Mekong Delta Tour

The roughly oblong-shaped province of Vinh Long sits on a long Mekong Delta island. Lush and heavily cultivated with both rice and fruit orchards, the province is criss-crossed with canals and tributaries all flowing into the teeming rivers that form its borders. It’s not surprising that the name Vinh Long translates to “eternal prosperity”. Most travelers will spend their time in the provincial capital. While a small town, almost points of interest in Vinh Long town sit in the northeast corner where the Co Chien river meets the Long Ho canal. This part of town is also a popular place for locals to sit back, have coffee and “banh mi” (Vietnamese-styled sandwich) while the chocolate brown river waters roar past. This area also hosts a large wet market that borders a bustling market, some special shops and plenty of small restaurants. Vinh Long is used as a base for those visiting the floating market at Cai Be (which is actually in Tien Giang province) and is known for its homestays on An Binh island to the north. While just a trickle of foreign travelers come through, the boat trips here are more reasonable and the homestays offer a terrific opportunity to experience Mekong Delta life firsthand – it’s worth stopping here. The Vinh Long tourist office can organise homestays and boat trips but both are significantly more expensive than organising something on a more freelance basis – walk up to the ferry to An Binh island and don’t be surprised to be approached for a homestay or boat trip at modest prices. While the tourist office advises, “Using an outside operator carries no insurance would be very bad idea”, we didn’t find any problem happening. Joining this trip, you will have a chance to discover the real Mekong Delta experiences where you can