Saigon, Cu Chi & Mekong Delta, 4D/3N

Trip overview

This trip pairs Vietnam’s two most requested Mekong Delta introductions into one route: the wartime history and colonial streets of Ho Chi Minh City, then a night down in Can Tho so you can be on the water before the floating market winds down for the morning. It works well as a stand-alone four days or as the closing leg of a longer Vietnam itinerary that started in Hanoi or Hue.

Two nights stay in Ho Chi Minh City for the Cu Chi Tunnels and a walk through the old French quarter, then the group drives south on the highway to Can Tho for a single overnight, timed so the next morning starts on a boat rather than in a car. From Can Tho it is a short run back up to Ho Chi Minh City for the afternoon flight out.

Trip highlights

The Cu Chi Tunnels, the underground network dug during the resistance war
The Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum and the old French quarter around Notre Dame Cathedral
A two-hour highway run down to Can Tho, the delta’s largest city
Cai Rang floating market at first light, while there is still real trade on the water
The Binh Thuy ancient house, a French-Vietnamese villa used as a film set

Your day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City

You land at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and transfer to your hotel in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, still widely called Saigon. The rest of the day is free to rest after the flight or take an early walk along Dong Khoi Street and around Ben Thanh Market before dinner.

Day 2: Cu Chi Tunnels and the old city centre (about 1½ hours / 70 km, or 1 hour / 50 km, one way)

The morning runs out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, at either the Ben Duoc or Ben Dinh section, to walk part of the tunnel network built and used by resistance fighters during the war. In the afternoon the pace slows to a walk through the city centre: the Reunification Palace (open for ticketed visits 8:00 to 15:30), the War Remnants Museum on Vo Van Tan Street (open 7:30 to 17:30), the old Saigon Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral.

The cathedral is worth seeing even mid-restoration: it has been under major repair since 2017 and is still not finished, so parts of the facade may be scaffolded. If there is time before dinner, some guests prefer to ride the new Metro Line 1 a stop or two, or take the Saigon Waterbus along the river, rather than sit in traffic.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho (about 2 hours / 170 km by highway)

The highway to Can Tho now takes about two hours door to door, down from three and a half to four hours on the old road. You check into your Can Tho hotel by early afternoon, with time to walk along Ninh Kieu wharf, the city’s riverside promenade, before an early night: tomorrow starts before sunrise.

Day 4: Cai Rang floating market at dawn, Binh Thuy ancient house, return to Ho Chi Minh City

A small boat leaves the wharf while it is still dark to reach Cai Rang by around 5:00 to 6:00, when trade is busiest. Around a hundred boats still work the market most mornings, a fraction of the roughly six hundred that once traded here, and by mid-morning many have already moved on, so the early start matters. Afterwards you visit the Binh Thuy ancient house, a century-old French-Vietnamese villa once used as a film location, before the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City for your onward flight.

What’s included

Hotels in the class you choose, twin or double occupancy, with breakfast each morning, or an equivalent property if the one named is full.
All meals written into the day-by-day programme below.
A private air-conditioned vehicle for every transfer and excursion in the programme.
An English-speaking local guide at each stop on the route.
Every boat trip, river crossing and cruise named in the itinerary.
Entrance fees for the sites listed in the programme.
Drinking water in the vehicle and on boat days.
Government tax and service charge.

Not included

International and domestic flights, and rail tickets.
Visas, and any fee collected at a border post.
Travel insurance.
Meals and drinks that are not written into the programme.
Personal spending such as laundry, phone calls, minibar, souvenirs and watersports.
Early check-in, late check-out and room upgrades.
Anything added on the day at your request outside the printed programme.
Gratuities for your guide and driver.
Costs arising from weather, flooding, road closures or other events beyond our control.
Bank transfer charges.

Booking this trip

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Days: 4 days / 3 nights

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Frequently asked questions

Is Cai Rang floating market still worth the early start?

Yes, if you go at dawn. Around a hundred boats still trade there most mornings between roughly 5:00 and 7:00, but the market thins fast after that as boats disperse to sell along the banks. Arriving after 8:00 means mostly tourist traffic and a much quieter river.

Is the Cu Chi Tunnels visit physically demanding?

Only if you choose to crawl into an enlarged tunnel section, and that part is optional. Most of the visit is walking on flat paths between exhibits, suitable for most fitness levels and for children old enough to follow a guide.

Can I see Notre Dame Cathedral properly, given the restoration?

You can view the exterior and the surrounding square; the cathedral has been under major renovation since 2017 and, as of now, is not expected to be finished by the original 2027 target, so scaffolding may cover parts of the towers.

Do I need to pack for both a city stay and a boat trip?

Light layers work for both. Mornings on the river before dawn can feel cool even in the tropics, and a hat and sun protection matter once the sun is up over the water.

Is this trip suitable if I only have four days in Vietnam?

It is designed for exactly that: two clear themes, city history and delta life, without a domestic flight or a long multi-stop route to manage in a short window.

Can this trip be extended further into the Mekong Delta?

Yes. Travellers with more time often continue from Can Tho toward Sa Dec, Vinh Long or Chau Doc rather than heading straight back to Ho Chi Minh City; ask us and we can adjust the route before you book.

Saigon, Cu Chi and the Mekong Delta, 4 Days / 3 Nights