Ben Tre vs My Tho: Which Mekong Delta Experience Is Better?
- Jun 7
- 14 min read
If you are seeking an authentic Mekong Delta experience with quiet canals, cycling opportunities, coconut plantations and meaningful local interactions, Ben Tre is generally the stronger choice. If convenience, shorter travel times and traditional group tours are more important, My Tho remains a popular option. The reality, however, is more nuanced than that simple answer and this indeed requires a back story of history, early Vietnam tourism, the creation of bridges in the region that helped connect numerous islands seamlessly by car, bus, and motorcycle. Early tourism to the Mekong Delta routinely started (as it still does today) from Ho Chi Minh City. As such, My Tho is the first destination reached after a 2-hour car transfer from the city. Upon leaving HCMC behind, you quickly find yourself and the highway between endless rice paddies and can many times spot local farmers tending to their lands. As you approach My Tho, the transition can feel surprisingly subtle. While the surrounding rice fields and waterways signal your arrival in the Mekong Delta, visitors often find themselves entering another sizeable urban centre before reaching the riverfront attractions.
Historically, tourism in My Tho developed around the larger branches of the Mekong River. As a result, many tour and boat excursions operate on wide waterways shared with cargo vessels, ferries and hundreds of other tourist boats. A My Tho Tour remains popular with travellers seeking a traditional Mekong Delta experience, convenient access and established tourism attractions.
Most visitors do not understand the differences between Ben Tre and My Tho and because they read “Mekong Delta Tour” or “Mekong Delta Day Trip from HCMC” there is sometimes an incorrect notion that they are very similar. Ben Tre, on the other hand, lies approximately 30 minutes further south. Crossing the Rach Mieu Bridge (and today the newer Rach Mieu II Bridge), visitors immediately notice a change in scenery, and this is why a Ben Tre Day Tour will generally cost a little more. Coconut palms dominate the landscape, narrow canals become more frequent, and village life begins to replace urban development. It is this distinctive environment that has earned Ben Tre the nickname "The Coconut Kingdom” and this is where you will have an authentic Mekong Delta experience. Still today, both remain popular Mekong Delta destinations and both can be visited as a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City.
As the saying goes: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and in the case of Ben Tre vs. My Tho it is up to the traveler to decide which appeals to them. Choosing the right destination however will certainly impact the overall experience – you cannot see Ben Tre highlights in My Tho and vice versa. Having operated tours throughout the Mekong Delta for many years, we are frequently asked whether visitors should choose Ben Tre or My Tho. To help you decide, let's compare these destinations across the categories that matter most to travellers.
Quick Answer
Choose Ben Tre if:
· You prefer authentic local experiences like a Private Ben Tre Day Tour
· You want to see a lot fewer tourists
· You enjoy cycling through the coconut palm trees
· You want to experience local life and real interactions with locals
· You prefer small intimate canals with limited numbers of tourists
Choose My Tho if:
· You want the shortest travel time
· You want to experience old Vietnam tourism classified as “classic tour”
· You don’t mind blending with large tourist groups
· You want to have a more commercial aspect (souvenirs, knick-knacks)
· You are ok with organized large-scale tourism operations
Where Are Ben Tre and My Tho?
My Tho
Located in Dong Thap Province, (formerly Tien Giang Province)
Approximately 70km from Ho Chi Minh City
Often considered the gateway to the Mekong Delta
Generally, takes 2 hours from central HCMC
Starting point for larger Mekong Delta Cruise ships
Ben Tre
Located south of My Tho in Vinh Long province (formerly Ben Tre province)
Known as the "Coconut Kingdom"
Crossed by numerous rivers and canals
Approximately 90km from Ho Chi Minh City
Generally, takes about 2.5 hours from central HCMC
Starting point for Private Overnight Sampan Cruises
Tourism Development
My Tho developed tourism earlier than Ben Tre as it had a much easier mostly overland transfer from Ho Chi Minh City. This made it advantageous for tour operators to travel to the area by bus and large vans where they could transfer large amounts of people relatively inexpensively. In the early days of Vietnam tourism, there was considerably less vehicle traffic in and around HCMC and this would allow transfers to My Tho in under 1.5 hours. To attract early tourism to the area as a My Tho Tour, the price for the tour was a very enticing bus ticket + lunch + boat tour but as costs increased over the years operators made the consensus decision to keep the tour price enticing but add numerous commercial opportunities for tourists on the way to the area. As tourism expanded, many operators partnered with local businesses that offered facilities, demonstrations and shopping opportunities. These stops became a standard feature of many Mekong Delta tours. For instance, you would later taste snake wine and then have a chance to buy and take home a snake wine bottle. Over time, many tours incorporated commercial stops that helped offset operating costs while also providing shopping opportunities for visitors.
