Ho Chi Minh City & Mekong Delta

Fertilised by the silt carried downstream by the Mekong, the delta produces huge quantities of rice, fruit, vegetables, and other produce such as catfish.

Formerly Saigon – the city was renamed in honour of Ho Chi Minh in 1976, following the reunification of the country - HCMC has been a busy commercial centre for many centuries. The city is criss-crossed by many rivers and canals, and is a blend of the various cultures and architectural styles - Vietnamese, Chinese and European – that have influenced the area over time.

Enjoy a guided tour, taking in the former Presidential Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office, temples, a lacquerware factory and Thien Hau Pagoda in the city’s bustling Chinatown.

From Ho Chi Minh City, take a boat cruise on the Mekong River to see the other side of life in the delta. From a river cruise, you can witness the rural life of the delta, cruising through the traffic of sand and rice barges and visiting floating markets, boatyards and timeless villages with their traditional industries such as fruit drying. The cruise provides great photographic opportunities, with dawn and sunset particularly beautiful.

Departing early morning for Cai Be, visit the colourful market before boarding a boat. Have lunch in an orchard on Binh Hoa Phuoc Island, before continuing to the far side of the Mekong River and transferring by road to Can Tho.

Can Tho is one of the most attractive towns of the delta. The annual floods leave rich alluvial deposits that make this area exceptionally fertile, renowned for its fresh fruit and vegetables. Stay a night in Can Tho before returning to Ho Chi Minh City the next day, taking in Cai Rang floating market, the largest in the Mekong Delta, on a motorised sampan.