Full Day Trip to Mekong Delta: Is This a Tourist Trap?

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One of the most popular day trips from Ho Chi Minh City is to visit the Mekong Delta, a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a slower pace of life in southern Vietnam. This is where the third-longest river in Asia ends, offering a glimpse into a slower, more traditional way of life.

I’m not going to lie, I had visions of floating through markets on a serene boat ride surrounded by lush greenery and old ladies selling fruit and veg from their boats. The reality, however, is very very different.

A day trip to Mekong Delta is portrayed online as being idyllic; immersing yourself in untouched landscapes, local life and scenic boat rides. This is very much an ‘instagram vs reality’ situation, as the true experience can be wildly different.

While region itself is undeniably stunning and a very cool experience, it will be evident that you are on a tourist conveyor belt rather than an off-the-beaten-path adventure. If that’s something you are happy to do, I would recommend booking a highly rated tour such as this tour on GetYourGuide, which is rated 4.4 stars. This is the highest-rated tour on Klook, which is another popular booking platform in Asia.

We booked our tour through a local travel agent, however the itineraries for almost all of these Mekong Delta day trip tours are remarkably identical: a short boat ride through a canal, visiting a bee farm and a village or two with a stop for a bland lunch in between.

All of these generic tours will give you a decent overview of what the region is like and they are the option most people will choose – we certainly did. However, they can feel like an inauthentic tourist trap. If you don’t mind that vibe, great!

However, I’d suggest planning your own trip for a more genuine experience, which is how I would have done this differently.

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Is a Day Trip to Mekong Delta a Tourist Trap?

Contents

Mekong Delta Day Trip Itinerary

If you’re planning to book a day trip to Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City, I have outlined everything you need to know, including what you can expect on the tour.

The journey from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta takes around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic.

We were instructed to be ready for 7am to be collected from our hotel. As we were staying in a central hotel in District 1, they offered this pick-up service. If you are staying further out in other districts, they will give you a meeting point in district 1 to be at for 7.30am.

The van picked us up and our tour guide was excellent. She was very knowledgable and entertaining for the long drive, giving us snippets of the Vietnamese language, culture and history.

the view from inside a motorboat at Mekong Delta

Visiting a bamboo factory

We did have one stop that we hadn’t known about in advance, visiting a factory that made bamboo products. Everything from towels to cleaning products.

We had to sit through an incredibly painful ‘bamboo fibre demonstration’ which felt like we were part of the audience on QVC. Our entire group were trying not to giggle like naughty school children throughout this ‘show’ and we were met by eager salespeople outside.

We had to zig zag our way out of the one way system they had created to get out of there, full of salespeople at every turn. This first stop was entirely redundant – nobody bought anything.

Boat ride to Unicorn Island

The onward journey was about 15 minutes long, where we boarded a motorboat to Unicorn Island and visited a local bee farm.

Nishi and Jass on a boat at Mekong Delta

Here, we got an insight into how locals manufacture natural honey from bees. We then tasted the natural honey along with honey wine and tea with honey in it – all while silently freaking out being in such close proximity to thousands of bees swarming around!

bee farm tea tasting with bees in the honey

I am pleased to report that all of us managed to escape unscathed – even those of us who let out a few screams while trying (not very hard) to be silent. I am mentioning no names.

Naturally we were given a sales pitch about the benefits of this particular honey and royal jelly; a ‘superfood’ which is a milky, white substance secreted by worker honeybees and fed to larvae.

We walked through some farm land and saw fresh lemongrass and jackfruit growing en route to seeing raw cacao being turned into chocolate. You guessed it – they had some chocolate for sale there too.

woman holding a tray of chocolate samples made from raw cacao

We also witnessed a lot of appalling animal cruelty while on this island including snakes, peacocks and porcupines in tiny cages. Not something you are forewarned about in advance.

Visiting a coconut candy factory on Turtle Island

We took another motorboat to Turtle Island to see the process fresh coconuts go through to make candy, which is produced here.

Now I‘m not a fan of honey, I don’t enjoy being surrounded by bees and I don’t particularly like coconut or even sweets, so these parts of the tour were a total snooze fest, if you ask me.

I’m not the only one on our tour that was half-heartedly walking around, pretending to be interested in the wares people were trying to flog to unsuspecting tourists, while we waited for the main event on the tour.

