Trip info
-
Private car
-
2-15
-
All year round
-
Private tour
-
Lunch
-
1
-
80
Overview
A Taste Of Mekong – Princess Day Cruise offers a relaxing journey through the vibrant waterways of the Mekong Delta aboard a traditional Cai Be Princess sampan. Enjoy scenic river views, observe local life, visit a 19th-century ancient house, and explore traditional cottage industries along the way. Savor a refined lunch at the elegant Le Longanier colonial villa set in a lush tropical garden. The cruise continues through peaceful canals and fruit-orchard islands before ending in Vinh Long and transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Highlights
- Leisurely Mekong Delta Cruise aboard a traditional Cai Be Princess sampan, offering scenic river views and authentic local life along the waterways.
- Cultural Encounters & Local Crafts with visits to a 19th-century ancient house and traditional cottage industries such as coconut candy and puffed rice making.
- Elegant Riverside Lunch at Le Longanier Restaurant, a colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river.
Itinerary
In the morning, take a car transfer from Ho Chi Minh City to Cai Be. The crew welcomes you aboard with cold towels and a refreshing drink while the Cai Be Princess Sampan sets off for its leisurely cruise on the busy waterways of the Mekong Delta.
On the river, all sorts of boats ply the water, from small fishing boats to cargo barges loaded with fruit and vegetables. Observe from the comfort of your sampan life as it plays out on the riverbanks the people, the stunning landscapes while your attentive crew serves you tea and
seasonal fruit. At Tan Phong Islet, board a small row boat to better explore the canal’s hidden mangroves. Return to your sampan to visit an ancient house built in the 19th century.We’ll make stops along the way to explore local cottage industries including the making of coconut candy and puffed rice (the local equivalent of popcorn).
Your cruise ends at Le Longanier Restaurant. Lunch is served in this exquisite colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river and surrounded by fruit trees, giving you a sense of privileged life during Indochinese times.
After lunch, at around 2:30 pm, take a short walk along a small canal towards the Ba Bon Bridge where your personal vehicle awaits to drive you approximately 2 hours to Ho Chi Minh City.
Includes/Excludes
Includes
- Private car
- English speaking tourguide
- 2-hour cruise aboard Cai Be Princess
- Lunch at Le Longanier Restaurant
- Sightseeing fees included in above itinerary
- Cold towels, seasonal fruit and hot tea
- Crew assistance
Excludes
- Tip
- Personal expense
- Insurance
Deposit & Cancellation Policy
+ A 30% deposit is required upon booking confirmation.
+ The remaining 70% must be paid at least 14 days prior to tour departure.
+ Cancellations made at least 14 days before the tour departure are eligible for a full refund.
+ Cancellations made between 14 -7 days before departure will incur a 50% cancellation charge.
+ Cancellations made less than 7 days or no show before departure will be subject to a 100% charge.
Overall Trip Rating:
-
Verified Purchase
By Clara Vásquez May 10, 2026 Five Years Later, I Still Taste the MekongI took this tour in 2019, before everything changed. I still remember the weight of the cold towel on my neck. The way the sampan's engine cut to silence as we entered the mangroves. The taste of puffed rice—warm, salty, perfect. Le Longanier's ceiling fans spinning lazy circles above white tablecloths. The drive back to Saigon, watching the sun set over rice paddies, knowing I'd never be that free again. I've taken many tours since. None have stayed with me like this one. The Mekong keeps a piece of everyone. -
Verified PurchaseBy Bodhi Suvarnabhumi May 9, 2026 On the River, Time StoppedThe Mekong does not rush. Neither should you. From the moment the sampan pushed off, I felt something shift—the city's noise replaced by water lapping and distant laughter. The rowboat into Tan Phong's mangroves was a meditation: green light, still air, only the sound of oars. The ancient house held ghosts of another era. Lunch at Le Longanier was a blessing—food offered slowly, eaten gratefully. On the drive back, I didn't look at my phone. I watched rice fields disappear. I was exactly where I needed to be.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Dr. Helena Cruz May 6, 2026 A Well-Engineered Day on the DeltaLogistics: 8:00 am pickup from HCMC. 10:00 am boarding at Cai Be. Vessel: Cai Be Princess Sampan (clean, shaded, cold towels provided, drink offered). Itinerary pacing: 90 minutes main cruise → 25 minutes rowboat at Tan Phong → 15 minutes ancient house → 30 minutes cottage industries (coconut candy, puffed rice). Lunch venue: Le Longanier Restaurant (colonial architecture, garden setting, 4-course Vietnamese meal, excellent quality). Return: 2:30 pm departure, 4:30 pm HCMC arrival. Verdict: Well-paced, professional crew, strong value. The rowboat segment could be longer. Recommend.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Matteo Ferrari May 5, 2026 THE BEST DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE (Probably)OH MY GOODNESS. Where do I start?! The sampan is so beautiful and comfortable and they give you COLD TOWELS which is basically love. The river is AMAZING—boats everywhere, people waving, I felt like I was in a movie!! The rowboat through the mangroves?? MAGICAL. I saw a real water snake!! Then coconut candy?? I bought ten bags. Lunch at Le Longanier?? I almost cried—the garden, the villa, the FISH CLAY POT. Then a two-hour drive back through rice fields. I didn't want it to end. BOOK THIS TOUR. YOU'RE WELCOME.