If you’re wondering what to do in Mekong Delta Vietnam, you’re in for a treat. This river delta in southern Vietnam offers a fascinating blend of natural wonders, rich culture, and unforgettable adventures. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the must-do activities that capture the essence of this captivating region. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a food lover, or a culture seeker, our guide to what to do in Mekong Delta Vietnam will help you make the most of your visit to this watery wonderland.
When is the best time to visit Mekong Delta?
The ideal time to visit the Mekong Delta in Vietnam largely depends on your preferences, but many travelers find the dry season from December to April most appealing. During these months, you’ll enjoy warm, sunny weather with temperatures ranging from 22°C to 35°C (72°F to 95°F) and minimal rainfall.
This period offers excellent conditions for exploring floating markets, cycling through villages, and indulging in the region’s bountiful fruit harvest. The water levels are lower, making it easier to navigate on foot and by bicycle.
However, the Mekong Delta has something unique to offer year-round. The wet season (May to November) brings lush, vibrant landscapes and fewer tourists, though you should be prepared for daily short rainfall. It’s also worth considering the shoulder seasons of April-May and November-December, which provide a balance of good weather and smaller crowds.
Ideal times for specific activities:
- Floating markets: These are active year-round but are especially lively during the fruit harvest seasons (April to September).
- Rice harvests: There are typically three rice crops per year. The main harvest seasons are around February-March, June-July, and October-November.
- Fruit seasons: Different fruits ripen at different times. For example, mangoes are best from April to June, while durian is in season from May to July.
- Bird watching: The dry season (December to April) is best for bird watching in places like Tram Chim National Park.
- Festivals: The Mekong Delta hosts several festivals throughout the year. The Oc Om Bok Festival (November or December) in Soc Trang and the Ba Chua Xu Festival (April or May) in An Giang are particularly notable.
FYI: The Tet holiday (usually in late January or early February) can bring increased prices and crowds but also offers a chance to experience vibrant cultural celebrations.
Best 10 what to do in Mekong Delta Vietnam
1. Stay at a local homestay
For a truly immersive experience, you should stay at a homestay and experience the local life. During the day, you can help with daily chores like feeding the chickens, picking vegetables from the garden, and even trying your hand at fishing in their pond.
In the evenings, you can sit on the veranda, sipping rice wine and sharing stories. Despite the language barrier, you can communicate through gestures, smiles, and your few words in Vietnamese.
2. The Art of Noodle Making
If you want to discover more about traditional local villages, then you should visit a family-run noodle-making factory in Sadec, where three generations worked together to create these delicate strands.
The process is fascinating. You can watch as they soak and grind the rice, transforming it into a milky batter. This is then steamed into thin sheets, cut into strips, and dried in the sun.
3. Cycling Through Rural Vietnam
Swapping boats for bicycles, you can fascinatingly discover the Mekong Delta. Pedaling along narrow paths between rice paddies, you will be struck by the vibrant green of the young rice shoots stretching to the horizon.
In one village, you should stop to watch farmers plowing their fields with water buffaloes, a method used for centuries. Maybe an elderly farmer invites you to try – it will be incredibly hard work, and I can gain a new respect for these hardy people.
Moreover, you can paddle through orchards heavy with rambutans, longans, and dragon fruit. At one point, a group of giggling children join you on their bikes, proudly showing you around their village and practicing their English. It will be definitely a fantastic activity in the Mekong Delta.
4. Join a rice paper-making workshop
If you want a more interesting experience while exploring the Mekong Delta, then join a rice paper-making workshop. Here, you can have a chance to immerse yourself in the age-old tradition of crafting this essential Vietnamese delicacy.
By participating in this hands-on experience, you’ll learn the meticulous process of transforming rice flour into thin, delicate sheets of rice paper. Engage with skilled artisans who will guide you through each step, from pounding the rice grains to spreading the batter onto heated griddles.
