{"id":421,"date":"2026-01-13T02:57:45","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T17:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/?post_type=gallery&p=421"},"modified":"2026-08-02T07:19:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T22:19:30","slug":"mekong-delta","status":"publish","type":"area_post","link":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/en\/area_post\/mekong-delta\/","title":{"rendered":"Mekong Delta sightseeing guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Mekong Delta is a vast water-town region in southern Vietnam where the Mekong River splits into many branches and pours into the sea. Floating markets, orchards, and palm-forest canal cruises are the main acts, visited on a day trip to a multi-day tour from Ho Chi Minh City. It\u2019s a region where you can experience \u201clife on the river.\u201d This page rounds up the big picture of the region, how to get around, classic spots, model courses, food, souvenirs, and the latest topics, and guides you to individual articles on caf\u00e9s, news, and souvenirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location<\/th>A delta spanning 9 provinces in the south<\/td><\/tr>
Characteristics<\/th>Vietnam\u2019s granary<\/td><\/tr>
Best season<\/th>December\u2013April<\/td><\/tr>
Suggested days<\/th>2\u20133 days<\/td><\/tr>
Language<\/th>Vietnamese (English also understood in tourist areas)<\/td><\/tr>
Currency<\/th>Vietnamese dong (VND)<\/td><\/tr>
Time difference from Japan<\/th>-2 hours<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What kind of place is the Mekong Delta?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Getting to the Mekong Delta and getting around<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

2\u20135 hours by car from Ho Chi Minh City (varies by destination). Varied, from day tours to 3-night, 4-day cruises. There\u2019s also Can Tho International Airport, accessible by domestic flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The delta is divided into multiple towns such as My Tho, Ben Tre, and Can Tho. Getting around is basically by boat, and tours that push into narrow canals in small boats are the standard. Since Can Tho\u2019s floating market is at its best in the early morning, we recommend staying the night before and setting out first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classic sightseeing spots in the Mekong Delta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We've summed up the representative spots in a quick-reference table. Use it as a guide when planning your route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spot<\/th>Notes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Cai Rang floating market (Can Tho)<\/td>The delta\u2019s largest; early morning 5\u20137 a.m.<\/td><\/tr>
Ben Tre\u2019s coconut canals<\/td>Into small palm-forest canals by hand-rowed boat<\/td><\/tr>
My Tho\u2019s fruit orchards and midstream islands<\/td>A day trip from HCMC; all-you-can-eat fruit<\/td><\/tr>
Chau Doc and Sam Mountain<\/td>The Cambodian border; a sacred mountain and temples<\/td><\/tr>
Long Xuyen \/ floating houses and fish-farming rafts<\/td>A floating settlement on the Mekong main stream<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cai Rang floating market (Can Tho)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The largest floating market representative of the Mekong Delta, and the highlight of delta sightseeing. From before dawn, boats gather and buy and sell fruit and ingredients from boat to boat. Sellers indicate their goods by holding them at the tip of a pole. Since the peak of activity is early morning, 5\u20137 a.m., the rule is to set a boat out from Can Tho\u2019s Ninh Kieu Wharf before sunrise. Having breakfast at an onboard stall is also popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ben Tre\u2019s coconut canals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The standard in the \u201ccoconut kingdom\u201d of Ben Tre is a cruise proceeding by hand-rowed small boat through narrow canals covered with nipa palms. The royal route is to stop along the way at a coconut-candy workshop, palm-sugar making, and a beekeeping garden, and savor tropical fruit at an orchard. It\u2019s a delta-like experience you can enjoy even on a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Tho\u2019s fruit orchards and midstream islands<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My Tho is the closest delta gateway to Ho Chi Minh City. On the midstream islands floating in the Mekong River (Unicorn Island, Thoi Son Island, and others), you can enjoy all-you-can-eat tropical fruit, appreciate southern traditional music (don ca tai tu), and tour the canals by hand-rowed boat. Half-day to one-day tours are abundant, and it suits a delta introduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chau Doc and Sam Mountain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The sacred Sam Mountain (Nui Sam) rising in Chau Doc near the Cambodian border. From the summit you can look out over the Mekong plain and even to the Cambodian side, and at its foot is Ba Chua Xu Temple, one of southern Vietnam\u2019s foremost places of worship. In the dry season, it\u2019s also easy to combine tours of the nearby Tra Su palm forest and floating villages (water settlements, fish-farming rafts).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long Xuyen \/ floating houses and fish-farming rafts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the Mekong main stream around Long Xuyen in An Giang Province, a distinctive landscape spreads out where floating houses on the river surface and fish-farming rafts raising fish beneath the houses run in succession. You can see up close a life that\u2019s complete on the river, and tours touring the settlement by boat are the standard. You can touch the simple daily life of a delta unspoiled by tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample courses for the Mekong Delta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Day trip<\/strong>: From Ho Chi Minh City toward My Tho \/ Ben Tre. Tour the canals by boat and visit palm-sugar and coconut-candy workshops and orchards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One night, two days<\/strong>: Extend to Can Tho, and the next morning head to the Cai Rang floating market. The lively early-morning river market is the delta\u2019s foremost highlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food and specialties of the Mekong Delta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the Mekong Delta, river fish, fermented foods, and tropical fruit are the main acts, with specialties differing by region. Here\u2019s a table of representative dishes and local products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dish<\/th>Characteristics<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Hu tieu My Tho (My Tho noodles)<\/td>A rice-noodle dish originating in My Tho. Springy rice noodles are combined with pork, shrimp, and offal in a clear soup made from pork bones and dried shrimp. You can choose with-soup or no-soup, a bowl representative of the delta.<\/td><\/tr>
Bun ca Chau Doc (fish soup noodles)<\/td>A noodle dish in a fish-based broth that is a specialty of Chau Doc. Slices of catfish and snakehead fish, along with plenty of herbs, are added to a soup tinted golden with turmeric. You can sense the Khmer and Cham cultural influence unique to this border region.<\/td><\/tr>
C\u00e1 l\u00f3c n\u01b0\u1edbng trui (straw-grilled snakehead fish)<\/td>A regional Delta dish in which snakehead fish is skewered on bamboo and grilled quickly over straw. You strip off the fragrant charred skin, then wrap the flesh with vegetables in rice paper to eat. It is a bold plate that symbolizes the river-fish culture.<\/td><\/tr>
Coconut candy and tropical fruits<\/td>Ben Tre's coconut candy (keo dua) and palm sugar, along with tropical fruits such as durian, mangosteen, and rambutan, are flavors that represent the Delta and make good souvenirs.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Souvenirs to buy in the Mekong Delta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We've summed up distinctly Vietnamese souvenirs by item (item names link to individual pages).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Item<\/th>Genre<\/th>Notes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Coconut oil<\/a><\/td>Food<\/td>The Mekong is a major coconut-producing region. You can find these at souvenir shops in the Delta.<\/td><\/tr>
Cashew nuts<\/a><\/td>Food<\/td>Available at markets, supermarkets, and the airport<\/td><\/tr>
Nuoc mam (fish sauce)<\/a><\/td>Food<\/td>Available at markets, supermarkets, and the airport<\/td><\/tr>
Vietnamese coffee beans<\/a><\/td>Food<\/td>Available at markets, supermarkets, and the airport<\/td><\/tr>
Basket bags<\/a><\/td>Goods<\/td>Available at markets, supermarkets, and the airport<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Latest topics from the Mekong Delta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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