Day trips and short excursions from the cities of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
Excursions · From Ho Chi Minh City
Cu Chi and the Mekong in two days
The tunnels at Cu Chi are a half day from Ho Chi Minh City. The floating market at Cai Rang, outside Can Tho, happens at dawn about four hours away. Doing both properly takes two days and one night in Can Tho. This page explains why we do not sell it as one.
The two days in numbers
- Length
- 2 days, 1 night in Can Tho
- Pickup
- 07:00–07:30, central Ho Chi Minh City
- Day 1 road
- 1.5–2 h to Cu Chi, then about 4 h to Can Tho
- Market boat
- from about 05:30, 3–4 h
- Back in the city
- Day 2, 15:00–17:00
- Price
- On request
Why two days and not one
"Cu Chi and Mekong" is often sold as one day. In that version the Mekong part is a stop close to the city, not the market at Cai Rang. The national tourism authority puts Can Tho about four hours from Ho Chi Minh City by bus and tells visitors to make an early-morning start to see the markets full of boats. A one-day version cannot reach Can Tho at dawn without leaving the city in the middle of the night.
Cu Chi sits roughly 60 km from the city, on the opposite side from the delta. Agency sources describe about 120 km of tunnels still preserved out of a much larger wartime network. Seeing the tunnels in the morning, then driving to Can Tho for the night, puts you at the market when it is working rather than after it has finished.
Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — Can Tho; Vietnam Discovery — Cu Chi Tunnels (agency source) · checked .
Hour by hour
Day 1
Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi – Can Tho
Ben Duoc in the late morning, when most groups are still at Ben Dinh
07:00–07:30. Pickup in central Ho Chi Minh City. We plan 1.5 to 2 hours to Cu Chi in morning traffic.
09:00–11:00. The tunnels. Agency sources list both sites open 08:00–17:00. Ben Dinh is closer and busier; Ben Duoc is further and usually quieter, and we use it unless you ask otherwise. You see the hatches, kitchens and traps above ground and can crawl a widened section underground. Crawling is optional.
11:00–12:00. Lunch near Cu Chi, then the long leg: about four hours south-west to Can Tho, with one stop.
16:30–18:00. Check-in at your Can Tho hotel. A short evening walk on the riverfront; dinner is your own.
Day 2
Cai Rang floating market – Can Tho – Ho Chi Minh City
The first hour at Cai Rang, before 07:00
05:15–05:30. Walk to the boat landing. The boat runs upriver to Cai Rang, where wholesale boats hang samples of what they sell from a pole. You buy fruit or coffee from smaller boats alongside.
07:00–09:00. Back through the side channels: an orchard path, a rice-noodle workshop, a family house. Breakfast at the hotel after the boat.
10:00–14:30. Check out and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City, about four hours with one stop for lunch.
15:00–17:00. Drop-off at your hotel, the airport or a cruise port transfer point.
What we cut first if the days run late
On day one, the crawling section is optional and the tunnel visit can shrink to 75 minutes. On day two, the orchard stop goes first so that the market boat is never rushed. If you have a flight from Tan Son Nhat on day two, tell us the time: we plan back from it, and we will tell you if it is too tight.
Season and weather
According to the tourism authority, December and January are the coolest months in the delta, March to June the hottest, and rain falls regularly from July to November. Boats run in the rain, but the side channels and village paths are slippery in the wet months and the drive takes longer.
3 coolest · 2 dry, warm to hot · 1 regular rain. Based on the VNAT Can Tho description.
Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — Can Tho · checked .
Price
| Your party | Price for the excursion |
|---|---|
| Private, 1–2 travellers, hotel included | On request |
| Private, 3–4 travellers, hotel included | On request |
| Private, any size, your own hotel | On request |
Tunnel entry is included. Agency sources report VND 110,000 at Ben Dinh and VND 90,000 at Ben Duoc; these figures date from 2025 or earlier — check before you travel. The market boat is included as a private boat.
Room type and the number of rooms are the main variables here; see the pricing page.
Sources: Vietnam Discovery — Cu Chi Tunnels (agency source) · checked .
Included and not included
What the price includes
- Private air-conditioned car with driver for both days
- English-speaking guide for both days
- Cu Chi tunnel entry
- One night in a mid-range Can Tho hotel (unless you book your own)
- Private boat for the Cai Rang market and side channels
- Lunch on both days, breakfast on day two
What it does not include
- Dinner on day one
- Drinks
- Tips for guide, driver and boat crew
- Travel insurance
- Vietnam visa
Who this excursion is NOT for
- Anyone with only one free day. Do Cu Chi as a half day instead and skip the delta — or see it on another trip.
- People who get car-sick. Day one has five and a half to six hours on the road.
- Claustrophobic travellers who feel they must crawl. You do not have to; the above-ground part is the larger share of the visit.
- Late risers. The market is an early-morning event; arrive late and much of the trade is over.
What to bring
- Clothes you do not mind getting dusty at Cu Chi.
- Insect repellent for both days.
- A light rain jacket from July to November.
- An overnight bag; leave large luggage at your city hotel.
Photos from the two days
Booking these two days
Send the form with your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, the start date and anything fixed on day two. If you only have one day, say so and we write a Cu Chi half day instead. The Ho Chi Minh City page lists the other options, and the booking steps explain what follows.
Plan your trip
Two days to spare?
Tunnels on day one, the delta at dawn on day two.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Can Cu Chi and the Mekong really not be done in one day?
They can if the Mekong part is a stop close to the city. The Cai Rang market near Can Tho is about four hours from Ho Chi Minh City and is an early-morning market, so a one-day version misses it.
Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc?
Ben Dinh is closer and busier; Ben Duoc is further and usually quieter. We use Ben Duoc unless you ask for Ben Dinh.
Do I have to go into the tunnels?
No. The underground section is optional and you can see a great deal above ground.
Can we end at the airport on day two?
Yes, if the flight leaves late enough. Send the flight time and we plan backwards from check-in.
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Start planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.