Discover the Real Mekong Delta with MekongEcoHome Homestay

Highlights

Welcome to my home in Ngã Bảy, in the heart of the Mekong Delta!

I’m happy to welcome you to my hometown and share with you the Mekong Delta as I know and love it — not just the famous tourist attractions, but also the quiet canals, small villages, local markets, family gardens and everyday life along the river. During this journey, I would love to show you a different side of Southern Vietnam. You will have the chance to travel by boat, explore the countryside, taste homemade Vietnamese food, meet local people and experience the simple rhythm of life in the Mekong Delta. I have designed this itinerary to combine some of Southern Vietnam’s well-known destinations with a more personal experience at my family homestay, MekongEcoHome in Ngã Bảy – without paying for services you do not really need.

Here, you can slow down, enjoy the peaceful surroundings and discover local life at your own pace. This is more than just a sightseeing trip. It is an opportunity to experience the Mekong Delta through the eyes of a local host. I hope you will feel at home and take home some lovely memories of my hometown

YOUR JOURNEY – DAY BY DAY

DAY 1 – Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Today is intentionally kept free so you can settle in after your flight. Once you arrive at your hotel, take time to rest, freshen up and enjoy the city independently. If you feel energetic, you may explore nearby streets, cafés or local restaurants at your own pace.

No tour activities, airport pick-up or transportation services are included today. Overnight in Saigon; accommodation is arranged independently.

DAY 2 – Cu Chi Tunnels • Black Virgin Mountain • Cao Dai Holy See

Approx. 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM | Private car and driver

Morning – Discover the Cu Chi Tunnels

Your driver will collect you from your hotel in Saigon and take you to the Cu Chi area. At the site, a local guide will introduce the history of the tunnel network and explain how it was used during the Vietnam War. You will see preserved sections, underground living and working spaces, displays and examples of the ingenious ways people adapted to life during wartime. The visit helps you understand an important part of Vietnam’s modern history.

There may be an opportunity to enter a specially adapted section of tunnel if you wish and if it is suitable for you. This part is optional; you can remain above ground and explore the displays instead.

Afternoon – Black Virgin Mountain and Cao Dai Holy See

Continue to Black Virgin Mountain (Núi Bà Đen), a well-known natural and spiritual landmark in Tay Ninh. Enjoy the mountain scenery and learn about its importance to local visitors. Cable-car access or other mountain activities depend on the ticket arrangement selected; please confirm whether these are included in the final package.

Next, visit the Cao Dai Holy See, the colourful centre of the Cao Dai religion. Admire its distinctive architecture, symbolic decorations and bright colours. Your guide will explain the basic beliefs and the role this religion plays in the region. If your visit coincides with a prayer ceremony and visitor access is permitted, you may quietly observe from the designated visitor area.

Return to Saigon in the late afternoon. Lunch is not included, so you can choose a restaurant or local meal that suits you. Overnight in Saigon; accommodation is arranged independently.

DAY 3 – Saigon • My Tho • Ben Tre • Ngã Bảy

Private transfer and Mekong boat experience

From the city to the Mekong Delta

After leaving Saigon by private car, travel south towards My Tho. As the city gradually gives way to the countryside, you will see a changing landscape of small settlements, gardens, waterways and agricultural land. My Tho is one of the gateways to the Mekong Delta and the starting point for today’s river experience.

Private boat trip on the Mekong River

Board a private boat reserved for your group and cruise along a branch of the Mekong River. From the water, you can observe river traffic, boats carrying goods, riverside homes and the everyday rhythm of life along the banks. Your guide will point out interesting features of the river landscape and explain how the waterways support local transport, trade and farming.

Ben Tre – coconut gardens and small canals

Continue into the Ben Tre area, known for its coconut-growing countryside. You will see coconut palms, garden landscapes and small waterways that give this region its distinctive character. Depending on the route and local conditions, the boat trip may include a quieter canal section where you can appreciate the slower pace of the countryside.

You will have time to enjoy fresh tropical fruit and a fresh coconut, followed by an authentic Vietnamese lunch with local dishes. This is a chance to taste everyday Mekong-style food rather than a formal restaurant menu.

Continue to Ngã Bảy – check in at MekongEcoHome Homestay

After the Ben Tre visit, travel by private car to Ngã Bảy in the Mekong Delta. Check in at MekongEcoHome Homestay, our family accommodation. Your Deluxe Room provides a comfortable place to rest with local family. Ngã Bảy offers a quieter atmosphere than the main tourist centres, giving you a different perspective on local life in the delta.

The evening is free to relax after the day’s journey. Overnight at MekongEcoHome Homestay.

DAY 4 – Ngã Bảy • Mekong Nature, Waterways & Local Life

Approx. 6:00 AM – 5:30 PM | Private local excursion

Experience traditional local market:

6:00 AM: Take a bike go to the local market and visit the old floating market in Nga Bay town then have breakfast at a local restaurant.

Cajeput Forest & Bird Sanctuary

7:30 AM: Take a boat inside the forest to see birds and trees. A private boat along local waterways and canals. From the boat, notice the vegetation along the banks, houses facing the water and the small boats used by residents. The quieter canals offer a more intimate view of the delta than the larger river routes. Your guide will share stories about river life, seasonal changes and the importance of water to local communities

Climb up to Bird Tower to see an overview of the forest. Seeing the duck farms (depending on the rice harvesting), and rice fields near to the forest. Travel through rural roads and village areas, passing homes, gardens, fields and local businesses. Your guide will introduce the surroundings and explain how local families make a living from agriculture, small-scale trade and the waterways. There will be opportunities to pause, take photographs and observe the everyday rhythm of the countryside.

8:30 AM: Walking under the shadow of the trees around the forest.

