Introducing Mekong Delta
Vietnam’s ‘rice basket’, the Mekong Delta is a watery landscape of green fields and sleepy villages, everywhere crisscrossed by the brown canals and rivulets fed by the mighty Mekong River. Its inhabitants – stereotyped as friendly and easygoing – have long toiled on the life-sustaining river, with their labours marked by the same cycles governing the waterways.
The delta, which yields enough rice to feed the country with a sizable surplus, was formed by sediment deposited by the Mekong. The process continues today, with silt deposits extending the shoreline by as much as 80m per year. The river is so large that it has two daily tides. Lush with rice paddies and fish farms, this delta plain also nourishes the cultivation of sugarcane, fruit, coconut and shrimp. Although the area is primarily rural, it is one of the most densely populated regions in Vietnam and nearly every hectare is intensively farmed.
The uniquely southern charm with its welcoming introduction to life along the river is the real draw, and visitors can explore quaint riverside towns, sample fruits bartered in the colourful floating markets or dine on home-cooked delicacies before overnighting as a homestay guest. Other highlights include visits to local orchards, flower markets and fish farms. There are also bird sanctuaries, rustic beach getaways like Hon Chong and impressive Khmer pagodas in the regions around Soc Trang and Tra Vinh.
Those seeking an idyllic retreat will find it in Phu Quoc, a forested island dotted with pretty beaches, freshwater springs and empty dirt roads (ideal for motorbike adventures). Good diving and white-sand beauty have led to its growing popularity, with a mix of cheap bungalows and five-star resorts along an uncrowded coastline.
Sights in Mekong Delta
Activities in Mekong Delta
Phu Quoc Island
Fringed with white-sand beaches and with large tracts still covered in dense, tropical jungle, Phu Quoc has been quickly morphing from a sleepy backwater to a favoured beach escape of Western expats and sun-seeking tourists.
Can Tho
The epicentre of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho is the largest city in the region and feels like a veritable metropolis after a few days exploring the backwaters.
Mekong Delta destination guides
Chau Doc
Draped along the banks of the Hau Giang River (Bassac River), Chau Doc sees plenty of travellers passing through on the river route between Cambodia and Vietnam.
Hotels in Mekong Delta
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Mekong Delta
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Mekong Delta
My Tho
Gateway to the Mekong Delta, My Tho is the capital of Tien Giang province and an important market town – although for the famous floating markets, you’ll need to continue on to Can Tho.
Need to know
Entertainment in Mekong Delta
Rach Gia
Rach Gia is something of a southern boom town, flush with funds from the thriving port on the Gulf of Thailand but also benefiting from a serious injection of Viet Kieu money, as former boat people ride the wave of development.
Shopping in Mekong Delta