Sun N' Sea Travel
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
330 reviews
Excellent
126
Very good
93
Average
50
Poor
31
Terrible
30
Gracie A
Wellington, New Zealand79 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
AMAZING!!
Where to start... We paid $180,000VND each for an action-packed day on the Mekong Delta. We booked through Lac Hong Tours who are right in the centre of District One and very helpful.
We rode an air conditioned mini-bus two hours south to the Mekong Delta river, hopped on a tiny fishing boat and rode to Unicorn Island to eat fruit salad, and drink honey tea under coconut trees, while watching some traditional Vietnamese performers. Next, we were guided down a narrow path to an awaiting rowboat that took us to Turtle Island for a tasty lunch, followed by a cycle ride along the shore and a nap in a small hammock. On a third island we learnt how to make coconut candy, and ate coconut ice-cream while riding on a horse-drawn carriage to another boat which took us back to the mainland to visit an amazing Pagoda. I don't know how they managed to jam all this into one day, but it was so worth the drive, and somehow didn't feel rushed at all.
The lunch is quite basic, but good value as it comes as part of the tour package. You can order more food at the restaurant if you like too. A highlight for me was when they carried in a huge snake from nowhere and offered you the chance to hold it and take photos (no extra charge).
All in all, an amazing trip and such good value for money.
Where to start... We paid $180,000VND each for an action-packed day on the Mekong Delta. We booked through Lac Hong Tours who are right in the centre of District One and very helpful.
We rode an air conditioned mini-bus two hours south to the Mekong Delta river, hopped on a tiny fishing boat and rode to Unicorn Island to eat fruit salad, and drink honey tea under coconut trees, while watching some traditional Vietnamese performers. Next, we were guided down a narrow path to an awaiting rowboat that took us to Turtle Island for a tasty lunch, followed by a cycle ride along the shore and a nap in a small hammock. On a third island we learnt how to make coconut candy, and ate coconut ice-cream while riding on a horse-drawn carriage to another boat which took us back to the mainland to visit an amazing Pagoda. I don't know how they managed to jam all this into one day, but it was so worth the drive, and somehow didn't feel rushed at all.
The lunch is quite basic, but good value as it comes as part of the tour package. You can order more food at the restaurant if you like too. A highlight for me was when they carried in a huge snake from nowhere and offered you the chance to hold it and take photos (no extra charge).
All in all, an amazing trip and such good value for money.
Written 2 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
imitch
adelaide13 contributions
Jan 2013 • Couples
My wife and I spent 3 days in Ho Chi Min City in early January 2013. As part of our stay, we took a one day tour of the Mekong Delta.
After much research, we booked this tour through Urban Adventures on the web. We chose this company because the price was very reasonable and the itinerary seemed quite comprehensive.
We were picked up from the Opera House in HCMC, fortunately just 5 minutes walk from our hotel. There was some confusion picking up the other guests as the company had changed their pick up policy from picking up at hotels to picking up from the Opera House. This didn't affect us, but it seems that many guests did not get this message, so spent quite some time picking people up from various places around the city.
About an hour and a half drive to Can Do on the delta, and then transferred to a river boat. for a cruise on the river, stopping at a village on the way for a feed of local fruit, dinks and some lovely singing by some of the villagers.
Then off again past floating fish farms and then transferring to small sampans with some of the guests helping out with the paddling. Very hot and humid in the small waterways, so it was a relief after about 30 - 40 minutes to disembark at another village for a delicious lunch of local food and produce. Lunch was included in the price, but we were able to buy a beer or two which was most welome.
After lunch we all transferred in local "tuk-tuk" type vehicles for a very "interesting" drive along some very narrow but very picturesque roads to a coconut candy factory. Here we saw how the various products were made and given some samples. Also a comprehensive gift shop, got a great T shirt.
After the stop, we again boarded the river boat for the short trip to Can Do and then the bus journey back to the city.
Our guide's name was Gem and she lived up to her name. Very good English and extensive knowledge of the region and its people.
All in all a most enjoyable tour. I highly recommend it and the Urban Adventure company
After much research, we booked this tour through Urban Adventures on the web. We chose this company because the price was very reasonable and the itinerary seemed quite comprehensive.
We were picked up from the Opera House in HCMC, fortunately just 5 minutes walk from our hotel. There was some confusion picking up the other guests as the company had changed their pick up policy from picking up at hotels to picking up from the Opera House. This didn't affect us, but it seems that many guests did not get this message, so spent quite some time picking people up from various places around the city.
About an hour and a half drive to Can Do on the delta, and then transferred to a river boat. for a cruise on the river, stopping at a village on the way for a feed of local fruit, dinks and some lovely singing by some of the villagers.
Then off again past floating fish farms and then transferring to small sampans with some of the guests helping out with the paddling. Very hot and humid in the small waterways, so it was a relief after about 30 - 40 minutes to disembark at another village for a delicious lunch of local food and produce. Lunch was included in the price, but we were able to buy a beer or two which was most welome.
After lunch we all transferred in local "tuk-tuk" type vehicles for a very "interesting" drive along some very narrow but very picturesque roads to a coconut candy factory. Here we saw how the various products were made and given some samples. Also a comprehensive gift shop, got a great T shirt.
After the stop, we again boarded the river boat for the short trip to Can Do and then the bus journey back to the city.
