One of the best ways to explore the Mekong Delta is with a Mekong Delta cruise. Cruise the rivers in a luxury boat and enjoy the beautiful views along the way. Stop at various spots for trips to get a closer look at local life.
What to expect during a Mekong Delta Cruise
The Mekong River, which flows into Vietnam, actually starts 4000 kilometers further up in China and runs through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. This makes it the twelfth longest river in the world and the sixth in Asia. Once in Vietnam, the river splits to form a delta, which everyone knows as the Mekong Delta. The rivers are connected with canals, which are then connected with smaller streams.
The people who live in this delta area have completely adapted to the water and their whole lives revolve around this. For example, the water is used for fishing, it provides fertile soil that is perfect for fruit and rice cultivation and the harvested crops are then transported over the water and even sold on floating markets. It is a unique life that you can only see in this part of Vietnam.
Of course, the best way to see this is to take part in getting out on the water. You can arrange a boat trip from every village and city that lies along the water that takes you over the rivers and through the narrower canals. But what might give a much more fantastic experience is a Mekong Delta cruise.
Because how wonderful it is to be able to watch life along and on the water directly from the balcony of your room, the restaurant or the deck. You have luxury Mekong Delta cruises to midrange cruises. But in addition to the class of the cruise, it is important to look at the cruise itinerary, as each cruise may travel a different route and visit different points of interest.
It is true that during a Mekong Delta cruise you can of course enjoy beautiful views directly from the boat, but most boat trips include trips with activities such as visiting villages, cycling and boat trips in small traditional sampan rowing boats that take you to places get where the big boat can’t. Check out some of these Mekong Delta cruise highlights below to better orient yourself on what to see and do, making it easier to determine which river cruise is right for you.
Highlights of a Mekong Delta cruise
1. Floating markets
For many travelers, the floating markets in the Mekong Delta are the highlight. The many fruit orchards and rice plantations that line the water load their crops directly from a land into the boats in the rivers and canals. Then those boats go to a collection point to trade with each other, creating a floating market, sometimes hundreds of boats. It is unique to see how they negotiate and move goods from one boat to another and then distribute them further. The largest and most famous market on the water is the Cai Rang Floating Market.
2. Life on the river
When you take a river cruise with Mekong Delta, you can see life on the water directly from your boat. What will stand out the most are the many other ships that are fully loaded with local products. You will see boats full of pineapples, watermelons, coconuts, bananas, sand, bricks and flowers, among other things.
Along the side of the water you will see the ships being loaded. Fishermen sit on smaller boats on the river and use rods and casting nets to catch their fish. Some villages and towns even have houses on stilts in the water.
3. Stop for activities
Of course you can see a lot directly from a Mekong Delta river cruise, but there is also a chance that you will miss something that does not happen directly along the river. For that reason, most cruises also organize activities on the mainland (included). Think, for example, of visiting a fruit orchard where you can pick and taste fruit yourself, a bike ride through the countryside and visiting a local factory or workshop where they make rice paper, honey, rice wine or coconut sweets. This way you have the best of both a Mekong Delta cruise and a “normal” Mekong Delta tour.
5x Best Mekong Delta cruise
1. Funan Cruise
The best Mekong Delta Cruise is the luxury Funan cruise. Depending on which day you go there are different routes. You can visit the Cai Rang floating market and there are opportunities for cycling and visiting villages.
Book this luxury Mekong Delta cruise here.
2. Lotus Cruise (to Phnom Penh)
Are you planning to go from Vietnam to Cambodia (or vice versa) through the Mekong Delta and you like luxury, a lot of luxury, then the Lotus Cruise is the best Mekong Detla cruise you can wish for.
3. Song Xanh Sampan Private Cruise
Perhaps the Song Xanh Sampan is the best Mekong Delta cruise, as it is one of the only options for a private cruise. The boat is made of a traditional Sampan boat and fully equipped. This is certainly a very special experience.
4. Mekong Eyes
Mekong Eyes has a number of boats with different routes, including to Cambodia, Phu Quoc or a round trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Some of their boats are slightly smaller, which makes a boat trip a little more personal, only there is less room to move and for facilities.
5. Bassac
The Bassac Cruise has room for 24 passengers and sails the popular route between Cai be and Can Tho on the Mang Thit River where you have the Tra On Floating Market.
Best time to do a Mekong Delta river cruise
You can do a Mekong Delta cruise all year round, although there are two clear seasons:
- The rainy season lasts from May to November. So you can expect less pleasant weather during this time, but the water is also higher in some places, making it easier for boats to get everywhere.
- The dry season lasts from December to April. In these months the water is lower in some places, but you can expect clear blue skies.
Regardless of the season, the Mekong Delta is warm (or hot for some people) all year round. Expect temperatures between 25 degrees and 32 degrees.
FAQ
How many days should I take a Mekong Delta river cruise?
Most Mekong Delta cruise trips last two to three days, which is enough to get a good impression. An overnight stay also gives you the chance to visit a morning-only floating market, making it impossible to see in a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City.
Do Mekong Delta cruises start from Ho Chi Minh City?
Most Mekong Delta cruises do not depart directly from Ho Chi Minh City. In general, you first go by car or bus to the port somewhere in the Mekong Delta, usually My Tho.
What are the alternatives for a Mekong Delta cruise?
With the Mekong Delta speedboat tour you go directly from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta. It’s a great option because you won’t be driving for more than an hour or sometimes two on the road at first, but can enjoy the great outdoors and riverside life from the very first moment.
There are also plenty of other tours where you first start with a car or bus from Ho Chi Minh City. The excursions can also take you to places that are further away from the river and can even be combined with a follow-up trip to Cambodia, Con Dao or Phu Quoc. View all options in our Mekong Delta tours.
