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If friends ask the editor: "When traveling freely in Ho Chi Minh City, besides visiting historical sites and enjoying coffee in the city, where else can we experience the most authentic Southern Vietnamese culture?" The editor's first answer would definitely be to head southwest to My Tho & Ben Tre! These two towns, located adjacent to the Mekong River, are like the golden keys to unlocking the waterway charm of the Mekong Delta. With just a day to spare, you can temporarily escape the bustling skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh City, take a wooden boat into the shaded waterways of the nipa palm forest, taste the freshly made rich coconut candy, and sit in a tropical orchard listening to local residents sing classical folk songs that have been passed down for centuries.
Attraction Introduction: Step into the Green Gateway of Southern Vietnam's Waterways
My Tho, belonging to Tien Giang Province, is located about 70 kilometers southwest of Ho Chi Minh City and serves as the main gateway to the Mekong Delta; directly across the wide central flow of the Mekong River (Tien River) from My Tho is Ben Tre, which belongs to Ben Tre Province. This land is nurtured by a vast and nutrient-rich network of waterways, and the local life, transportation, and economy are all closely related to this river.
For travelers visiting Southern Vietnam for the first time, My Tho & Ben Tre offer the most representative "waterway scenery." The travel time from Ho Chi Minh City is about 1.5 to 2 hours, making it perfect for a relaxed day trip itinerary, allowing you to experience boat rides on the river, small wooden boats venturing into canals, traditional handicraft experiences, and authentic tropical farm cuisine.
Main Features: Tropical Surprises of Four Sacred Islands and the Coconut Kingdom
In the waters between My Tho & Ben Tre, there are four historically significant and uniquely characteristic small islands, named "Four Sacred Islands" by the locals after four auspicious mythical creatures in traditional Chinese culture:
- Dragon Island: This island features tropical orchards and traditional fishing villages, with a primitive and tranquil style.
- Phoenix Island: This island belongs to Ben Tre Province and is famous for its unique historical figures. It was once the retreat of the founder of the "Coconut Religion" in the mid-20th century, and today it retains a scenic area filled with colorful and uniquely geometric architecture.
- Tortoise Island: The smallest of the four islands, it has several neatly arranged tropical orchards and riverside fish ponds.
- Unicorn Island: This is the most popular and well-equipped island among the four. The vast majority of Mekong Delta day tour groups will disembark here to experience beekeeping, fruit tasting, talented singing performances, and rides on hand-rowed small wooden boats.
Crossing the river to Ben Tre Province, this area is known as Vietnam's "Coconut Kingdom." The entire province is covered with dense coconut groves, and coconuts have deeply penetrated every aspect of local residents' lives, from the wood used in traditional buildings and daily necessities to the famous rich coconut candy.
Key Highlights and Classic Experiences: Four Must-Do Activities in Southern Vietnam's Waterways
1. Sampan Ride through the Nipa Palm Forest
This is the most anticipated highlight of the entire Mekong River journey! Travelers will switch to narrow sampans that can accommodate only 4 to 6 people at the island's dock. The boatman or boatwoman, wearing a traditional Vietnamese conical hat, paddles slowly into the narrow natural canals lined with dense nipa palm trees. The tree canopies on both sides intertwine above, creating a green tunnel, and the only sounds are the splashing of water and birdsong, making it a perfect moment for capturing photos filled with the charm of rural Vietnam.
2. Visit a Traditional Coconut Candy Workshop
At the coconut candy workshop in Ben Tre, you can witness how a coconut is transformed into sweet and delicious candy. The craftsmen will demonstrate how to manually remove the hard coconut shell, scrape out the white coconut meat, extract the rich coconut milk, and then add malt syrup into a large copper pot to continuously stir and cook. Finally, the thick syrup is poured into wooden molds to cool, cut into pieces by hand, and quickly wrapped with edible rice paper and outer packaging paper. You can also sample the freshly made coconut candy, which is warm, soft, and sweet!
3. Taste Honey Tea and Enjoy the Intangible Cultural Heritage "Talented Singing"
At the orchard rest stop on the island, the shop will serve beauty-enhancing kumquat honey tea and royal jelly for travelers to taste, along with fresh seasonal fruits like jackfruit, longan, rambutan, and pineapple. While enjoying tropical desserts, you can also appreciate live performances by local artists of "Talented Singing."
Talented Singing was listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2013.
