Tours out of Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam
Themes
Let the river take the long legs
The Mekong Delta is easier to understand from a boat than from a road, and the northern bays only make sense once the day boats have gone home. These trips put the water at the centre.
Overview
Why travel by water here
Two parts of this region were built around water, and they are the two where a boat changes the trip most. The Mekong Delta is a web of rivers and canals where villages face the water and the road is the back door. A car gets you to the delta; a boat gets you into it. In the north, Ha Long, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long bays are a sea of limestone islands that look much the same from any day boat at noon and entirely different at dusk and at six the next morning, when you are the only people in a lagoon.
Water also joins countries. The Mekong carries on from Chau Doc into Cambodia, and the river crossing to Phnom Penh is one of the few land borders in the region that is a pleasure to use. Further upstream, the river runs through southern Laos and the 4,000 islands. A boat-led route strings these together with as few road days as the map allows.
Cai Rang at half past six. By nine most of the trading is done.The trips
Trips where the boat matters
From three hours on the Saigon River at dusk to a week downstream from Angkor, these are the trips where time on the water is the point rather than a transfer.
Day tour · from USD 85
Cu Chi by speedboat
Up the Saigon River to the tunnels and back, no highway traffic either way.
Day tour · from USD 55
My Tho and Ben Tre
The nearest delta, done on the back channels rather than the main stage.
Day tour · from USD 69
Cai Be and Vinh Long by sampan
Two hours further than most delta days, and the canals get narrower for it.
Day tour · from USD 45
The Saigon River at dusk
Three hours on the water as the lights come on, with dinner on board.
2 days · from USD 195
Can Tho and Cai Rang, two days
A night on the river so the floating market happens at dawn, not at ten.
3 days · from USD 345
Deep delta to Chau Doc, three days
Can Tho, then west to the Cham villages, Sam mountain and Tra Su forest.
5 days · from USD 595
To the southern tip at Ca Mau
Five days down to where the country runs out into mangrove.
2 days · from USD 295
Ha Long Bay overnight
One night aboard, the right boat, and the hour after the day boats leave.
2 days · from USD 325
Lan Ha Bay overnight
The quieter bay south of Ha Long, with kayaking from the boat.
6 days · from USD 795
Hanoi, Ninh Binh and the bay
The three northern essentials in six days, each given a proper night.
10 days · from USD 1495
The Mekong to Angkor
Saigon, the delta, the river into Phnom Penh and on to Siem Reap.
16 days · from USD 2295
Vietnam and southern Laos
The south of Vietnam, then Pakse, the Bolaven plateau and the 4,000 islands.
2 days · from USD 355
Bai Tu Long Bay, one night
The northern half of the bay, fewer boats, a fishing village by kayak.
2 days · from USD 325
The Bassac river overnight
A converted rice barge from Cai Be to Can Tho, one night afloat on the delta.
3 days · from USD 495
Ha Long Bay, two nights aboard
The second morning is the quiet one. This is the trip built around it.
3 days · from USD 525
Lan Ha Bay, two nights aboard
Two nights in the southern bay, with Cat Ba island and the lagoons by kayak.
5 days · from USD 1295
By river from Saigon to Phnom Penh
Five days up the Mekong on a small riverboat, crossing into Cambodia on the water.
8 days · from USD 2495
Angkor to the delta by river
Three days at the temples, then a week downstream to Saigon.
Boats
The kinds of boat, honestly described
| Boat | Where | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Rowing sampan | Delta back canals, Tam Coc, Trang An | One to four people, rowed, silent, an hour or two |
| Motor sampan | Can Tho, Cai Be, Chau Doc | Our own boats and drivers, covered, for the wider channels |
| Overnight boat | Ha Long, Lan Ha, Bai Tu Long | Steel or wooden hull, cabins with bathrooms, one or two nights |
| Converted rice barge | Cai Be to Can Tho | A few cabins, one night on the delta |
| River cruiser | Saigon or the delta to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap | Small cabins, several nights, guided excursions ashore |
| Speedboat | Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, Saigon to Cu Chi | Fast, functional, a way to cover distance on the water |
On the bays, the boat is most of what you pay for, and quality varies more than the photographs suggest. We book boats whose safety record, cabin condition and route permits we know, and we will tell you plainly if a cheaper boat is fine or not. The route matters as much as the boat: Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long are quieter than the central Ha Long route, and a second night buys a morning in the bay after the one-night boats have turned back.
When to go
Seasons on the water
The delta is navigable all year, but it changes. From about August to November the water is high, the canals are full and the fields flood; this is the season for the Dong Thap wetlands and the reason some roads near Chau Doc are underwater. From January to April the water is lower and the weather drier and easier. Floating markets run every day of the year; their best hour is always the first.
The northern bays have a different calendar. October to December is usually the best period: dry, clear and mild. January to March is cool and often misty, which is atmospheric and poor for swimming. May to September is warm enough to swim, but it is also storm season, and the port authority closes the bay to overnight boats when a storm is forecast. When that happens we move you to a day on land or the next available sailing; the boats refund or rebook, and we sort it out for you.
Trade-offs
What changes, and who should skip it
- Hours: early starts in the delta, because the markets and the light are best before eight; late returns on the bays, because the best hour is the last one.
- Hotels: fewer nights in hotels at all. A boat night replaces one, and a delta homestay often replaces another.
- Costs: the bays cost more than people expect, and a private boat for two costs much more. River cruises to Cambodia are priced per cabin and include most meals.
- What we drop: long road days. If a leg can be done by water in a similar time, we do it by water.
A boat-led trip does not suit people who get seasick on flat water, and those who do should know the bays are almost always calm while the open sea off Cat Ba is not. It does not suit anyone who needs full accessibility: boarding a sampan from a riverbank or a tender from a pier means steps, planks and a hand from the crew. Tell us and we will pick the boats where this is easiest.
Checklist
Checklist for time on the water
- Sandals that grip on a wet deck, and a light waterproof for the delta.
- A dry bag for phones and cameras on sampans and kayaks.
- Motion-sickness tablets if you are prone, even for the bays.
- For the river crossing into Cambodia, check your visa arrangements before you travel; we confirm the current rules when you book.
- Cash in small notes for tipping boat crews, which is customary and never included.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Is one night on Ha Long Bay enough?
One night gives you a sunset and a sunrise, which is the heart of it. Two nights gives you a full day in the quieter parts of the bay, and most people who do it say it was the better choice.
How does the river crossing into Cambodia work?
Boats run from Chau Doc up the Mekong to Phnom Penh in about five hours, stopping at the border posts where you complete formalities on land. Visa rules change, so we confirm what your passport needs when you book.
Are the delta boats safe for children?
Our sampans carry life jackets, including small sizes, and our drivers do not run the channels at speed. Children need to sit when the boat is moving, and our crews are firm about it.
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Start planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.
Or talk to us:+84 766 045 399