Ben Tre: coconut canals and island orchards

Glide down narrow waterways under arching water-coconut palms, then cycle quiet island lanes between orchards, candy workshops and family homes.

Area

Mekong Delta

Start from

District 1

Distance

about 85 km south-west

Time needed

1 day, or an overnight

Best season

All year; fruit is most abundant from May to August

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Bus or car to My Tho or Ben Tre, then small boats and bicycles

Tickets & rules

Boat fees; no permits needed

Why go

Ben Tre is the coconut province of the Mekong Delta, a cluster of islands between branches of the great river, almost entirely covered in coconut palms and fruit orchards. It is the most accessible taste of the delta from Saigon, and still one of the loveliest.

The classic experience is a ride in a small rowing boat along a narrow canal, the water brown and quiet, the fronds of water-coconut palms arching overhead, while a woman in a conical hat rows slowly from the stern. It is one of those moments that matches the postcards and still feels completely real.

Away from the boat landings, rent a bicycle and pedal along the concrete lanes that link villages: past rice-paper makers, workshops pulling coconut candy, small temples, and families sitting in their gardens under mango and longan trees.

The story

For centuries the delta was crossed only by water, and boats were the only way to move goods and people. Even today, many households here have a boat moored behind the house as well as a motorbike in front.

Ben Tre was connected to My Tho and the rest of the mainland by the Rach Mieu bridge in 2009. Before that, every visitor had to cross by ferry, and the province still feels a little apart.

Coconut is everything here. The flesh becomes candy, oil and milk; the shells become bowls, buttons and charcoal; the fibre becomes rope and mats; the trunks become bridges and beams. Small workshops boil coconut milk with sugar and malt to make chewy coconut candy, cut and wrapped by hand.

In the middle of the river near My Tho, on Phoenix Island, a curious religion was founded in the twentieth century by a man known as the Coconut Monk, who was said to have lived on coconuts alone. The remains of his open-air sanctuary, with dragon-wrapped columns and a map of Vietnam, are still visited today.

Getting there

Buses run from Saigon’s Mien Tay bus station to Ben Tre town in around two to two and a half hours. Many day tours go via My Tho, crossing to the islands by boat. For more freedom, take a car or bus to Ben Tre and arrange boats and bicycles through a homestay.

A suggested plan

1. 7:00Leave Saigon early by bus or car.
2. 9:30Boat ride along the narrow coconut canals.
3. 11:00Visit a coconut candy workshop and a fruit orchard; taste seasonal fruit.
4. LunchElephant-ear fish, spring rolls and coconut-based dishes at a garden restaurant.
5. AfternoonCycle the village lanes, then return to Saigon or stay overnight in a homestay.

Where to stay

An overnight in a homestay lets you see the delta after the day tours leave: quiet evenings, frogs, fireflies and a breakfast of fruit from the garden.

Good to know

• Wear a hat and sun cream; the boats are open.
• Carry small notes for tips to boat rowers.
• Try coconut candy fresh from the workshop.
• Choose smaller canals and homestays for a quieter experience.