Ben Tre Travel Guide
Ben Tre is one of the Mekong delta provinces in the south of Vietnam and has long been know as the base of the resistance war against the French and American int he last century. Ben Tre is 80km from Ho Chi Minh city and both domestic and international tourists choose to visit Ben Tre in a day to get a glance of Mekong delta because Ben Tre is blessed with intricate canals, rivers and named as the land of COCONUT. A Vietnam tour package without a tour to Ben Tre can be less interesting.
How to get there
By road: This is the best way to get to Ben Tre, but a tour to Ben Tre should be combined with a stopover in My Tho where tourists will take the rowing boat trip through water coconut trees then visit Dragon Island, Unicorn Island, Phoenix Island, Turtle Island and enjoy traditional music before driving to Ben Tre.
By river: It is possible to book a boat tour from Ho Chi Minh city to My Tho and Ben Tre. The trip allows tourists to see the life on water and by the banks of Mekong rivers.
Tourists can visit Ben Tre all year round, but the rainy season is from May to October which can be a problem during the boat trip, but it is great time to see abundant tropical fruits from June - August or after Tet holiday with the chance to see Phu Le Pagoda Festival or the Nghinh Ong Rite.
Things to see n Ben Tre
There are not many things to see in Ben Tre at the same time. The best tour activities are fruit garden visit, cycling tour around the villages and boat trip. If tourists stay n Ben Tre for one night, we have suggestions to visit Tuyen Linh pagoda, Cai Mon fruit garden, Bee Farm, Dong Khoi guerrilla village, Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary, Con Oc, Con Qui, Con Tien islet.
When in Ben Tre, it is a must to stop at a local shop to buy specialities of the province which are coconut candies or sovenirs from coconut.
Accommodation in Ben Tre
There is no luxury hotels in Ben Tre, but for one night stay, Ham Luong hotel is our suggestion while the homestay is not a bad idea as it is a great experience to enjoy peaceful village, explore fruit gardens, cycle around under the shade of coconut trees and taste delicious dishes at dinner.