Our guide's name was Gem and she lived up to her name. Very good English and extensive knowledge of the region and its people.
All in all a most enjoyable tour. I highly recommend it and the Urban Adventure company
Written 3 February 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
712travelbug
5 contributions
We booked our tour in Ho Chi Minh for $12. Best money ever spent. We went through the Mekong Delta, saw a honey farm, tasted the honey, held a snake and went to the coconut factory.
Highlight was the lunch on the river where we had elephants ear fish. Sounds and looks horrible but it was beautiful.
Best tour we did on our whole trip. Highly recommend.
Highlight was the lunch on the river where we had elephants ear fish. Sounds and looks horrible but it was beautiful.
Best tour we did on our whole trip. Highly recommend.
Written 22 April 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SeasonedJourneyman
Kyoto Prefecture, Japan18 contributions
Jul 2013 • Solo
If like me, you spend some extended time in Saigon (HCMC), there comes a point when you have to just get out of the city and get away from the constant requests to buy a knock off Zippo or a map, or just to get away from the sameness that all of Saigon has become.
My first choice is rarely to join one of the 'get off the bus, get on the bus' backpacker tours, I've done them before in Thailand, in Cambodia and other locales in Asia, rarely do they resemble anything like fun or the reality of life in any of those countries. But like I said there comes a point when you just have to ditch the city and break out.
Vietnam is still a Communist country and although there are attempts at capitalism here, its mainly on the big business level and rarely does that translate to fun or consideration for those outside the regime. Mekong Delta tours are state run experiments in backpacker consumerism, you can book the tours from any of a number of 'Travel Companies' in Saigon, but they are all the same and the guides are state employees from a central pool. Its only the cost that differs as each cog in the wheel tries to shave off a little more of the state profits for his or her own pocket.
The Mekong Delta is roughly 70 kilometers (30 mile) to the south east of HCMC, normally that would be a 45 minute drive in any other reality, but this is Vietnam and profit is the new mantra to the plebeian masses. The main road south is a dual lane highway over bridges and paddy fields which has no traffic lights or deviations and the trip is quick and uneventful, BUT this is not the route you will take on your tour, you see there is a small toll to use this state run infrastructure and that cuts into your profit margins if you're skimming off the top of your Socialist overlords. So you will find that your 45 minute journey blossoms to nearly a 3 and a half hour test of endurance in a bumpy non air-conditioned relic from Mao's China, the seats are broken, they smell of decades of human sweat and other things which I don't care to think about.
The only relief from this kind of socialist torture comes as you pull into any number of the road side "craft" stops, where you're shuffled off the bus and expected to hand over whatever cash you may have for overpriced goods of not much quality or value. Tourism this is not, its state run highway robbery, where you as the westerner are seen as Vietnams answer to a mobile ATM....nobody buys anything and you just end up standing around uncomfortably avoiding eye contact, then its back on the bus, and the mechanical torture resumes till the next 'unexpected and unscheduled craft stop'.
If by some grace of God (or Uncle Ho if you're a party member) shines down on you in sometime around 3 hours after you left you'll arrive in My Tho city, on the banks of the Delta, to join your boat. Remember this is tourism from a socialist perspective and the mausoleum style building you enter did perhaps have some other function prior to 'Doi Moi', but now its the step off point for your trip, its basically a funnel to shuffle you past more stalls of non-usable, non-exportable off cuts of Vietnams venture into the outside world. "you buy, you buy" is all you here, no warmth no attempts at engagement...you just get the feeling that these people are prisoners running from a state written script in the hope that their obedience and good behaviour will somehow see their release. Its bad and slightly creepy.
The Mekong Delta has hundreds of Islands and the countryside was decimated by US bombing and defoliation during the war, that leaves two of the nearest to be developed for tourism. The villagers are fake, the boat trip is fake, the quaint local villagers are not quaint local villagers at all and once again you're greeted by chants of "you buy, you buy" "you pay tip money". The included meal in your $10 price tag is a bowl of rice, a piece of unknown meat the size of a postage stamp and 3 green beans. BUT, should you not wish to eat that you can purchase actual food from the pavilion of a restaurant for prices that would seem more appropriate in a Tokyo michelin starred eatery. I didn't buy, I'm not one for exploitation, nor am I a cash point for the Peoples committee of Mhy Tho who runs the joint.
Trip over its back on the boat and now that all opportunities for the exchange of capital has expired and your value has diminished in the eyes of the state, there is a change in attitude from your tour guide, gone are the niceties, gone are the faux attempts at humour (they barely make it past you white face dog of a capitalist master, no really they do) now its GET ON THE BUS!
But the problem here is that everybody else who was on sister tours is now vying for a third less seats on the Saigon return trip and your guide will demand that someone volunteer to get off for another bus that is about to arrive. DO NOT GET OFF THE BUS, THERE IS NO OTHER BUS ARRIVING (once again another attempt at profit maximisation) We literally had a mutinous stand off, the tourists refusing to get off and the guide trying to sweat you out by switching off the air con until you broke and ran from this mobile version of the Hanoi Hilton.
In the end the threats and calls to various party officials had some effect and 90 minutes later another bus arrived and we all were returned to our start point.
Please no, God no, don't take these trips.......hire a car and do it yourself its cheaper and in reality safer, and you might just see the actual Vietnam that the Government doesn't want you to see.......the real Vietnam.
My first choice is rarely to join one of the 'get off the bus, get on the bus' backpacker tours, I've done them before in Thailand, in Cambodia and other locales in Asia, rarely do they resemble anything like fun or the reality of life in any of those countries. But like I said there comes a point when you just have to ditch the city and break out.
Vietnam is still a Communist country and although there are attempts at capitalism here, its mainly on the big business level and rarely does that translate to fun or consideration for those outside the regime. Mekong Delta tours are state run experiments in backpacker consumerism, you can book the tours from any of a number of 'Travel Companies' in Saigon, but they are all the same and the guides are state employees from a central pool. Its only the cost that differs as each cog in the wheel tries to shave off a little more of the state profits for his or her own pocket.
The Mekong Delta is roughly 70 kilometers (30 mile) to the south east of HCMC, normally that would be a 45 minute drive in any other reality, but this is Vietnam and profit is the new mantra to the plebeian masses. The main road south is a dual lane highway over bridges and paddy fields which has no traffic lights or deviations and the trip is quick and uneventful, BUT this is not the route you will take on your tour, you see there is a small toll to use this state run infrastructure and that cuts into your profit margins if you're skimming off the top of your Socialist overlords. So you will find that your 45 minute journey blossoms to nearly a 3 and a half hour test of endurance in a bumpy non air-conditioned relic from Mao's China, the seats are broken, they smell of decades of human sweat and other things which I don't care to think about.
The only relief from this kind of socialist torture comes as you pull into any number of the road side "craft" stops, where you're shuffled off the bus and expected to hand over whatever cash you may have for overpriced goods of not much quality or value. Tourism this is not, its state run highway robbery, where you as the westerner are seen as Vietnams answer to a mobile ATM....nobody buys anything and you just end up standing around uncomfortably avoiding eye contact, then its back on the bus, and the mechanical torture resumes till the next 'unexpected and unscheduled craft stop'.
If by some grace of God (or Uncle Ho if you're a party member) shines down on you in sometime around 3 hours after you left you'll arrive in My Tho city, on the banks of the Delta, to join your boat. Remember this is tourism from a socialist perspective and the mausoleum style building you enter did perhaps have some other function prior to 'Doi Moi', but now its the step off point for your trip, its basically a funnel to shuffle you past more stalls of non-usable, non-exportable off cuts of Vietnams venture into the outside world. "you buy, you buy" is all you here, no warmth no attempts at engagement...you just get the feeling that these people are prisoners running from a state written script in the hope that their obedience and good behaviour will somehow see their release. Its bad and slightly creepy.
The Mekong Delta has hundreds of Islands and the countryside was decimated by US bombing and defoliation during the war, that leaves two of the nearest to be developed for tourism. The villagers are fake, the boat trip is fake, the quaint local villagers are not quaint local villagers at all and once again you're greeted by chants of "you buy, you buy" "you pay tip money". The included meal in your $10 price tag is a bowl of rice, a piece of unknown meat the size of a postage stamp and 3 green beans. BUT, should you not wish to eat that you can purchase actual food from the pavilion of a restaurant for prices that would seem more appropriate in a Tokyo michelin starred eatery. I didn't buy, I'm not one for exploitation, nor am I a cash point for the Peoples committee of Mhy Tho who runs the joint.
Trip over its back on the boat and now that all opportunities for the exchange of capital has expired and your value has diminished in the eyes of the state, there is a change in attitude from your tour guide, gone are the niceties, gone are the faux attempts at humour (they barely make it past you white face dog of a capitalist master, no really they do) now its GET ON THE BUS!
But the problem here is that everybody else who was on sister tours is now vying for a third less seats on the Saigon return trip and your guide will demand that someone volunteer to get off for another bus that is about to arrive. DO NOT GET OFF THE BUS, THERE IS NO OTHER BUS ARRIVING (once again another attempt at profit maximisation) We literally had a mutinous stand off, the tourists refusing to get off and the guide trying to sweat you out by switching off the air con until you broke and ran from this mobile version of the Hanoi Hilton.
In the end the threats and calls to various party officials had some effect and 90 minutes later another bus arrived and we all were returned to our start point.
Please no, God no, don't take these trips.......hire a car and do it yourself its cheaper and in reality safer, and you might just see the actual Vietnam that the Government doesn't want you to see.......the real Vietnam.
Written 18 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stevesmith127
Manchester, UK106 contributions
Jan 2016 • Solo
These reviews are so mixed. I assume it's because different people want different things from their travel experience.
If you want to pack a load of 'authentic Vietnam' snaps into your smartphone this trip is the one for you. When you get home you will look back at pictures of everything from honey making presentations to coconut candy demos to rice paper making classes. You will be reminded of rowing boat trips, morning market junks, night cruises and horse and carriage rides. This 2 day trip has it all and comes at an incredible price. I honestly don't know where they make their money. I presume that's why it has so many good reviews.
The problem is the snaps in your camera won't tell you what happens in between. You can edit the images to cut out the hordes of tourists that will be with you for most of the time. You can forget that you were shunted from one stop to another with just enough time to buy something from the ubiquitous gift stalls. The photos probably won't tell you that the main thing you will do for 2 days is sit on a mini bus. (Approximately 9 hours in total). This is not my idea of fun. Especially when the sun is shining out the window and I'm going back to London in two days. My despair was saved by the fact that there were some good people on my mobile cell (bus) and we had a great laugh over a few beers at the Homestay.
In conclusion, I reckon that there are 2 types of travellers; the ones that want a nice safe controlled value pack of experiences and those that just want to soak in the atmosphere of a place. I'm the latter.
Half way through the first day I realised I had made a mistake in booking this trip. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse the tour guide turned on the stereo and the greatest hits of Boney M kicked in. Only another 2 hours to the next minibus destination. As a couple of people started humming along to Rasputin & Daddy Cool I had to smile...
No more 'excursions' for me...
If you want to pack a load of 'authentic Vietnam' snaps into your smartphone this trip is the one for you. When you get home you will look back at pictures of everything from honey making presentations to coconut candy demos to rice paper making classes. You will be reminded of rowing boat trips, morning market junks, night cruises and horse and carriage rides. This 2 day trip has it all and comes at an incredible price. I honestly don't know where they make their money. I presume that's why it has so many good reviews.
The problem is the snaps in your camera won't tell you what happens in between. You can edit the images to cut out the hordes of tourists that will be with you for most of the time. You can forget that you were shunted from one stop to another with just enough time to buy something from the ubiquitous gift stalls. The photos probably won't tell you that the main thing you will do for 2 days is sit on a mini bus. (Approximately 9 hours in total). This is not my idea of fun. Especially when the sun is shining out the window and I'm going back to London in two days. My despair was saved by the fact that there were some good people on my mobile cell (bus) and we had a great laugh over a few beers at the Homestay.
In conclusion, I reckon that there are 2 types of travellers; the ones that want a nice safe controlled value pack of experiences and those that just want to soak in the atmosphere of a place. I'm the latter.
Half way through the first day I realised I had made a mistake in booking this trip. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse the tour guide turned on the stereo and the greatest hits of Boney M kicked in. Only another 2 hours to the next minibus destination. As a couple of people started humming along to Rasputin & Daddy Cool I had to smile...
No more 'excursions' for me...
Written 12 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kanan A
Australia8,678 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
Mekong Delta tour
AVOID
When tossing up between joining a tour or just going solo, there are several factors to be considered, ...for example, with a tour you might get to meet other travelers and share the experience, you might save time and hassles organizing it yourself, you might get to see some interesting places you wouldn't see otherwise.
Well, if you are chosing this tour for any of the reasons above, forget it…. The whole thing is a total nightmare and waist of time, with the only redeeming feature being the cheap price. Let me attempt to explain what you will be subjected to…
There is this place called “The Tourist Operation Centre”
From here they coordinate all the tourists doing all the various combinations, whether it be a one day tour, two or three day either coming from or going to Saigon, going to Pnom Phen etc if you get my drift. We were on the three day tour from Saigon, and returning to Saigon. Most of our three days was spent driving in various buses. Actually one agent did try to warn us by recommending that the two day would be enough.
The first morning we were bused to the Tourist Operation Centre about four hours from Saigon, after driving around Saigon for 2 hours picking up passengers. We didn't know then that our fellow passengers were day trippers, and that once we arrived at the Tourist Operation Centre we wouldn't see either them or our guide again.
Actually first they took us to two Islands which turned out to be just tourist traps where we were expected to buy product. Learn how honey is made, hold a snake and have your picture taken. Then there was the boat ride which consisted of sitting in a small canoe and being rowed up the creek for 1.5 kilometers, with a thin layer of reeds on either side so we could pretend we were in the jungle… really pathetic. Even though it was off season we must have passed about fifty tourist boats coming the other way (did get some good pics here though).
Then, after another long wait at the Tourist Operation Centre another long bus ride with another group to Cantho with a different crowd and a different guide. We must have been passed along to about five different guides over these these three days. The worst part is that we were always left in the dark about where we were going or who we were going with. They would just tell you to get off here, or wait there and a bus will come. Miraculously we were never forgotten or left behind.
Day two and the boat ride to the floating market was the best. It is a real market, and many of the boats are works of art. I highly recommend this experience, but do it on your own, or just travel to Cantho and book a tour when you get there. There are also hotels near the market. One I spotted from the river looked really nice.
The third day was the worst. We were taken several hours to the Cambodian border to visit a temple, but it was really just to pick up passengers coming from Phenom Penh back to Saigon. After the temple visit we were in a mini bus from 9am driving back to Saigon all day with an angry driver who drove dangerously (only slowing down a bit while chatting on his cell phone), arriving around 6pm. There was one long stop on the side of the road somewhere when he decided to do an oil change. At one point I asked the guide why he was so angry and he told me, because he was tired.
We booked the tour with Vietnam Adventure Travel, and were only given one lunch included in the package. We paid about US$100. Others who paid the same with other agents were allocated three lunches, so if you still decide to do this nightmare journey, make sure you get three lunches included. Our package included three star accommodation, which I would recommend if you are not on a tight budget. On the second night in Chau Doc we stayed at Satisfy Hotel which you can book on Trip Advisor for around US$23 yourself.
Finally, I imagined this tour to pass through beautiful rural landscapes with scenes of peasant farmers tending their crops. Sadly, most of our time was spent driving through mile after mile of urban wasteland, so it was hard to decipher where one town finished and another began.
AVOID
When tossing up between joining a tour or just going solo, there are several factors to be considered, ...for example, with a tour you might get to meet other travelers and share the experience, you might save time and hassles organizing it yourself, you might get to see some interesting places you wouldn't see otherwise.
Well, if you are chosing this tour for any of the reasons above, forget it…. The whole thing is a total nightmare and waist of time, with the only redeeming feature being the cheap price. Let me attempt to explain what you will be subjected to…
There is this place called “The Tourist Operation Centre”
From here they coordinate all the tourists doing all the various combinations, whether it be a one day tour, two or three day either coming from or going to Saigon, going to Pnom Phen etc if you get my drift. We were on the three day tour from Saigon, and returning to Saigon. Most of our three days was spent driving in various buses. Actually one agent did try to warn us by recommending that the two day would be enough.
The first morning we were bused to the Tourist Operation Centre about four hours from Saigon, after driving around Saigon for 2 hours picking up passengers. We didn't know then that our fellow passengers were day trippers, and that once we arrived at the Tourist Operation Centre we wouldn't see either them or our guide again.
Actually first they took us to two Islands which turned out to be just tourist traps where we were expected to buy product. Learn how honey is made, hold a snake and have your picture taken. Then there was the boat ride which consisted of sitting in a small canoe and being rowed up the creek for 1.5 kilometers, with a thin layer of reeds on either side so we could pretend we were in the jungle… really pathetic. Even though it was off season we must have passed about fifty tourist boats coming the other way (did get some good pics here though).
Then, after another long wait at the Tourist Operation Centre another long bus ride with another group to Cantho with a different crowd and a different guide. We must have been passed along to about five different guides over these these three days. The worst part is that we were always left in the dark about where we were going or who we were going with. They would just tell you to get off here, or wait there and a bus will come. Miraculously we were never forgotten or left behind.
Day two and the boat ride to the floating market was the best. It is a real market, and many of the boats are works of art. I highly recommend this experience, but do it on your own, or just travel to Cantho and book a tour when you get there. There are also hotels near the market. One I spotted from the river looked really nice.
The third day was the worst. We were taken several hours to the Cambodian border to visit a temple, but it was really just to pick up passengers coming from Phenom Penh back to Saigon. After the temple visit we were in a mini bus from 9am driving back to Saigon all day with an angry driver who drove dangerously (only slowing down a bit while chatting on his cell phone), arriving around 6pm. There was one long stop on the side of the road somewhere when he decided to do an oil change. At one point I asked the guide why he was so angry and he told me, because he was tired.
We booked the tour with Vietnam Adventure Travel, and were only given one lunch included in the package. We paid about US$100. Others who paid the same with other agents were allocated three lunches, so if you still decide to do this nightmare journey, make sure you get three lunches included. Our package included three star accommodation, which I would recommend if you are not on a tight budget. On the second night in Chau Doc we stayed at Satisfy Hotel which you can book on Trip Advisor for around US$23 yourself.
Finally, I imagined this tour to pass through beautiful rural landscapes with scenes of peasant farmers tending their crops. Sadly, most of our time was spent driving through mile after mile of urban wasteland, so it was hard to decipher where one town finished and another began.
Written 6 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
N P
Tel Aviv, Israel26 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
I was really looking forward to visit the Mekong delta. It can be fun and interesting, but please pick your tour very carefully.
When you choose your tour, check which attractions exactly you'll visit, and for how long. Also, prefer a smaller group over a big one, Our group was to big, a full bus, this caused unnecessary delays and hassle.
The tour itself felt like we're being taken from one commercial "tourists trap" place to another.
The big Buddha statue - it's big and white, and that's about it. to walk around in the heat, and wait for the whole group to come back to the bus is exhausting.
Then we were taken to see how they make coconut candy. Which can be interesting for 10 minutes, but they leave you there for an hour (to give you more time to buy something). Then we continued to honey tasting and local music presentation, which in my opinion could be skipped.
Then we went on the small boats, to sail in one of the narrow canals. I was really expecting it, to be on the small boat under the green vegetation, but the whole sailing lasted for about 5 minutes, and for that we were expected to tip the guy that operated the boat.
The 2nd attraction that i was expecting was Cai Rang floating market. But because there were many people in our group, and more people means more delays. We arrived at the market at about 9 o'clock in the morning, towards its end, and there were not too many boats with fruits/vegetables left.
And about the "homestay"...this wasn't really a home stay, it was just a bungalow, one of many bungalows that were there, that are rented to tourists. Which is fine, but if you want a real home stay, that's not it.
The tour was 2 days, 1 night, price: 31$ per person.
The tour operator was TNK Travel.
When you choose your tour, check which attractions exactly you'll visit, and for how long. Also, prefer a smaller group over a big one, Our group was to big, a full bus, this caused unnecessary delays and hassle.
The tour itself felt like we're being taken from one commercial "tourists trap" place to another.
The big Buddha statue - it's big and white, and that's about it. to walk around in the heat, and wait for the whole group to come back to the bus is exhausting.
Then we were taken to see how they make coconut candy. Which can be interesting for 10 minutes, but they leave you there for an hour (to give you more time to buy something). Then we continued to honey tasting and local music presentation, which in my opinion could be skipped.
Then we went on the small boats, to sail in one of the narrow canals. I was really expecting it, to be on the small boat under the green vegetation, but the whole sailing lasted for about 5 minutes, and for that we were expected to tip the guy that operated the boat.
The 2nd attraction that i was expecting was Cai Rang floating market. But because there were many people in our group, and more people means more delays. We arrived at the market at about 9 o'clock in the morning, towards its end, and there were not too many boats with fruits/vegetables left.
And about the "homestay"...this wasn't really a home stay, it was just a bungalow, one of many bungalows that were there, that are rented to tourists. Which is fine, but if you want a real home stay, that's not it.
The tour was 2 days, 1 night, price: 31$ per person.
The tour operator was TNK Travel.
Written 5 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PaulBaileyPBAUK
Harrow, UK21 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
We had met some Australian girls in our hotel and they recommended we visit a travel agent in the backpacker area. Picked up at our hotel, this trip included an excellent guide, a trip round four islands in the delta, stops for a visit to a coconut farm and a woodwork village, lunch, a trip on a small boat paddled by two Vietnamese, a pony and trap ride around another village, a folklore vocal show with honey tea and then a return trip to Ho Chi Minh. A 12 hour day, actually quite restful and wonderful memories. I nearly forgot to say how much. US $10 !!!! Don't know how they do it. I know Vietnam is cheap, but this was really ridiculous and VERY good (incidentally, our hotel had the same trip on offer at $35)
Written 4 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle M
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam2 contributions
Jan 2013 • Couples
In January 2013, myself and my partner booked a trip to the Mekong Delta with Nam Trip Travel (28/1 Bui Vien St, Pham Ngu Lao ward, Dist 1, HCMC) who work with TNK Travel Vietnam (220 De Tham Street, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam).
In total, we paid 1,700,000 VND (81 USD) for two nights and three days which included the new "exclusive" trip to the Chaudoc, Tra Su Forest. We were told by the sweet and kind tour operators that we would visit the largest floating market, smaller floating market and visit Sam Mountain plus some other activities like visiting a crocodile farm. Also, they told us we would depart each morning at 8am as I specified I didn’t want to get up at 6am. Lastly, they told us if we were not satisfied with our trip they would refund us.
What really happened on the tour was that we didn’t visit the largest floating market, Sam Mountain, and the crocodile farm. Each stop was aimed at souvenir shops rather than providing us an insight into life on the Mekong Delta. Each morning we were up at 6am and departed between 6.30-6.45am. When I raised this with the tour guide (TNK Travel Vietnam) he said “must have been a misprint on the tour trip leaflet” even thought the tour operators told me otherwise.
As regards the hotel and accommodation, it was really poor. The first there was ants on my blanket and on the second night, our room smelled of damp plus there were no bed sheets, just dirty blankets. I asked the hotel staff for a bed sheet, she said they had none in the hotel and gave me another torn blanket. The next day another tourist who had two children with him said he demanded bed sheets from the staff, they refused at the start then when the guest persisted they eventually took out a big bag of sheets and gave one to him. Then the lunch was a bit of cold old tough pork with rice. If you wanted anything else you had to pay a larger amount for that.
Overall, the staff lied to us and they just don’t seem to care about basic customer service at all.
The guide thought it would be entertaining to take a python snake out of a sack and wrap it around himself and other tourists. This poor animal shouldn’t have been used as a tour prop.
The tour operators misrepresented the tour and had no interest in addressing our issues until I told them I'll write an online review at which they offered the total sum of $10 to not write the review. Obviously we were upset by this treatment especially when the tour operators (Nam Trip Travel) acted all sweet and sincere to begin with.
Our advice is if you visit the Mekong Delta, do it independently by taking a bus to Can Tho. Spend a couple of nights there and book the boat trip down at the riverfront yourself. If you take a 3 night trip with a tour company you drive for over 7 hours on the last day and do these unnecessary activities so you will buy souvenirs.
In total, we paid 1,700,000 VND (81 USD) for two nights and three days which included the new "exclusive" trip to the Chaudoc, Tra Su Forest. We were told by the sweet and kind tour operators that we would visit the largest floating market, smaller floating market and visit Sam Mountain plus some other activities like visiting a crocodile farm. Also, they told us we would depart each morning at 8am as I specified I didn’t want to get up at 6am. Lastly, they told us if we were not satisfied with our trip they would refund us.
What really happened on the tour was that we didn’t visit the largest floating market, Sam Mountain, and the crocodile farm. Each stop was aimed at souvenir shops rather than providing us an insight into life on the Mekong Delta. Each morning we were up at 6am and departed between 6.30-6.45am. When I raised this with the tour guide (TNK Travel Vietnam) he said “must have been a misprint on the tour trip leaflet” even thought the tour operators told me otherwise.
As regards the hotel and accommodation, it was really poor. The first there was ants on my blanket and on the second night, our room smelled of damp plus there were no bed sheets, just dirty blankets. I asked the hotel staff for a bed sheet, she said they had none in the hotel and gave me another torn blanket. The next day another tourist who had two children with him said he demanded bed sheets from the staff, they refused at the start then when the guest persisted they eventually took out a big bag of sheets and gave one to him. Then the lunch was a bit of cold old tough pork with rice. If you wanted anything else you had to pay a larger amount for that.
