The Mekong Delta at a glance
The delta spreads across the far south of Vietnam, and the towns people visit lie at very different distances from Ho Chi Minh City. My Tho and Ben Tre are the closest and suit a day trip. Can Tho is the usual base for the floating market and for canal and island boat rides. Chau Doc, near the Cambodian border, is a longer trip with its own character.
Distances below are approximate and come from tourism organizations and tour operators. They are not guaranteed door-to-door times. Traffic out of Ho Chi Minh City can add a lot, so leave a margin on the day you fly out. This is an independent guide, not a tourism authority.
Delta towns compared
Where each place fits and how far it is from Ho Chi Minh City.
| Town | Known for | From Ho Chi Minh City | Best as |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Tho | Start of Tien River boat trips, with island and canal stops toward Ben Tre | About 1.5 h in one tour program | Day trip |
| Ben Tre | Coconuts, coconut candy workshops, canals with water palms | About 2 h | Day trip |
| Vinh Long | Rivers and orchards between My Tho and Can Tho | One limousine bus listing: 7:00 am departure, 9:25 am arrival | Stop on the way |
| Can Tho | Cai Rang floating market, canals, islands, riverfront promenade | About 3 h by road, bus operator lists 4 h | Base for 1 to 2 nights |
| Chau Doc | Border town, Cham culture, temples on Sam Mountain, Tra Su forest | About 5 h, an older German-language page says 6 h | Longer trip |
The Vinh Long time comes from a booking-site listing for one bus, last indexed in June 2026, so treat it as an example and not a timetable. For the other towns, the travel times are the ones the sources give. A bus, a private car and a tour van all take different amounts of time.
Mekong Delta tours and day trips
Day trips, floating market mornings and overnight tours, with live prices and availability.
Routes that work
Different tours cover different parts of the delta.
My Tho and Ben Tre in a day
A small-group program leaves Ho Chi Minh City around 7:00 am. It combines a motor boat on the Tien River, a rowing sampan on a small canal, a coconut workshop and lunch. This kind of day does not include Cai Rang.
Ben Tre day trip →A night in Can Tho for the morning market
If the floating market is your goal, sleep in Can Tho. One two-day program links Cai Be and Tan Phong with Can Tho, then Cai Rang and Con Son the next morning. The program text is old, so confirm the current details with the operator.
Tours compared →Can Tho in one very long day
One operator offers Cai Rang as a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, from 3:30 am to 4:30 pm, with arrival in Can Tho around 5:45 am. It is tiring, but possible if you have a single day.
Cai Rang floating market →Chau Doc and Tra Su
The national tourism organization describes boat rides in the Tra Su cajuput forest from Chau Doc. The high-water boating season there is listed as September to November. Plan a night here rather than a rushed day.
When to go and what changed on the map
The national tourism organization lists December to April as the drier season for boat trips in Can Tho and May to November as the rainy season. For Chau Doc and Tra Su the same organization names September to November as the high-water boating season. An older national climate table lists April as the hottest month on average and October as the wettest. These are historical averages, not a forecast for your dates.
Place names have shifted since the provincial reform of mid-2025. The city of Can Tho now also covers the former Hau Giang and Soc Trang. Dong Thap province now includes the former Tien Giang, where My Tho lies, and Ben Tre belongs to the enlarged Vinh Long province. Tour listings still use the familiar town names, so use those when you plan.
If you want a beach after the delta, Phu Quoc is an island off the southwest coast of Vietnam. For another water-based outing in central Vietnam, see the coconut-forest basket boats at Cam Thanh.
Go deeper
The three pages most visitors read next.
Mekong Delta: frequently asked questions
How many days do I need in the Mekong Delta?
One day is enough for My Tho and Ben Tre. If you want the Cai Rang market at its best hours, plan at least one night in Can Tho. Chau Doc and Tra Su add more days.
Is a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho realistic?
It is possible but long. One operator runs it from 3:30 am to 4:30 pm. Most visitors prefer to sleep in Can Tho and see the market the next morning.
Does a My Tho and Ben Tre tour include a floating market?
No. The My Tho and Ben Tre day programs focus on boats, canals and coconut workshops. Cai Rang is a different part of the delta, near Can Tho.
Is there a ticket or pass for the whole delta?
No general tourist ticket for the city or the delta is published. Individual tours, boat rides and sights set their own prices, so check what each package includes.
When is the best time to go?
December to April is the drier season. May to November is rainy, and September to November is the high-water season around Chau Doc. Boat plans can change in heavy rain, so ask the operator about its weather policy.