Southern Vietnam itinerary: Saigon, the Mekong Delta and the islands in 1 week or 10 days

Morning

settle in, then the War Remnants Museum, a heavy but essential stop that covers the war from the Vietnamese side.

Afternoon

the Reunification Palace, still furnished as it was in 1975, then Ben Thanh Market for a first look at the city's produce and street food.

Evening

a rooftop bar for the skyline view, or Bui Vien walking street if you want backpacker nightlife on night one.

Eat com tam (broken rice with grilled pork), Saigon's defining lunch dish, from any local com tam kitchen.

Local tip Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica has been under restoration for years and its interior stays closed to visitors for now; the square and garden in front are still worth a walk-past.

With more time the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the Central Post Office are both a short walk from the Reunification Palace if you want to fill the afternoon further.

Getting there the Cu Chi Tunnels sit about 70km northwest of the city; by road it's roughly 1.5 to 2 hours each way, longer in rush-hour traffic.

Morning

travel out, then a walk through the tunnel network the Viet Cong used during the war, with a short crawl-through section (tunnels here have been widened for tourists, so it's tight but manageable, not the true original size).

Afternoon

back in the city by mid-to-late afternoon; a quieter District 1 or District 3 wander before dinner.

Evening

dinner away from the tourist strip.

Eat hu tieu, a southern noodle soup with a Chinese-Cambodian influence, distinct from Hanoi's pho; fresh spring rolls (goi cuon) as a starter.

Local tip book a smaller-group or private tour if crawling through a tight tunnel with a large tour group doesn't appeal; both Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc sites run the same core experience.

Getting there by road, about 3 to 3.5 hours (roughly 170km) by shared van or bus; some bus services are scheduled at about 4 hours.

Morning

travel to Can Tho, the Mekong Delta's largest town.

Afternoon

settle in and walk Ninh Kieu wharf, the town's riverfront promenade.

Evening

an early night. Cai Rang's boats are out from first light, and the earlier you're on the water, the more you'll see.

Eat banh xeo mien tay, the Mekong Delta's larger, crispier take on the sizzling rice pancake; grilled snakehead fish, a Delta speciality.

Local tip this overnight is why the whole plan works. Cai Rang is only busy roughly between 5:30am and 8:30am, well before any bus from Ho Chi Minh City could get you there.

Morning

an early boat out to Cai Rang, Vietnam's largest floating market. It's smaller than it once was, with wholesale trading having shifted from boats to roads over the past decade, but the early light on the water and the "beo" poles boats use to advertise their produce still make it worth the detour. Straight after, a stop in Ben Tre on the way back, for a coconut-grove boat trip and a look at how coconut candy is made. Ben Tre is about 85km from Ho Chi Minh City, roughly 1.5 to 2.5 hours by road across the Tien River, where a second bridge, Rach Mieu 2, opened in August 2025. Since the 2025 provincial mergers it sits in Vinh Long province.

Afternoon

return to Ho Chi Minh City by road.

Eat coconut candy tasting in Ben Tre; one last banh mi before the flight south tomorrow.

Local tip pick a smaller boat over a large tour group if you can, both to get closer to the market boats and to keep the crowding down.

Getting there a domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh City, about 1 hour.

Afternoon

settle in, then Long Beach for sunset.

Evening

Duong Dong's night market for dinner and a wander.

Eat fresh seafood barbecue, and a taste of Phu Quoc's own fish sauce, a rival to the mainland's better-known Phan Thiet product.

Local tip island prices run higher than the mainland for food and stays; budget a bit more for these last few days.

Morning

a boat trip to the An Thoi archipelago in the island's south for snorkelling, or a hike in Phu Quoc National Park in the north if you'd rather stay on land.

Afternoon

the same trip runs on into the afternoon; back on dry land in time to clean up before dinner.

Evening

a beach bar for sunset, livelier around Sunset Sanato or quieter elsewhere depending on what you want.

Eat a final seafood dinner, grilled to order at a beachfront table.

Local tip book the boat trip a day ahead in high season; the better-value operators fill up first.

Getting there Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC) has direct domestic and a growing number of international connections.

Morning

a last beach morning, or Vinpearl Safari and the cable car if you'd rather have a theme-park-style day (this leans away from the backpacker pace of the rest of the trip, so treat it as optional).

Afternoon

transfer to the airport.

Eat one more seafood meal before you go.

Local tip citizens of any nationality can enter and stay on Phu Quoc visa-free for up to 30 days (Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs figure) if you fly in directly from outside Vietnam; that exemption doesn't apply once you've already entered via the mainland, as this route does, so check your own visa needs against the Vietnam visa guide rather than assuming the island exemption covers you.