Active and nature trips in the Mekong Delta
Destinations
Four places, judged on foot and by bike
Four parts of the delta where moving under your own power gives you more than a seat in a boat: the mountains and forest of An Giang, the wetland at Tram Chim, the forest and cape of Ca Mau, and the lanes of the former Ben Tre province.
Side by side
| Place | From Ho Chi Minh City | Nights | Good months | Main activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An Giang | About 235 km to Chau Doc, 4½–5½ h | 2–3 | Sep–Feb | Ride, row, climb |
| Tram Chim | About 140 km, 3–3½ h | 1–2 | Sep–Nov, Feb | Boat routes, dyke riding |
| Ca Mau | Nearly 270 km of expressway, about 4½ h | 3 | Dec–Apr | Row, walk, short rides |
| Ben Tre lanes | About 85 km to Ben Tre town, 1¾–2¼ h | 1 | Dec–Apr | Cycling |
Sources: OSRM / OpenStreetMap road model, queried 11 Oct 2026; Diễn đàn Doanh nghiệp, 19 Feb 2024; Báo Sài Gòn Giải Phóng, delta expressways, 20 Jan 2026 · checked .
Names after the 2025 merger
In June 2025 Vietnam's National Assembly reorganised the provinces, and the delta's map changed. The former Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces are now part of Vinh Long province. Tien Giang, with My Tho and Cai Be, joined Dong Thap. Kien Giang, with Rach Gia and Ha Tien, joined An Giang. Bac Lieu joined Ca Mau. The towns and the travel names are unchanged; we use them throughout, and say 'the former Ben Tre province' where the difference matters.
Sources: Resolution 202/2025/QH15, Báo Đại biểu Nhân dân, 12 Jun 2025 · checked .
Upper delta, lower delta
The four places split into two groups by water. An Giang and Tram Chim are in the upper delta, close to Cambodia, where the river floods the plain from about August to November. Their good months are the flood months. Ben Tre and Ca Mau are in the lower delta, near the sea, where the dry season brings salt water up the river mouths and the most comfortable riding is from December to April.
So the upper and lower delta are good at opposite times of year. The flood season page explains why, and the route table shows the months for each segment.
Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Chau Doc; National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, salinity bulletin, 10 Mar 2026 · checked .
What we leave out
Can Tho, Cai Rang floating market, Sa Dec and the My Tho islands are the delta's most visited places. We do not have destination pages for them because they suit boat-and-coach days better than active ones. Cai Rang survives as the main remaining floating market, much smaller than at its peak; Cai Be's market still exists but has weakened. We pass through Can Tho on the way to Ca Mau and can add a night there.
- Can Tho is useful as a halfway night on the Ca Mau trip.
- Sa Dec and the flower villages are busiest in the weeks before Lunar New Year.
- My Tho and the islets are reached by boat from the town wharf.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Which place is closest to Ho Chi Minh City?
The Ben Tre lanes, about 85 km to Ben Tre town.
Which place has hills?
Only An Giang. Cam Mountain reaches about 716 m and Sam Mountain about 284 m. The rest of the delta is flat.
Can I visit two places in one trip?
Yes. An Giang and Tram Chim join well in the flood season; Ben Tre and Ca Mau share the dry-season months but sit far apart.
Is Phu Quoc covered?
No. It is an island and a different kind of trip.
Related
Read next
Destinations · Upper delta
An Giang
Chau Doc, Tra Su and the That Son mountains: nights, seasons, access, costs.
View this journey
Destinations · Upper delta
Tram Chim
Tram Chim National Park: what it is, flood months, boat routes, costs, cranes.
View this journey
Destinations · Lower delta
Ca Mau
U Minh Ha and the Ca Mau cape: nights, seasons, the expressway, fees.
View this journey
Destinations · Lower delta
Ben Tre lanes
The former Ben Tre province and An Binh islet by bike: seasons, access, costs.
View this journey
Plan · Water
Flood season
What the flood season is, when it comes, and what it changes on our routes.
View this journey
Tours
Tours
The route table: km, surface, grade, start time and water notes for every segment.
View this journeyStart planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates or a month, how many are riding or walking, and how active the group is are enough to start. We reply by email with questions or a written quote that names the route, the km per day and every fee.