Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City – Ben Tre Waterways – Hau Giang
Begin your adventure with a morning pickup from your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Travel by private car to Ben Tre, where you’ll board a local boat to cruise along scenic riverways. Pick mangrove fruits, watch local fishermen, and cook fresh prawns right on the boat.
Visit a traditional coconut candy factory and a small-scale chocolate facility to discover the cacao-to-bar process. Paddle through narrow, tree-shaded canals in a wooden boat before enjoying a fresh farm-to-table lunch in a fruit garden.
Arrive at Mekong Delta Lodge in Hau Giang in the late afternoon for check-in and dinner.
Day 2: Rural Village Life & Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve
After breakfast at the lodge, glide through quiet canals surrounded by emerald fields and learn about rice cultivation. Meet local farmers, feed goats, and stroll through blooming lotus ponds. Visit a traditional rice polishing factory and sample handcrafted rice liquor at a family workshop.
Savor regional dishes such as lotus seed rice or butterfly pea flower rice. Cruise through the Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve, meandering through channels carpeted with water hyacinths. Spot wild honey bees and native wetland flora. Ascend the observation tower to watch bird life fill the sky.
Observe local weavers at work and try making your own bamboo basket to take home.
Day 3: Living Like a Local by Sampan & Farm-to-Table Experience
After breakfast, explore a vibrant countryside market showcasing fresh fish, regional herbs, and local produce. Discover quiet temple grounds and local spiritual heritage at a Buddhist pagoda. Taste seasonal fruits (rambutan, longan, mango, pomelo) fresh from the trees, with an optional visit to a fruit bat habitat.
Return to the lodge for lunch and a relaxing rest. Harvest organic garden vegetables, catch fish using traditional methods, and cook an authentic Mekong dinner with your hosts.
Day 4: Cai Rang Floating Market – Cultural Pagodas – Return to Ho Chi Minh City
Pack your luggage and check out early for a boat pickup. Experience the Mekong's iconic floating market at peak morning bustle and enjoy breakfast from a boat vendor. Visit a family-run workshop to see how delicate rice paper sheets are handcrafted.
Explore two distinct spiritual sites highlighting the multicultural heritage of the Mekong Delta. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City by private car.
