The Mekong Delta is just a 2 hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. It gives a perfect opportunity to escape from the bustling city life and relax in this network of fertile waterways. The Mekong Delta is home to a wide-ranging system of distributaries and packed with floating markets, handicraft villages, fruit orchards and rice fields.
An overnight night cruise on the Mekong gives an unforgettable glimpse into the riverine and rural life. With stops at local industries and floating markets, this cruise is certain to delight the tourist on the Vietnam travel and enlighten with the experiences, sounds and sights of the delta.
The majority of the overnight Mekong cruises start in Ho Chi Minh City. From there it is a short drive before climbing aboard a riverboat. The first day of the cruise includes a magnificent adventure through the delta.
The itinerary for the river cruise organized by a Vietnam travel agent can vary in relation to the stopping off points. Some of the popular places to visit include the Dong Hoa Hiep Island to get an authentic village experience, the local cottage industry producing items like coconut candies and rice paper or Cai Be with its floating market.
Cai Be is one of the Mekong’s biggest markets and gives a perfect first hand impression of the characteristics of local life. It is a lively market for local trade and packed with wooden sampans filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as other essential commodities.
Another well-established floating market that may be included on the itinerary is Cai Rang. This bustling market starts at sunrise with different sized boat full of seasonal goods. Most of the boats have a tall pole with the product tied to it to let the market-goers know from afar what is for sale. After the markets, the cruise can continue through the maze of waterways and canals to fully appreciate the life and scenery on the delta.
Most of the trips make it possible to see the diverse local and natural scenery. By gliding along the endless waterways, it is easy to see sights like household industries drying fruit, traditional shipyards, and age-old rice barges
While on the cruise snap plenty of photos of the vast waterways and traditional village life to remember this trip on the famous Mekong delta. Plus, the overnight cruise makes it possible to be on the delta in the early hours, which is when this region really comes to life. On board the boat, guests get to indulge in several of the Mekong specialty dishes for lunch and dinner.
In the evening, it is time to set anchor for the night and drift off to sleep on the riverboat with the gentle sounds of the river nearby.
An overnight cruise of the Mekong delta has the ability to perfectly balance sightseeing and comfort while tourists get to witness the local lush landscapes and daily life at close range. This is the type of trip on the Vietnam private tour that is certain to give the unforgettable memories.