Charming Ben Tre and the Unseen Sights of Mekong Delta

Itinerary

Day 1: The charming Ben Tre - homeland of coconut

Stop At: Ben Tre Market, chợ Phường 3, Đại Lộ Đồng Khởi, Phường 2, Bến Tre, Vietnam
7:30 a.m. Pick up from the hotel with our professional and knowledgeable Tiger Guide; private car to Ben Tre province. After 1,5 hours drive through beautiful rice paddy field and Vam Co Tay river arrived boat station in Ben Tre province. The boat will cruise along the Ham Luong river (a branch of the Mekong) and stop off at various local workplaces to give you a picture of how the local economy works, including a brickworks, where bricks are still painstakingly made by hand; a coconut processing workshop, where you can sample fresh coconut and see how every single part of this versatile nut is turned into food and other products; and a mat weaving house, where straw mats are woven using a handloom – you can even have a go at weaving yourself!
Stop at a quiet village where you can have a short walk to experience real Delta village life, before boarding your xe loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) or bike and traveling pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to see a real-life of the Mekong and his culture, where you also can visit fruit orchards.
It is time for lunch at a local restaurant for a delicious and filling lunch, featuring such local specialties Vietnamese dishes.
After the authentic lunch, you can have a short rest on the hammock nearby before refreshing yourself by joining in the rowing boat along the narrow canal in the peaceful and truly amazing natural beauty.
Check in the homestay for an overnight here. The place itself is a paradise and a much-needed disconnect from the city. It's deep in the middle of nowhere but a bike ride, jog or scooter rental will get you anywhere else you may need to go, what a way to experience the surrounding area. After some activities, you will enjoy your dinner. All home-cooked local delights.
Continue your night by exploring the city center yourselves, you can either choose to take the “xe loi” or “xe om” to get there. Or if it is too much for you, just stay in the village, walk around to have a fresh atmosphere, which you cannot find anywhere in the big city like Ho Chi Minh city. Then lie down on a hammock, read some book or listen to music what a good way to finish your perfect day.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at local homestay in Ben Tre province

Day 2: The unseen part of Tien Giang province - "land of dragon fruit"

Stop At: Tiền Giang, Cái Bè, Cái Bè District, Tien Giang, Vietnam
7:00 a.m.: Our tour guide will pick you up for the drive to Go Cong town, a beautiful small area with the nickname “land of dragon-fruit”.
8:30 a.m.: Stop at a local ferry station for a drive to the other side of the river. After that, there will be the driver with a motorbike is waiting for you. Taking the motorbike to visit one of the Dragon fruit gardens, which is colorful through your eyes, have a quick stop to try the fruit and take pictures while farmers are purchasing goods.
Continue your trip by catching the ferry reach to Tan Thanh Island and cross the big river, follow your tour guide to know more about the famous land of beauty that a lot of Nguyen Dynasty concubines (Tu Du Queen, Nam Phuong Queen, etc.) came from.
Riding on narrow tracks, surrounded by a profusion of plants and everyday rural life, then visit a coconut processing plant, a home where the locals make brooms and mats and a home where they make roofing materials from water coconut leaves. You will be greeted warmly by the inhabitants, enjoy the fresh coconut juice at each house. Then a magical sampan rides along the river and through narrow channels that meandered under a vaulted ceiling of palm leaves and on to a beautiful riverside home for lunch. The menu will be depending on the day but we pretty sure that you can enjoy all those delicious foods, served in the beautiful tranquil garden, surrounded by the sounds of birds, fish popping up from a nearby pond. After lunch, you will have sometimes for a rest on some hammocks before driving back to Saigon.
2:00 p.m.: Depart for Ho Chi Minh city.
5:00 p.m.: Arrive at your hotel and finish 2 days 1 night with a lot of great memories.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.