Observing the traditional methods of candy-making did provide an insight into local industries. However, filler activities such as these are what put me off organised day tours and they are a huge red flag when it comes to tourist traps. Sure, you might get to try something you wouldn’t have otherwise, but there is no way of telling whether these products are genuine or regulated.

We saw the process coconuts go through, right from being picked to how they separate the flesh to the juice. The juice is sold for consumption, while the flesh is flattened and cooked to create candy, otherwise known as sweets, with a variety of flavours. The peanut flavour was my favourite, but I didn’t like it enough to purchase any.

It very quickly became evident that all of theses stops are designed to sell you overpriced local products. While it is your choice whether to spend your money or not, to me it just feels like a massive waste of time on your holiday, waiting for the main event of the trip.

Lunch

It was then time to get back in the boat and head to a restaurant for lunch. We were all a bit deflated by this point as the morning had gone and we still hadn’t done the main thing we intended to do; get on a sampan!

We didn’t luck out with the weather and there was torrential rain during our time at Mekong Delta. The tour company were about to arrange tuktuks to transport us to the restaurant, but instead we chanced it by boat instead – getting in and out of the boat in the rain, on slippery steep steps was pretty scary – particularly as there was no handrail.

The rain from a sheltered boat on the Mekong river

Thankfully, I had told the tour company in advance that I am vegetarian, and I have never been more grateful to have been served a variety of dishes. The dishes had to be brought out from the kitchen by motorbike due to the rain, which was interesting to witness.

elephant ear fish with some king prawns in the foreground

A large elephant ear fish was placed centre stage on the table and quite honestly, just looking at it placed in the centre of the large table was enough to put me off my lunch.

I was the only veggie in our group of around 7 and others clearly thought the same because they kept asking to try some of my dishes – and I was more than happy to share.

While the food itself won’t be winning any culinary awards, the sheer amount of dishes brought out for me was impressive. There were around 10 dishes; different types of vegetables cooked in a variety of ways, veggie spring rolls, tofu toast instead of prawn toast, soups and rice.

While lunch is included at this restaurant, you do have to pay for your own drinks in cash, so that is worth bearing in mind.

I should point out that we travelled to Cambodia the following day, where Jass was immediately struck down with food poisoning for two days. This was the last meal he ate before losing his appetite, so I can only assume this was the cause of it.

Sampan ride through the Mekong Delta

Finally, it was time for the actual sampan boat ride which is on most people’s Vietnam bucket list! The complex web of canals spanning the Mekong Delta is completely unique, and a sampan boat ride down it is a must for visitors to the area.

We climbed down some steps and took a seat in the traditional Vietnamese flat-bottomed, wooden boat (the sampan) and the boat’s owner (usually a lady) propelled the boat through the narrow waterways with her remarkably strong upper body strength.

The sampan ride is incredibly scenic; seeing the mangroves of bamboo, banana and papaya trees lining either side of the canals that provide shade from the otherwise-intense sunlight. It was a real joy to be out on the water, an the highlight of the day, for sure.

scenic boat ride surrounded by mangroves on the Mekong Delta

The lady gave us a traditional Vietnamese hat to wear for the journey to protect ourselves from the sun, but really just for the photo ops.

Nishi and Jass on a sampan at Mekong Delta. Nishi is wearing a traditional Vietnamese hat

This intimate experience offered a peaceful, but short perspective of the delta’s waterways. It barely lasted 15 minutes and was over before we knew it, which was the only disappointing thing about it.

What tarnished the experience further was the lady angrily demanding a 5 USD tip per person before we’d disembarked. We hadn’t been forewarned about this, so it came as a surprise to us and one of the others on our sampan refused to pay it.

On all of our trips we’d taken across Vietnam, we were told that tipping is not necessary and it’s your choice whether you wish to tip or not.

We were happy to pay, but it did feel like a rip off for only a 10-15 minute journey – given that we’d already paid for a day trip.

Nishi and Jass on a sampan at Mekong Delta. They are both wearing traditional Vietnamese hats

On walking back to the motorboat, we witnessed more animal cruelty in the form of a ‘free zoo’ – more crocodiles and snakes in cages.

