The Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is the fertile rice bowl of Vietnam, a vast, lush maze of channels, canals and islands where the mighty Mekong river finally reaches the sea. Here life revolves around the water: rice paddies and fruit orchards line the banks, people live in stilt houses and travel by boat, and the famous floating markets, where traders sell produce from laden sampans, offer a vivid glimpse of the watery rhythms of the south.

The landscape

• The floating markets - the boats of traders, best at Cai Rang near Can Tho.
• The canals and orchards - the boat trips through the green waterways.
• Village life - the stilt houses, cottage industries and river life.
• Can Tho - the delta's lively main city and its riverfront.

When to go

November to April for the drier season and pleasant weather; the floating markets are busiest and best visited at dawn, so an overnight in Can Tho beats a rushed day trip. The wet season brings higher water and more rain.

Good to know

The famous floating markets are shrinking as roads replace river trade, and the biggest, Cai Rang, is best at dawn before it winds down and the tour boats arrive. A day trip from Ho Chi Minh City is rushed; an overnight in Can Tho lets you catch the market at first light. It is hot and humid.

Nearby

Ho Chi Minh City is a few hours north; the Cambodian border lies upriver.