Some rice paper-making workshops for your reference:
- Tan Dinh rice paper-making workshop in Tien Giang province
- Thanh Tri rice paper-making workshop in Can Tho city
- Cho Lach rice paper-making workshop in Ben Tre province
5. Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve
For nature lovers seeking unique what to do in the Mekong Delta, a visit to the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve is a must-do. As you navigate deeper into the reserve, you can witness a wide range of wildlife species, including monkeys, birds, and even elusive crocodiles.
One of the highlights of a visit to Can Gio is the canopy walk. From this vantage point, you’ll have a view of the expansive mangrove forests and the intricate network of water channels below.
6. Sweet delights in Ben Tre
No trip to the Mekong Delta would be complete without visiting Ben Tre, known as the “coconut capital” of Vietnam. You can tour a coconut candy workshop, where you see how these chewy treats are made from the abundance of coconuts in the region. The process is fascinating – from extracting the coconut cream to cooking it with malt syrup to the skilled workers quickly cutting and wrapping each piece.
You can also visit a nearby honey farm. The beekeeper will show you their hives and explain how the unique floral environment of the Delta influences the honey’s flavor. Don’t miss the chance to sample several varieties, including a delicious longan flower honey.
7. Sam Mountain
If you want to discover more about cultural and historical significance, head to the sacred Sam Mountain. The mountain is adorned with numerous pagodas and temples, each with its own unique architectural style and spiritual ambiance, such as Ba Chua Xu temple, Hang Pagoda…
Besides, this mountain offers you an opportunity to connect with nature. As you ascend the steps of this sacred mountain, you will be rewarded with stunning vistas of the surrounding countryside.
What can you expect in Sam Mountain?
- Panoramic views: Sam Mountain offers stunning panoramic views of the countryside, paddy fields, and the Hau River. You can climb to the top or find vantage points along the way for picturesque landscapes.
- Spiritual and Religious Sites: Sam Mountain is a religious site with temples, pagodas, and shrines like Ba Chua Xu Temple, Tay An Pagoda, and Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb. You can explore and learn about local religious practices.
- Cave Exploration: Sam Mountain has various accessible caves for exploration, including Hang Pagoda Cave with a Buddhist shrine for a unique underground experience.
- Sunset and sunrise views: Sam Mountain offers a peaceful and picturesque setting to witness the changing colors of the sky over the Mekong Delta.
8. Take a boat trip
The best way to travel through the complex system of rivers and rivulets of the Mekong River is to take a boat trip. With this, you will slowly pass through all the incredible scenery of the river, the orchards, and rice paddy, as well as enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of rural life in Southern Vietnam.
When you have to pass through some small rivulets, you will be transferred to a tiny craft where a local, most often an old man or old woman, will boat. It would be an interesting experience for every traveler coming there.
9. Visit a floating market and buy some fruit
There are many floating markets downstream of the Mekong River in Vietnam. At the floating markets, you can feel the bustling atmosphere, which is not common in rural life. However, this feeling is comfortable since it is nowhere close to the noisy atmosphere of the city. You can even buy some very fresh fruit at a much lower price than when you buy them at the supermarket.
You can catch the vibrant scene of hundreds of boats of all shapes and sizes, from tiny sampans to larger boats heavily laden with produce, gathering to do business. The air is filled with a cacophony of voices as vendors call out their wares – “Dứa ngọt!” (Sweet pineapples!) and “Cam tươi!” (Fresh oranges!)
Suggested floating markets that you shouldn’t miss when visiting the Mekong Delta:
- Cai Rang Floating Market: near Can Tho City, is the largest and most famous market in the Mekong Delta. It offers a bustling atmosphere and a diverse array of goods.
- Phong Dien Floating Market: situated on the Hau River, provides an authentic and charming experience, with a more tranquil ambiance than Cai Rang.
- Long Xuyen Floating Market: located in An Giang Province, showcases the vibrant river life of the Mekong Delta, featuring agricultural products, seafood, and handicrafts.
