Day 1: (L, D): Saigon – Cai Thia – An Binh Island

8:00am pick up at your hotel and drive to the Mekong Delta. This is your introduction to the rice basket of Vietnam. Upon arrival at Cai Thia village, enjoy a 1.5 hr biking tour from Cai Thia to Hoa Loc. The biking tour will take you along the Mekong Delta, with its fruit covered orchards where you’ll meet the friendly people of the region who seldom see foreigners in the area. Then take a boat across the river delta and weave through the small canals of Binh Hoa Phuoc Island to discover the lush green scenery and people working on their farms.  Enjoy lunch with the local delicacy of freshwater fish in a bonsai garden of a local house. After lunch, you have an opportunity to bike further away from the usual tourist areas to see rural life.  Visit a fascinating collection of tropical fruit trees and flowers at the nursery of Mr. Tam Ho. Depending on the day, you can see the local boat building and the production of bricks and earthen ware. Return and have dinner and spend the evening with a host family from whom you’ll learn more about life in the Delta.  Overnight at the local house of a local family, where you will have private room (flushing toilet in a separate building).

 

Awaken to the early morning sound of boats going to market. You will have breakfast prepared by the host family, then embark on a sampan to visit Cai Be Floating Market. Your tour on the water will start with a refreshing taste of coconut juice, and then we will proceed to visit some local homes where they produce rice paper (a local delicacy used to make spring rolls), pop rice, and coconut candies. Here, guests will have a chance to learn the traditional process of producing local rice krispie treats and candies, and of course you’ll want to taste the delicious locally produced snacks! Continue along the Chin Thuong Channel by rowboat to visit with the locals and enjoy tea and fresh fruits picked from their orchards. Continue further by bike along Tan Hiep Village Road, where you can explore the local industries such as reed hats, special rice paper known as Bánh Tráng Rế, coconut leaf rooftop production, and souvenirs made from water hyacinth. Later, return to the boat and take a relaxing 20-minute cruise , taking in the beautiful landscape of Upper River and arriving at another local house where you’ll be served a delicious lunch. After lunch, cruise back to Cai Be; pick up and transfer back to Saigon. Arrive Saigon around 15:00 – 16:00. End services.