Our Review – Is a Mekong Delta Day Trip Worth It?

When we recently went to Vietnam, we were sure we wanted to visit the Mekong Delta. What we weren’t sure about was how we wanted to visit the Mekong Delta.

We ended up choosing a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. In our review, we’ll let you know what to expect and whether a Mekong Delta tour is worth it.

• Our Mekong Delta Day Trip Review
  • How We Chose Our Mekong Delta Tour
  • Mekong Delta Day Trip Map
  • Mekong Delta Day Trip Itinerary
  • Mekong Delta Day Trip – Our Review
  • What Other Travellers Say About the Mekong Delta Day Trip
  • What Does the Mekong Delta Day Trip Include?
  • Conclusion: Is the Mekong Delta Day Trip Worth it?
  • How to Experience the Mekong Delta Without the Crowds

Our Mekong Delta Day Trip Review

How We Chose Our Mekong Delta Tour

You have four main options to visit the Mekong Delta:

1. A day trip
2. A multi-day trip
3. Going independently

Many travellers also combine a Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels tour which is great if you’re short in time.

We didn’t have enough time on our visa left for a multi-day visit and we had already visited the Vinh Moc Tunnels in Hue so we opted for a day trip to only the Mekong Delta.

Here’s our review of our DMZ and Vinh Moc Tunnels tour from Hue:

We opted for this Mekong Delta Full-Day Tour:

As this is the tour we chose, this is the one we will describe in this blog post.

Mekong Delta Day Trip Map

Here’s a map of the spots you’ll visit on the Mekong Delta day trip:

Mekong Delta Day Trip Itinerary

Note that this is the schedule of the exact tour we did – expect some variability.

We were picked up at our hostel in Ho Chi Minh City on time and transferred to My Tho on a comfortable bus.

1. Unicorn Island

To begin our tour, we took a boat from My Tho to Unicorn Island driving past Tortoise, Dragon, and Phoenix Islands.

Our first stop was a garden where we could try some local fruit and honey tea. We were also given a honeycomb to pose for a picture with bees.

Afterwards, we got to watch a short presentation of some traditional music.

We hopped on a “Lambrogini” to get to our second stop.

Up next on our itinerary was the sampan ride. While the ride through the coconut tree-lined canals was beautiful, it was rather short.

Next, we had lunch. We went on quite a lot of tours in Vietnam and honestly, lunch was always tasty. This tour was no exception. We got to try this crazy-looking fish and the vegetarian options were plentiful.

Afterwards, we had some free time. There were three options:

1. Rent a bike (extra cost).
2. Relax in a hammock.
3. Explore the lunch place. There were many animals in captivity on the premises. For a small fee, you could even feed the crocodiles. To be honest, all the cages and animals looked rather miserable.

2. Ben Tre Coconut Farm

Another quick boat ride took us to a second island where we got to visit a coconut farm. Here, we learned about the full process from coconut to coconut candy. We also got to try some candy.

There was the opportunity to purchase the products as well but nobody pushed us to do so.

3. Vinh Trang Pagoda

Last but not least, we hopped on our last boat of the day back to the mainland. After a quick bus ride, we reached Vinh Trang Pagoda which was absolutely stunning. There is so much to explore:

• A giant sitting Buddha (20 m / 65 ft)
• A large standing Buddha (18 m / 60 ft)
• Another big reclining Buddha
• A 7-story pagoda

The blend of Vietnamese, Khmer, and Chinese influences feels very unique.

Mekong Delta Day Trip – Our Review

What We Liked About Our Mekong Delta Tour

Overall, we liked our Mekong Delta tour. The value for money is hard to beat.

The organisation was great and our tour guide was friendly and spoke great English.

The stops were as advertised and the lunch was tasty.

Our group was lovely – so nice indeed that we met up with them again in Ho Chi Minh City for a night out.

What We Did Not Like About Our Mekong Delta Tour

This whole tour was very touristy. Many companies are touring the Mekong Delta and most of them seem to do the same stops and the same itinerary.

We came onto this tour with the expectation to get a glimpse of nature and the local life of the Mekong Delta. What we got was an experience geared towards tourists which did not feel very authentic.

What Other Travellers Say About the Mekong Delta Day Trip

⭐ Rating: 4.4 / 5 (8204 reviews)

Best value-for-money tour I’ve had in South-East Asia. Our tour guide ‘Harry’ was incredible and made the experience unforgettable!

What Does the Mekong Delta Day Trip Include?

The Mekong Delta day trip includes:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off at the centre of District 1
• Transportation by air-conditioned bus
• Experienced English-speaking tour guide
• Motorboat and sampan ride
• Vietnamese lunch (vegan food available)
• Tropical fruits, honey tea, and coconut candy
• Bottle of mineral water

Conclusion: Is the Mekong Delta Day Trip Worth it?

Depending on your expectations, the Mekong Delta day trip is absolutely worth it. It’s great if

• You’re short on time.
• On a budget.
• A solo traveller who wants to meet people.

It’s not so great if

• You want an authentic experience without other tourists.

Overall, we are still happy that we chose this tour because we didn’t have the time to go independently nor the money for a private tour.

How to Experience the Mekong Delta Without the Crowds

The regular 2-day tours that also include the Cai Rang Floating Market also seem to be convenient with great value for money but you also won’t ditch the crowds.

We think the best way to ditch the crowds is to go independently. Here’s what our sister (in law) did: You can hop on a bus to Can Tho and visit the Mekong Delta from there. Our sister (in law) went with the guide Linh (WhatsApp 0084706662440) and can fully recommend her!

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