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

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

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.