Mekong River Delta overview
One of the most popular and very famous sights in the western Vietnam is the region of Mekong River Delta where is included a lot of the tourist activities about the water river such as row on a small basket boat around the canals to find about the daily floating life of the locals at here, exploring the bustling floating markets, trying the special food of the western Vietnam, riding around the villages to find about the local customs and habits in this region….all tourist activities at here is very fun and worthwhile for you to take your time to visit and stay at least one night in this area.
The local floating houses are done very simple under the large coconut forests.
When is the best time to visit Mekong Delta?
Mekong Delta is a very potential destination of Vietnam tourism where is very different from all other sights throughout Vietnam. This delta has a pleasant climate of the tropical monsoonal with two main seasons is the dry season and rainy season. The dry season is around from November through April/May with the average temperature around 25°C – 30°C, while the rainy season is from May to October, the degree of this rainy season is also the similar with the dry season, it is also much hotter or colder than the dry season but there are much rain in this season, so that if you intend to travel the Mekong River delta, then you should avoid this season but if it is impossible, then it is still fine because the strong rain is just lasted about just one or two hours only or sometimes it lasts very fast, it is not rained all day. So you also do not worry if must travel this season.
The southwest monsoon of the Mekong River Delta’s area brings many heavy rains from May through October, giving additive effects on Mekong high flows, thus this situation is the main reason to cause the large floods at various depths in scattered in these areas. The beginning of the rain season is lasted in mostly in April, May, and June with a very comfortable climate base on the light rain and the warm weather so that the visitors can have a good time exploring this water river area and the fruit large gardens during this time. Besides that, if you are lucky to travel at the time when festivals are organized in Can Tho during this time such as New Year Festival, the Opening Crop Festivals, then it is very fun for you to take part in these special festivals.
You will see the simple floating houses like this along the Mekong River
The region of the Mekong River Delta is little hot and humid from June to September, but the greatest variety of the tropical fruit is just available only in these two months. During from October to November, the occasional flooding is expected, especially in the remote areas around Dong Thap and Tra Vinh, so stay informed of regional weather forecast ahead of your trip if you are traveling in these two months.
The flood season, it is also known as the floating season often to last from August/September to November. Inhabitants of the Mekong Delta region don’t consider flooding as the natural disaster. Given its seasonal flooding, the Mekong Delta reveals its best during the dry months from December to May because at this time the sky is very crystal clear, the land is lush and the water is calm.
In fact, The Mekong River Delta can be traveled anytime in all year because this area has all kinds of fresh fruits even in the four seasons. It is most vibrant in the spring with the flower season is the end of January to March and in the beginning of summer with the fruit season is from April to May and this is also he best time to visit the Mekong River Delta as well as all places around the south of Vietnam as Ho Chi Minh City
How to get to the Mekong River Delta?
Normally, the best way to get to the Mekong River Delta is by bus from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) because if you visited this area, then you should not miss visiting the most important site in Vietnam is Saigon, it is easy, convenient and fast for tourists to transfer from Saigon to the Mekong River Delta where is included the main sites such as My Tho, Ben Tre, Can Tho with the largest two floating markets is Cai Rang and Phong Dien, Chau Doc where has the border with Cambodia and you just need to catch a speedboat around 6 hours to arrive in Cambodia from Chau Doc Vietnam.
Traveling to the Mekong River Delta, the tourists will be rowed on a basket boat throughout the small canals like this
It takes around just 1.5hour from Saigon to My Tho and Ben Tre, and it takes around 3-3.5hours to transfer by bus from Saigon to Can Tho, from Can Tho is around two hours to get to Chau Doc. And, normally you should go to My Tho and Ben Tre to take a boat trip at here to find about the daily floating life of the locals at here, hearing the folk songs and trying the local foods at here before heading to Can Tho to take part in the largest floating markets, then stay one night in Can Tho before going to Chau Doc of An Giang province if you intend to move to Cambodia in the next day. And, vice versa, it is also easy to travel from Kampot, Cambodia to Ha Tien in Kien Giang Province of Vietnam. Besides, now it is available for the bus to connect between Phnom Penh of Cambodia and Can Tho of Vietnam. But if you want to entry to Cambodia from Vietnam by waterway, then you must arrange your Visa arrival to Vietnam from your home country in advance before your arrival date because e-visa is not available at the bores in these regions.
Where is the best places to shop in the Mekong River Delta?
The Mekong River Delta is not only a perfect place for tourists to take sightseeing, experience the unique and authentic culture and customs but also it is also a great destination for shopping. Firstly, you must shop at the large and bustling floating markets in the Mekong River Delta, there are many fun floating markets in this area that you must take part in such as Cai Be floating market, Cai Rang floating market, Phong Dien floating market and Ninh Kieu outstanding floating market.
Floating markets are the places for the locals to do business everyday in the Mekong River Delta
Besides the floating markets where you must shop in this area, there are another shopping locations at here such as:
– Chau Doc Covered Market is located at Bach Dang Street, Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province
– Phu Quoc Pearl Farm is located at Duong To Commune, Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province
– Ngoc Hien Pearl Private Enterprise is located at Duong Bao Street, Duong To Commune, Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province
– My Tho Central Market is located in the corner of Trung Trac and Nguyen Hue streets, My Tho Town, Tien Giang Province
– Central Market In Can Tho town is located Between A1 and A2 streets (Near Dona Hotel In Tran Phu Street)
– Co-Op Mart Ben Tre is located at No. 26A Tran Quoc Tuan Street, Ben Tre City, Ben Tre Province
– Viet Artisans is located at An Binh Island, Long Ho District, Vinh Long Province
Special food must try in the Mekong River Delta
For tourists whose are wanting to try a real taste of the local culture, the cuisine of the Mekong River Delta then must try the most special dishes at here such as:
Tropical fruits at the orchards in the places as Cai Be (Tien Giang), Tan Quy (Tra Vinh), Phong Dien orchards (Can Tho), Tam Binh (Vinh Long), Cho Lach (Ben Tre). These areas offer many kinds of special fruits as Vinh Kim star apples, Vinh Long grapefruit, tangerine Cai Be, Cai Mon durian, Hoa Loc mangoes, Hau Giang oranges…Beside the famous many kinds of fruits is there are also many special dishes at here such as Elephant’s Ear Fish, Coconut candy and Steamed coconut rice in Ben Tre, Grilled “climbing” fish in An Giang, Purple Tet Cake in Can Tho, Hu Tieu My Tho, Banh Bo, Snake, Bun Rieu, Ca Kho To….
Try one of the traditional and local food in the Mekong River Delta before you leave is a thing must be done
Travel to the Mekong Delta, you will have a unique experience, unlike anywhere throughout Vietnam among the hospitality of the locals is one of the main reasons which make almost tourists love this site and prefer to return many times.
