Given that we were picked up at 7am, it felt inappropriate to not provide some breakfast, even if this had just been a pastry and coffee to eat in the car.

D

Derek Park

22:21, 14/09/2022

Definitely a highlight of our trip We booked a day tour to the Mekong delta and can honestly say it was the highlight of our trip. Hao, our guide, was so engaging and enthusiastic about life in Vietnam and we learnt so much from him just on the journey alone! We are a family with 3 children aged 5 to 14 and there was something for everyone. The visit to the wet market was interesting and we bought some delicious sweet Vietnamese mangoes. A small boat took us cruising gently down one of the many tributaries of the delta. The Mekong is one of the great rivers of the world and truly something to behold. Another highlight was the bicycle ride through the rural villages deep in the heart of the wetlands. You really get close up to see the lives of the villagers there. We saw how coconut candy was made, and how resourceful the local villagers were with literally using every part of the coconut tree to make things from brooms to oil. Along the boat ride we stopped over at a local homestay by the river, hosted by Mai who calls the village her hometown and runs the place. She proudly showed us her garden and we were treated to a delicious home cooked meal of fresh tilapia, succulent prawns and delicious chicken broth! Highly recommended to anyone who wants a really authentic look at the life of people living in the delta and another side of Vietnam.

s

schip322

14:45, 15/08/2022

The best day trip to the Mekong Delta! We had the best day in the Mekong Delta with Innoviet! It was the perfect way to visit this special part of Vietnam. Our guide Tung was excellent, with near-perfect English and gave us great information about the history and culture of the region. Our trip included a visit to the Ben Tre market with tropical fruits, a motorboat ride along the river, a visit to a coconut factory, a canoe ride, a bike ride, and then a delicious lunch along the river. It was a very full day, and we covered a lot of ground but didn't feel too rushed. I want to stress that we did not see another tourist once throughout the day, and we never felt pressure to buy anything from any of the people we met. (We heard that most other tours to the Mekong Delta are very touristy and come with this expectation/pressure.) This was a unique and authentic way of visiting Ban Tre, and we're so glad we got to experience it with Tung. He took awesome photos, and answered all our questions, and made sure we were comfortable and hydrated throughout the day! We only wish we had more time and could have done an overnight homestay. For anyone looking for a beautiful, informative, fun cultural experience to the Mekong Delta, this is the tour for you! Read less

S

SSStraveling

10:20, 04/08/2022

Great one day tour of Mekong Delta My friend and I signed up for the 1 day Mekong Delta Rural tour. We ended up the only participants on the tour and had a wonderful day. Our guide made the experience feel very special and the travel outside the city and on the boats, tuktuk, and bike made the trip in smaller segments and each time we saw and experienced something different. The trip out of the city takes almost 3 hours, but the rest of the day really shows more of rural life. The included lunch was very nice and at a scenic spot next to the river. I recommend this tour if you are in Ho Chi Minh and want to see something different outside of the city.

S

Suzanne

12:39, 28/07/2022

The best day trip to the Mekong Delta! We had the best day in the Mekong Delta with Innoviet! It was the perfect way to visit this special part of Vietnam. Our guide Tung was excellent, with near-perfect English and gave us great information about the history and culture of the region. Our trip included a visit to the Ben Tre market with tropical fruits, a motorboat ride along the river, a visit to a coconut factory, a canoe ride, a bike ride, and then a delicious lunch along the river. It was a very full day, and we covered a lot of ground but didn't feel too rushed. I want to stress that we did not see another tourist once throughout the day, and we never felt pressure to buy anything from any of the people we met. (We heard that most other tours to the Mekong Delta are very touristy and come with this expectation/pressure.) This was a unique and authentic way of visiting Ban Tre, and we're so glad we got to experience it with Tung. He took awesome photos, and answered all our questions, and made sure we were comfortable and hydrated throughout the day! We only wish we had more time and could have done an overnight homestay. For anyone looking for a beautiful, informative, fun cultural experience to the Mekong Delta, this is the tour for you!

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