Cycling - Meandering The Mekong

📍 Transfer: 2 hours Cycling distance: up to 30 km Difficulty: Easy

Leave the busy streets of Ho Chi Minh City behind and drive south toward the Mekong Delta. Upon reaching Cai Lay, unpack the bikes for the short journey to Cai Be. Cycle along back roads (approximately 1.5 hours) to enjoy the scenic views. Stop for lunch on an island in the middle of the Mekong before continuing the cycle onwards to a local home stay. Experience life in a typical Vietnamese house, with airy rooms and an outdoor kitchen; a true taste of Delta life. The rest of the afternoon can be spent free at leisure to bike along the dirt paths surrounding the home stay. Dinner will be prepared by the homestay hosts.

Overnight in a local home stay, Cai Be

Inclusions:

🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer: No Cycling distance up to: 50 km Difficulty: Easy

This morning, Take a local boat to cross the Mekong River to Vinh Long town. From there we will cycle along narrow country lanes, easy dirt tracks and trails to Vung Liem. This is biking at its best: passing through tiny orchards, colorful riverside life, pedaling across innumerable wooden bridges, and pausing to chat with welcoming villagers.

Overnight in Vung Liem

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer: 1 hour 45 minutes Cycling distance up to: 56 km Difficulty: Medium

Day 3 marks a unique day of riding and sightseeing. As much of the area is populated by Khmer people, the regional architecture is interesting and there are many Khmer temples to stop and admire en route. 

We will take a short transfer to Tra Vinh province, the homeland of the Khmer minority (Cambodian) where most of them follow original Buddhism (Theravada) We start with a visit to Ang Pagoda is also called Wat Angkor Raig Borei. The temple is located in the scenic Ao Ba Om cluster and the museum of Khmer ethnic culture is a highlight not to be missed on the tourist map of Tra Vinh. Ang Pagoda is a complex of architectural works including monks, lecture halls teaching, and Khmer characters… surrounding the majestic main hall. The temple faces the East, expressing the Buddhist thought that Shakyamuni Buddha in the West looks to the East to save sentient beings.

We then cycled along narrow paths, passing tiny thatched houses nestled among coconut trees, endless rice paddies, and colorful ancient temples. The bike routes, a network of small concrete paths and agricultural canals brimming with water, connected the various hamlets. This allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in Khmer culture, meeting Khmer monks at the temples and observing women in conical hats working in the fields. We finished our ride in Tra On, then loaded the bikes for a transfer to Can Tho, the Mekong Delta's largest town, situated at the confluence of the Can Tho and Hau Giang Rivers.

Overnight in Can Tho

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer: 3 hours Cycling distance up to: 35 km Difficulty: Easy

After enjoying an early breakfast then get on a local boat to explore the Cai Rang, once the largest floating market in the Mekong Delta. The waterway of boats, both tourists and traders can be seen, although some days there are few traders (due to time of year/demand). See local produce depending on the season for sale - mango, bananas, papaya, pineapple, and even floating coffee sellers and noodle soup vendors. Here boats laden with fruit and vegetables, with the vendors jostling for the best positions on the river.

Get on the boat and cycle around the quiet lanes and unhardened paths of Can Tho. The small farms, rice paddies and cottage industries are waiting to be explored. 

Stop for lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Ho Chi Minh City

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch