Can Tho to Chau Doc: A Deeper Mekong Trip

This five-day route takes you from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, west to Chau Doc and back. It suits return visitors who have already done a delta day trip. The road west is the long part, so give it a whole day. In return you get a quieter delta than the main tour circuit.

Who is this route for?

It suits return visitors and culture seekers who liked the delta and want more of it. It also suits friends who like slow, local travel with a few specific stops. If this is your first delta trip, start with Mekong Delta: what to expect and how many days instead.

Central and southern Vietnam have two seasons, a rainy season and a dry season¹. In the south, the rainy season starts in May². Pick drier months if you can.

What is the route at a glance?

• Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho by road, with a slow evening.
• Day 2: floating market in the early morning, then a rest and riverside afternoon.
• Day 3: Can Tho to Chau Doc, by road or river.
• Day 4: Chau Doc, Sam Mountain and the Cham community.
• Day 5: return towards Ho Chi Minh City, with slack time before the flight.

Day by day

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho

Leave after breakfast in a private car and treat the road as the day’s main activity. Plan most of the day for this transfer, and add one stop for coffee and a stretch. Nothing is lost by arriving at the hotel in the late afternoon.

In the evening, walk the riverside and eat early. Our guide to Can Tho explains the areas and the market boats.

Day 2: floating market and a slow afternoon

Go out early to a floating market, when sellers are most active and the heat is lower. A small boat trip is enough. Choose a boat with life jackets, and take a hat and water.

Back at the hotel, rest through the heat. In the late afternoon, take a short walk or visit a fruit garden. For the choice between an overnight and a day trip, read Can Tho floating market overnight itinerary.

Day 3: Can Tho to Chau Doc

This is a travel day. By road, a private car is the easiest to confirm. By river, a transfer can be pleasant, but you must check the operator and the schedule directly, because they change.

Whichever you choose, expect to arrive tired. Eat dinner near the hotel and plan nothing else. If you want to compare the two towns first, read Can Tho or Chau Doc for a Mekong overnight.

Day 4: Chau Doc

Chau Doc is a ward in An Giang Province, and its western boundary borders Cambodia³. Go up Sam Mountain in the morning when it is cooler, and take a car or motorbike taxi if the stairs are too much. Stay for the view over the rice plains.

In the afternoon, visit a floating village or a Cham community by the river. Sunni Cham communities live around Chau Doc⁴, and the Kahramanlar Rahmet Mosque in An Giang, described as Vietnam’s largest, opened in 2017⁵. Ask before you enter any prayer space, dress modestly and follow local guidance on shoes and photos.

For Muslim visitors, this is a gentler day for meals as well, but still check each place. Our guide for Muslim travellers shows how.

Day 5: return

Start early. Return to Ho Chi Minh City by road and keep a long gap before any flight. If your flight is in the evening, you will be glad of a spare hour. A late flight is much easier than an early one.

How can we adjust it?

For a shorter trip, drop Chau Doc and stay two nights in Can Tho. For a slower trip, add a second night in Chau Doc. If you are with older relatives, cut the river transfer and keep the car.

Where should we stay?

Choose areas, not hotel names. In Can Tho, the riverside is the easiest. In Chau Doc, stay near the river and the market so you can walk to dinner. Compare rates yourself, because prices change by season.

What should we book ahead?

• Your flights, first, since they set every other date.
• A private car for the road legs on Day 1, Day 3 and Day 5.
• A hotel in each town, with free cancellation if you can find it.
• A boat for the market, booked with a clear life-jacket check.

What will it cost?

Price it in lines: flights, four nights, three road legs, boats and meals. Plug in today’s quotes with the trip budget builder, because prices change by season. For a simpler alternative, see Choosing a Mekong route: My Tho, Ben Tre or Can Tho, or browse more itineraries.