A boat on the Mekong River
Visited places: Saigon, Tien Giang, My Tho, Vinh Long, Can Tho, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, An Giang, Chau Doc, Rach Gia
Tour Theme/Activity: Luxury, Adventure, River Cruise, Idyllic countryside, Tropical forest/National park, Birding, Off-the-beaten track, Floating market, Exotic Lifestyle

The Exotic Mekong Delta is a Vietnam adventure holiday to explore the less-visited area of the Mekong Delta for 10 days, 9 nights.

Adventure Tour in the Mekong Delta Overview

The pace of travel is easy. The trip is suitable to adventure travelers who are willing to forgo amenities and hotspot destinations to venture into less-traveled regions and expect the unexpected!

This trip is not recommended to the travellers and tourists who need luxury amenities and must-see tourist attractions on their vacation travel. If you need to socialize with other travellers encountered on your travel, then this tour is not for you either; because for the whole day, you may not encounter other tourists on your travel.

Hotels chosen for the tour is of 3-star standard. Daily breakfasts are included at the hotel while lunches are at local restaurants. Highlights of the trip are the river cruises on the idyllic Mekong River, the exotic lifestyle of the local people, the bird sanctuaries and nature reserves and the sensational cuisine and fruits of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.

The Cai Rang Floating Market at Can Tho
The Cai Rang Floating Market at Can Tho

Attention: Please kindly be informed that the bird sanctuaries at Bac Lieu and at Ca Mau City are not meant for tourists or tourism purposes, they are merely nature reserves. In most cases, we can only watch it from the distance. Paradissa may put them on the itinerary as they are open sometimes which may be interesting to visit. If the officials don't allow us to visit the park, then please kindly accept our apologies that this is beyond our control. These two bird sanctuaries are not meant to be important part of the adventure tour.

Day-to-day itinerary
Day1 Arrive in Saigon (no meal)
Day2 Free morning /Saigon Afternoon Tour (B)
Day3 Saigon – My Tho – Ben Tre – Tra Vinh (B/L)
Day4 Tra Vinh – Soc Trang/Tour of Soc Trang (B)
Day5 Soc Trang – Bac Lieu – Ca Mau (B)
Day6 Ca Mau – Rach Gia (B)
Day7 Rach Gia – Chau Doc/Tour of Chau Doc (B)
Day8 Tour of Chau Doc/Chau Doc Can Tho (B)
Day9 Can Tho Floating Market/Can Tho – Vinh Long Cai Be – Saigon (B/L)
Day10 Depart Saigon (without guide) (B)

{Inclusions
English-speaking guide as per itinerary: no guide for free-at-leisure days;
Twin/Double-shared accommodation as indicated in the program;
Private car for all airport transfers and tours as indicated in the program;
Private boat cruise on the Mekong River at My Tho – Ben Tre, Chau Doc, Can Tho and Vinh Long – Cai Be as in the program;
Meals as indicated in the program ( B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner);
All admission fees during guided times in the program;
}
{Exclusions
Insurance of any types;
Visa arrangements: Please kindly know that Paradissa can arrange the letter of approval from the Immigration Policy of Vietnam so that you can get your visa when arriving into Vietnam. The by Paradissa for the service is USD60/letter, and please kindly know that there's a stamping fee of USD 25 for a single-entry visa that you are to pay directly to the Immigration Police when having your visa issued on arrival;
Early check-ins and late check-outs: check-in time: 14:00 PM and check-out time is 11:00 A.M unless otherwise indicated by each hotel;
International airfares and airport taxes other than those mentioned as included above;
Drinks, laundry, bar or other personal expenses;
Others not clearly specified clearly in the inclusions;
}

Detailed itinerary

Day1 Arrive in Saigon (no meal)

Paradissa Travel driver and tour guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free.
Overnight in Saigon.

Day2 Free morning /Saigon Afternoon Tour (B)

Free time in the morning.
Afternoon tour of Saigon taking in the Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office, the Municipal Theater, Reunification Palace, China Town, the Thien Hau Temple, the Emperor of Jade Temple, Binh Tay Market and Ben Thanh Market.
Overnight in Saigon.

