The Mekong Delta is the southern region of Vietnam, also known as the Southern Delta or the Southwest region. However, the people living here often call it the Western region (mien tay). It includes one city (Can Tho) and 12 provinces (Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, An Giang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau).
Travelers accustomed to the bustling and lively city life should visit the Mekong Delta at least once in their lives. It’s a completely different experience! You can find vast rice fields, hundreds of square meters of gardens, floating markets, and boats of all sizes on the river.
From Saigon to the Mekong Delta | Distance and travel time
The distance between Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta depends on the destination you want to visit. The shortest distance is about 60 km and the longest distance can reach 210 km. The transfer time from Saigon to the Mekong Delta is also different, let’s learn about some main routes below:
- Ho Chi Minh to My Tho, Mekong Delta: 67 km, 1h25 transfer
- Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre, Mekong Delta: 84 km, 1h50 transfer
- Ho Chi Minh to Cai Be, Mekong Delta: 109 km, 2h30 transfer
- Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho, Mekong Delta: 166 km, 3h30 transfer
- Ho Chi Minh to Chau Doc, Mekong Delta: 209 km, 5h30 transfer
Getting from Saigon to the Mekong Delta
Although the Mekong Delta consists of 12 provinces, the route most frequented by visitors to reach this destination is from Saigon to Can Tho, as it is home to the famous Cai Rang floating market. Therefore, I will propose available means of transportation for your 165-kilometer itinerary.
Best ways to travel from Ho Chi Minh to the Mekong Delta
There are many options to travel from Ho Chi Minh to the Mekong Delta such as by car, bus, boat, motorcycle, or booking a tour. We will learn the details of each option below.
Bus Saigon – Mekong Delta
It takes about three hours to reach the Mekong Delta by bus. You have many bus options, but the most popular are Futa bus lines (also known as Phuong Trang), Mai Linh Express, and Sinh Tourist.
Bus tickets are sold at Ben Xe Mien Tay (395 An Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District, HCMC).
The price ranges from 90,000 to 230,000 VND depending on the destination. There are numerous buses that depart several times a day and they typically pick up passengers at agencies or even at your hotel/home.
| Routes | Price |
| Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho | 165.000 vnd |
| Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre | 90.000 vnd |
| Ho Chi Minh to My Tho | 90.000 vnd |
| Ho Chi Minh to Chau Doc | 210.000 vnd |
| Ho Chi Minh to Soc Trang | 170.000 vnd |
| Ho Chi Minh to Cau Mau | 230.000 vnd |
Private car from Ho Chi Minh to the Mekong Delta
Taking a private car transfer to the Mekong Delta from Saigon is the best option as it’s convenient and comfortable.
If you are looking to book a private car ride, we recommend Saigon Private Car which runs routes throughout southern Vietnam and therefore the Mekong Delta. It’s cheaper and more reliable than most companies. email: [email protected]
The price of a private car is not too expensive and depends on your arrival destination, you can refer to the detail of the table below:
| Routes | 4-seater car | 7-seater car | 4-seater minibus |
| Ho Chi Minh to My Tho | 55 $ | 65 $ | 105 $ |
| Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre | 60 $ | 70 $ | 110 $ |
| Ho Chi Minh to Cai Be | 70 $ | 80 $ | 120 $ |
| Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho | 90 $ | 100 $ | 140 $ |
| Ho Chi Minh to Chau Doc | 130 $ | 140 $ | 180 $ |
By boat
Some companies offer speedboat tours on the Mekong Delta departing from Saigon. You will be picked up at the Saigon city center pier and you will head to the Mekong Delta by waterway.
After a day of visiting the Mekong Delta, you will be brought back by boat.
You can book tours via:
Les Rives
Address: 4th Floor, Kim Xuan Gia Building, 43-45 Ho Tung Mau street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Email: [email protected]
Hotline: (+84) 0128 592 0018
Website: https://lesrivesexperience.com/mekong-delta-tours/
By motorbike
Some adventure tourists want to discover the Mekong Delta in a different way, you might consider renting a motorbike to travel from Saigon.
The rental price of a motorbike from Saigon is about $20/day, you can refer to some places where you can rent below:
- Tigit Motorbikes
- Gia Hưng Motorbike Rental
- Hiep Motorbike Rental
- Vietnam Motorbike Tours & Rentals
From the Mekong Delta to other provinces
Next to Can Tho, tourists visiting the Mekong Delta should also explore other neighboring provinces such as Soc Trang, Tien Giang, and Ben Tre. Additionally, the city of Chau Doc (in An Giang province) and the city of Sa Dec (in Dong Thap province) are also worth a visit.
I will give you some bus options for traveling and some activities you can do in the provinces I listed above.
Can Tho – Soc Trang
Soc Trang is about 60 kilometers from Can Tho. It takes nearly 45 minutes if you travel by car and 90 minutes if you travel by motorbike. Soc Trang has many pagodas such as Buu Son Pagoda, Sa Lon Pagoda, and Doi Pagoda – a national monument rich in culture and history.
