Quick answer
Which Mekong Delta tour fits depends on one question: does the client want to see a floating market? If yes, they need Can Tho and at least one night, because the market that still works, Cai Rang, is about 170 km from Saigon and busiest around dawn. Day trips to My Tho or Ben Tre are good for orchards, coconut workshops and rowing boats, but include no floating market. Active clients can ride the delta in four days and about 220 km. Best season: December to April.
Last checked 12 October 2026 · next review 1 March 2027 (floating market status, dry-season conditions)
A Mekong Delta tour is on almost every southern Vietnam itinerary, and a complaint agents often hear afterwards is: “We didn’t see a floating market.” That is usually a booking problem, not a guide problem. This guide sorts each Mekong Delta tour format by what clients actually see, explains which floating markets still exist, and shows what VietOne runs for each format.
| ~70 km Saigon to My Tho | ~170 km Saigon to Can Tho | 5–7 am best market hours | Dec–Apr dry season |
Floating markets explained: which ones still exist
Cai Rang (Can Tho) is the one to sell. It sits about 6 km from central Can Tho and was listed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2016, as Viet Nam News reported. Wholesale boats hang a sample of what they sell from a tall bamboo pole, called cây bẹo, so buyers can spot pineapples or pumpkins from a distance.
Trading is busiest from about 5 to 7 am and thins out after 8 or 9. It is much smaller than at its peak in the 1990s, as roads replace the river for trade, so set expectations: a working market, not a crowded postcard.
Phong Dien, about 17 km from Can Tho, is smaller and quieter. Some itineraries add it for a more local feel.
Cai Be (Tien Giang) has effectively stopped operating as a floating market, according to Vietnamese media reports in 2024. Older brochures and blogs still mention it. If a client asks for “the Cai Be market,” explain the change before they travel.
Option 1: Mekong Delta tour as a day trip from Saigon
My Tho is about 70 km from Saigon, around 1.5 to 2 hours by road, so a day trip is easy. Our My Tho full-day excursion (about 8 hours) visits Vinh Trang Pagoda, takes a motorboat to Thoi Son island for orchards, cottage industries and traditional music, and ends with a rowing sampan ride through a narrow canal. Meals are not included. The Ben Tre full-day excursion circles Tam Hiep island by boat, stops at coconut charcoal kilns and a longan orchard, adds a short bike ride and a home-cooked lunch.
As a Mekong Delta tour, the day trip is good for cruise passengers, short stopovers and families. Not good for: floating markets. More detail in our My Tho day trip guide.
Option 2: two days with Cai Rang floating market
The An Binh and Can Tho exploration (2 days) is the shortest Mekong Delta tour that includes Cai Rang. Day 1 drives to Vinh Long, crosses by boat to An Binh island and continues by bike through orchards, with lunch at a garden home. Clients reach Can Tho for the evening on the Ninh Kieu waterfront.
Day 2 starts early on the water at Cai Rang with breakfast on board, then Binh Thuy Old House, built in 1870 according to the official tourism board, before the drive back to Saigon in the late afternoon. Hotel, one breakfast, one lunch, private car, boats, bikes and an English-speaking guide are included.
Option 3: a Mekong Delta tour by bike, four days
Our Mekong Delta cycling tour (4 days) covers about 220 km on quiet lanes, with a support vehicle. Day 1 rides from My Tho and crosses by boat to Ben Tre for a homestay night with a cooking class. Day 2 follows the Co Chien river to Can Tho, about 70 km. Day 3 starts with Cai Rang by boat, then Binh Thuy Old House, Sa Dec and the Tan Qui Dong flower village.
Day 4 rides back towards My Tho, about 50 km, with Vinh Trang Pagoda before the bus to Saigon. Most days are about 50 km, so regular cyclists manage fine. Our blog post discover the Mekong Delta by bike has the background.
What about a Mekong Delta cruise?
Overnight cabin boats run two-day, one-night trips on the river towards Can Tho, and several operators offer them. Some still start from Cai Be town; its old floating market is gone, so do not sell the departure point as a market visit. VietOne does not publish a cruise package, but we can book one into a wider Mekong Delta tour programme. Note that both of our multi-day tours already include boat sections, including Cai Rang at dawn.
Which Mekong Delta tour for which client?
| Format | Duration | Floating market | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Tho or Ben Tre day trip | ~8 hours | No | Short stays, families |
| An Binh and Can Tho | 2 days | Yes, Cai Rang | Most first-time visitors |
| Cycling tour | 4 days, ~220 km | Yes, Cai Rang | Active couples, small groups |
| Overnight cruise | 2 days | Usually Cai Rang | Clients who want time on the river |
Agent insight
Sell any Mekong Delta tour in the dry season. Vietnam’s official tourism site names December to April as the best time for boat trips in Can Tho, and long-term averages show only about two rain days in January and one in February there, against 16 to 22 a month from May to October. April is hot, with average highs near 34 °C, so cyclists should start early.
To combine a Mekong Delta tour with other stops south of Saigon, see our southern Vietnam travel tips.
FAQ
Can a Mekong Delta tour from Saigon include a floating market in one day?
Not realistically. Cai Rang is about three hours from Saigon and trades mainly before 8 am, so it needs an overnight in Can Tho.
Is the Cai Be floating market still worth visiting?
No. It has largely stopped operating. Cai Rang near Can Tho is the market to plan around.
How fit do clients need to be for the cycling tour?
Moderately. Days run 50 to 70 km on flat roads, with a support vehicle.
Plan your Mekong Delta tour with a local team
VietOne Travel is a Vietnam-based DMC led by a founder with 33 years of local expertise. Day trip, two days with Cai Rang or four days by bike, with an English-speaking guide.
See the 2-day An Binh and Can Tho tour · Contact your team in Vietnam