Overall, the staff lied to us and they just don’t seem to care about basic customer service at all.
The guide thought it would be entertaining to take a python snake out of a sack and wrap it around himself and other tourists. This poor animal shouldn’t have been used as a tour prop.
The tour operators misrepresented the tour and had no interest in addressing our issues until I told them I'll write an online review at which they offered the total sum of $10 to not write the review. Obviously we were upset by this treatment especially when the tour operators (Nam Trip Travel) acted all sweet and sincere to begin with.
Our advice is if you visit the Mekong Delta, do it independently by taking a bus to Can Tho. Spend a couple of nights there and book the boat trip down at the riverfront yourself. If you take a 3 night trip with a tour company you drive for over 7 hours on the last day and do these unnecessary activities so you will buy souvenirs.
Written 19 March 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
strawberrylolly
Bournemouth, UK33 contributions
Jul 2011 • Couples
I can only inmagine that the other two reviews on here are written by the company who operate the tour. Here is a detailed overview of our "experience"...
First off we were collected from our hotel and boarded a comfortable bus, all things good so far.
After 3 and a half hours (no delays or traffic and not one and a half hours like the other reviewer stated) we arrived in the Mekong Delta. To be fair this is the time quoted in our brochure.
Whilst on the bus we were informed that we would not be visiting the large floating market (reserved for the two day tour), instead we would visit a smaller floating market. Joy.
Arriving at our destination we boarded a small, comfortable boat which sailed up the Mekong, gingerly passing several other boats. On these you could just about make out Rambutans. This collection of 10 boats was the "floating market". Did we stop? No. Did we get a good look? No. Were they even next to each other? No. This section of the tour lasted 20 minutes, including the 17 minute ride to get to the "floating market".
The boat finally docked at 2 souvenir shops where we would be shown "traditional arts and crafts". This is something that strikes fear into the heart of any well seasoned traveller. This section of the tour lasted over an hour, but we got honey and lemon tea (one of the highlights of the tour). Nipping out the back, after everybody else had left, I was "somewhat surprised" (English sarcasm) to see that the crafts men had downed tools for a smoke break.
From here we got back on the boat and were taken back up the Mekong (30 mins) in the middle of the river, which is about 1km wide. Scenery? You couldn't really see it. A scant few boats passed by but they were very far away.
We then traveled up a scenic tributary to get to our lunch stop. This part of the tour was actually quite good (10 minutes).
For lunch (45 mins) we had marinated pork and rice, (after 4 months in Asia I wish I had asked for tofu), there were other things on the menu but these cost extra. You couldn't even exchange for cheaper meals.
A guy then got a python out of a cage and paraded it around the crowd before dropping it head first on the floor. He kissed it after though, so thats OK right?
As part of your 45 minute lunch break you are invited to take out bicycles if you have time. You won't, especially if your hungry enough to eat the lunch. This part of the "tour" is unguided and, since a few scant people (who skipped lunch) came back within 10 minutes, I guess there was nothing interesting to see.
From here, the one part of the tour that was actually pretty good: We were taken down to some small wooden boats and paddled up a tributary for 20 minutes, arriving back to our tour boat. This was actually quite relaxing and scenic. Good times.
The tour boat then travels for another 40 minutes up the middle of the Mekong towards Vinh Long, (nothing to see on the way). Arriving in town you get off the boat and begin the "market tour". This involves a fast walk back to the bus (5 minute walk, no stopping).
Alas, there is one more stop along the way. I forget what they call it in the brochure... a Bonsai garden or something of the sort... it's the service station half way home. The toilets are clean but the coffee is expensive. Never did see a bonsai tree though.
As for the bus journey to and from the Mekong Delta, I believe another reviewer said that you could see, something along the lines of "the real Vietmanese people working and enjoying their day".... I saw a few ducks and some scenic rice fields. This was for scant seconds as we were travelling at about 50km/hr. This is not really enough time to take in the authentic lifestyle of the local peoples.
Throughout the entire day, there was no opportunity to talk to anybody.
Would I do it again? No
Would I recommend it to anybody? No
My advice: Buy a ticket to Vinh Long and explore by yourself, or move on somewhere else...
Oh incidently the two day tour group did exactly the same as us, except they were shown to some pretty shoddy accommodation at 3pm. Who knows what was in store for them on day 2...
Experience: Travel Blogger and husband of the account holder.
First off we were collected from our hotel and boarded a comfortable bus, all things good so far.
After 3 and a half hours (no delays or traffic and not one and a half hours like the other reviewer stated) we arrived in the Mekong Delta. To be fair this is the time quoted in our brochure.
Whilst on the bus we were informed that we would not be visiting the large floating market (reserved for the two day tour), instead we would visit a smaller floating market. Joy.
Arriving at our destination we boarded a small, comfortable boat which sailed up the Mekong, gingerly passing several other boats. On these you could just about make out Rambutans. This collection of 10 boats was the "floating market". Did we stop? No. Did we get a good look? No. Were they even next to each other? No. This section of the tour lasted 20 minutes, including the 17 minute ride to get to the "floating market".
The boat finally docked at 2 souvenir shops where we would be shown "traditional arts and crafts". This is something that strikes fear into the heart of any well seasoned traveller. This section of the tour lasted over an hour, but we got honey and lemon tea (one of the highlights of the tour). Nipping out the back, after everybody else had left, I was "somewhat surprised" (English sarcasm) to see that the crafts men had downed tools for a smoke break.