You should also stop at the floating market named Nga Nam, which is really exciting. I bet that a few of you, if any, have never seen this kind of market before.
Bus options:
Address:
Mai Linh Express (ticket sales agencies):
- Can Tho Bus Depot: 91B Nguyen Van Linh, Hung Loi Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
- Soc Trang Bus Depot: 38 Le Duan Street, Ward 3, Soc Trang City, Soc Trang Province
Phone numbers:
- Can Tho Agency: +84 292 3739 333
- Soc Trang Agency: +84 299 3621 777
Futa Bus Express (Phuong Trang):
Address (ticket sales agencies):
Can Tho Bus Depot: 91B Nguyen Van Linh, Hung Loi Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
Chau Doc: 89 Phan Van Vang Street, Chau Phu B Ward, Chau Doc City
Phone numbers:
- (+84) 0915 726 570
- (+84) 0973 573 793
Can Tho – Tien Giang
To get to Tien Giang from Can Tho, it takes you about an hour and a half to travel 75 kilometers. If you have time, I suggest you spend a day exploring interesting experiences such as shopping at the Cai Be floating market, visiting and picking seasonal fruits in the gardens of the island locals (you will need to pay money, but not much), and eating the famous My Tho rice noodles.
Bus options:
Address Hoang Long Bus (pickup location): Can Tho Bus Depot: 91B Nguyen Van Linh, Hung Loi Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
Phone number: (+84) 0292 3 783 378
Price: 140,000 VND / ticket
Departure time: 5:30 PM
Muoi Lam bus address (pickup location):
- Hung Vuong Bus Depot: 01, Hung Vuong Street, Thoi Binh Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
- Go Cong Bus Depot: Dong Khoi Street, Ward 4, Go Cong District, Tien Giang Province
Phone numbers:
- Can Tho: +84 292 382 1475
- Tien Giang: +84 913 635 539
- Price: 110,000 VND / ticket
Departure time:
From Can Tho: 11:00 AM
From Tien Giang: 4:30 AM
Can Tho – Ben Tre
The distance between Can Tho and Ben Tre is about 110 kilometers. It takes you two and a half hours to get there by bus or car. Some activities you can do in Ben Tre are visiting fruit gardens and participating in a coconut candy making workshop to see how people prepare this treat.
Bus options:
Address
Hiep Bus (pickup location):
- Can Tho Bus Depot: 91B Nguyen Van Linh, Hung Loi Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
- Ben Tre Bus Depot: 303 Doan Hoang Minh Street, Phu Tan Ward, Tan Tan Province
Phone numbers:
- (+84) 915 726 570
- (+84) 973 573 793
Price: 70,000 VND / ticket
Departure time:
- From Can Tho: 8:00 AM
- From Ben Tre: 1:30 PM
Can Tho – Chau Doc
The distance between Can Tho and Chau Doc is about 110 kilometers, which is the same distance between Can Tho and Ben Tre, so the driving time is quite similar (about two and a half hours).
When you’re in Chau Doc, you should spend time visiting famous attractions such as Ba Chua Xu Temple, Tra Su Cajuput Forest, Sam Mountain, and Nui Cam (the forbidden mountain). The floating village and floating houses are also interesting.
Bus options:
Futa Bus Express (Phuong Trang):
Address (ticketing agencies):
- Can Tho Bus Depot: 91B Nguyen Van Linh, Hung Loi Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
- Chau Doc: 89 Phan Van Vang Street, Chau Phu B Ward, Chau Doc City
Phone numbers:
- (+84) 0915 726 570
- (+84) 0973 573 793
Departure time and ticket price
Address
Mai Linh Express (ticket sales agencies):
- Can Tho Bus Depot: 91B Nguyen Van Linh, Hung Loi Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
- Chau Doc Bus Depot: 91 Route, Chau Phu B Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Phone numbers to book tickets:
- Can Tho: (+84) 292 3739 333
- Soc Trang: (+84) 296 3565 222
Can Tho – Sa Dec
From Can Tho, it takes less than an hour to get to the town of Sa Dec, the distance being nearly 60 kilometers. Sa Dec is known for its flower village. Although there are fewer types of flowers here than in Dalat; its attractive and humble beauty is undeniable.
Bus options:
An Nhien Bus address (pickup locations):
- Can Tho Bus Depot: 91B Nguyen Van Linh, Hung Loi Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
- Sa Dec Bus Depot: Nguyen Sinh Sac Street, Sa Dec City, Dong Thap Province
Phone number: +84 939 156 756
Ticket price: 45,000 VND / ticket
Departure time:
- From Can Tho: 2:00 PM
- From Sa Dec: 8:30 AM
I hope this blog will help you find the best way to travel in the Mekong Delta. Whether alone or on tour, I know you will enjoy this region as much as I do.