10. Go inside a fruit orchard
The Mekong River Delta is called the fruit basket of Southern Vietnam because most of the fruit in the region is grown here. Visiting the fruit orchards, you can see various kinds of fruit growing and sample them straight from the tree.
You try to taste as many fruits as you can when they are still fresh and taste the best. In some orchards, the owners even have some groups of traditional folk musicians perform to entertain tourists when they visit their orchards.
Must-try local dishes
Mekong Delta cuisine is a culinary treasure that showcases the vibrant flavors and diverse ingredients of Vietnam’s southern region. Here are some must-try dishes when you’re here:
- Hu tieu: this noodle soup offers a harmonious blend of chewy rice noodles, fragrant broth, and your choice of succulent seafood, tender slices of pork, or flavorful chicken.
- Banh xeo: a crispy pancake filled with bean sprouts, shrimp, and pork, served with fresh herbs and a dipping sauce.
- Ca kho to: a clay pot dish featuring caramelized fish cooked in a savory sauce infused with garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices.
- Canh Chua: or Sour Soup, is a tangy and refreshing soup that combines sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, made with tamarind, fish, pineapple, tomatoes, and herbs.
- Banh bo: a steamed rice cake with a soft and chewy texture, is a popular choice for dessert.
How to get to the Mekong Delta?
Getting to the Mekong Delta can be done through various transportation options. Here are a few common ways to reach the region:
- By air: The easiest way to reach the Mekong Delta is by flying to Tan Son Nhat or Can Tho airports. These airports have domestic and international connections, providing convenient access to the region. Upon arrival, you can hire a taxi or arrange a private transfer to your destination within the Mekong Delta.
- By bus: Buses are a common and economical way to travel to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City. The journey takes around 2 to 4 hours, depending on the destination and traffic.
- By private car: Private car hire offers convenience and flexibility. You can hire a private car from Ho Chi Minh City or other nearby cities. It allows you to control your itinerary, make stops, and explore attractions along the way.
- By cruise: These cruises typically depart from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong River, allowing you to experience the region’s scenery and local life firsthand.
If you’re traveling from Cambodia, both bus and boat options are available from Phnom Penh, offering either a quick journey or a scenic river cruise.
>>> Maybe you want to read more about how to get from Ho Chi Minh city to Mekong Delta: Saigon to Mekong Delta – A journey from the bustling city to the serene landscapes
Helpful travel tips
- Bring cash. ATMs are scarce outside major towns, and many places don’t accept cards.
- Learn to eat with chopsticks before your trip. Most local eateries in the Delta don’t provide forks.
- Carry small change for “xe ôm” (motorbike taxis). They’re often the best way to explore smaller towns.
- Learn to say “không ăn được” (I can’t eat this) if you have dietary restrictions. Delta cuisine often includes unusual ingredients.
- You can ask “Bao nhiêu tiền?” (How much?) for bargaining at floating markets.
- Bring waterproof bags for your electronics during boat trips, especially in the rainy season..
- Respect local customs around ancestor worship. Many homes have altars you shouldn’t touch or photograph without permission.
- Be prepared for early mornings. Many Delta activities, like floating markets, start at dawn.
- Be cautious with tap water. Stick to bottled water and avoid ice in rural areas.
- Be prepared for squat restrooms in rural areas. Western-style toilets are mainly found in hotels and restaurants in larger towns.
- Expect limited English outside of tourist areas. A translation app can be helpful.
Hope this travel blog encourages you to explore the beauty of the Mekong Delta and guides you in planning an unforgettable journey through this unique region of Vietnam. Remember, experiencing the Mekong Delta is not just about visiting tourist spots. It’s about immersing yourself in the local way of life, connecting with friendly people, and creating lasting memories. So, pack your sense of adventure and get ready to discover the enchanting Mekong Delta!
Mo Nguyen – From Luxury Cruise Mekong Team!
