Mekong Delta VIP Small-Group Tour by Limousine Ho Chi Minh City

My Tho, gateway to the Mekong Delta

My Tho is the riverside town on the northern branch of the Mekong where many visitors take their first steps in the delta. It grew as a trading port in the seventeenth century and today it is a lively provincial town of markets, fishing boats and fruit traders, about 90 minutes by road from Ho Chi Minh City. The journey itself is pleasant in a limousine van, with reclining seats and wide windows over green rice fields.

A My Tho day trip from Ho Chi Minh City is the easiest way to see the Mekong Delta in one day, because the river, the islands and the canals are all close together. On this tour you are picked up at your hotel at around 07:45 to 08:00, travel in a small group of no more than 10 and are back in the city in the late afternoon, without the crowds of the large coach tours.

Vinh Trang Pagoda

Vinh Trang Pagoda, the largest in the region, is the first stop of the day. Founded in the nineteenth century and rebuilt over the decades, it mixes Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer and European colonial styles: arched colonnades and ceramic decorations on the facade, carved wooden altars and lacquered panels inside, and quiet gardens with bonsai trees and lotus ponds around it.

The grounds hold giant outdoor Buddha statues, including a tall standing Buddha, a smiling seated Buddha and a reclining Buddha, which make striking photographs against the sky. Your guide explains the symbols of Vietnamese Buddhism and the history of the pagoda while you walk the courtyard. It is an active place of worship, so dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered and remove your shoes before entering the halls. Plan around 40 minutes here.

Mekong River boat ride to Coconut Island

From the pier in My Tho you board a motorboat for a cruise along the wide, brown Mekong River, which is more than a kilometre across here. Wooden cargo boats, fishing nets on bamboo poles and green islands come into view as you cross towards Coconut Island, one of the low, palm-covered islands in the river between My Tho and Ben Tre.

Life on the island revolves around coconuts and fruit. You step ashore and walk along shaded paths through village orchards of longan, mango, pomelo and banana, with time to see how families tend their gardens and use every part of the coconut palm. This boat ride on the Mekong is one of the best photo moments of the tour, so keep your camera ready and enjoy the breeze on the open water.

Sampan ride through the coconut canals

The most memorable moment for many travellers is the sampan ride. You sit in a small wooden rowing boat, wear a traditional conical hat and glide through narrow canals lined with water coconut palms, while a local rower guides the boat silently through the shade. Sunlight filters through the green fronds and the only sounds are the oar and the birds.

This quiet canal ride shows the Mekong Delta exactly as people imagine it, and it is gentle enough for all ages. Boarding the boat involves a small step down from the bank, and the rowers help you in and out. Keep your phone in a pocket or a small bag rather than over the water, and sit still in the boat for the best balance. The ride lasts around 15 to 20 minutes before you return to the motorboat.

Local family, folk music, coconut candy and lunch

On the island you are welcomed by a local family who serve fresh tropical fruit and honey tea from their own bees, and perform southern Vietnamese folk music on traditional string instruments. This music, known as don ca tai tu, is recognised by UNESCO as part of the intangible heritage of humanity, and hearing it in a garden by the river is a real taste of delta culture.

Next, a coconut candy workshop shows how families cook coconut milk and sugar into the soft, chewy sweets that Ben Tre is famous for, and how they craft souvenirs from coconut shells. Lunch follows at a local restaurant with a spread of Vietnamese dishes, with a vegan option available, plus fruit, a snack, a soft drink and water. Afterwards there is free time to relax, walk or cycle around the village before the limousine takes you back to Ho Chi Minh City.