The Mekong Delta begins roughly an hour or two south of Ho Chi Minh City and stretches on for hundreds of kilometres of rivers, canals, rice paddies and floating markets. Its scale is the key planning issue: a single-day tour can only realistically cover the closer towns, typically My Tho or Ben Tre, while the region's most famous floating markets sit much further away, near Can Tho.

One day vs. two

A one-day tour from Saigon typically covers a boat ride along the smaller canals, a stop at a coconut candy or honey workshop, and a taste of rural river life — a good, accessible introduction, but not the full floating-market experience many photos promise. If the floating markets near Can Tho are the main draw for you, an overnight trip is really necessary to catch them at their best, since they operate earliest in the morning.

Manage expectations: If you've seen photos of Cai Rang floating market near Can Tho and that's specifically what you want, check carefully whether your tour actually goes there — many one-day Saigon tours visit closer, smaller markets and canals instead, which are still worthwhile but a different experience.

What a typical day trip includes

Most standard day tours combine a boat ride on the main river, a smaller sampan trip through narrower canals, a local workshop stop (often coconut candy, rice paper or honey production), and lunch, usually with an option to add a short bike ride through a village.

Booking tips

Group tours are the cheapest and most common option, departing early morning from District 1. If you want the Can Tho floating markets specifically, look for two-day, one-night itineraries rather than trying to extend a one-day tour.

Closer optionMy Tho / Ben Tre — suits a single day
Floating marketsNear Can Tho — best on a 2-day, 1-night trip
DepartsEarly morning from District 1