Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide: Getting to and around Delta is such a ươnderful experience due to the beautiful scenery, hospitable and friendly people, unique culture, and convenient transportation. The way to get to and around the Mekong Delta is now more convenient thanks to the development of the modern system of roadways and waterways. Depending on your hoppy and budget, you can select the most suitable transportation type to get there and get around the delta. Below we introduce a fast guide to Mekong Delta transportation, helping you know how to get to the Mekong Delta and get around there with ease. Let’s see!

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

Overview of Mekong Delta Transportation

To get to Mekong Delta, you can follow National Highway 1, connecting Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho (Tien Giang), Vinh Long, and finish in Can Tho. There are some other highways connecting the main cities of the whole region. Roads in Can Tho, Chau Doc, Rach Gia, and My Tho are generally easy to move, while in local villages, there are narrow footpaths with very peaceful surroundings.

When traveling to the Mekong River Delta, you will see many modern long cable-stayed bridges, which were conducted not long ago to help people to travel more conveniently. My Thuan Bridge connects Cai Be (Tien Giang) and Vinh Long. Rach Mieu Bridge connects My Tho and Ben Tre, making Ben Tre no longer an isolated land. Can Tho Bridge is the most modern and longest cable-stayed bridge in Southeast Asia. The ferry (also known as the river taxi) is still a popular means of transportation in some other provinces. Taxis, public buses, and motorbike taxis (also called Xe Om in Vietnamese) GrabCar, and GrabBike are everywhere and quite efficient.

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

How to Get to Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City

Located rather near Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta is easily accessible. Here are the best ways to get to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City:

1. By Airplane

Ho Chi Minh City is rather close to the Mekong Delta. The fastest and easiest way to go from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta is by plane. There are 2 airports in the Mekong, one in Can Tho and the other in Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province.

From Tan Son Nhat Airport, you can take a flight to the Can Tho Airport, which takes just 45 minutes instead of 4 hours if traveling by roadway. With the plane, you will have a chance to see a panoramic view of the vast Mekong Delta from above. A one-way flight ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho is approximately 600,000 VND (tax included).

From Can Tho, a suggestion for you is to book a tourist boat to start discovering the beauty of neighboring provinces in the Mekong River region.

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

2. By Bus

It only takes 3 hours by bus to go to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City. This is the most popular and economical means of transport with many bus companies for you to choose from, such as Mai Linh, Futa (Phuong Trang), or The Sinh Tourists.

You would better choose Futa if you want to book a ticket yourself. Compared to other brands, Phuong Trang is leading in quality and charisma.

Ticket prices range from about 60,000 VND to about 120,000 VND depending on seating position, amenities, and time of booking. There are many flights with different starting times to make it easy for you to choose; however, it is best to book tickets in advance in order to choose your desired seats and avoid being sold out during peak season.

If you want to use a bus to get to Mekong Delta, you need to pay attention to:

• Destination
• Schedule (find information on the garage homepage)
• Pick-up point (where you need to stand in order to pick up the car)

3. By Private Car

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

If you want to travel the Mekong Delta with relatives or friends, choose a private car as the main means of transportation. This is considered the best choice because it is convenient and comfortable. You can easily rent a private car at the hotels in the area with prices from 600,000 VND depending on the number of seats, service quality, and car model. Although more expensive than other means of transportation, using a private car will help you be more proactive with your route and itinerary.

Here is the detailed price table for renting a private car:

Routes	4-seat car (max 2 pax)	7-seat car (2-3 pax)	minivan 16 seats (4 10 pax)
Ho Chi Minh My Tho	US$55	US$65	US$105
Ho Chi Minh Ben Tre	US$60	US$70	US$110
Ho Chi Minh Cai Be	US$70	US$80	US$120
Ho Chi Minh Can Tho	US$90	US$100	US$140
Ho Chi Minh Chau Doc	US$130	US$140	US$180

*Note: This price list may change from time to time

4. By Motorbike

For those who want to have thrills and experience the journey from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta in their own way, a motorcycle is the best choice for Mekong Delta transportation. As the most popular means of transport in Vietnam, motorcycles help travelers have the most “real” experience about the places, people, and cuisine where they are about to pass. The motorcycle trip takes less than 4 hours, which makes it easy, fast, and cheap. With just a motorcycle, you can travel like a local, visit every nook and cranny, and experience an interesting adventure that you will remember for a lifetime.

The cost of renting a motorcycle is 20 USD/day. If you are not familiar with the roads here, look for a local or use Google Maps as a companion on your trip. You can refer to car rental at:

• Tigit Motorbikes Hanoi
• Hiep Motorbike Rental
• Gia Hưng Motorbike Rental
• Vietnam Motorbike Tours & Rentals

If you want to ride a motorbike to Mekong Delta, you should pay attention to the following:

• You need a driver’s license
• Vietnamese drive on the right-hand side
• Traffic in Vietnam is quite busy, some people drive in the wrong lane. If you are not careful, it is easy to have an accident.
• Traffic jams happen quite often, especially during rush hour, with thousands of vehicles on the road.

