Tra Vinh Cultural Escape

📍 Central HCMC - Tra Vinh (150 km): 4 hours

Departure at 08:00 for the 4-hour drive to Tra Vinh, located in the heart of the Mekong Delta. This tranquil province is renowned for its rich Khmer culture, beautiful pagodas, and verdant agricultural landscapes, particularly its coconut groves and fruit orchards. The Khmer community in Vietnam, concentrated in the Mekong are closely related to the Khmer people of Cambodia, they maintain unique cultural traditions, enriching the cultural diversity of Vietnam’s southern region. 

Upon arrival, check into a charming country lodge surrounded by paddy rice fields to immerse in the peaceful charm of the region. Lunch on my own account at the hotel. 

The discovery begins after a short break with a workshop on the intricate art form of Khmer Performing Mask Making, an integral part of local ceremonies and celebrations. 

Following, take part in a hands-on cooking experience to prepare “Cốm Dẹp,” a traditional snack of the local Khmer community. Made from young sticky rice gently flattened and combined with coconut milk, it is a soft fragrant treat reflecting the flavours of the Mekong countryside. Enjoy the snacks by the pool as the sun sets.

After a dinner of fresh locally sourced ingredients cooked in a traditional style, discover Khmer culture through an Apsara Dance Performance, a  vital art form that brings excitement and unity to festivals and special ceremonies. 

Note: the activities are on a join-in basis.

Overnight in Tra Vinh

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

Following breakfast at the lodge, a 13-kilometre cycling trip commences, traversing scenic rice paddies, fruit gardens, and traditional monkey bridges. Stop en-route at a local house to chat and gain insight into the local lifestyle. Then continue your ride to visit a local rice milling house, to see how rice is traditionally processed. 

Next, visit an ancient Khmer pagoda to appreciate its stunning architecture and deepen your understanding of Khmer culture.

From there, continue to meet local farmers and learn about a specialty of Tra Vinh province: the special ‘Macapuno coconut’. Enjoy a refreshing drink made from this regional delicacy amidst the natural surroundings before cycling back to the lodge for lunch.

The afternoon is free for leisure to enjoy the natural environment and quiet atmosphere.

Note: the activities are on a join-in basis.

Overnight in Tra Vinh

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Ben Tre - Central HCMC (90 km): 2.5 hours

After breakfast at the lodge, check out then transfer 1-hour to the pier for a 5-minute boat trip offering a glimpse of life and landscapes along the Delta to a very special place; a charming island, home to friendly locals who promote sustainable and community tourism. 

Unique to the region, the locals here live ‘off the grid’ with only solar plus as there is no electricity on the island which adds to the rustic charm. There are only 15 households here on this tiny island who navigate on foot, there are no roads even for motorbikes. 
 
Meet the villagers at their homes to learn more on their simple and humble lives. Enjoy lush tropical fruits, honey tea, and regional snacks while learning about their daily life on this 1-kilometer long island before sitting back to enjoy a herbal foot bath.  

For lunch, feast on delicious Mekong styled dishes, home cooked by one of the local families. Conclude with a 75-minute boat trip across the mighty Mekong to the mainland on the Ben Tre side. Sip a freshly picked coconut, witness the trading along the water and activity of a coconut ‘market’ that stretches for kilometers along both banks of the river before the 2.5-hour transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch