Rice paddies, orchards, and countless irrigation canals, the Mekong is Vietnam’s richest agricultural region. The area offers an abundance of fresh fruit, rice, and flowers just to name a few. Vietnam’s “rice bowl” is also home to many handicraft workers that you will be able to meet along the way. Our lovely team will take you from village to village, boarding a few boats along the way and visiting local artisans to give you a deeper understanding of Vietnamese life on the river. The Mekong is naturally very flat, making it the ideal place for bike-lovers wishing to authentically explore more of Vietnam.
Mr Biker Saigon or your hotel
7:30am
It will be hot. If you have never been to SE Asia, expect to sweat. A lot. So dress accordingly!
We will provide water and snacks, but we recommend bringing your own water bottles to reduce plastic bottle usage.
We also recommend bringing your own bike, helmet, gloves, or anything else that will make your ride more comfortable. However, we do provide all of these stated.
7:30am pick up at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City followed by a quick transfer to Cai Lay, approximately 90 minutes (75km) away. On the way, you will get the opportunity to travel through locally grown vegetable and exotic fruit farms such as star apple and sapodilla plantations.
As you head further South along concrete canal paths, the vegetation grows denser and the streams start to look more like the larger branches of the Mekong River. Aiming to provide you with the most authentic experience possible of the region, you will visit a busy Vietnamese market as well as many other surprise stops along the way!
Lunch will be served by a lovely family in a village with foods obtained from the nearby marketplace. After lunch you will board on a boat to An Binh Island where we will spend our night. The rest of the afternoon you will have free to explore by yourself.
At 8am it is time to say goodbye to the host family and the island after an amazing breakfast at the homestay. Following a short boat trip, our driver will meet you for a transfer (1 hr) to one of the famous coconut towns and nursery gardens in the Mekong, Ben Tre.
Back on your bikes you will witness colourful scenes along the riverside while pedalling past charming delta homes and villages with coconuts at the core of their economy before boarding on a ferry for a refreshing boat trip across the wide Co Chien River.
Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before cycling through the most famous water coconut trails and ending with a ferry crossing from the main arm of the Mekong river to Tra Vinh town where you will spend the night and you can enjoy dinner and local life at night.
At 7:30am on the third day you will visit an area mostly populated by Khmer people, one of Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic Minority groups.
You will take a short ride to Ba Om Pond to see its famous lotus flowers (seasonal event). This place will offer you a glimpse of the Khmer architecture especially the ethnic group’s temples which are a site to see whilst in the region.
Cycle as much as you wish for the rest of the day through the peaceful countryside paths and later you will have lunch in the Cau Ke district and will have a short transfer to escape the busy roads to Can Tho city where you will spend the night. Don’t miss out on its well-known night markets!
Your fourth day will be marked by an early breakfast followed by a boat trip to the famous Cai Rang floating market. You will then cycle to Phong Dien and if time permits, you will do a quick stop at a local artisan’s shop and learn how his family has been making a living for more than 30 years by making rice noodles the traditional way.
You will then go through smooth trails along canals to Phong Dien market and finish your bike ride before a long transfer back to Saigon (180km around 4h). Lunch will be taken on the way and you will have time to relax and reflect on your trip on the journey home to HCM.
