8 Days 7 Nights – South Of Viet Nam

Today’s tour will begin at 07:30. It is an early start today on this day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, departing by 07:30 to make the most of this adventure in the countryside. Relax on the drive to Tay Ninh, watching the landscapes change from concrete buildings to rice paddies and villages dotted with wooden houses.
At Tay Ninh visit the Cao Dai Great Temple, with architecture that could have come straight from a Walt Disney fantasy. Admire the whimsical statues and colourful paintings covering this remote temple building. Learn about the origins and beliefs of this unusual religion, which blends the world’s major faiths into a unique mosaic.
Following a lunch break, drive further through the countryside to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Spend the afternoon exploring this incredible network of 200 km underground tunnels. Learn how the Vietnamese resistance fighters constructed the tunnels during the French and American wars. Crawl underground and get a better sense for what life was like living and fighting in the labyrinth of caves and tunnels. Hear remarkable stories of the residents’ resilience and see relics of the wartime weapons.
This insightful day in the countryside concludes in the late afternoon with a drive back to the city.

Meal: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city

After breakfast at the hotel, you transfer to Vinh Long. The program will start with a quick visit of Cai Be floating market. Then, we’ll come to Tân Phong island for biking / walking on village paths to see the local daily life: orchard, school, church, pagoda, traditional houses... On the way, we can make some stops to see how they make rice-net for spring-rolls, sewing coconut-leaves for cottage roof and specially see how they wave the dried water-hyacynth to make many products: baskets, bags, hats, wallets, shoes...
Then, the rowboat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy the peaceful time. Lunch can be served at Ba Kiet / Muoi Huong

Back to our boat to go across one of the longest rivers in the world, Mekong River, to come to An Bình Island. Travel on Muong Lo handmade canal to Út Trinh / Út Quỳnh / Út Bình homestay & enjoy traditional music before check-in.

Have a fresh shower before enjoy cooking class and cook some special dishes with the members of local family. We’ll enjoy dinner & overnight at homestay.

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight at homestay

Have a breakfast and check-out for a walk along the village to enjoy the fresh air in the morning & arrive the local workshop to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy, pop-rice... Enjoy some sweets with a cup of hot tea.
Boat trip to visit the brick kilns where you can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. Our boat will go along the floating village. We will see how to farm catfish on Mekong river.
Also, we can visit Vinhlong market in the town. This is the best choice for you to take pictures of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetables... The cruise will end at Vinh Long city around 10:00 AM!

Then transfer for a 90-minute drive to Sa Dec, deep in the heart of the Mekong Delta. This charming, authentic Mekong Delta town seems to have escaped the modernization that has swept much of Vietnam. The town was immortalized by the French writer Marguerite Duras, who spent four years here from 1928 – 1932.
On arrival in Sa Dec, visit the charming Kien An Cung Pagoda after having lunch in the former home of Huynh Thuy Le, the main character in Marguerite Duras’ novel. After visiting Sa Dec, continue by road to Chau Doc, arriving in time for a late afternoon.
Meal: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight at Hotel in Chau Doc

After breakfast, check out hotel and then have half day city tour in Chau Doc

This morning, take a boat to Chau Giang District where many floating houses double as catfish farms. Explore a tiny mosque serving the local Cham community and learn about their history and how Arab merchants gradually brought Islam to these shores. The Cham also practice silk weaving and there may be an opportunity to see them at work.

After lunch, continue with a three-hour drive to Can Tho, considered the largest city in the Mekong Delta. Spend the afternoon cycling around the quiet lanes and unhardened paths of Can Tho, as bicycles are the perfect way to get around.

Meal: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight at Hotel in Can Tho

Early morning departs Ninh Kieu wharf by shuttle-boat, you can see bustling activities along Can Tho riverbanks. Particularly, you may know how local people go fishing with plenty of fish traps and how they transport passengers as well as products by the waterway. Approaching Cai Rang floating market, you can reappear the selling activities in the past using a traditional “offering pole” exchanging consumer goods hanging on the pole for Mekong fruit and vegetables with local sellers. To understand more about lifestyle over here, keep on going into the small creeks called Rach Nho in which the Southern countryside can be seen clearly before cruising back to Ninh Kieu Wharf.

After lunch, transfer to Ben Tre, which is about 3 hours away & check in Mekong Home and relax

Around 6PM, move to the restaurant at the end of the afternoon and participate in a cooking class: “Bánh xèo” – Vietnamese pancake made from rice milk. Dinner are ready to serve with fresh dishes include local vegetable, ingredients and flavors cooked in local style such as: caramelized pork, fish soup, young coconut and shrimp salad, spring roll…
After dinner, relax by lemongrass and ginger foot bath, a local therapeutic method to relieve the pain and fatigue of the legs.

Meal: Breakfast, dinner
Overnight at Mekong Home in Ben Tre

Enjoy fresh air while breakfast is served. After that, start cycling trip (from 2 hours to 2.5 hours) to the island of Oc on a concrete track, lined with fruit trees and coconut trees. On the way, pass by the local market where various of local ingredients as vegetable, meat, fruits, are sold. Subject to availability, visit a workshop of baskets made of coconut stems and a coconut processing operation. You will have chance to interact with workshop owner on different braiding techniques. Then return to the bicycles and cross a local Mekong River ferry to reach the island. From there, cycling on small paths dotted with small huts hidden in lush vegetation while seeing the daily life of the inhabitants of Mekong Delta, governed by artisanal and agriculture activities. Stop at a fish farm, to know more about two species of catfish: ca tra (Pangasius hypophthalmus) and ca ba sa (Pangasius bocourti), raised in ponds. These catfish are the two main species of fish production in Vietnam. Arrive at the pier where boat is waiting for you. A fresh fruit juice is served on board while the boat splits the waves towards the home.

Return to the Mekong Home then have lunch and the remaining of the day is at your leisure.

OPTIONAL TOUR - A SUNSET CRUISE ON THE HAM LUONG RIVER
Surcharge USD 18/ pax

Around 16.30 - Start tour A sunset cruise on the Ham Luong River makes a perfectly relaxing end to any day of exploration. Enjoy local coconut cookies and fresh fruit juice as you watch the sun go down. Have 60-minute Mekong Home sunset cruise (Seat-in-coach). Pick up and drop off from Mekong Home pier.
Drinks and cookies included.

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight at Mekong Home in Ben Tre

After breakfast, check out Mekong home, we will transfer to visit the Cai Mon Orchard Garden (also known as the “kingdom of fruits”), in Ben Tre Province.
Continue your trip to visit the Cai Mon Church - one of the oldest churches in the Mekong Delta.
According to the history, Caïman, French word was read off by Vietnamese equivalent “Cai Mon” because in the past there were a lot of crocodiles here.
The church was built in the 1800s by a French priest, that is famous for its unique architecture works: steeples, main hall…
The last stop on this tour is the potted plants and saplings in Vinh Bac.

Afternoon, transfer back Ho Chi Minh city, Tan Son Nhat International airport for flight departure.

Meal: Breakfast, lunch