LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION
Itinerary: Delta Delights
TWO WEEKS
With their own wheels, travellers can tear up the three-day tourist trail through the Mekong byways and delve deeper into the delta to be rewarded with its rhythms, fragrances and colours. For anyone battling the insane highways of the delta by motorcycle, a helmet is a wise accessory (and required by law)!
Beginning in Ben Tre, take a boat trip to nearby islands for an overnight in a bungalow set in a small longan orchard. From Ben Tre, a trek to Can Tho takes you to the home of the famous Ho Chi Minh 'Tin Man' statue and the delta's most commercial and cosmopolitan city.
It's easy to hop onto boat tours of the local floating markets before moving on to charming Chau Doc, a border-crossing town for those pushing westward into Cambodia via river or road.
The departure from the road more travelled starts here, heading southwest to Ba Chuc and its bone pagoda, and then through Ha Tien, another border town with a beach to boot. Even more bucolic a beach can be found at Hon Chong, where the sunset meets the South China Sea and the rocky coastal geography contrasts sharply with the sandy beaches east of HCMC.
From here, travellers can take the highway along the southern wedge of the delta region to Rach Gia, the jumping-off point for boats bound for serene Phu Quoc Island. Phu Quoc affords rest and relaxation, nuoc mam (fish sauce) and forest reserves - a spectacular ending point for the Mekong Delta experience.
Down to Chau Doc, public transport is a breeze; after that, it's sparse and requires flexibility. Flights from Phu Quoc Island to HCMC run three times a week; if flying back to HCMC, book return flights well before hitting the delta to guarantee a quick getaway.
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