Ben Tre tourism came later, much later than My Tho and the reason was simply the large Mekong River that needed to be crossed to reach the Ben Tre area. This was no short undertaking, in fact our company director who grew up in Ben Tre learned English at a My Tho English center and 5 days per week she needed to take a 1 hour local ferry across the massive channel, and then back again after her class was finished. The bridge was so large it was constructed in 2 parts, using the middle island of Thoi Son as the connection. While this construction started in 2002 it was such a large project it took until January 2009 to open completely. Ben Tre finally had a stable overland connection to My Tho and more importantly Ho Chi Minh City. Following the completion of the Rach Mieu Bridge, relatively few tourism operators saw Ben Tre as a stand-alone destination. Most continued to focus on the established tourism circuits of My Tho, Cai Be and Can Tho.
At that time, a small number of local tourism pioneers believed Ben Tre offered something fundamentally different. Rather than concentrating on large waterways and high-volume tourism, they focused on village life, cycling, coconut processing, family visits and the smaller canals that define the province today.
Among these early pioneers was our own company founder, a Ben Tre native who recognized the tourism potential of the province long before it became widely known. What would later become the Private Ben Tre Day Tour was created with a simple goal: to showcase the authentic side of the Mekong Delta that many visitors never had the opportunity to experience. Today, it’s a considerably different landscape than back in 2009 and post-pandemic, tourist flow to My Tho and Ben Tre had reverted to tourist numbers at their infancy. However, after a record number of tourists to Vietnam in 2025, both areas have seen a boon in tourism. Today both My Tho and Ben Tre welcome significant numbers of visitors each year. My Tho remains the traditional gateway to the Mekong Delta and is particularly popular with larger group tours, while Ben Tre has developed a reputation for more immersive and authentic experiences. Neither destination is objectively better but understanding how each evolved helps explain why the visitor experience can feel remarkably different despite the short distance between them.
Canals and Scenery
My Tho biggest draw is the popular island excursions that they can offer by visiting the Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and Phoenix Islands. These islands form part of the traditional My Tho tourism circuit and have been welcoming visitors for decades. On these islands you can enjoy fruit tasting along with excursions through fruit orchards. Tourists will also get to try honey tea and listen to traditional Southern Vietnamese folk singers. While My Tho excursions tend to focus on larger waterways and island visits, Ben Tre experiences often take visitors into much smaller canals where daily life unfolds at a slower pace. A normal photo opportunity will be a popular “guess the fruit” tasting game, where a blindfolded tourist will guess a variety of tropical fruits and see how many they can correctly identify. In My Tho you will also see numerous fish farms, visitors will also encounter floating fish farms, where families raise large quantities of river fish within submerged cages anchored beneath their homes.
In Ben Tre, it’s the smaller canals that are lined with lush vegetation and coconut palm trees. They cannot be visited by larger boats, and this ensures the natural scenery is kept intact. It is also why less tourists get a chance to visit them as you require licensed boat to take you to a canal entry and then a rowing boat to row into the canal. Locals use these canals as their way of life as they take their local rowing boat to set shrimp traps in the canal and undertake fishing activities in the rivers. Here you will get a great glimpse of riverine culture as many local families live on traditional haulers and transfer coconuts from different points in the area. The most interesting part of this is that they do not work on the boat but in fact, live on it full-time and in some cases, you will see entire families onboard. The coconut kingdom of Ben Tre and its key export are indeed coconuts and it’s fascinating to watch one local processor handle a certain part of the coconut, while it then ships the remainder to another processor to work with other parts. As you learn here in Ben Tre, no part of the coconut will go to waste, and all will be utilized in one way or another. Photographers often find themselves drawn to Ben Tre's smaller canals, traditional cargo boats and coconut-lined waterways, which offer a very different perspective of life in the Mekong Delta.
Cycling and Exploring the Countryside
One large strength in the Ben Tre vs. My Tho comparison is cycling in Ben Tre is on much quieter roadways with minimal traffic as you connect from one village pathway to another. You get to experience a lot of coconut plantations in their most natural state and hear “hello!” from waving school children. You will also see local farmers loading coconuts onto haulers cross small concrete bridges over canals and see local homes. While cycling opportunities also exist around My Tho, visitors are more likely to encounter heavier traffic and larger roadways when travelling between attractions. Both My Tho and Ben Tre will have plenty of roadside stalls if you wish to try some local fruit.
