2-Day Mekong Delta Cycling & Homestay Experience from Saigon

4.79

(14 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The air felt thick with the scent of ripe jackfruit as we rolled out of Ho Chi Minh City just after sunrise. By the time we reached the Mekong Delta, the city noise had faded into a soft hum behind us. Our guide, Minh, handed out sturdy Trek bikes—mine still had a bit of mud on the tires from yesterday’s ride. We pedaled through narrow lanes where kids waved and shouted “hello!” as we passed. The road was so flat you barely noticed you were moving, except for the occasional rooster darting across your path.

Mid-morning brought us to a quiet stretch of riverbank. Here, we hopped onto a small wooden boat for a slow cruise along the Mekong. The water was calm, broken only by floating hyacinths and the distant putter of another boat. Minh pointed out floating houses where families raise fish right under their floors—something I’d never seen before. Lunch was at a tiny spot on an island; I can still taste the peppery fish soup and fresh pomelo slices. After lunch, we caught a local ferry (the kind that smells faintly of diesel and fried snacks) to reach our homestay. The guesthouse was simple but spotless, with cold drinks waiting and a hammock strung up in the shade.

The next morning started early—roosters don’t care if you’re on vacation. Breakfast was homemade rice porridge with pickled veggies, eaten while watching boats drift by outside the window. We said goodbye to our hosts (they pressed tiny bananas into our hands for later) and set off again by bike. This time we zigzagged deeper into quiet villages where market stalls sold everything from dragonfruit to flip-flops. A couple of short ferry rides took us between islands; each crossing lasted just long enough to chat with locals or watch motorbikes pile on board in impossible numbers. By noon, we’d reached the end of our route and loaded up for the drive back to Saigon—tired legs but big smiles all around.