Long Xuyên

Day Trips

Touch down at Long Xuyen International Airport or bus station and meet your local guide with a cold drink. Transfer to your riverside hotel and check in while admiring the view of the Hậu River. Relax on the balcony as you acclimate to the warm delta breeze.

Stroll along the riverbank promenade to the bustling local market and observe daily commerce between vendors and fishermen. Sample seasonal fruits and fresh coconut water while interacting with friendly locals. Wander into hidden alleys to discover traditional wooden shophouses and colorful murals.

Return to your hotel for a brief rest and freshen up. Head to a riverfront café for a classic Vietnamese iced coffee as the sun paints the sky pink. Savor your first local dinner at a floating restaurant, sampling grilled fish and braised pork cooked in banana leaf.

Wake before dawn to board a small wooden boat bound for the floating market on the Hậu River. Watch as vendors balance baskets of tropical fruits, vegetables and aromatic spices on their heads, negotiating lively deals. Capture the vibrant scene in photos as mist lifts over the water.

Browse the floating stalls by boat, selecting fresh produce and catching glimpses of everyday life on the river. Pull alongside a produce vendor to barter for mangoes and pomelo while exchanging friendly banter in Vietnamese. Dock at a nearby riverside café to savor a bowl of hot hủ tiếu noodle soup and sip sweet iced tea.

Return to shore and visit a local crêperie serving bánh xèo and bánh khọt under lantern-lit canopies. Mingle with residents and learn their market rituals as a gentle breeze carries river aromas. Head back to your hotel for a relaxing dip in the pool or rooftop terrace stargazing session.

Set off for an authentic Cham village on the outskirts of Long Xuyen, traveling through verdant rice paddies and coconut plantations. Meet talented artisans who handcraft intricate textiles, silver jewelry and aromatic incense using techniques passed down for generations. Participate in a brief weaving demonstration, learning how each colorful thread symbolizes Cham history.

Sit down for a traditional Cham lunch featuring rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves, spicy fish curry and fresh herbs. Explore the village temple and shrine, admiring the elaborate stucco work and listening to the rhythmic chant of local worshippers. Wander among family-run workshops to observe pottery shaping and wood carving in progress.

Return to Long Xuyen city and stop at a riverside restaurant to sample grilled Cham-style fish with turmeric and lemongrass. Enjoy traditional Cham music and dance performed by local talent, gaining insight into this resilient minority culture. Conclude the evening with a starlit riverside walk, absorbing the tranquil delta ambiance.

Depart early for Tra Su Cajuput Forest Reserve, a tranquil sanctuary where thousands of cajuput trees rise above swampy waterways. Glide along narrow canals in a sampan guided by an expert boatman, listening to the calls of vibrant kingfishers and hornbills. Learn about this vital wetland ecosystem and its seasonal flooding cycles.

Disembark at a floating lodge and enjoy a picnic lunch of bánh mì sandwiches and fresh fruit beneath the forest canopy. Trek along wooden boardwalks to observe water lilies and aquatic orchids in full bloom. Photograph schools of silver carp swimming beneath your boat as sunlight filters through the foliage.

Return to Long Xuyen and refresh at your hotel before heading out for dinner at a homestyle eatery. Sample mekong-style grilled river prawns with chili and garlic sauce along with stir-fried morning glory. Take an evening stroll to a neighborhood bar, sipping a local bia hơi under twinkling lights.

Mount a bicycle and pedal through lush rice fields on low-traffic country roads, passing buffalo wallowing in mud and farmers tending their crops. Pause at a wooden stilt bridge to photograph the endless green panorama and chat with rice farmers about planting cycles. Breathe in the fresh delta air as you follow winding laneways lined with banana groves.

Arrive at a family-run farm for a hands-on experience planting rice seedlings by hand in the muddy paddy. Change into traditional farmer attire and learn to drive a water buffalo under the guidance of patient locals. Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch prepared with freshly harvested vegetables, grilled fish and fragrant herbs.

Return to town and relax with a foot massage or spa treatment featuring rice bran oil and herbal compresses. Dine at a cozy riverside restaurant, savoring a clay pot fish stew simmered with lemongrass and chilies. Cap off your evening with a riverside promenade illuminated by paper lanterns.

