For an in-depth Mekong delta experience this trip is a must! We drive from Saigon to My Tho and start our floating exploration. This part of the delta is home to a myriad of rice fields, canals and small villages. Pretty scenes of lush orchards, vibrant flower gardens and musicians playing traditional music complete our backdrop as we boat through the canals and stroll on small islands.
The trip includes a visit to the most amazing floating markets of the Mekong delta, the Cai Rang floating market where hundreds of boats of all sizes fill the river trading in agricultural goods of all kinds and. There's aslo time for Tra Su National park – a beautiful Cajuput forest which has kept it pristine and an ideal sanctuary for a vast array of wildlife. We complete the journey with a visit to lively town of Chau Doc near the Cambodian border that is famous for sacred temples, Sam mountain, and the local fish farms.

DESTINATIONS

• The Mekong Delta, the story of a river and the life it generates

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise along the rivers maze of canals for a taste of the lush and lively culture
• Visit farms and workshops, chat with local people and taste their products
• Great photo ops at one of river's huge floating markets
• Tra Su National park
• Explore the border town of Chau Doc and surroundings

[Day 1] Saigon – My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho
Meals: lunch | Accommodation: hotel

8:00am – We leave Saigon for My Tho. Upon arrival, board a motorboat and head out on the mighty Mekong to Xuan Dong Islet. In contrast to many of the overly visited Mekong islands, we choose Xuan Dong for its quieter, less crowded, and more authentic slice of Mekong life. Hop on a bike and savor the leisurely time to explore and pedal through this green and unspoiled island. Make frequent stops for photos and glimpses and of the daily lives of local villagers.

We'll then take a small boat as you are rowed quietly along the thick mangroves of Vam Xep, a small canal with little village houses dotted along its sides. Get off the boat to enjoy some honeyed tea at the 'Coconut Artisan' village to check out the workshops where a range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.

We next take a small sampan along Vam Chua canal, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of Saigon which seems far, far away. We then stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

At last we'll reboard the boat to head back to My Tho and start the drive through the fields and towns of the Mekong to Can Tho city. Spend the evening at your leisure seeing the town by foot or pedicab, or find a quiet place for a cocktail by the river.

[Day 2] Can Tho – Chau Doc
Meals: breakfast and lunch | Accommodation: hotel

After and early breakfast, we start a boat cruise to head to the bustling Cai Rang floating market – the largest and most colourful in the Mekong delta. Feel free to take photographs, talk or bargain while our boat glides slowly through the market mayhem. There are fantastic photo opportunities amidst the huge variety of agricultural bounty on sale here. Farming boats big and small trade seasonal fruits and an array of other goods in a chorus of sights and smells that you won't soon forget. We will take a stroll through the farms and houses of a nearby village before returning to Can Tho for lunch.

After lunch, you'll drive to Chau Doc – a town on the border of Viet Nam and Cambodia to visit Tra Su forest, a Cajuput forest which is also a home of about 100 species of birds. A round trip in motor-boat cruise will take you to all significant sites of this ecological forest to discover its greenery and bird sanctuary before getting to your hotel in Chau Doc for an overnight stay.

[Day 3] Chau Doc – Saigon or Cambodia
Meals: breakfast and lunch | Accommodation: N/A

Early depart after breakfast, you'll take another trip on the long tail boat to visit a floating fish farm and learn about the centuries-old skills at work. We also pause in a Cham village with their intriguing mosque. After that, we will leave for Saigon with a lunch break en route.

If you don't want to return to Saigon but would rather keep journeying into Cambodia, after breakfast, take a taxi to the pier to embark on a speed boat for an exciting ride to Phnom Penh, where the trip ends. This is a perfect starting point for discovering Cambodia and the famed temples of Angkor.

Please contact us if we can help you to organize your tour to Angkor or any further Cambodia travel or your transfer back to Saigon afterward.

Note: Extra fee for speedboat Chau Doc – Phnom Penh is $37

PRICE PER PERSON (Valid from 01/01/2013 to 31/12/2013)

Included

• Accommodation
• Boat cruise on Mekong River
• Boat cruise in Tra Su Forest
• Meals as specified in the program
• Travel in an appropriate air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver
• The services of an experienced English-speaking guide
• All entrance fees
• VAT and other taxes

Not included

• Extra cost for the extension to Cambodia
• Hotel in Saigon
• Beverages, guide gratuities and personal expenses.
• Camera fees (if any)
• Insurance
• Surcharge in peak season (Christmas & New Year)

ACCOMMODATION CHOICES

Standard
• Can Tho: Kim Lan hotel (ROH)
• Chau Doc: Trung Nguyen hotel (ROH)

Superior
• Can Tho: Ninh Kieu hotel (ROH)
• Chau Doc: Chau Pho hotel (ROH)

Deluxe
• Can Tho: Victoria Can Tho hotel (Superior)
• Chau Doc: Victoria Chau Doc hotel (Superior)