Mekong Delta Speedboat Tour with Les Rives
January 2015 Similar to Halong Bay in the north, the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam is popular among tourists as there are numerous tour operators to choose from. It is a very popular tour, and rightfully so, as the Delta is famous for its extremely fertile surroundings that have provided a way of life for the Vietnamese for centuries.
There are various tour lengths you can choose, from single to multiple day trips. We went on a single day trip with Les Rives and their Luxury Mekong Delta Speedboat Tour. Tour details:
- 7-9 hours
- $138.25 CAD per person (VND 2,362,000)
- includes breakfast, lunch and unlimited pop and water
- return speedboat ride from HCMC, District 1
The day began with our 7:15 am pickup from our hotel and we were transported to the boat terminal located on the Saigon River in central Saigon. The shuttle was a new, clean minivan that took us directly to the boat terminal. Our english speaking guide gave us a detailed, 15-minute overview of the events of the day and gave us our safety briefing, most importantly letting us know that we were to wear our life jackets whenever aboard the boat. 
Breakfast included hot and iced-coffee, banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches), and endless fruit (bananas, dragon fruit, etc.). Bottled water and drinks were available during the entire trip. 
Our first stop on the Delta was a Buddhist temple, where we had about 15 minutes to check out the temple and get a short briefing from our guide. Despite having spent more than a month exploring Thailand and it’s many temples, this temple was different than those we’d seen before. Having said that, we were most looking forward to visiting local families and just taking in the scenery of the famous Mekong. Anyone who had not seen or visited a temple would have gained a basic understanding of Buddhism. 
Next up was a tour of a local market situated right on the bank of the Delta. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables were on display, as well as some interesting looking meat and fish. Our guide explained the different fruits and other produce that grow in the region. Also, if you are in the market for some rice and a new bra, look no further than this market! 
Our first local family visit was up next. Here we had the opportunity to hold a massive python. This wasn’t the reason we chose this tour, but if you are interested in getting photos with a 60 kg python on your back then this is your chance. The family has raised the snake from infancy and it poses no threat, however it is definitely not in its natural habitat. Here though, we got to meet an 84-year-old Vietnamese lady who lived here. She was all about getting her photo taken! 
Next stop was to visit another family. This time we had the chance to sample some very strong local wine and whiskey and we each were given a fresh coconut to drink. The coconuts were very refreshing. The setting of this stop was incredible, with views of rice fields, it was just green everywhere. The perfect opportunity for some great photos. 
Another temple followed, before we headed to a local restaurant for lunch. Beer was also available for purchase for 20,000 VND. There was a large selection of food to choose from and our guides made a great effort to accommodate the vegetarians and gluten intolerant among us. We tried the famous elephant ear fish as well, and while my taste buds weren’t overly impressed it is definitely worth trying. After lunch we headed back to the boat and departed for the one hour ride back to Ho Chi Minh. 
Overall Overall, it was great to see the Mekong Delta and get plenty of amazing photos, in addition to getting a taste of the Delta’s significance and impact it has on the lives of so many. jess + trickett
NOTE: Although our tour was sponsored by Mekong Delta Luxury Cruises, all opinions expressed in this post are strictly those of finelinetravels.
Welcome to our blog! We are Steven and Jess, a young (ish) Canadian couple from Newfoundland, Canada. 
finelinetravels 
Oh My God! I just realized I could have been seeing all those places you visited if I had followed along earlier. Too bad for me. It is amazing just knowing you two are actually visiting so many countries and seeing what most of us will not even get a slight glimpse of in our whole lifetime. AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!
Barb
Thanks Barb! You’ve got some reading on your hands! 🙂 See you next month!
Continue to enjoy the rest of your travels. Keep safe.
Pingback: Lessons in kindness | finelinetravels
Pingback: Fine Line Travels - Mekong Delta Speedboat Tour