Vinh Trang Pagoda

Back in the van via the motorboat, our last stop of the day was the Vinh Trang Pagoda, the largest Buddhist temple in My Tho. Depending on the traffic from Ho Chi Minh City on the day, this might also be your first stop, as a good tour company will be flexible on timings so that you can avoid the crowds.

We were also given the option of skipping this stop all together, but we chose not to – and I’m glad we didn’t. This was the second best part of this day trip to Mekong Delta.

You can spend half an hour walking around the beautifully decorated structure of the temple. It might also possible to go inside, but ensure that you are respectful as it is still a place of worship and there will be monks praying.

We were unable to go inside as there was a special ceremony taking place on the day, but even so, I was wearing shorts and my knees weren’t covered, so I didn’t feel as though I was dressed modestly enough to enter a temple.

The gardens are quiet, peaceful and beautiful. There are 3 huge statues that you will see; a standing Buddha (past Buddha), a reclining Buddha (present Buddha) and a sitting Buddha (the future buddha).

reclining Buddha statue at Vinh Trang Pagoda

sitting Buddha statue at Vinh Trang Pagoda

Vinh Trang Pagoda is one of the most visited temples in the region and a popular stop on many Mekong Delta tours, so expect some crowds. We were fortunate to not have any other tourists there at the time we visited, so it was incredibly tranquil.

Is Mekong Delta still worth visiting?

The Mekong Delta day trip tour is undoubtedly a tourist trap, but I would say it is still worth visiting. Just don’t believe everything you see on social media and keep your expectations low.

The boat ride itself is peaceful and fun, albeit short and the demands for a tip at the end did somewhat ruin things for us.

All Mekong Delta day trips offer a curated yet authentic glimpse into the delta life. Sure, certain aspects of it are intentionally designed for tourists, and they will try their best to sell you things, but this doesn’t overshadow the genuine experiences and interactions you will have with people there.

It’s worth noting that I had serious vertigo from being in and out of boats all day, so much of my evening was spent laying down to try and stop my head and everything around me from spinning. This is to be expected though, especially if you suffer from vertigo.

Top tips for visiting the Mekong Delta

If a generic organised tour isn’t your thing, I would explore the Mekong Delta on your own terms for the best experience. This is certainly what I would have done differently during my time there.

My top Mekong Delta travel tip is to bypass the organised tours and go exploring by yourself, either via a rental motorbike or a driver. Personally, I would hire a driver for the day to take me around the various locations around Mekong Delta as I am not comfortable on a motorbike.

motorboat on the river through the mangroves at Mekong Delta

Some of these areas around the delta are pretty remote, so once you have made your way there, there will be will few, if any, modes of transportation available for you.

If you have your own rental motorbike, you can explore at a leisurely pace – or alternatively do the same with a driver you have hired for the day. Just ensure the driver isn’t taking you to places you don’t want to visit for a commission – this happens all over Southeast Asia, like the time we almost got scammed by a tuk-tuk in Bangkok.

If you make your own way there, you will undoubtedly be barraged with sampan drivers offering to take you down the canal for a good price at Can Tho. You can haggle with them to secure a price that works for you both – it may not work out to be the cheapest option overall, but it means that you will get to spend your day on your own terms.

If you don’t have the time to plan your own day trip to Mekong Delta, my top tip is to book a tour with a reputable company. Look for positive reviews and knowledgeable guides. This is the tour I would recommend.

Check rates and availability here.

Nishi and Jass on a motorboat at Mekong Delta

Regardless of how you get there, here are my top tips:

Stay hydrated – the humidity can be intense, so ensure you carry water with you.
Carry toilet roll – this sounds funny, but you will thank me for this. Many public toilets around Vietnam, and in fact, across Southeast Asia, don’t have toilet roll and there is nothing worse than being caught short.
Dress appropriately – Lightweight clothing and comfortable shoes are essential for this day trip.
Don’t forget to inform them of any dietary requirements – even if you eat fish, you might want to request a veggie meal (in case my photo hasn’t put you off).
Engage with the locals – this is always a great way to immerse yourself in the culture.

Other day trips from Ho Chi Minh City

If you have more time on your Ho Chi Minh itinerary, I would encourage you to take other day trips too – whether you plan them yourself or book a tour. This Cu Chi Tunnels Tour is very popular, and you can combine both the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta in this full day tour.