Experience traditional handicraft village

10:00 AM: Take a boat or ride a motorbike to see the rural life in the village: go through the small street to see local people make bamboo baskets in the village.

Vietnamese Cooking Class

12:00 PM: Prepare the ingredients and cook your own golden, crispy Vietnamese pancakes filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. Learn how to wrap them with fresh herbs and vegetables and enjoy them with dipping sauce.

Discover a traditional Southern Vietnamese family meal

Bánh Xèo is only part of the experience!

You’ll also discover the everyday dishes that make a Mekong Delta family meal special, such as:

Vietnamese caramelised fish (Cá Kho) – fish slowly cooked in a savoury, slightly sweet sauce.

Homemade vegetable soup (Canh Rau) – a comforting bowl of soup made with fresh seasonal vegetables.

Stir-fried vegetables – simple, fresh and full of natural flavour.

Seasonal tropical fruits – enjoy whatever delicious fruits are in season in the Mekong Delta.

The menu may vary depending on the season and the ingredients available at the local market.

That’s part of the experience — eating what local families enjoy in their everyday lives.

Share a meal with our family

Sit down together, taste the dishes you’ve prepared and enjoy a relaxed meal in a local family setting. Discover not only the flavours of Southern Vietnam, but also the simple joy of sharing food and stories around the table.

Hammock coffee shop

05:15 PM: You could order Vietnamese coffee at a local coffee shop then relaxing on a hammock nearby a river.

Second night at MekongEcoHome Homestay.

DAY 5 – Cai Rang Floating Market  in Can Tho City • Return to Saigon Airport

Early morning private boat trip and private airport transfer

5:00 AM: Check-out and departure preparation

Check out of MekongEcoHome Homestay and prepare your luggage. Your luggage will be kept safely at the accommodation or loaded into the vehicle, according to the final transport arrangement. Set off early for the Cai Rang area so you can experience the market during its active morning hours.

Cai Rang floating market – a must-have floating market and local land market (A life on river)

05:40 AM: Reach the harbor and take a walk to shopping like locals in the early morning at a local land market. Then we will take a sampan boat to explore Cai Rang floating market – a must-have floating market in Can Tho and watch the sunrise on the river (sometimes). Board a private boat exclusively for your group. Cai Rang is one of the Mekong Delta’s best-known floating markets. In the early morning, you may see trading boats gathering on the river, sellers displaying produce and buyers moving between boats. The market is a working place, so its activity changes with the season, weather and time of day.

Your guide will explain how river trading works and how sellers identify the products on their boats. You can observe the movement of boats, take photographs and enjoy the atmosphere from the water. The market is not a staged performance; it is part of the region’s living river culture.

Enjoy “The Queen Fruit: PINEAPPLE” right on the boat near to the floating market. Have breakfast at the boat with “Shaking Rice Noodle Soup: Hủ tiếu” and “Vietnamese Càfe”.

Rice noodle home factory

07:00 AM: Experience the rice noodles by yourself at the rice noodle factory with impressively natural colorful rice noodles.

Small canals in the village 

07:30 AM: Enjoy the cool, green, peaceful atmosphere in the small canals and learn about the local life in the river village.

The beautiful plant nursery family’s business along a river

08:30 AM: Walking along a riverside to see how locals nurse a baby plant of vegetables and fruits.
Experience the way how to make rice noodles in the traditional way from the friendly family’s traditional noodle house with impressively colorful noodles.

Private transfer to Saigon

9:00 AM: After the floating market visit, meet your private driver and travel towards Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Saigon. The estimated arrival time is around 1:00 PM, subject to traffic and road conditions. Your Mekong journey ends at the airport.

ACCOMMODATION

MekongEcoHome Homestay – Ngã Bảy, Hậu Giang

• Two nights in a Deluxe Room.
• A comfortable base for exploring the surrounding Mekong countryside.
• A quieter local setting away from the busiest tourist areas.

Accommodation for the first two nights in Saigon is not included and must be arranged independently.

TOTAL PRIVATE PACKAGE PRICE

WHAT IS INCLUDED

Transportation

• Private car and driver for the scheduled journeys.
• Saigon – My Tho – Ben Tre – Ngã Bảy transportation.
• Transportation for the Mekong countryside experience.
• Transfer from the Can Tho area to Saigon Airport.

Tours and experiences

• Cu Chi Tunnels entrance tickets and local Cu Chi guide.
• Private Mekong boat trips and private Cai Rang Floating Market boat.
• Entrance fees for the activities specifically listed in the confirmed itinerary.
• English-speaking local Mekong guide.
• Fresh tropical fruits and fresh coconut.

Meals and accommodation

• Vietnamese lunch on Day 3 and Day 4.
• Vietnamese traditional dinner and cooking class on Day 4
• Snacks, seasonal fruits, bottle of water during a tour.
• Local breakfast, coffee and tea on Day 4 and Day 5.
• Two nights at MekongEcoHome Homestay in Ngã Bảy – Deluxe Room with all facilities.

NOT INCLUDED

• Accommodation in Saigon on Days 1 and 2.
• Lunch on Day 2 and meals not specifically mentioned.
• Personal expenses and drinks outside the included arrangements.
• Optional activities or tickets not specified as included.
• Gratuities and tips (completely optional).

A NOTE FROM YOUR LOCAL HOST

I believe the best way to discover the Mekong Delta is not simply to visit famous attractions, but to spend time in the countryside, enjoy local food, travel along small waterways and understand how people live here. That is why I have included two nights in Ngã Bảy, where my family welcomes guests and helps them discover a quieter, more authentic side of the Mekong Delta. I hope you will leave with more than photographs – with warm memories of the people, food and everyday life of Southern Vietnam.

Cancellation policy:

• Free cancellation before arriving within 72 hours.
• Within 24 hours before arriving: 50% of the tour price.