The 11 Best River Day Trips in Vietnam

1.HCM: Mekong Delta, My Tho & Ben Tre Coconut Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,304 reviews · 9 hours · from $16Our pick

Spend nine hours exploring My Tho and Ben Tre by minivan, motorboat, sampan, tuk tuk, and foot. You will visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, sample honey tea and fruit, watch coconut candy being made, eat Vietnamese lunch, and hear folk music. Guides such as Ken, James, Steve, Phong, and Truc are known for clear English and careful timing.

“The Day trip was amazing! It was really well planned and we saw a lot of beautiful anf interesting things and places. When it came to lunch, getting a vegetarian option was no problem ✨ And our Guide Ken was the absolute best! Can only recommend.”

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2.Small-Group Mekong Delta Day Trip: Boat Ride, Cottages & Pagoda

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,327 reviews · from $48Top rated

Spend 9 to 10 hours traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho and Ben Tre. Ride a motorboat and hand-rowed boat, visit coconut candy and honey producers, eat a five-course lunch, choose a village bicycle ride, enjoy local music, and visit Vinh Trang Pagoda. Guides such as James, Nam, and Manh are known for warm, lively commentary.

“James was an excellent guide. Smiling,funny,courteous,knowledgeable. Took great care of us and made the day very enjoyable. Thanks to driver Hou for navigating the Vietnamese traffic Highly recommend the trip”

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3.Best Halong 5 star Day Trip, inclusive,buffet,cave,kayak,transfer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 933 reviews · from $45

Spend 10 to 12 hours traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay on a modern cruise with an English-speaking guide. The day includes a seafood lunch, Sung Sot Cave, Titop Island, kayaking or bamboo boating, and a sunset party with red wine and fruit. Guide Duy has earned praise for smooth organization.

“Good experience overall because of incredible scenery and sunset and quality of boat and guide. But the bay was crowded with boats and the activities were absolutely packed. It was overwhelmed with tourists. We skipped an activity Read more”

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4.Halong Bay Day Trip with Titop Island, Cave, & Kayak

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 528 reviews · from $40

Spend a full day on Halong Bay with an English-speaking guide such as Tom, Sunny, or Tinh. Ride from Hanoi to Tuan Chau, cruise past limestone islands, visit Sung Sot Cave, kayak or take a bamboo boat at Luon Cave, climb Titop Island, and return with fruit, cakes, and red wine at sunset.

“Tom, our tour Guide was very good, it was an awesome experience”

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5.From Ho Chi Minh: Mekong Delta Small Group Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 511 reviews · 9 hours · from $29

Spend nine hours exploring the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City with an English-speaking guide such as Hannah, Minh, or Jason. Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, cruise past four river islands, ride a rowing sampan through narrow canals, sample coconut candy and honey tea, enjoy lunch in an orchard, and return to District 1 by about 17:00.

“Nikki was a great guide, we had a great trip. We tried local delicacies - coconut candy and honey tea, rode in a small boat along the river, cycled around an island and visited a pagoda. Would recommend this full day tour to anyone looking to go to the Mekong Delta”

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6.Mekong Delta Full Day Trip – My Tho & Ben Tre – VIP Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 371 reviews · from $85

Spend about eight hours traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho and Ben Tre in a private vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Cruise the Mekong, visit Vinh Trang Temple, a bee farm, coconut-candy workshop, and local villages, then enjoy Vietnamese lunch, fruit, music, and a rowing boat ride.

“We had an amazing tour with Hanah, our tour guide, so knowledgeable and enjoyable to spend the day with. Everything was beyond our expectations. The lunch provided was incredible and the best we have ever had on a tour.”

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7.Private Insight Mekong Delta (Day Trip)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 204 reviews · from $150

Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Ben Tre in a private air-conditioned car, then explore brick kilns, coconut workshops, family homes, shaded lanes, and river channels by motorboat, sampan, bicycle, and tuk-tuk. Guides such as Slim Jim and Phat add local context. Lunch, snacks, water, and transfers are included.

“We had a very great tour guide - Slim Jim. He was funny, personable and very knowledgeable about the history of Vietnam. We took the two hour drive from the city and along the way he pointed out rice fields, different rivers and gave us lots of information.”

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8.Mekong Delta Full Day Trip – My Tho & Ben Tre – Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · from $22

Spend about nine hours from Ho Chi Minh City exploring Vinh Trang Temple, My Tho, and coconut-growing Ben Tre. You will ride a motorboat and hand-rowed boat, sample tropical fruit and local products, hear folk music, and eat a provided lunch. Guides such as Nguyen Bac, Chau, and Mai have been praised for clear explanations and good humor.

“Convenient way of seeing a lot in one day but it is a busy day. Car and boat travel time between activities makes it manageable. Activities are very tourist focused so might not be the tour for you if you are looking for a very cultural experience”

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9.Halong Bay Day Trip w/ Cave, Island & Kayak

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 54 reviews · from $59

Travel from Hanoi’s Old Quarter to Halong Bay for a full day of cave walking, kayaking at Luon Cave, and time on Titop Island. You’ll have a Vietnamese seafood lunch, an English-speaking guide such as Tom, Sunny, or Brian, and a sunset party with fruit, cake, fries, tea, and red wine.

“Tom our guide was awesome! He made sure everyone was well taken care!”

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10.Mekong River Delta Day Trip with Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 21 reviews · from $114

Travel south from Ho Chi Minh City in a group of up to nine, then boat to Tan Phong Island for orchards, local snacks, and river scenery. You will also visit Mr. Kiet’s nearly 200-year-old house, Kimmy’s Chocolatier, and Vinh Trang Pagoda. Lunch costs extra, and pickup is limited to parts of Districts 1 and 3.

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11.Halong Bay 1 Day Trip Visit Cave, Island, Kayak

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 20 reviews · from $47

This full-day Halong Bay trip takes you from Hanoi’s Old Quarter to Sung Sot Cave, Luon Grotto, and Titop Island. You’ll cruise for about six hours, eat a Vietnamese seafood lunch, kayak or ride a bamboo boat, and finish with fruit, cake, tea, and wine. English-speaking guides such as Sunny add useful context along the way.

“Sunny was the best tour guide ever! He is very cultured, informed and helpful. I enjoyed every second in this tour. Highly recommend!”

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