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An update from Evaneos
Bến Tre

Bến Tre (Vietnam)

Practical information about Bến Tre

  • Family
  • Encounters with locals
  • Island
  • River
  • Culture (paddy field, coffee, tea ...)
  • Off the beaten track
4 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
90 minutes from Ho Chi Minh City by bus
When to go
From December to April
Minimum stay
2 to 3 days

Reviews of Bến Tre

Travel writer
193 travel articles

Bến Tre is both a province and a city on the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam. The island is famous for its coconut orchards and plantations.

My suggestion:
Climb into a canoe and head off to explore the canals, the courses of which will take you through areas of dense vegetation, providing opportunities for beautiful photos.
Summary:

I got to see Bến Tre in the company of some Vietnamese friends whose parents live in a house close to one of the many canals that criss-cross the island. After a journey by bus through a landscape of wonderful rice fields edged with palm trees, we arrived at a house that was itself surrounded by coconut palms. The father explained to us in the garden that the huge piles of coconuts we could see more or less everywhere would be used to produce oil: an important resource for the region's inhabitants.

After spending a little time chatting, we set off by boat to explore the beautiful canals of Bến Tre at sunset. It was a wonderful moment, simply unforgettable in fact: we sailed gently along through lush vegetation to the sound of lapping water – definitely an exotic, off-the-beaten-track kind of experience!

Canoe trip along the canals of Bến Tre
Travel writer
27 travel articles

Ben Trê is authentic, and is located on the Mekong Delta, which is just thirty minutes from Mi Tho by scooter. It's a good place to go for a taste of local life.

My suggestion:
If you want to take a tour by canoe or boat, take a look along the canal (toward the "port") for the little lady who sells fish in tanks: her husband has a boat and will take you out for much less than the organized tours! 
Summary:
At first, I was disappointed by the city, which seemed to consist of nothing but major thoroughfares and tower blocks - and very little nature. However, as I ventured beyond the city, I discovered some absolute wonders. All you need to do is rent a scooter and go a little further!

I learned how several different things are made: chopsticks, coal, bricks, tar, ropes, and brooms - and saw coconut being processed and then turned into sweets... a real tour of the local way of life! I loved it! Ben Trê is bursting with small workshops, some of which are simply right on the side of the road. All you have to do is cross the bridge, take a right on the exit and delve into the little neighborhood where the locals live. An immersive local experience is guaranteed!
Sunset over the Mekong
Immerse yourself in local life
Chopstick manufacture, by hand!