The Adventure of A Ricetime: Mekong Delta

Spending some time in the Mekong Delta was a must on my list of things to do in Vietnam. It is one of the lesser traveled places in Vietnam, and oh so different from the rest of the country… and really the rest of the region for that matter. I was semi-reluctant to leave Kep, but with less than three weeks left in the trip overall, it was time.

I booked a one-way bus ticket from Kep to Châu Đốc, and a hotel to stay in for the night. It was quite an exciting bus journey overall, considering the second bus I was on was definitely a local bus… but some Vietnamese ladies were nice to me and shared their fruit, and they also made sure I got off in the right spot. From there, it was a short motorbike taxi ride to the hotel.

I had debated trying to see the Mekong Delta without a tour, but considering the three week timeframe I was working with to see as much of the country as possible, I didn’t want to make a bunch of inevitable transit-related mistakes and end up wasting time, so I elected to book a tour. I found a tour agency nearby my hotel, and was able to book a three day, two night tour for something like $100, including most meals, transportation, and lodging. This tour is similar to the one that I booked.

Can Tho was my favorite city in the Mekong Delta. It is the biggest city, and there is plenty to do, but what really made my stay there was the Street Food Tour. It’s a free [tip based] tour to some delectable street food stops in the city. Enjoy the savory muffins when you go — and eat an extra one for me! You do have to register for the tour ahead of time because it only runs when three or more people are registered.

Some other highlights of the Mekong Delta tour were the Ben Tre coconut candies, the floating markets, and making some awesome fried taro rolls at my home stay.

The Mekong Delta is an amazing place, and while travel times can be a bit slow in the delta, I would highly recommend spending at least a day or two there on your trip to Vietnam.

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