2 day motorcycle tour, Understanding Mekong delta

Exploring the Mekong delta on two wheels, you get a unique perspective on this scenic area as well as being a witness to daily life here as it has been going on for centuries. The lush delta is really a gift from the Creator for the almost 20 million inhabitants living and working on the lower section of one of the longest rivers on earth, providing rice, fruit and aquatic products for worldwide market. This fertile area is where the mighty Mekong River approaches the sea and splits into nine very big branches and then into a network of hundreds of tributaries. We call it “Cuu Long” or “Nine dragons’ river delta”.

Highlights

• Dirt-bike adventurous tour
• Riding along narrow tracks, maze of back-roads and waterways to enjoy the beauty of Mekong Delta’s floras
• Brackish area and how farms and plantations can adapt to the soil and salted water
• Local customs and cuisines

Price:
-Group of one: 250 USD/Day
-Group of two: 170 USD/Day/Person
-Group of three: 160 USD/Day/Person
-Group from four: 150 USD/Day/Person

What’s included

• Tour guide and drivers for pillion riders.
• Saigon Riders’ motorcycles
• Entrance fees, boat tickets to the island
• Hotels (double/twin shared) (extra $40/night for a single room)
• 2 lunches (other food choices are also catered, including vegetarian dishes)

What’s excluded:

• Bike damage (e.g. broken levers, heavily bent rims/handlebars/frame, burnt out clutch plates due to improper gear use).
• Insurance, emergency transportation, and related costs
• Tips to guide.

Planned route

Day 1: Saigon – Ben Tre – Can Tho
• Distance: 200 km
• Ferry crossing: 3 times

Accommodation: West hotel or similar (https://canthowesthotel.vn/)

Riding pillion with our drivers to escape from Saigon to the back road, we delve deep into the Ben Tre province of southern Vietnam and explore the Mekong Delta. Driving back roads mostly through villages away from the tourist track and discover the real life of people living along this magic river. We take quiet laneways and dirt paths weaving in and out of villages and fields waving to kids whizzing by on their way to school, saying “Xin Chao” (hello) to women pedaling gracefully in their traditional “ao dai” dresses, and hopping onto small ferries to cross the tributaries alongside elderly vendors carrying groceries on their bikes.

Later we board our private boat and cruise past some interesting places such as old-style brick kiln before stopping at a coconut processing workshop where you learn step by step how the locals waste nothing from the coconut tree in making a variety of products, handicrafts, and candy. Transferring to bicycle we cycle along trails under the green canopy of coconut plantation before stopping for a pleasant lunch of local specialties, including delicious “Elephant Ear fish”. After lunch, we will row a sampan along the tree-lined canals to get a closer look at life before taking our private boat back to the pier and riding on to Can Tho city for an overnight stay.

Day 2: Can Tho – Saigon / Rach Gia – Phu Quoc island

The next day we continue to explore the waterways with a morning boat ride to the bustling Cai Rang floating market, one of the biggest in the Mekong Delta. As we weave amongst the anchored boats, we’ll see vendors line up their boats and hang fruit or vegetables on a bamboo pole advertising the goods they are selling. Moving on from the floating market we will visit an inland market to compare the differences as well as a rice paper factory nearby. After that, you could choose one of two options below, depending on your next destination.

Option 1: Destination is Saigon
• Distance: 200 km
• Ferry crossing: 4 times

It’s time to explore the land with a motorbike ride through farming villages, small laneways on the way back to Saigon. We can stop as often as you like and will be certain to meet up with lots of friendly locals and we’ll stop en route for lunch.

Option 2: Destination is Phu Quoc Island
• Distance: 120 km
• Ferry crossing: 1 time

We will take you to Can Tho bus station to catch local bus (Phuong Trang bus) at 7.30 am to Rach Gia where you can board on Super Dong speed boat to Phu Quoc island at 1 pm. We have your luggage delivered to Can Tho on the night before. Our guide, of course, will prepare a takeaway lunch with a Vietnamese bread roll, fruits, drink. When you reach Rach Gia, the staff of Phuong Trang bus will arrange a free transfer for you to the pier which is around 10 km from the bus station.

Whether continuing your Vietnam holiday with a trip north or flying home, you will leave the Mekong Delta with fond memories of the friendly locals, colorful markets, and vibrant scenes discovered on this tour.

Additional information

• Sturdy outdoor clothing and comfortable footwear are recommended
• Tips for tour guide/rider are highly appreciated
• For an exclusive self-riding tour with Honda XR dirt bike, please call us for more details

Route of the journey