CYCLING MEKONG ONE DAY

(Day tour)

My Tho and surrounding islands are touristy for big group tours. But the other side of Mekong river is tranquil and in pristine condition. With a bicycle, you will not miss a great day to see this area and 4 branches of the mighty Mekong river. The total distance of this day is around 30 km (all flat, easy ride, relax, many stops for photo)

Depart: 07:30, Return: 18:30

Departure for My Tho, on arrival we cross Rach Mieu ferry and start cycling back country road, feeling lost on winding road under the green coconut canopy. The coconut palms that make Ben Tre famous in Vietnam. On arrival in Ben Tre at noon time, we cruise down the busy branches of Mekong and into a peaceful canal. Visit an island orchard, lunch break with traditional meal, see the daily life of farmers and try exotic seasonal fruits unique to the region. Hammock siesta, then we cycle to explore this quiet area, call on coconut-candy workshop and other handicraft workshop (if time permitting) before coming back to our bus. Return to Saigon.

CYCLING MEKONG IN TWO DAYS

(2 days, 1 night)

Day 1: Sai Gon - Cai Be - Vinh Long - Can Tho (L)

8.00 am Depature for Cai Be (2.5 hrs), on arrival, we board on boat for visit the floating market and cruise over the mighty mekong river (~1.5 km wide) to Dong Phu island. We start cycling one hour under the green canopy, explore the orchards and daily life of farmers. Lunch break on island & more cruise to Vinh Long. In the afternoon we have 2 hours riding on immense rice fields, cycling through numerous rural riverside villages before our bus pick up to Can Tho city. Evening free time for promenade along city quay. O/N in Can Tho.

Day 2: Can Tho - Sai Gon. (L,D)

Morning boat trip to the most chaos Cai Rang floating market and up a quiet canal for more cruise on winding arroyos. Then bike back country roads 2 hrs to enjoy the beautiful Delta scenery and meet the locals (many on bicycle too). After lunch we head back to Saigon. End of tour.

CYCLING & BOAT CRUISE & HOME STAY

(2 days, 1 night)

Day 1: Saigon - Cai Be - Vinh Long - Ben Tre (L,D)

8.00 am Depature by bus for Cai Be (2.5 hrs), on arrival, we board on boat for visit the floating market and cruise over the mighty mekong river (~1.5 km wide) to Dong Phu island. We start cycling one hour under the green canopy, explore the orchards and daily life of farmers. Lunch break on island. Then we cruise 1.5 hrs down mekong river to Cho Lach canals, cycling to discover the nursery gardens & fruit orchards around. Then we cruise again 1.5 hrs to Ben Tre for the night. Overnight homestay in farmer house.

Day 2: Ben Tre - Sai Gon (L,D)

This day, we cycle total around 35 km from morning until 3.00 pm with many stops and visit.

After breakfast, we start cycling 4 hrs back on small trail along the river, see daily life of the locals, feeling lost on winding road under the green coconut canopy. The coconut palms that make Ben Tre famous in Vietnam. On arrival in Ben Tre at noon time, we cruise down the busy branches of Mekong and into a peaceful canal. Visit an island orchard, lunch break with traditional meal, see the daily life of farmers and try exotic seasonal fruits unique to the region. Hammock siesta, then we cycle to explore this quiet area, call on coconut-candy workshop and other handicraft workshop (time permitting) before coming back to our bus. Return to Saigon. End of tour.

CYCLING & KAYAKING & BOAT CRUISE & HOME STAY

(2 days, 1 night)

This new tour combines cycling and kayaking in Mekong delta, so you can explore some islands where locals have never seen any tourists. Depending on the river tide, our guide will arrange the kayak route. Therefore, we can not have a fixed program (see below a draft itinerary). The water color is light brown, as it originates high in Tibet, flowing 4500 km through China, Myanmar - Laos - Thai border and through Cambodia and Vietnam, passing many volcanic red soil plateaus.

Swimming in Mekong river? No problem, local people swim in the river everyday!

Day 1: Cai Be - Ben Tre (L,D)

07:30 am Depature by bus for Cai Be (2 hrs), we start biking off road ~10 km with ferry crossing, then boarding on boat for cruising on Mekong river. See Cai Be floating market, then off the boat for short cycling to ancient house. Lunch break. Afternoon relax on hammock when cruising to island, start kayaking 2 hours in small arroyo. Back to our boat. Then cruise to Ben Tre for the night. Sunset view from the river. Overnight homestay in farmer house.

Day 2: Ben Tre - Sai Gon (B,L)

This day, we cycle total around 30 km from morning until 3.00 pm with many stops and visit.

After breakfast, we start cycling 4 hrs back on small trail along the river, see daily life of the locals, feeling lost on winding road under the green coconut canopy. The coconut palms that make Ben Tre famous in Vietnam. On arrival in Ben Tre at noon time, we cruise down the busy branches of Mekong and into a peaceful canal. Visit an island orchard, lunch break with traditional meal, see the daily life of farmers and try exotic seasonal fruits unique to the region. Hammock siesta, then we cycle to explore this quiet area, call on coconut-candy workshop and other handicraft workshop (time permitting) before coming back to our bus. Return to Saigon. End of tour.

CYCLING & KAYAKING & BOAT CRUISE & HOME STAY

(2 days, 1 night)

Booking code: SBL8

Day 1: Sai Gon - Vinh Long. (L,D)

Bus transfer 2 hrs to My Tho for our boat trip. Late morning drifting down the bustling branches of the Mekong and into the tranquil canals. Sightseeing on island: visit to a traditional mekong delta house & kitchen, have seasonal fruit taste with tea and honey, see local rice wine brewery, wine testing, paddling small sampan along arroyos. Lunch break. Leisurely afternoon bicycle ride 2 hours on small dirt road, walking bridges, local ferry crossing and onto to Cai Be, boarding on boat for the floating market and cruise over the mighty mekong river (~1.5 km wide) to Binh Hoa Phuoc & An Binh island. Great sunset view from the Mekong. Dinner and overnight guesthouse on island.

Day 2: Vinh Long - Can Tho. (B,L,D)

Cycling 1/2 hour under natural green canopy to the ferry crossing for Vinh Long. Then we have much more ride to Can Tho. Depends on group cycling ability, our guide will tailor a special route for this day: passing villages of brick kiln, terra cotta and pottery kiln or riding on immense rice fields, cycling through numerous rural riverside villages. Lunch break at local place. Bus pick up to Cantho city. Late afternoon free time for promenade along city quay or more cycling along Cantho river bank (time permitting). O/N in Can Tho.

Day 3: Can Tho - Sai Gon. (B,L)

Morning boat trip to Cai Rang floating market and up a quiet canal for more cruise on winding arroyos. Then bike back country roads 2 hrs to enjoy the beautiful Delta scenery and meet the locals (many on bicycle too). After lunch we head back to Saigon. End of tour.

CYCLING OVER THE MIGHTY MEKONG

(4 days, 3 nights)

Day 1: Sai Gon - My Tho - Cai Be - Binh Hoa Phuoc (L,D) (~70 km)

Depart to Long An where we start cycling through rice fields & villages, lunch break in My Tho. Afternoon ride to Cai Be, ferry to island for overnight. A wonderful day with picturesque ferry crossings over Mekong River branches and islands. Overnighting at eco guesthouse on island.

Day 2: Binh Hoa Phuoc - Vinh Long - Chau Doc (B,L,D) (~100 km)

We cycle 3 km through orchard, ferry crossing. Bus transfer to Sa Dec, then we ride to Cho Moi. Lunch en route. Afternoon keep on cycling on small route to Chau Doc. Enjoy sunset from top of Sam mountain, panoramic view over the vast plains of the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Overnighting in Chau Doc.

Day 3: Chau Doc to Can Tho (B,L,D) (~120 km)

Rising early for a boat ride through an amazing riverside market and through floating villages with tons of fish farmed in cages underneath water. Then we ride to Tri Ton and onto Thot Not, visit a bird garden before head onto Can Tho for the night. Overnighting in Can Tho.

Day 4: Can Tho - Saigon (B,L) (~50 km)

Morning boat trip to floating market and cruise through waterways. Then we ride to Vinh Long. Lunch break. Afternoon bus transfer to Saigon. End of tour.

CYCLING OVER THE MIGHTY MEKONG - THE LONG RIDE

(7 days, 6 nights)

Day 1: Sai Gon - My Tho - Ben Tre - Tra Vinh (B,L) (~80 km)

Depart to Long An where we start riding through rice fields, lunch break in My Tho. We pass Rach Mieu ferry and keep on country road to Que Son, feeling lost on winding road under the green coconut canopy - the coconut palms that make Ben Tre famous. On arrival in Ben Tre town, we cross Ham Luong ferry and cycling 14 km to Mo Cay and onto local ferry. We cruise over branches of mekong river to Tra Vinh. Short ride 5 km to enter the town. A wonderful day with picturesque ferry crossings over Mekong River branches and islands. O/N in Tra Vinh.

Day 2: Tra Vinh - Can Tho. (B,L,D) (~95 km)

Cycling to Tieu Can. We'll discover more beautiful Theravada pagodas and encounter the Khmer monks in their pagoda. Cycling to Cau Ke and onto Tra On. Ferry crossing and cycling 20 km to Binh Minh, crossing ferry to Can Tho for the night.

Optional trip: catching a local ferry from Tra On to Can Tho, this will be a beautiful boat trip, cruising up the mighty Mekong river to Can Tho. Local wooden boat ferry, good chance to chat with local people.

O/N in Can Tho.

Day 3: Can Tho - Rach Gia (B,L,D) (~110 km)

Morning boat trip, visit floating market Cai Rang and cruise to natural waterways. Then we cycle on local route along canal to Vi Thanh. Lunch break. Afternoon cycling to Go Quao and on to Rach Gia. O/N in Rach Gia.

Day 4: Rach Gia - Ha Tien (B,L,D) (~92 km)

Ride a long the west coast to this vibrant border town. A little limestone mountain, mangrove swamp, beaches and rice fields that make Ha Tien a special scenery. O/N in Ha Tien.

Day 5: Ha Tien - Chau Doc (B,L,D) (~110 km)

Cycle along Vinh Te border canal to Tri Ton, we stop over for short visit to Ba Chuc estuary - well known as "killing field" in Vietnam, followed by a ride up the sacred Sam Mountain with its panoramic view over the vast plains of the Mekong Delta and far into Cambodia. O/N in Chau Doc.

Day 6: Chau Doc - Cao Lanh (B,L,D) (~100 km)

Rising early for a boat ride through an amazing riverside market and through floating villages with tons of fish farmed in cages underneath water. We have more ferries and local road to Thuan Giang and Cho Moi before heading onto Cao Lanh for the night. O/N in Cao Lanh.

Day 7: Cao Lanh - Sai Gon (B,L) (~80 km)

Riding through the rural area of Dong Thap and Long An province which is known as "the big rice basket" of Mekong Delta. We pass many immense rice fields along canals & rivers. A little bumpy but incredible scenic country road. Lunch en route. Return to Sai Gon at 18:00. End of tour.

B: Breakfast.
L: Lunch.
D: Dinner.