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My Experience Visiting Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City

My Experience Visiting Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City

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Mekong Delta is beautiful… in its own way. If you’re visiting Ho Chi Minh City, I recommend that you take a half day or full day visiting Mekong Delta. Here, instead of a bustling city, you will see rural Vietnam with its scenic river landscape.

You might notice that the water is yellow and you wonder, what’s so special about a dirty-looking river? Well, the river is not dirty because of pollution, but the water is yellow because it’s carrying sediments all the way from the upstream of Mekong River in China.

Mekong Delta is a region in Southern Vietnam where Mekong River ends and creates nutrient-rich delta thanks to the disposition of sediments that the river carries.

You can visit Mekong Delta by DIY method (bus, motorcycle, car) or you can join a tour that starts from Ho Chi Minh City.

For me, I prefer to join tour because I have limited time when visiting Vietnam. We join this tour, which brings us to Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta Tour in one day with limo.

What to do and see on a Half-Day Mekong Delta Tour

Boarding the boat

After sitting for 2 hours on the limo from our previous destination, we finally arrived at the jetty where we boarded the motorized boat. We had to walk over other boats in order to reach our boat.

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise

Our boat is quite spacious and can easily accommodate 30 people. However, because our tour group is a small group (only 12 of us), we get to enjoy a big boat without squeezing with other people.

Mekong Delta Cruise

Our tour guide, Pham, very kindly offered to take our photo at the front of the boat. It’s such a beautiful day at Mekong River.

Mekong Delta Cruise

Taste Coconut Candy and Snake Wine

Our first stop of the day is the Coconut Candy workshop. Here, our guide Pham explained to us how the locals make coconut candy.

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise
Coconut candy dough, ready to be shaped into stripes using a mould
Mekong Delta Cruise
Coconut candy stripes will then be cut into flat cubes
Mekong Delta Cruise
Coconut candy flat cubes will then be wrapped with rice paper and packed, ready to be sold

We get to taste the coconut candy, as well as various coconut-made snacks.

Mekong Delta Cruise

There was a promotion where if you buy 5 packs of coconut candy, you’ll get a pack for free. We loved the candy so much we bought 5 and got 1 free!

Mekong Delta Cruise

At the coconut candy shop, there was also a section where they gave out snake wine samples. I’ll pass, thanks.

Mekong Delta Cruise

Then, we went back to our boat, ready to go for our next stop.

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise

Surprise, we got a refreshing coconut juice, yum!

Mekong Delta Cruise

Enjoy Local Fruits and Traditional Vietnamese Music

At the next island, we were served local fruits.

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise

We were a;sp entertained by singing performance by locals.

Mekong Delta Cruise

Go on a Sampan Boat Ride

Next, we took a golf cart to the sampan boat ride.

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise

Each sampan has 2 paddlers (one at the front and one at the back). Four of us sit in at the center of the boat and were told not to move too much. We didn’t have to do any rowing.

Mekong Delta Cruise

I love this sampan boat ride so much. I love how quiet the place is, I love how raw and beautiful the scenery is.

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise

Unicorn Island

Our final destination is the Unicorn Island.

Mekong Delta Cruise

Here we were served local snacks and honey tea. You can also hold the honey board with live bees!

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise

I love this photogenic bridge.

Mekong Delta Cruise

Back to Pier

Finally it’s time to go back to the pier. We spent a total of 3 hours at Mekong Delta. Then, it’s 2 hours ride back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Mekong Delta Cruise
Mekong Delta Cruise

So, is it worth visiting Mekong Delta?

Even though it may look touristy, I personally still think it’s worth to visit Mekong Delta and go on a boat tour.

Disclosure: Thank you Klook for supporting us with the tour to visit Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta.

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