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

5. By Cruise or Boat

From Ho Chi Minh City, you can take advantage of the waterway on the Saigon River to access the gigantic and famous Mekong Delta. Taking a cruise as transportation means is a good idea because it offers high-class experiences; however, the price is rather expensive (about 1,500,000 VND/person).

In addition, you can also go to the Mekong Delta by boat and see the fascinating bustle of small villages along the way. This is truly a one-of-a-kind experience in a very special rural region of Vietnam.

There are some travel companies providing Mekong Delta boat tours from Saigon by speed boat. You will wait to be picked up at the pier in Saigon center and then travel to the Mekong Delta by waterway. After a day of visiting the Mekong Delta, the guide will bring you back to Saigon by boat.

The price for a speed boat tour to Mekong Delta from Saigon is not cheap at all, costs about US$110/person for a full-day tour including boat transfer, tour guide, ticket, and lunch. However, the experiences are really worth it.

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

6. On Mekong Delta Tour

It can be said that booking a tour is probably the best way for you to travel from Saigon to Mekong Delta. You do not have to spend time looking for vehicles, or looking for places to pick up and drop off. Most Mekong Delta tours provide free pick-up and drop-off from/to Ho Chi Minh City. You can book a 1-day, 2-day tour, or a long-term tour to the Mekong Delta depending on your time and budget.

However, if you collect bus tours from Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta, keep in mind that many of them are usually cheap and touristy. In the itinerary, you will stop at places where they ask you to spend money on souvenirs so that the guide can make an extra commission. So, you had better do your research in advance and understand what type of experience you want for the amount of money you would like to spend.

A Quick Guide to Getting around Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta River has a slow pace of life, with floating markets, palm trees, and colonial towns crisscrossed by meandering rivers and streams. You can spend several days, weeks, or even months exploring all of the towns and villages in the region. So how to get around Mekong Delta easily and rewardingly?
The following is a detailed guide on getting around Mekong Delta. Let’s see!

1. By Boat

When traveling to the Mekong Delta, the best way is by boat.

For boats, the water level changes by season but is still ideal for traveling by boat. However, it is not easy for you to go on your own because many boat owners cannot communicate fluently in English, so you had better find a tour guide as a companion.

Pros:

• Watch the scenic villages along the waterway
• Exclusive local experiences
• Discover a destination off the beaten track
• Cost-effective
• Environmental

Cons:

• Slower than other transportation
• Affected by bad weather
• Inflexible routes and timetables
• Perhaps need a tour guide as a companion

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

2. By Bicycle

Cycling is one of the most popular ways to see the delta. There are many travel companies that offer guided cycling tours to and around the region, from fast day trips to longer adventures through remote and unpopular provinces.

With bicycles, you travel in leisure. Move slowly through the rural, weaving through footpaths, passing over bridges just small enough for one to cross and through the wide paddy fields and coconut groves, maybe stopping in the shade to ẹnoy an iced tropical fruit.

Pros:

• Cost-effective
• Travel at your own pace
• Off the beaten path
• A great form to exercise

Cons:

• Travel in a short distance
• Not suitable for one with insufficient health
• Extensive planning required

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

3. By River Cruise

To get around the Mekong Delta, you can travel on a luxury river cruise. River cruises have certainly become a relaxing and immersive form of tourism. You just have to unpack once, so you can spend your extra time discovering the ship and making friends.  Just imagine days and nights, you float wide, tropical waterways, with coconut trees and mangroves lining the riverbanks, admiring a constant stream passing villages and colorful boats to catch your eyes.

Wake up at dawn, admire the sky transform into a soft pink over the palm trees, or enjoy a dinner on the water prior to taking a rest in a cozy wooden cabin.

When cruising, you might collect to disembark to wander around local towns, buy fresh tropical fruit or take a walk in emerald-green rice paddies before coming back to your boat for extra relaxation.

Pros:

• Relaxing
• See a lot in a short space of time
• Easy

Cons:

• Not have much time in each location
• No flexibility
• High cost

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

4. By Motorbike

The lanes in Mekong Delta are wide and flat, which are ideal for motorbike enthusiasts and backpack riders. Hold the map and visit the Mekong Delta by motorcycle. The beauty of this transportation kind is that you can actively move anywhere at your own pace. You can drive through the scenic roads or stop at cafes along the way or dig into a bowl of Hu Tieu My Tho on the street. The Mekong Delta is wonderful for anyone who loves to get around on motorcycles.

Pros:

• Freedom and flexibility
• Great views
• Getting off the beaten track
• Meet the locals
• Cheap
• Adventurous

Cons: 

• Dangerous
• Not suitable for one with insufficient health

Mekong Delta Transportation Guide

Hope that this article has helped you navigate the best type of means of transportation for traveling to the Mekong Delta.