With this tour, you will have four days of strolling in the heart of the Mekong Delta: Ben Tre, Can Tho, Chau Doc. You will be able to discover its breathtaking landscapes, exotic fruits, delicious cuisine, and typical traditions.
Brief itinerary
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh city – Ben Tre – Tra Vinh Day 2: Tra Vinh – Soc Trang – Can Tho Day 3: Can Tho – Tra Su – Chau Doc Day 4: Chau Doc – Cai Lay – Ho Chi Minh city
Highlight
Fascinating countryside landscapes
Excursions in local sampan on the green arroyos
Spend your nights at charming hotels or homestays
A delicious and typical gastronomy
The hospitality of local people
Full itinerary
B (Breakfast), L (Lunch), D (Dinner)
Open and close
Departure from the hotel at 8:00 am to Ben Tre province in the Mekong Delta. Arrive at Hung Vuong Pier, 90km from SaiGon, where you’ll cruise along the Ben Tre River and visit an artisanal brick factory and its imposing ovens. Stop for teatime, a sweet break in a coconut candy manufacture, and discover how coconut flesh is used and processed. A short bike ride or a tuk – tuk drive (a motorcycle allowing to transport 6 passengers) will allow you to explore the countryside and to visit a family braiding mats. Lunch in a local restaurant offering typical dishes. Then, board a rowing boat to join the canal through a maze of arroyos and return to the landing stage. Transfer and overnight at the homestay in Tra Vinh.
Car: 160km/4h Night: homestay
In the morning, bike ride in a green and pure nature. Cross Khmer villages, ancient pagodas and rice fields as far as the eye can see. Around 10am, transfer to Soc Trang to visit the Kh'Leang pagoda (the oldest pagoda in Soc Trang) and the Ma Tôc pagoda, also called "the bat pagoda" in reference to the surrounding garden which houses thousands of bats. Its architectural style is of great beauty. In the pagoda is an ancient Buddha statue and canonical accounts written on the leaves of the sugar palm. Road to Can Tho. Night at the hotel.
In the early morning, excursion to the floating market of Cai Rang, the largest in the region, where boats full of fruits and vegetables concentrate every day. Then, stretch your legs and take a walk in one of the orchards of Mr. Ba Cong, where you will be able to enjoy fresh tropical fruits and visit a vermicelli factory. Return to the mainland and drive back to Chau Doc. On the way back, stop in the stork sanctuary of Can Tho (Bang Lang). The view from the platform overlooking the forest is breathtaking, with hundreds of storks and herons nesting there. One last stop before Chau Doc to discover the enchanted Tra Su forest. This mangrove is a pure ecosystem (70 bird species, 140 plant species, 20 reptile species...) composed of cajuputs. Experience the magic of the place sailing smoothly on a river covered by water lenses, lotus hearts and water lilies. If you wish to have a spectacular view of the forest and Cambodia, you can climb the 6 floors of the observation tower.. Arrived in Chau Doc, visit the Chua Hang pagoda located on Mount Sam but also dug into it. An exceptional pagoda combining the different cultural and religious influences of the region. The architecture and panorama are worthy of a cinematic setting.
Car: 180km/4h Night: hotel
You will take the road towards Sai Gon. Stop at Mr. Hai My in the village of Tam Binh. Visit his large vegetable garden and have lunch with this great farmer with traditional dishes. Arrival in Sai Gon at the end of the afternoon. End of our services. 70 – year – old Hai My is the oldest child in the family. This excellent cultivator has spent his life planting many varieties of fruit trees and bonsai in his garden: sapodos, rambutans, longaniers, mango trees ... Stop at home to meet his daughters and his wife and savor the delicious local cuisine. Nothing is better than to understand the daily life of the South as well as the hospitality of its inhabitants!
Car: 170km/3h Night: hotel
€ 340euro/personneUSD
The price includes
þ Accommodation and breakfasts in hotels on the accommodation list
þ Meals clearly mentioned in the program: B = breakfast; L = lunch; D = dinner
þ The entrance fee to the sites
þ Competent English–speaking guides throughout the trip except the free days when it is mentioned clearly: without a guide
þ Private air – conditioned car for all land transport except free days when it is mentioned clearly: without driver
þ One litre of drinking water per person per day
þ All logistic services necessary for the program
The price does not include
ý International flights and airport taxes from/to your country
ý Bank commission
ý Means of transport not mentioned in the program
ý Meals not mentioned in the program
ý Tipping for services: local guides, crew members, drivers, porters…
ý Drink, telephone, linen or all personal expenses not mentioned in the "price includes" section
You need to know
Trip price
All prices mentioned in the quotes provided to clients are in US Dollars (USD). Euros are accepted, but the exchange rate will be determined by the international website https://www.xe.com/ on the date the payment is made. iLOTUS TOURS guarantees the rates mentioned in the quotes, invoices, or documents given to the client. Upon payment of the deposit or the full price, we guarantee the price of your trip (excluding changes made by you). However, certain force majeure situations may require us to adjust our prices to meet the travel conditions described in the quote. These force majeure situations may include: • An unpredictable and significant increase in the rate of our local providers (hotels, trains, planes, junks, boats, road vehicles...) • A significant currency fluctuation that has a considerable impact on the exchange rate • The introduction of a new tax imposed by the government Proof of these force majeure events will be provided to the client. In these cases of force majeure, even after the deposit has been paid, the client may refuse these increases and cancel their trip. We commit to refunding the deposit you have paid.
Reservation and Confirmation
All reservations must be sent to iLOTUS TOURS by email at: contact@ilotustours.com • Registration must be accompanied by a deposit of 25% of the total cost of the trip and 100% of the cost of international flights. • The deposit required for trips lasting less than one week is 50% of the total trip cost. • A larger deposit may be required in the case of last-minute bookings or depending on the specific requests of certain high-category hotels or airlines. • The balance must be paid upon your arrival, without any reminder from our side. • Upon confirmation of the booking, an invoice will be sent to the client by email.
Payment
The trip can be paid for in cash, by bank transfer, by credit card, or through an application (Wise, Revolut, One Pay...): • Cash payments must be made at the iLOTUS TOURS office located in Hanoi, and the client will not be charged any payment fees. • Credit cards: we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and JCB. Any bank fees are the responsibility of the client. • Bank transfer in US dollars or euros.
Cancellation by the Client
In the event of trip cancellation, all cancellations must be confirmed by email. The client must pay cancellation fees corresponding to the following rates: • 25% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 30 days before the trip start date. • 50% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 10 days before the trip start date. • 75% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 3 days before the trip start date. • 100% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS 2 days before the trip start date or in case of no-show. For trips to Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, your travel advisor will provide you with all the information regarding the deposit and cancellation fees.
Cancellation by iLOTUS TOURS
iLOTUS TOURS reserves the right to cancel trips agreed upon with clients for reasons related to a force majeure situation: war or the threat of war, riots, a natural or nuclear disaster, a port blockade, looting, fires, and any terrorist activity, adverse weather conditions, an epidemic, quarantine, or any similar event. In all these cases of cancellation, iLOTUS TOURS will deduct the amount of these penalties from the deposit paid by the client but will refund the remaining amount to the client by bank transfer, with the client covering all bank fees.
