THE MEKONG EXPEDITION 

THE MEKONG EXPEDITION

River • People • Land • Wilderness

WHY THIS JOURNEY

• Experience Cái Răng before the morning river reaches its busiest hour

• Follow original village routes shaped through years of local exploration

• Discover hidden canals, handmade rice noodles and family-grown cacao

• Share breakfast with farmers at Vị Thanh's agricultural market

• Continue into Tắc Cậu's pineapple country, where the harvest shapes everyday life

• Explore the peat wetlands and quiet waterways of U Minh Thượng

• Finish naturally in Rạch Giá, with an easy continuation to Phú Quốc

Day 1 : Letting the Delta Slow You Down

Leave Ho Chi Minh City behind as highways gradually become canals, orchards and tropical gardens.

By afternoon, arrive at your countryside retreat, where birdsong replaces traffic and quiet waterways set the rhythm for the days ahead. Spend the evening beside the pool or beneath the trees before sharing a welcoming Southern Vietnamese dinner prepared with local ingredients.

Private transfer: 3 hours

Meals: Lunch, welcome dinner

Day 2: Mekong Life and Rural Villages life

7:00 am - Enjoy breakfast at your boutique retreat before our local host come to pick up you on 8 am.

8:00 am -our host meet you at your accommodation.

Scenic Village Ride: You will see real life happening along the water where children go swimming, women wash clothes while they chat and laugh, old men smile and nod as you pass. It's an invitation to see how people actually live, love, and belong to this river.

Local Fruits Discovery: Bike through riverside fruit gardens where golden mangoes, spiky jackfruits, star apples, and pineapples ‘tempt’ you with their seasonal fragrance and flavor. Your guide will share how farmers grow and take care of these tasty fruits.

Rice Fields Experience: Ride past rice paddy fields, taste seasonal fruits, and immerse yourself in the smallest, gentlest moments that stay with you long after everything else blurs. 

Local Lunch: Take a seat at a village family’s table for a home-cooked Mekong lunch, where fresh herbs, family recipes and dishes made for sharing offer a warm taste of life in the countryside.

7:30 pm - Enjoy the Curated Mekong dinner

Meals: A welcoming Mekong lunch and Southern Vietnamese dinner.
Your stay: Boutique countryside retreat, Can Tho.

Day 3: THE MEKONG BEYOND THE FLOATING MARKET

Cai Rang Floating Market: Begin at 6:30 AM directly at your accommodation then cruise by traditional sampan boat to Cai Rang floating mảket, when the river naturally comes alive with local boats, fresh produce and the rhythm of everyday life. Enjoy warm rice noodle soup and Vietnamese coffee served on the water while moving among the traders and experiencing the market from within.

Traditional Rice Noodle Village: Step into the home of a local family where rice noodles are still made by hand, following traditions passed through generations. Meet the people behind the craft and discover the quiet beauty of a way of life deeply rooted in the Mekong.

Hidden Mekong Canals: Leave the wider river behind and drift through peaceful canals embraced by water coconut palms and tropical greenery. Slow down, listen to nature and experience a more intimate side of the Mekong, far from the usual tourist routes.

Local Cacao Farm: Walk beneath the shade of a family cacao garden and discover how fresh cacao is transformed into locally crafted chocolate. Taste cacao at its source and hear the personal story of the family whose passion keeps this special tradition alive.

Tropical Fruit Experience: End the journey with fresh pineapple, mango and seasonal tropical fruits in the peaceful countryside. A simple, generous moment that captures the flavors, warmth and unhurried spirit of the Mekong.

Meals: breakfast, local lunch and Southern Vietnamese dinner. 

Your stay: Boutique countryside retreat, Can Tho.

Day 4: Pineapple Roads and Vi Thanh Agriculture Market

Vị Thanh Agricultural Market: Begin with the quiet theatre of rural life at Vị Thanh, where farmers arrive from surrounding villages with herbs, vegetables and seasonal produce gathered from their land. Walk with your local host, meet the people behind the market, and discover the ingredients and traditions that shape this agricultural corner of the Mekong.

Into the Pineapple Villages: Then leave the familiar routes behind and cycle into a landscape still virtually unknown to travellers. Narrow country lanes lead through sweeping pineapple fields, rice paddies, coconut gardens and graceful rows of areca palms, with farmers working much as they have for generations.

There are no staged attractions here and almost no tourism. The experience is simply to move slowly through the countryside, meet people naturally and discover a part of the Mekong that still feels deeply local, private and untouched.

Lunch with a Local Family: Pause for a home-cooked lunch prepared by a local family, sharing regional dishes in a peaceful countryside setting where hospitality feels personal and unhurried.

Meals: breakfast, local lunch and Southern Vietnamese dinner. 

Your stay: Coastal hotel in Rach Gia

Day 5: U Minh Thuong National Park

Deep within U Minh Thuong National Park, a rarely visited wilderness of flooded forests and hidden waterways awaits. Glide through emerald channels and watch for macaques, purple swamphens and other wildlife moving through the wetlands.

With few visitors and nature still largely untouched, this feels less like sightseeing and more like entering a secret world of the Mekong.

Day 6 Slowly Farewell

Morning: Breakfast and Time for Yourself

Enjoy breakfast at your accommodation and let the morning unfold slowly. You can walk surround coastal city and enjoy coffee at coastal views.

Then, 10:30 am, take ferry transfer you to Phu Quoc

Meals: Breakfast