VN · Mekong Delta · 10.04°N 105.80°E

mekong delta

Coconut candy, sampans and orchards along a maze of river channels.

Best time
December to April is dry and the easiest time to travel. From about August to November the river runs high and parts of the upper delta flood, which changes the scenery and can disrupt plans.
How long
A day trip, or 2–3 days
Getting there
Fly KL to Ho Chi Minh City (about 2 hours). My Tho and Ben Tre are about 1.5–2 hours by road, Can Tho about 3 hours and Chau Doc about 5–6 hours.
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VN · Mekong Deltamekong delta10.04°N 105.80°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Coconut candy, sampans and orchards along a maze of river channels.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMekong DeltaVN, Mekong Delta
KLmekong delta
≈ 891 km from KL, as the crow flies
Cầu Cao Lãnh ở TP Cao Lãnh, Việt Nam.

Photo: Bùi Thụy Đào Nguyên · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

The huge, flat, green region of southwest Vietnam where the Mekong splits into channels before reaching the sea. It's a world of rice fields, orchards, canals and floating markets. Most people do a day trip from Saigon to My Tho and Ben Tre, or go deeper to Can Tho and Chau Doc for a few nights.

Makan

  1. Elephant ear fishFried whole, then rolled up in rice paper with herbs at the table.Map ↗
  2. Coconut candyBen Tre's chewy speciality, made from coconut milk and sugar.Map ↗
  3. Fresh fruitRambutan, longan, pomelo and more, straight from the orchards.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Ben Tre coconut workshopsWatch coconut candy being made by hand, and taste it warm.Map ↗
  2. Sampan ridesSmall rowing boats through narrow canals lined with water palms.Map ↗
  3. Cai Rang floating marketThe delta's biggest floating market, near Can Tho, best at dawn.Map ↗
  4. Chau DocA town near the Cambodian border with Cham Muslim villages, mosques and floating fish farms.Map ↗
  5. Tra Su forestBoat rides through a flooded cajuput forest near Chau Doc, full of birds.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Day trips from Saigon are long and quite touristy. A night in Can Tho lets you see the floating market at dawn.
  • In Chau Doc, the Cham villages have halal food and mosques. Dress modestly when you visit.
  • Bring insect repellent for the boat trips.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.