Visit a local handicraft village specializing in woven mats, conical hats and palm-leaf baskets. Sit beside skilled artisans and try your hand at weaving a small souvenir under their patient instruction. Discover how natural materials like rattan and pandan leaves are sustainably harvested.

Tour the village’s workshop to watch craftsmen carving wooden boat models and lacquerware in vivid colors. Sample freshly brewed ca phe sua da as you chat about the region’s jute production and export history. Pick up unique handmade gifts and support the local economy by purchasing from the source.

Head to a floating market-inspired night fair where you can taste grilled corn, steamed rice cakes and sweet sticky rice. Enjoy impromptu performances by local musicians playing traditional đàn bầu and đàn tranh instruments. Return to your hotel under the glow of lanterns draped along the riverbank.

Join a cooking class in a riverside kitchen where a local chef introduces you to market-fresh ingredients and fragrant herbs. Learn to prepare classic Mekong dishes such as nem nướng, bún thịt nướng and gỏi cuốn step by step. Roll rice paper spring rolls and simmer dipping sauces under expert guidance.

Sit down to enjoy the dishes you’ve cooked alongside newfound friends at a shaded outdoor dining pavilion. Receive a recipe booklet to replicate your favorite Vietnamese dishes back home. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring neighboring stalls for exotic spices and chili pastes.

Visit a night market bustling with street food vendors selling bánh cam, bánh chuối and chè desserts. Sample bite-sized sweet treats while chatting with local families enjoying their weekend. Conclude the day at a cozy café with a mango smoothie or iced pandan leaf drink.

Take a boat ride to Con Quao Island, a rural islet crisscrossed by canals and shrimp ponds. Tour a local shrimp farm to learn about sustainable aquaculture and feed juvenile shrimp under the guidance of a third-generation farmer. Observe the intricate balance between fresh water and brackish habitats.

Enjoy a seafood feast on the island featuring grilled prawns, fried calamari and steamed clams with tamarind sauce. Stroll through coconut groves and pass by coconut candy makers crafting sweet treats in palm sugar and coconut milk. Relax in a hammock beneath swaying palms, listening to cicadas and distant boat horns.

Return to Long Xuyen and visit a riverside seafood restaurant renowned for its clay pot shrimp and coconut curry dishes. Order a round of fresh fruit smoothies and soak up the laid-back delta atmosphere. Take a gentle night boat cruise past illuminated fishing boats before heading back to your hotel.

Embark on an eco-boat safari through meandering canals at sunrise, spotting herons, egrets and kingfishers on the muddy banks. Listen to your guide describe the importance of these wetlands for migratory birds and native fish species. Glide silently through tall grasses and lotus fields blanketed in morning mist.

Disembark at a floating bird sanctuary station for a leisurely lunch of Vietnamese pancakes and grilled corn. Participate in a guided birdwatching session using binoculars to observe rare species such as the black-headed ibis and painted stork. Walk along an elevated boardwalk skirting the marsh, learning about wetland conservation efforts.

Return to town and unwind at a riverside spa offering herbal teas and fish therapy foot baths. Indulge in a traditional Vietnamese massage using attentive local therapists. Finish the day with a light dinner of fresh spring rolls and papaya salad at a trendy café.

Spend your final morning wandering through Long Xuyen’s downtown market, browsing stalls overflowing with textiles, spices and handmade trinkets. Pick up last-minute gifts such as coconut candy, fish sauce and lacquerware. Savor a bowl of steaming hủ tiếu gõ from a street cart, enjoying the city’s early hustle and bustle.

Return to your hotel to pack and check out, arranging transport to the airport or bus station. Relish a leisurely lunch at a local noodle house, ordering one last bowl of flaming hot bún bò Huế fusion style. Reflect on your delta adventures while sipping a refreshing glass of sugarcane juice.

Bid farewell to your guide over a final dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Hậu River. Share stories, laughter and promising to return someday to this warm and welcoming corner of Vietnam. Depart under a canopy of stars, carrying memories of lush landscapes and vibrant river life.