Seven Days in Saigon, Cu Chi, and the Mekong Delta

Overview

Seven days lets you move from Saigon's dense, sweaty energy into the slow-moving waterways of the Mekong Delta (메콩 델타 / 湄公河三角洲 / メコンデルタ). You'll spend three days in the city itself, one day at the Cu Chi Tunnels, then float downriver through Ben Tre and Can Tho before returning to the capital. It's a natural progression: urban, then historical, then rural.

Day 1 — Saigon Markets and War History

Arrive in Saigon and settle into your accommodation in District 1 (central, walkable, good cafes and bars). Spend the late morning at "Ben Thanh Market", the city's busiest market since 1914. Arrive early—by 8:30 a.m.—to beat the heat and crowd. Wander the souvenir aisles and eat "banh mi" from one of the stalls inside (50,000–70,000 VND). The quality varies wildly; older vendors tend to toast the bread properly.

In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum on Vo Van Tan Street. Allow 90 minutes minimum. The exhibits are heavy and graphic; this isn't a skip-it site for most visitors. The museum is designed to convey a particular historical perspective; read the captions critically, but don't avoid it.

Eat "pho (쌀국수 / 越南河粉 / フォー)" or "hu tieu" for dinner along Nguyen Hue Street, where vendors set up wooden stools and plastic tables at dusk. A bowl of pho is 30,000–50,000 VND; "hu tieu" (clear pork-and-shrimp noodle soup, a southern specialty) runs similar.

Day 2 — Water Puppetry, Coffee, and Old Saigon

Breakfast: "Vietnamese coffee"—thick, sweetened, over ice ("ca phe sua da")—at any street corner café. 10,000–15,000 VND. Saigonites drink this standing up, fast.

Walk through the Old Quarter (around Dong Khoi and Ly Tu Trong streets) to see colonial architecture. The Saigon Hotel, the People's Committee building, and Dong Khoi Street itself are relics of French Indochina. No museum entry needed; the streetscape is the thing.

Lunch: "Banh canh"—a thick pork and crab soup with tapioca pearls—from a street vendor. Harder to find than pho, but worth seeking. 25,000–40,000 VND.

In the evening, catch a "water puppetry" show at the Thong Nhat Theatre. Performances are at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. daily (tickets ~150,000–200,000 VND). Water puppetry is a northern art form, but Saigon performances are professional. It's touristy, yes, but genuinely beautiful—silk-covered wooden puppets dance on water behind a screen, to live music. Go.

Dinner: "Cha gio" (fried spring rolls, also called "cha gio") from a small restaurant in District 1, or from street carts around the backpacker quarter. 5,000–10,000 VND per roll.

Photo by Nguyên Đoàn on Pexels

Day 3 — Art Deco Villas and Evening Show

Take a taxi or Grab to the "Ao Dai" show at the Diamond Galaxy Theater (Ben Thanh Ward). The 7 p.m. performance showcases the traditional silk tunic through fashion-show choreography, with music and modern lighting. Tickets are 250,000–400,000 VND. It's slick and designed for tourists, but if you want to understand the garment's geometry and cultural weight, it's efficient.

Or, skip the show and instead visit the Fine Arts Museum (97 Pho Duc Chinh Street). Three floors of Vietnamese art from lacquer panels to modern painting. Quieter, cheaper (50,000 VND), less marketed. Decide based on your mood.

Lunch at Pho 2000, near Ben Thanh Market, or any pho stall. This city's not short on good soup.

Spend the afternoon walking around District 3 and District 4—quieter zones with villas, small cafes, and Buddhist temples. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda (on Nguyen Trai Street, free entry) is worth 20 minutes; the main hall is impressive.

Early dinner, then rest at your hotel. You'll wake at 5 a.m. tomorrow for Cu Chi.

Day 4 — Cu Chi Tunnels

Book a tour the night before (or negotiate a driver to take you). Most hotels offer Cu Chi packages (400,000–600,000 VND per person for group tours, 600,000–1,200,000 VND for private). Distance is ~70 km northwest of central Saigon; the drive takes 90 minutes in light traffic, often 2+ hours in rush hour.

Arrival at the site is usually 8:30–9 a.m. The tunnels are a massive network of underground passages built during the war; today, two preserved sections open to tourists: Ben Dinh (closer to Saigon, more visited) and Ben Duoc (less crowded, deeper tunnels). Most tours stop at Ben Dinh.

You'll walk through a small museum, watch a short film, then crawl through short stretches of the tunnel system. It's genuinely claustrophobic and dark. Expect to bend or crouch constantly. The experience is oddly powerful—a concrete understanding of life underground.

Many tours include a rifle-shooting range on-site (additional cost, optional). Skip it or do it; it's not essential to understanding the site.

Lunch is usually included: rice, stir-fried vegetables, and boiled pork—basic and forgettable, but fuel.