From here we got back on the boat and were taken back up the Mekong (30 mins) in the middle of the river, which is about 1km wide. Scenery? You couldn't really see it. A scant few boats passed by but they were very far away.
We then traveled up a scenic tributary to get to our lunch stop. This part of the tour was actually quite good (10 minutes).
For lunch (45 mins) we had marinated pork and rice, (after 4 months in Asia I wish I had asked for tofu), there were other things on the menu but these cost extra. You couldn't even exchange for cheaper meals.
A guy then got a python out of a cage and paraded it around the crowd before dropping it head first on the floor. He kissed it after though, so thats OK right?
As part of your 45 minute lunch break you are invited to take out bicycles if you have time. You won't, especially if your hungry enough to eat the lunch. This part of the "tour" is unguided and, since a few scant people (who skipped lunch) came back within 10 minutes, I guess there was nothing interesting to see.
From here, the one part of the tour that was actually pretty good: We were taken down to some small wooden boats and paddled up a tributary for 20 minutes, arriving back to our tour boat. This was actually quite relaxing and scenic. Good times.
The tour boat then travels for another 40 minutes up the middle of the Mekong towards Vinh Long, (nothing to see on the way). Arriving in town you get off the boat and begin the "market tour". This involves a fast walk back to the bus (5 minute walk, no stopping).
Alas, there is one more stop along the way. I forget what they call it in the brochure... a Bonsai garden or something of the sort... it's the service station half way home. The toilets are clean but the coffee is expensive. Never did see a bonsai tree though.
As for the bus journey to and from the Mekong Delta, I believe another reviewer said that you could see, something along the lines of "the real Vietmanese people working and enjoying their day".... I saw a few ducks and some scenic rice fields. This was for scant seconds as we were travelling at about 50km/hr. This is not really enough time to take in the authentic lifestyle of the local peoples.
Throughout the entire day, there was no opportunity to talk to anybody.
Would I do it again? No
Would I recommend it to anybody? No
My advice: Buy a ticket to Vinh Long and explore by yourself, or move on somewhere else...
Oh incidently the two day tour group did exactly the same as us, except they were shown to some pretty shoddy accommodation at 3pm. Who knows what was in store for them on day 2...
Experience: Travel Blogger and husband of the account holder.
Written 25 July 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi - there are 6 of us arriving at Phu My on the Golden Princess cruise ship on 24 April at 7am and departing at 6pm on the same day. We are interested in doing the Mekong Delta tour. Do Sun n' Sea Travel - Mekong Delta Day II staff pick up and drop off passengers in Phu My?
Thank you.
Written 3 April 2016
Hi, you would have to arrange it with the travel agent. I am sure they would be okay with it. You should also tell them what time your cruise will be departing so they get you back on time.
Written 3 April 2016
Hi Chris!
I'm traveling to Vietnam for my first time this month.
I couldn't find any other reviews for Jason's Handsome tours with home cooking as you describe.
Could you point me in the right direction? Do you recall what you paid? Did you join a group tour? Is this also available as a 2D/1N stay?
Thanks so much!
Bob
Written 2 March 2016
Hi Bob , I went to Vietnam Last August, YOU will love it. I did not get to do the cooking courses as I was to busy but .. there are plenty of Cooking courses available,and every motel will let you know where they are,,, They do have a bigger variety in Saigon, I would also suggest contacting Halong tours as they have many varieties of day tours and overnight stays anywhere in Vietnam.... Stay safe and Enjoy
Written 3 March 2016
what's the weather like in OCTOBER doing a Mekong delta tour?
Written 16 November 2015
Hi,
We were there in July and it was quite steamy and hot - I believe the temperature varies little throughout the year except for the rainfall. I don't know what exactly you can expect in October.
Written 18 November 2015
Is this tour for kids (age 5 and 7) possible? Thanks
Written 13 September 2015
Hello. Has anybody ever taken a Mekong Delta tour arranged by Princess Cruises. Going in September and not sure whether to go ahead and book the trip. It is classed as a strenuous activity and includes trip on river to see floating markets etc and Sampan ride through smaller canals. Any advice or comments would be great. Thank yiou
Written 2 July 2015
I did a Mekong Delta day tour, not with Princess Cruises. Although we did not do the floating market, we did go through the canals on a sampan, and made other stops. I can't imagine that this tour would be strenuous; the only strenuous part would be the constant reminder to give tips to all the extra people along the way, in my opinion. As long as you are in a boat of some sort all day, I don't think it will be strenuous; will still be in rainy season, so should not be too hot. You might check the same tour online with other agencies and compare prices and tour components; take the tour that offers the most of what you want. I've lived in Vietnam 2 years and just did the Mekong Delta tour a month ago and enjoyed it.
Written 3 July 2015
Mit welcher guide tour seid ihr gefahren bzw einen tip wo man buchen sollte oder habt ihr alle vom hotel aus gebucht?
Liebe grüße
Written 13 March 2015
Can I get a 2 day trip to Mekong delta
Written 15 February 2015
Yes, there are several travel agents who could help you out with that. They will be able to help you select from a number of options. Just see a travel agent when you get there.
Written 16 February 2015
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.