Crowds and Tourist Atmosphere
As tourism arrived in My Tho much earlier it became and remains as the traditional gateway to the Mekong Delta. Ben Tre tourism came much later and today both attract visitors in their own unique ways. Overall, this difference in tourism development has created noticeably different atmospheres for visitors. The typical arrival experience is in My Tho sees larger tour buses arriving throughout the day whereas in Ben Tre, there is more focus on private and smaller group tours, generally arriving in the morning. In My Tho, the infrastructure is shared between travel operators and so there will be busier piers. restaurants and waiting areas. It is set up to handle more tourists with greater ease. In Ben Tre, tourism tends to be more dispersed throughout the province. Visitors often encounter quieter departure points, smaller family-run businesses and fewer large tour groups, contributing to a more relaxed atmosphere. Interestingly, many group tours marketed as Ben Tre tours only venture a short distance beyond the Rach Mieu Bridge. While visitors technically enter Ben Tre Province, they often remain close to the provincial boundary rather than exploring the deeper canal networks and rural communities that define much of Ben Tre's character.
Neither atmosphere is inherently better. Some travellers enjoy the energy and convenience of a well-established tourism destination such as My Tho, while others prefer the slower pace and quieter surroundings found in Ben Tre. Ultimately, the choice depends on whether you are seeking a classic Mekong Delta tour experience or a more immersive look into everyday life in the region.
What Type of Mekong Delta Experience Are You Looking For?
In the case of Ben Tre vs. My Tho neither destination is objectively better and your best choice will most certainly depend on you, your expectations and your travel style. It’s important to understand your priorities and therein this will help decide if Ben Tre or My Tho is a better fit for you.
Choose My Tho if you are looking for a Classic Mekong Delta experience, it has well-established tourism infrastructure it’s easy to add to a Vietnam itinerary on short notice and you want the shorter travel time. If you’re the type that enjoys popular attractions then Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and Phoenix Islands will certainly be of interest to you. In My Tho there will be lesser cost, fixed itineraries and a vast number of group departures. This is a great area for solo travelers as its easy to meet fellow travelers.
Conversely, consider Ben Tre if you prefer Authentic Local Life, Village-focused experiences a less commercial atmosphere and more opportunities for genuine interactions. This is certainly the place for those who enjoy cycling or motorbike riding, there will be a lot of quiet village roads, riverside pathways and small bridges connecting communities. In Ben Tre there are more lush quiet canals that can be explored by rowing boat in connection with a boat tour. If you prefer private tours this is the area to discover because it provides a flexible itinerary and can combine many methods of transport (boat, cycling, rowing boat and local coconut processing). A great way to experience this is through a Private Ben Tre Day Tour. If you have taken Mekong Delta tours previously, be sure to choose Ben Tre this time around, it offers a much different perspective on the region as there is more immersion into local life and less emphasis on traditional tourist circuits.
Families will find My Tho to offer easier travel logistics and more established facilities, in Ben Tre there will be more space, a relaxed pace and safe cycling opportunities. Couples will find Ben Tre more to their liking as there are fewer crowds, more privacy and greater sunset opportunities. For the shutterbugs, Ben Tre will have traditional cargo boats and local fishermen in combination with the lush scenery from the Coconut palms and rural landscapes. In My Tho they will enjoy colorful attractions a more robust river commerce and more tourist activities. For those seeking luxury private experiences, personalized service, flexible itineraries higher-end accommodation and deeper cultural engagement will not disappoint, and a Private Mekong Delta Tour is your best option.
As both destinations are part of the larger Mekong Delta, ultimately there is no right or wrong choice. A Mekong Delta tour is naturally different from other tour options in Vietnam and worth the time. The best for you will be based on your overall interests and understanding the key differences will help you make the best decision to match your travel style and a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City is always a great way to explore the region with a minimal time commitment.
If You Want... | Choose |
The shortest journey from Ho Chi Minh City | My Tho |
A traditional Mekong Delta group tour | My Tho |
Island excursions and fruit tasting | My Tho |
Smaller canals and quieter waterways | Ben Tre |
Coconut plantations and village life | Ben Tre |
Cycling through the countryside | Ben Tre |
Fewer tourists and less commercialisation | Ben Tre |
Better photography opportunities | Ben Tre |
A private and personalised experience | Ben Tre |
A deeper understanding of local life in the Mekong Delta | Ben Tre |
While both destinations offer memorable Mekong Delta experiences, travellers seeking smaller canals, cycling opportunities, coconut plantations and authentic village life often find Ben Tre to be the more immersive destination. Those looking for a traditional Mekong Delta day trip with established tourism infrastructure may prefer My Tho.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ben Tre worth visiting?