Return to Saigon by 4–5 p.m. Rest and shower. Eat a light dinner; you'll travel early tomorrow.

Day 5 — Ben Tre Coconut Sampan

Leave Saigon at 6:30–7 a.m. via van or private driver (~140 km, 3 hours) to Ben Tre, in the heart of the Mekong Delta. Ben Tre is small and quiet, known for coconut plantations and traditional wooden boats.

Arrive by 10–11 a.m. Check into a simple hotel or homestay in the town center (200,000–400,000 VND a night is typical). Eat lunch at a local "com tam" stall—broken-rice with grilled pork or fish. 30,000–50,000 VND.

In the early afternoon, hire a sampan (traditional wooden rowboat) for a 2–3 hour tour of narrow canals around Ben Tre's coconut plantations. A guide rows you through waterways flanked by palm groves, stops at a coconut-processing house (where workers crack coconuts by hand and extract fiber), and usually ends with a "goi cuon" (fresh spring roll) tasting at a local family's home. Cost is ~250,000–400,000 VND per boat (fits 4–6 people; split the cost).

The pace is slow, the light is soft, and the rhythm is nothing like Saigon. Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat.

Dinner: fish "bun cha" or "bun rieu" (crab noodle soup) at a riverside restaurant. 40,000–60,000 VND.

Photo by Vietnam Tri Duong Photographer on Pexels

Day 6 — Can Tho and Cai Rang Floating Market

Early morning (5–5:30 a.m. departure) via motorbike-taxi, van, or private driver to Can Tho (~70 km, 90 minutes). You're heading to the Cai Rang Floating Market, which is liveliest at dawn.

Arrive at Cai Rang by 7–7:30 a.m. Hire a small motorboat (negotiate in advance or book via your hotel) for a 2–3 hour tour. Cost is ~250,000–400,000 VND for the boat.

Cai Rang is a working wholesale market where farmers sell fruits, vegetables, and rice from boats. It's busy, loud, chaotic—nothing staged for tourists. You'll weave through dozens of boats, see vendors haggling, and watch the morning commerce of the delta. It's worth the early wake-up.

Return to Can Tho town by 10 a.m. Rest at a café (eat "banh chung"—sticky-rice cake—with a coffee). Can Tho is flat and sprawling; most tourists skip exploring the town itself. You can: stroll the riverfront promenade, visit Ong Met Pagoda (a small, peaceful temple on the eastern bank), or simply eat and rest.

Lunch: "Mi Quang" (a southern noodle dish with turmeric broth, pork, and greens) at a street stall. 30,000–50,000 VND.

Late afternoon, either return to Saigon (3–4 hour drive) or stay another night in Can Tho. If you're tired, stay. If you want to end in Saigon, leave by 2–3 p.m. to arrive by 6–7 p.m.

Day 7 — Saigon, Final Wanders

If you returned to Saigon on Day 6 evening, use your final day to revisit favorite spots, buy souvenirs, eat one last meal you loved, or simply rest. Many travelers use it to catch a flight in the early evening.

If you stayed in Can Tho, travel back to Saigon this morning (3+ hours). Arrive by noon, rest, eat a final meal, and head to the airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does street food cost for a typical day in Saigon?

Street food in Saigon is inexpensive. A banh mi from Ben Thanh Market runs 50,000-70,000 VND, a bowl of pho or hu tieu along Nguyen Hue Street costs 30,000-50,000 VND, and Vietnamese iced coffee (ca phe sua da) from a street corner cafe is 10,000-15,000 VND. Fried spring rolls (cha gio) go for 5,000-10,000 VND per roll. A full day of eating well costs well under 200,000 VND.

What evening performances are available for visitors in Saigon?

Two options are worth considering. The water puppetry show at Thong Nhat Theatre runs at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. daily, with tickets at 150,000-200,000 VND; it features silk-covered wooden puppets performing to live music on water. The Ao Dai show at Diamond Galaxy Theater in Ben Thanh Ward runs at 7 p.m., with tickets at 250,000-400,000 VND, showcasing the traditional silk tunic through choreographed performance.

When should you arrive at Ben Thanh Market to avoid the worst crowds?

Arrive by 8:30 a.m. to beat both the heat and the crowd. Ben Thanh Market has been the city's busiest market since 1914, so it fills quickly as the morning progresses. The early hours also give you the best chance at quality banh mi, as older vendors who toast the bread properly tend to sell out or get crowded as the day wears on.

Practical Notes

Bookings: Tours to Cu Chi and sampan rides in Ben Tre can be booked through your hotel or online platforms like Viator or Klook 1–2 days ahead. Floating market tours at Cai Rang are best booked the night before with your hotel.

Weather: This route is hot and humid year-round. May–October is the monsoon season; expect rain in the afternoon in the delta. November–April is cooler and drier. Budget ~15,000,000 VND (USD ~650) per person for lodging, local food, and tour costs (excluding flights and long-distance transport).