Day3 Saigon – My Tho – Ben Tre – Tra Vinh (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Today we’ll take our adventure into the verdant Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam. Upon arrival, we’ll enjoy a boat trip on the Ham Luong River to visit the floating market trading in coconuts and meeting with the local traders.
Lunch on one of the islands.
Proceed with an easy cycling adventure under the shade of coconut forests along the Ham Luong River to visit the sleeping-mat making village and enjoy local tea with coconut cakes. Then have further cycling through the forests of coconut to enjoy seasonal fruits with a local family. Visit Ben Tre Market and rejoin our car for our journey further to Tra Vinh. Arriving at Tra Vinh, visit the Ang Pagoda at Ao Ba Om and the Hang Pagoda – a stork sanctuary.
Free time for dinner.
Overnight at Tra Vinh.

The night market at Tra Vinh
The night market at Tra Vinh

Day4 Tra Vinh – Soc Trang/Tour of Soc Trang (B)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Continue our adventure journey to Soc Trang. The road is in excellent conditions and we can stop anywhere on the road to a peep into the local life.
In the afternoon, visit the Dat Set Pagoda and Doi Pagoda (Pagoda of bats).
Free time for lunch and dinner.
Overnight at Soc Trang.

A trail amid a coconut forest at Soc Trang
A trail amid a coconut forest at Soc Trang

Day5 Soc Trang – Bac Lieu – Ca Mau (B)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Continue our trip to Bac Lieu – the land famous for the connoisseur playboy of Cong Tu Bac Lieu. At Bac Lieu, visit the house of Cong Tu Bac Lieu, the Longan Garden and the sea of Bac Lieu.
In the afternoon, continue our tour to Ca Mau, the southernmost province of Vietnam. In the afternoon, visit the exotic market of Ca Mau.
Free time for lunch and dinner.
Overnight at Ca Mau.

The former house of Cong Tu Bac Lieu (The playboy of Bac Lieu)
The former house of Cong Tu Bac Lieu (The playboy of Bac Lieu)

Day6 Ca Mau – Rach Gia (B)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Travel toward Rach Gia Town of Kien Giang Province. Enjoy a trip to U Minh Thuong National Park en route.
Arriving at Rach Gia in the afternoon, visit Nguyen Trung Truc Temple and Rach Gia Market.
Free time to stroll on the waterfront of Rach Gia.
Free time for lunch and dinner.
Overnight at Rach Gia.

Rice fields outside of Rach Gia City
Rice fields outside of Rach Gia City

Day7 Rach Gia – Chau Doc/Tour of Chau Doc (B)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Leaving Rach Gia in the morning, we will travel our way to Chau Doc, right on the Cambodian Border.
Arriving at Chau Doc, proceed to the Sam Mountain where we will get a glimpse of Cambodia from the top. Visit the Temple of Ba Chua Xu, Lang Thoai Ngoc Hau. Free time for the remainder of the day.
Free time for lunch and dinner.
Overnight at Chau Doc.

A jetty at Chau Doc
A jetty at Chau Doc

Day8 Tour of Chau Doc/Chau Doc Can Tho (B)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning boat cruise to visit the Cham Community who inhabit on floating houses. Then continue our tour onto Can Tho, the capital city of the Mekong Delta Region.
Free time for lunch and dinner.
Overnight at Can Tho.

Day9 Can Tho Floating Market/Can Tho – Vinh Long Cai Be – Saigon (B/L)

Early morning boat cruise to visit the most colorful market of the Mekong Delta, then travel back to the hotel for breakfast and and for checking out. Today, we proceed our adventure to Vinh Long where we start an exploration of the Mekong River Islands. Lunch on one of the island. Then cruise further to Cai Be where we get off the boat and take the road trip back to Saigon.
Free time for dinner.
Overnight in Saigon.

Day10 Depart Saigon (without guide) (B)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Free time until our driver comes back and transfers you to the airport for your departure flight. We trust you had a great adventure of the Mekong Delta with Paradissa Travel.