Mekong Delta, southern Vietnam · Vietnam
A flat green maze of rivers, canals, orchards and floating markets, where life moves by boat and the best breakfast is a noodle soup served from a sampan.
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0
The Mekong River ends its journey of 4,900 km in southern Vietnam, splitting into a fan of channels that empty into the South China Sea. The delta they form is one of the most fertile places in Asia, producing much of Vietnam's rice, fish and tropical fruit. It is a flat landscape of paddies, orchards, fish farms and villages linked by waterways, where boats are still as important as roads.
For visitors, the delta offers a glimpse of everyday rural life in the south, at a slow pace. Typical trips include boat rides through narrow canals lined with nipa palms, visits to workshops making coconut candy, rice paper and puffed rice, orchard walks with fruit tasting, and overnight stays in homestays. The most famous sight is the floating market at Cai Rang near Can Tho, where traders sell produce from boats, though it has shrunk as roads and bridges have improved.
The delta is easy to visit on a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, but it repays a night or two, particularly for the early-morning atmosphere. Many visitors also use it as a route to or from Cambodia, by boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh.
Why visit
The Mekong Delta is a peaceful contrast to Vietnam's cities, and shows a different side of the country.
Life on and beside the rivers, from small sampans to big barges.
Early-morning trade on the water, with produce sold from boats.
Fruit tasting, coconut candy and rice-paper making.
A night with a local family, with home cooking.
A day trip or a relaxing overnight stay, within a few hours.
Main attractions
The delta is large, and most visitors choose one or two bases.
The largest floating market in the delta, where wholesalers sell fruit and vegetables from big boats, hanging samples from poles. Best at dawn, from about 5 to 8 am.
Tip Book a boat the evening before, and go early.
The largest city in the delta, with a pleasant waterfront, markets and pagodas, and a base for boat trips.
Tip Stay a night.
Delta towns about 1.5 to 2 hours from Ho Chi Minh City, known for canals, coconut candy workshops and orchard visits. Ben Tre is the coconut capital of Vietnam.
Tip A good day trip for those short of time.
A delta town with islands, orchards and family-run homestays, quieter than My Tho.
Tip Book a homestay for the evening.
A town near the Cambodian border with a floating village, Sam Mountain, Tra Su Cajuput forest and a mixed culture of Vietnamese, Khmer, Cham and Chinese people.
Tip Take the boat to Phnom Penh if heading to Cambodia.
Things to do
Most activities revolve around the rivers and orchards.
Take a boat to the Cai Rang market and have breakfast on the water.
Tip Go before 7 am.
A rowing boat takes you through narrow channels under nipa palms.
Tip Ask for a small boat.
Sleep in a village house and eat home-cooked meals.
Tip Book in advance.
See coconut milk boiled and cut into sweets.
Tip Buy fresh.
Quiet paths pass fruit trees, and you can taste tropical fruit.
Tip Go in the morning.
A river route from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, about 5 to 6 hours.
Tip Check visa rules.
Local food
The delta's food is fresh, sweet and based on river fish, rice and tropical fruit.
A deep-fried whole fish served upright, wrapped in rice paper with herbs.
Where to try it Restaurants in My Tho and Can Tho.
A clear noodle soup with pork and seafood, the local breakfast.
Where to try it Street stalls.
Chewy sweets made from coconut cream, from Ben Tre.
Where to try it Workshops.
Sizzling pancakes with pork and shrimp.
Where to try it Restaurants.
Mango, dragon fruit, rambutan and durian, according to season.
Where to try it Orchards and markets.
Accommodation
Choose between a hotel in Can Tho and a homestay on the river.
Transport
The delta lies south and west of Ho Chi Minh City.
Boats, bicycles and taxis cover the delta.
When to go
The delta is hot and humid all year, with a dry season and a wet season, and the water level rises from August to November.
Sunny and comfortable, though hot by April.
Afternoon showers, green fields and fruit season.
Heavy rain, with the rivers in flood.
Many businesses close, though the celebrations are vivid.
Worth planning around: Tet, when many boats and shops are closed.
Itinerary
A night in Can Tho, with the floating market at dawn.
Rivers and orchards.
Dawn on the water.
Travel tips
A few tips help you enjoy the delta.
FAQ
One day for a taste, two days with a night in Can Tho for the floating market.
Yes, at dawn. It is smaller than in the past, but still atmospheric.
December to April, the dry season.
Yes, to My Tho or Ben Tre. Can Tho is better with a night.
Yes, generally. Use reputable boat operators.
Yes, from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, about 5 to 6 hours. Check the visa requirements.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Mekong Delta, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Southern Vietnam, Vietnam
The commercial heart of Vietnam, with the Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Basilica, Ben Thanh Market, Chinatown and the Cu Chi Tunnels, plus a thriving food and nightlife scene.
Don't miss A bowl of noodles on a plastic stool at midnight, with the motorbikes of Saigon streaming by.
Explore Destination — Ho Chi Minh CityGulf of Thailand, southern Vietnam, Vietnam
A tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand with long beaches, snorkelling, a national park, pepper and fish-sauce farms, night markets and a cable car to the offshore islands.
Don't miss Swimming off Sao Beach in calm turquoise water, then dinner at the Duong Dong night market.
Explore Destination — Phu QuocCentral coast, near Da Nang, Vietnam
A UNESCO-listed trading town of Chinese assembly halls, Japanese bridge and merchants' houses, famed for lanterns, tailors, food and its easy access to beaches and the ruins of My Son.
Don't miss The old town at dusk, when the lanterns are lit and the river fills with candle-lit boats.
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