The origin of the Mekong Delta: Ben Tre - Sa Dec - Long Xuyen - Chau Doc - Tra Su - Ha Tien - 05 Days

Tour guide and driver welcome you at your hotel for your transfer to Ben Tre, a beautiful region in the Mekong Delta River, famous for making coconut candy. Arrive at Hung Vuong pier, take a boat trip on the Ben Tre River to discover the daily local life.  Continue your boat trip on a canal to Nhon Thanh Village. This will be an opportunity to taste the fresh fruits. Take a bike ride (or Tuk tuk) on a small path through the villages and enjoy views of the coconut ranges, rice fields and vegetable gardens.

A lunch of elephant ear fish is served in the village. A short walk helps you to discover the local life in depth. This is followed by a boat ride on the small canal shaded by the wild palm trees. For those who wish to ride a bike, you can enjoy riding through the rice fields and meet the locals.

Transfer back to the village where you will spend a night in a homestay. Later this afternoon, you can join in preparing dinner with the host. Have dinner and stay overnight in Ben Tre.

Have breakfast at the homestay and enjoy a bike ride (1-1.5 hours) on the path from Dong Hoa to Tam Binh, passing the durian gardens, sapota gardens, and longan gardens. Encounter with the local people then visit the local village market. Return to the homestay for refreshments. (Extension: Go for a 1 hour walk along the trail with a local and cycle to Ngu Hiep Island where the alluvium of the Mekong River has formed a fertile garden. These are unusual excursions in a luxuriant and authentic place.) For those who do not wish to ride a bike, it is possible to ask our tour guide for a motorbike and ride pillion.

Transfer to Long Xuyen via Sa Dec where we can visit Kien An Cung pagoda and Huynh Thuy Le's house from the novel by Marguerite Duras  'L’Amant – the Lover'. Discover the local market in Sa Dec which is rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish. Continue to Long Xuyen and visit Cao Dai temple and a crocodile farm on route. Stay overnight at a hotel in Long Xuyen.  

Start the day with a short transfer to the animated and authentic floating market and village in Long Xuyen on a small tributary of the Mekong River. Discover the daily activities of people living by the river. Then, take a short walk (or 1 hour biking) on Cu Lao Ong Ho Island. After that, transfer to Chau Doc. On arrival, visit Chau Doc Market and enjoy a boat trip to the floating fish village and Cham island village.

Continue your drive to Sam Mountain (287m) with colorful temples and Pagodas: Xu Lady Pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau temple, Tay An pagoda. It's possible to walk up to the top of the mountain or take a motorbike taxi (40,000 VND/pp at your expense) to enjoy the awesome sunset over the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Stay overnight in Chau Doc

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Tra Su reserve, an exceptional biodiversity ecosystem with a typical cajuput forest. This is also a famous bird park, known for a variety of species. Continue to Ha Tien along the border road between Vietnam and Cambodia. Arrive at a small beach in Kien Giang, stop to visit Chua Hang pagoda and the ancient fairy rocks which are a symbol of Ha Tien, named “ Phu Tu” (father and son). Unfortunately, the father rock fell the sea few years ago.

Continue to Ha Tien and check into your hotel. If time permits, visit Mac Cuu temple dedicated to a governor of the region in the 18th century, then to Thanh Van Cave.

After breakfast travel back to Saigon. On the way stop as you wish for photos taking. Back to Saigon in the late afternoon. End of services. 

Optional: For those who wish travel to Phu Quoc Island for beach holiday, get a transfer to pier for high speedboat. Pay extra $11$/pax for speed boat ticket or you can arrange by yourself.