Hamlets and busy towns are dependent on the innumerable canals, tributaries and markets in the region that overflow with fish and a variety of produce yielded by the delta’s rich alluvial soil, including rice, sesame, peanuts, cashews, pineapples, dragon fruit and durian. Enjoy countless opportunities to capture amazing photos of the scenery and local people as we cruise past buffaloes ploughing fruit orchards and rice fields.  Spend time at a family homestead, where you’ll be invited to enjoy refreshing, freshly cut coconuts and fiery Mekong whisky. Your chef will prepare many Vietnamese dishes for lunch, such as fried elephant ear fish – a Mekong Delta specialty – Vietnamese spring rolls and lemongrass chicken, served at a local pagoda or school for underprivileged children. *Vegetarian or Halal meals are also available on request. 

Choose from a shared or private experience and, following an early morning pickup from your accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City, head towards the Vietnamese-Cambodian border and reach Tay Ninh Province. From there, take a cable car ride up to the Black Lady Mountain. Once on top, marvel at the panoramic views of the beautiful region. Black Lady Mountain consists of three major mountains covering an area of 24 kilometers and reaching an altitude of 986 meters. The beautiful temples and caves that are used to house Buddhist monks and nuns remain largely undisturbed. Proceed to Cao Dai Holy Temple which houses administrative offices, residences for officials, adepts and a hospital for traditional Vietnamese herbal medicine that attracts people from all over the south for treatments. The temple is home to the Cao Dai movement known for mixing ideas from different religions including Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity. Learn about the importance of Cao Daism figures including historic figures such as Sun Yat-Sen, Victor Hugo, and Nguyen Binh Khiem.

After pickup from your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, drive to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Temple. This religious sect combines Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity in its philosophy. Experience the prayer session at noon and admire the colorful, mysterious and marvelous architecture.   After lunch, visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an amazing underground system used by the Vietnamese to fight the Americans during the America and Vietnam War. You can crawl through the very narrow tunnels, made completely by hand during the war. Then watch a short documentary film about the Cu Chi Tunnels, available in a number of foreign languages.   Gain more knowledge of Vietnamese history, traditions, and culture. You can taste boiled tapioca with hot pandanus tea, the local food eaten by Vietnamese soldiers during the war. At the end of the tour your will be dropped off back in Ho Chi Minh City.

Depart Ho Chi Minh City and travel by private vehicle to Tây Ninh Province. Visit the Cao Đài temples near the Black Virgin Mountain (Núi Bà Đen), and learn why the mountain is revered by the people of Vietnam.  Ride the cable car to the pagoda temple dedicated to the local Khmer deity, Bà Đen. Get breathtaking views of the surrounding fruit orchards, mango trees, and woodland flowers, and learn the ancient legends of the mountain, towering 3,000 feet above rice fields and jungle. Take an optional hike further up the mountain to discover two more temples, if you desire. Then, visit the amazing Củ Chi tunnels, with a break for lunch on the way to the subterranean city that served as the operations base of the Viet Cong for the Tết Offensive during the Vietnam War. Return to Ho Chi Minh City after exploring the labyrinth of tunnels, and get dropped off at your hotel.

After pick-up from your centrally located hotel you will be driven to Central Pier. Board the speedboat and start your journey towards the Mekong Delta. Enjoy fresh tropical fruits and mineral water on board, and a light breakfast will be served on the morning tour. On the way, you will enjoy the fresh air and observe the pure beautiful landscape. Your guide will explain to you the daily life of local people who live along the riverbanks.  Disembark the speedboat to visit a shrimp farm where you will learn how the locals raise shrimps. Afterwards, cycle along peaceful paths between villages to discover the lifestyle in the rural Mekong area. You will pass by an ancient house, and visit a Vietnamese family who make traditional rice wine. Go to a local morning market and visit a beautiful pagoda built in the middle of the 19th century. Then visit Cao Dai Temple and learn more about this religion. Afterwards, get back on your bike to cycle along small paths through the vast paddy fields. Finally, visit a local family to see how they make tofu and enjoy a light home-cooked meal. Return to Ho Chi Minh City, where you will be dropped off at your hotel, or at the pier. 

07:30 am, pick you up from the hotel and depart for Vung Tau. 09:00 am, on arrival at Vung Tau and leisure time at Thuy Van beach (Back beach) - one of the nicest beaches in Vietnam with the shore runs for almost 10km, full of fine sands and white waves. Authentic Vietnamese lunch is served at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the Jesus Christ Statue, Thang Tam Temple (Whale Temple), Bach Dinh (a.k.a. Villa Blanche in French or White Palace in English), and Cape Nghinh Phong. Taking a short break. Back to Ho Chi Minh City around 18:00pm. End trip.

After breakfast, your guide and your driver will come to pick you up at your hotel to reach departure point near Hanoi bus station. After a quick safety briefing by your guide, it is time to hop on your bikes and cycle away from Hanoi busy Old Quarter into the surrounding countryside. For this, we will reach the Long Bien Bridge which the structure remains Eiffel Tower or metro bridges in Paris. Indeed, it had been designed by Gustave Eiffel at the end of 19th century! As a local, you will go across the bridge (without traffic jam) and drop off in middle of it to reach a countryside area in middle of the capital. Across farms, fields, and crops, you will cycle where Hanoian farmers produce what they sell in nearby market of Long Bien. You will pass into some areas where they sell pottery and ceramic pots. The, among colorful gardens where they produce peach trees and other local trees sold in the whole region. Then, you will be back to city life, through West Lake district, Hanoi biggest lake. Cycling around and stop for a coffee or fresh drink in one of the lakeside cafes, before past the famous Ho Chi Minh Complex and back to your starting point. After this cycling tour into nearby countryside and into the capital, you will be a real local.

After pick-up you'll depart to the Cao Dai temple. Meaning Great Holy Sight Temple, it was built in 1926, and is considered one of the striking structures in South-East Asia. Attend the midday ceremony to witness the daily prayer held by the Cao Dai followers. This is a fantastic experience, in which you will feel immersed in the culture of the area. After lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to the Cu Chi to explore the incredible site where the Viet Cong hid during the War. It is now a popular spot for both Vietnamese and foreign tourists. The network of over 200km of tunnels became legendary as they played a vital role in the War. Watch a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed before entering the tunnels. Spend the next hour exploring the tunnels, including trap doors, living areas, storage facilities, kitchens, weapon factories, command center. After this fascinating time, it's time to enjoy tea, cassava (guerrilla warriors’ food in war time), before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.