Absolutely. Ben Tre offers a different side of the Mekong Delta than many visitors expect. Known as the "Coconut Kingdom," it is famous for its coconut plantations, quiet canals, village life and authentic local experiences. Many travellers who are seeking a less commercialised Mekong Delta experience find Ben Tre particularly rewarding.
Is My Tho too touristy?
Not necessarily. My Tho has simply been welcoming visitors for much longer than Ben Tre and remains the traditional gateway to the Mekong Delta. As a result, it has more tourism infrastructure, larger group tours and busier attractions. Some visitors appreciate this convenience, while others prefer the quieter atmosphere found in Ben Tre.
Which destination is closer to Ho Chi Minh City?
My Tho is the closer destination and can often be reached in around two hours depending on traffic conditions. Ben Tre is approximately 30 minutes further south and is generally reached in around 2.5 hours from Ho Chi Minh City.
Can I visit Ben Tre and My Tho in the same day?
Yes, it is possible to visit both destinations in a single day. However, many travellers find that trying to combine both areas can result in a rushed experience. Spending a full day in either Ben Tre or My Tho often allows for a deeper appreciation of the destination.
Which destination is better for cycling?
Ben Tre is generally considered the better destination for cycling. Quiet village roads, coconut plantations, small bridges and relatively light traffic create ideal conditions for exploring the countryside by bicycle.
Which destination has the most authentic Mekong Delta experience?
This depends on personal preference, but many visitors consider Ben Tre to offer a more authentic experience due to its smaller canals, village-focused activities and lower levels of tourism development. My Tho offers a classic Mekong Delta experience, while Ben Tre often provides a deeper look into everyday local life.
Which destination is better for families?
Both destinations are suitable for families. My Tho offers easy access and established tourism facilities, while Ben Tre provides a slower pace, safe cycling opportunities and a chance for children to learn about local culture and agriculture.
Which destination is better for photography?
Photographers are often drawn to Ben Tre because of its coconut-lined canals, traditional cargo boats, village life and peaceful rural scenery. My Tho also offers excellent photo opportunities, particularly around the islands and larger waterways.
What is Ben Tre famous for?
Ben Tre is best known as Vietnam's Coconut Kingdom. The province produces a wide range of coconut products and visitors can learn how different parts of the coconut are processed and utilised. Ben Tre is also famous for its quiet canals, cycling routes and authentic Mekong Delta lifestyle.
I have more than one day available for the Mekong Delta, where should I go?
For longer stays, Ben Tre is a great option as you can stay at an Eco-Resort on a quiet branch of the Mekong River. Activities can include a Ben Tre Day Tour, a Motorbike Mekong Tour or Cycling through local villages and coconut plantations
Should I choose Ben Tre or My Tho?
There is no universally correct answer. My Tho is ideal for travellers seeking a traditional Mekong Delta day trip with established attractions and convenient access from Ho Chi Minh City. Ben Tre is often preferred by travellers looking for quieter waterways, cycling opportunities, village life and a more immersive experience. The best choice depends on the type of Mekong Delta experience you are seeking.
About the Author
This article was written by a passionate team based in Ben Tre that has spent many years operating tours throughout the Mekong Delta. Having welcomed visitors from around the world, we are frequently asked whether Ben Tre or My Tho offers the better experience. Our perspective comes not only from operating tours but also from living and working in the region.
Final Verdict
After comparing Ben Tre and My Tho across tourism development, scenery, cycling opportunities, local culture and overall atmosphere, it becomes clear that neither destination is objectively better than the other. Both offer unique perspectives of life in the Mekong Delta, and both continue to be enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year.
For travellers seeking a traditional Mekong Delta day trip, convenient access from Ho Chi Minh City, island excursions and established tourism infrastructure, My Tho remains an excellent choice. It has earned its place as the historic gateway to the Mekong Delta and continues to introduce many first-time visitors to the region.
Ben Tre, however, offers something different. Its smaller canals, coconut-lined waterways, quiet countryside roads and village-focused experiences provide a more intimate look at daily life in the Mekong Delta. Tourism arrived later to Ben Tre and, as a result, much of the province has retained the character and pace of life that many travellers hope to discover when they first imagine visiting the Mekong Delta.
Perhaps the greatest difference between the two destinations is not what visitors do, but how they feel while doing it. My Tho offers a classic tourism experience built around the river and its islands. Ben Tre often feels less like a destination and more like an opportunity to step briefly into the everyday lives of the people who call the Mekong Delta home.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on the type of traveller you are. If your goal is to experience the Mekong Delta beyond the well-travelled routes, cycle through coconut plantations, explore peaceful canals and gain a deeper appreciation for local culture, Ben Tre may prove to be the destination that leaves the most lasting impression.
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