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Stefan Lindberg April 25, 2026 Beautiful but Felt ChoreographedI wanted to love this. The sampan is lovely, the crew attentive, Le Longanier stunning. But everything felt... staged. The "cottage industries" were clearly set up for tourists—coconut candy made with a smile and a hand out for tips. The rowboat through the mangroves was pretty but too short (ten minutes?). The ancient house was interesting but rushed. And lunch, while delicious, was in a restaurant full of other tour groups. It's a polished product, not an authentic experience. Beautiful? Yes. Genuine? Not entirely. Worth it for first-timers. Not for me.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Natalie Green April 24, 2026 A beautiful day trip!!!This day cruise was the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City! The transfer was smooth, and stepping aboard the Cai Be Princess sampan felt instantly relaxing — the cold towel and refreshing drink were such a welcoming touch. Gliding along the Mekong River while watching daily life unfold on the riverbanks was so peaceful. I loved visiting the 19th-century ancient house and seeing how coconut candy and puffed rice are made at the local cottage industries. But the absolute highlight was lunch at Le Longanier Restaurant — a beautiful colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden right by the river. The food was delicious, and the setting was absolutely dreamy. Cruising past Cai Be Church and through the peaceful canals of Dong Phu, with fruit orchards on either side, was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Everything was well-organized, the crew was attentive, and I felt completely immersed in the beauty and charm of the Mekong Delta. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a taste of delta life in just one day!Date of Experience: April 16, 2026
-
Verified PurchaseBy Geneviève Beaumont April 23, 2026 Indochine Elegance on the Brown RiverFrom the moment the Cai Be Princess Sampan welcomed us with cold towels and chilled juice, I felt like a character in Marguerite Duras. The cruise itself was gentle—fishing boats, fruit barges, life unfolding on the riverbanks like a slow film. The rowboat through Tan Phong's mangroves was charmingly rustic, a lovely contrast to the elegance of Le Longanier Restaurant. That colonial villa, set among frangipani and fruit trees, served a lunch worthy of a plantation owner's table. The coconut candy demonstration was a sweet interlude. A truly sophisticated day on the Mekong.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Liam O'Malley April 17, 2026 I Ate Coconut Candy Until I Saw StarsHere's the thing: they give you coconut candy at the cottage industry stop. Then more at the ancient house. Then more on the sampan. I think I ate my body weight in coconut candy. Delicious? Yes. Regrets? Also yes. The boat cruise itself was lovely—so relaxing I almost napped off. The rowboat through the mangroves was short but sweet (like more coconut candy). Lunch at Le Longanier was genuinely fancy—I felt underdressed in my shorts. Then a two-hour drive back to Saigon. Great day. My blood type is now coconut.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Isla MacKinnon March 14, 2026 Where the River Whispers Your NameThe Mekong is not a river. It is a slow, brown prayer. On the Cai Be Princess Sampan, I watched a grandmother wash her hair on a floating dock. I watched a boy dive from a wooden boat, laughing. The rowboat into Tan Phong's mangroves took us somewhere deeper—where light fell through leaves like church windows. Le Longanier served us pomelo salad and fish in clay pot while ceiling fans spun stories of French lovers long gone. Then back to Saigon. The river stayed with me. It still does.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Kenji Tanaka March 12, 2026 The Most Efficient Way to Taste the MekongTime-pressed? This is your day. Early morning pickup from HCMC. On the sampan by mid-morning. You'll see: floating markets, cargo boats, river life. The Tan Phong rowboat detour (20 minutes) adds genuine mangrove atmosphere. The ancient house stop (15 minutes) is brief but photogenic. Coconut candy and puffed rice demos are quick and hands-on. Lunch at Le Longanier is the highlight—colonial elegance, excellent Vietnamese cuisine. Back on the road by 2:30 pm, in HCMC by 4:30 pm. No overnight needed. Efficient, comfortable, complete.
-
Verified PurchaseBy Elara Voss March 12, 2026 Tea, Tides, and the Taste of Another CenturyThe cold towel on my neck at Cai Be pier was the first relief. Then the sampan glided into the Mekong's brown silk, and I forgot about the city entirely. Rowing through Tan Phong's hidden mangroves—dragonflies on my arm, water hyacinths brushing the boat—felt like entering a green cathedral. Lunch at Le Longanier was time travel: a colonial villa, ceiling fans spinning lazily, a meal that tasted of lemongrass and nostalgia. The coconut candy stop was touristy but sweet. The puffed rice? Delicious. By 2:30 pm, I didn't want to leave.
Write a Review Cancel reply
Thank you. Your review will appear after admin approves it.
Please fill all the fields.
