This put up is an element 2 of our Mekong Delta journey, specializing in Ben Tre. We needed to see if it’s attainable to journey the Mekong Delta with no Tour. Spoiler alert: It’s. You possibly can skip the extremely organised and touristy Mekong Delta Excursions, if touring independently is your factor. For those who missed half 1, the place I share every little thing about our journey to Vinh Lengthy and An Binh island, you possibly can examine it right here: Mekong Delta Tour Half 1.
Right here goes half 2, the place we journey to Ben Tre and have a blast buzzing round on a scooter for 2 days.
Day 4: Getting from Vinh Lengthy to Ben Tre
Our subsequent vacation spot was Ben Tre. We selected Ben Tre as a result of it’s a pretty big metropolis (about 150,000 inhabitants), so we have been hoping to search out some good meals there. We additionally simply heard nice issues about it being much less touristy than close by My Tho, which appears to be overrun with day journey guests from Saigon. And eventually, we needed to be shut sufficient to Saigon to make it as much as Saigon airport on our final day as we have been flying out to Nha Trang within the afternoon.
Our unique plan was to get to Ben Tre by boat, nonetheless the price was going to be ridiculously excessive in comparison with going by bus. The house keep did provide to assist us kind one thing out, however because the journey there and again (for the captain) would take a full day and there have been solely two of us, the worth was simply an excessive amount of. If you may get a bunch collectively for the journey, it’s extra cheap. You may also strive your luck getting onto a cargo boat which can take you for a really cheap worth, we didn’t discover this feature although.
The house owners of the house keep took us to An Binh bus station by motorcycle, and whereas we usually keep away from motorcycle taxis, zipping round An Binh with skilled drivers who know the island was a fantastic rush! The bus station was in the midst of nowhere and there was no data anyplace, however we managed to ask an area fruit vendor when the following bus was leaving. We didn’t perceive one another in any respect, however she grabbed a pen and my hand, and we have been set!
The journey took about an hour and a half with the native bus and price simply 19,000 dong every (lower than a greenback – the boat would have been over 50 {dollars} every!). No air conditioning, however doorways and home windows have been open so there was at all times a breeze.
Day 5: Discovering Ben Tre’s river islands by motorcycle
After touring fairly slowly in Vinh Lengthy by bicycle, boat and on foot, we determined to hurry issues up a bit in Ben Tre and rented a snazzy new Honda AirBlade from our lodge. With loads of water and our telephones on the prepared for Google Maps, we set off to find the little islands within the Mekong south of Ben Tre.
We took the ferry throughout to the closest island within the Mekong – I do not know what it’s referred to as, however at this level we didn’t care. Our plan was simply to discover, settle for that we’d possible get misplaced, and use Google Maps to search out our means again residence as soon as we obtained again to the mainland or an even bigger road. I realise that’s not very German of me, in any respect, however it’s what I like to recommend for exploring the Mekong Delta. At any time when we simply set off with no vacation spot in thoughts is once we had the very best experiences right here. Nice meals and pleasant folks in every single place.
You need to be pretty assured in your scooter driving expertise for the small islands, as what Google maps calls roads is usually not wider than your scooter itself, and if somebody comes in direction of you, you’ll be enjoying rooster as one in every of you’ll have to transfer out of the best way to keep away from a crash. Folks appear to be pretty relaxed about this although, and never in an excessive amount of of a rush, so we survived our day on the islands with out a lot as a scratch. Our principal problem was discovering roads that didn’t simply finish in the midst of nowhere, so there have been plenty of detours, and at one level we took a tiny, rickety ferry throughout the river – however that simply added to the leisure issue of the day.
For those who’re not assured driving your self, you too can search for corporations providing “Simple Rider” excursions, the place you have got a driver for the day and comfortably sit on the again of their motorcycle having fun with the views. We took a multi day Simple Rider tour within the Central Highlands, and it was a fantastic expertise.
Day 6: Bike day journey via the Mekong Delta to Ba Tri
On day 2 in Ben Tre and day 6 of our Mekong Delta journey, we determined to stay to the mainland and go for a day journey to Ba Tri, a small city some thirty kilometres South East of Ben Tre. As I’m not eager on busy highways filled with Vietnamese truck drivers (whose driving fashion is barely extra chaotic and speedy than I would love), we discovered our means there utilizing little facet roads alongside rice fields, palm tree plantations and villages, and beloved the expertise. There was plenty of ducking palm timber hanging over the highway, and the occasional outrage at Google (“that’s not a highway, that’s not even a dust path!”), it once more made for a day of journey. We stopped for a Vietnamese espresso as soon as we obtained again to the principle highway and spent a couple of minutes resting and watching the world go by.
Ba Tri itself isn’t probably the most thrilling place, however it has somewhat market the place we purchased some oven recent baguettes and fruit to snack on, and the locals have been slightly entertained by us and our dangerous Vietnamese negotiation expertise. We additionally stopped on the facet of the highway on the outskirts of the town for what was in all probability the most affordable recent coconut on our total South East Asia journey.
The place to eat in Ben Tre
One of many causes we selected Ben Tre as a cease was that it was a sufficiently big city with out being a lot of a vacationer vacation spot. This, we thought, would make for some nice foodie experiences. And there undoubtedly is sweet meals in Ben Tre, however it’s not at all times straightforward to search out.
TripAdvisor lists a pizza place as #1 restaurant in Ben Tre, and since we’d had non cease Vietnamese meals for a number of weeks, we determined to offer it a strive so that you wouldn’t must. It was boring, had unusual toppings that we didn’t order and barely any sauce (which wasn’t tomato sauce anyway). Skip it.
Every part else we ate was nice.
Café Lang Van
In seek for afternoon refreshments on our first day of driving round Ben Tre, we discovered Café Lang Van, a fantastic place set subsequent to a canal in a lush palm backyard. Their espresso was good, their coconut smoothies have been out of this world! And I beloved that they served any leftover recent coconut juice on the facet, so with the standard complimentary iced inexperienced tea, we discovered ourselves having three drinks every after paying for one. Nice worth at 26,000 VND ($1,15 roughly) every, and superb high quality.
Bananas by the Lake
On our following tour via city, we got here throughout what appeared like a well-liked road meals stall the place one thing was being barbecued and sat down with out actually understanding what we have been getting. These are smashed grilled bananas, served with a thick coconut and inexperienced onion dip. Sure, I do know this sounds bizarre, however generally bizarre is sweet! So if you happen to’re in Ben Tre, give the banana bbq girl a strive. You’ll discover her arrange on the facet of the lake in the midst of city.
Vuon An Mai Vang
Dinner that evening was at a spot referred to as “Vuon An Mai Vang” (I’m skipping all of the Vietnamese accents right here). It was beneficial to us by our lodge (Ben Tre Oasis) and was inside strolling distance from it. We had some steamed fish, crispy fried spring rolls, stir fried veggies and a coconut salad. Every part was good, the coconut salad was superb! I’d by no means had recent coconut in a salad earlier than, which is why I needed to strive it, and it was very nice. Unique, candy, recent – delicious. It additionally got here with some recent prawns and prawn crackers to scoop all of it up. Yum. With beers, we paid a complete of 412,000 VND which comes out to about $20. Not low-cost for Vietnam, however the steamed fish was one of many pricier objects on the menu at 200,000, and the standard was definitely worth the worth.
Ninh Kieu 7
Nothing might beat the dinner we had on our final evening in Ben Tre although. We drove to the outskirts of city to an space that appeared well-liked with locals, only a row of giant eating places alongside a busy 4 lane highway. We noticed it was packed, so regardless that it didn’t appear to be probably the most romantic dinner setting, we determined to offer it a strive. The menu was large, and we have been ravenous, so I ordered somewhat little bit of every little thing, specializing in dishes that sounded unfamiliar. We had an enormous feast of spring rolls, stir fried squid, stir fried garlic greens, some rice and fish. My highlights have been the latter two.
The rice I selected was “burned” rice with fish sauce. I had no thought what I used to be ordering actually, however what we obtained was extremely tasty. The rice was basically an enormous rice fritter, that was thrown on the grill till it was crispy and browned on either side. It was a kind of issues that you would be able to simply spend all night munching on, type of like the great recent bread you get in fancy Italian eating places. When the menu mentioned “fish sauce”, I simply imagined a small bowl of the bottled, lavatory customary fish sauce you get in every single place in Vietnam, however what was served with our rice was far more than that. It was an enormous dish with a effervescent thick, caramelised savoury sauce with small chunks of pork. And it was the proper accompaniment to our crispy rice.
The fish was crispy and completely achieved. It got here with a candy and spicy tomato sauce and was topped with fried onions and herbs. They served it so late we have been already full from the various different dishes I ordered (sure, I’ll have gone a bit loopy – by no means let me make selections when hungry!), however it was so good we completed it anyway.
So: For those who solely have one evening in Ben Tre, that is the place that you must strive!
Ben Tre Eating places – Addresses
Café Lang Van
Mỹ Thạnh An, tp. Bến Tre
Vuon An Mai Vang
79/2C My An C – My Thanh An, Ben Tre
Ninh Kieu 7
Mỹ Thạnh An, tp. Bến Tre
Grilled Banana Woman:
We discovered her on Nguyen Trung Truc, on the sidewalk reverse the lake.
Taking the bus from Ben Tre to Saigon
This one is straightforward. There’s a direct bus from Ben Tre to Saigon, operated by Thinh Phat Bus Firm. They often depart each half hour all through the day. Ask your lodge or visitor home to guide it for you, and ask them to order a seat as effectively, as this bus comes with numbered seats. It’s a simple journey, and can depart you pretty central in Saigon. Tickets value 69,000 VND per particular person (slightly below $3).
Benefit from the Mekong Delta! And if you happen to’re utilizing one in every of my suggestions, I’d love to listen to what you assume.
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