Want to explore the Mekong Delta in a fun and exciting way with like-minded travel buddies? Forget the boring package tours, the Mekong Madness Tour is the most adventurous way for backpackers to explore this unique and wonderful part of Vietnam…
Mekong Madness Itinerary
Day 1
06:15 – 6.30 – Nice and early, you’ll meet the rest of the group at around 6:15am on the day of departure at Flipside Walking Street Hostel in time for a morning briefing. We’ll have breakfast together and cover everything you need to know before departing for the bus station (you will pick up our bikes in the Mekong Delta).
07:00 – Depart for the bus station.
08:00 – Bus to Mekong (Ben Tre).
10:30-11:00 – Head out on the motorbikes and begin our exploration of the seemingly endless maze of pathways and Mekong back alleys that you would not otherwise find on your own.
13:00 – Delicious local lunch before setting off once again, delving deep into the Mekong countryside where we’ll drive directly through the largest amount of coconut plantations in Vietnam!
Motorbike ferry crossings and countless bridge crossings. A truly awesome day!
16:00-16:30 – We’ll arrive at our comfy homestay in time for an amazing sunset! Option to swim in the pool, relax, take a walk, drink ice cold beers and play pool. They also have a Spa!
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Included.
Day 2
07:00 – Another early start for breakfast before taking a traditional longboat up the Mighty Mekong and seeing some local markets, outstanding sights, and also a short paddle boat through some smaller river ways and local farmers backyards!
09:30 – Head out once again on the scooters, taking an alternative route back to Ben Tre city.
13:00 – Another yummy local lunch before taking the bikes through the lush plantations of locally grown palms and fruit orchids.
16:00-16:30 – We’ll arrive back at our base in Ben Tre. Drop off our trusty steeds, have a couple of local beers and jump back on the bus.
19:00-19:30 – Arrive back at Flipside Hostel just in time for happy hour! Ask your guide for special food and drink deals we can do for you as our new-found Mekong Madness mates!
Breakfast and Lunch Included.
What you need to bring:
Your passport.
Sunscreen.
Mosquito repellent.
Poncho.
Some extra cash for drinks etc.
We highly recommend travel insurance that covers motorbike injuries.
Your camera and an adventurous attitude!
What’s included and what’s not?
Included: All activities as mentioned above, bikes, fuel, English speaking tour leader, food as mentioned, all transfers, ferry fees and accommodation.
Not Included: Drinks and personal expenses, extra snacks, bike repair due to riding failure, travel insurance.
Refund Policy
In order to book this experience, you will need to pay a deposit online via South East Asia Backpacker.
This deposit is fully refundable if you wish to cancel up until 48 hours before the start of the activity. PLEASE NOTE: This policy refers to the payment made to South East Asia Backpacker at the time of booking. All subsequent payments to the operator of your chosen activity fall under their own refund policy
For cancellations made fewer than 48 hours before the start of the activity there is no refund available.
You can request a change of date at any time.
Date changes are entirely down to the availability of the operator and nothing to do with South East Asia Backpacker.
If your date change is not agreed upon, as long as it is more than 48 hours before the start date you originally made your booking for, your deposit can be refunded in full if you wish to cancel.
The remaining payment for the experience is payable directly to the operator.
The operator can request the remaining payment via an online payment link or upon arrival at the destination.
The refund of the second payment, which goes directly to the operator, is based on the terms and conditions of the operator, over which South East Asia Backpacker have no control.
Hi, I’m Nikki and I started South East Asia Backpacker in 2008 after my own first solo backpacking trip! My vision was to create a travel diary for everyone, a place for travellers to share their experiences from the road. After backpacking and writing about Southeast Asia for over 10 years, I saw the opportunity to provide backpackers with the kind of experiences that I’d treasured myself in the region!
Today, there is so much choice, but there are a lot of poor-quality tours and companies that offer mediocre experiences with little care for the environment. I wanted to create a selection of the best tours and activities to help backpackers avoid scams and dodgy tour companies.
Today, I run this website with my partner, Dave, from Spain, where we live with our energetic two-year-old daughter, Evie. All of the bookable activities that you will find on this website have been vetted by a member of our team and we have a friendly relationship with the operator. There are real humans behind South East Asia Backpacker and we are passionate about sustainable travel and development in Southeast Asia.
We are committed to helping travellers at every stage of the journey and understand that plans can change which is why we offer a full discount on the deposit up to 48 hours before the start of your trip, no questions asked. We offer advice on flights, visas, itineraries, hostels, backpacks, packing and more!
If you have any questions about our business or any of the tours that we provide, feel free to contact me on Whatsapp.
FAQs
What time and where does the group meet on the day of departure?
We will meet at 6:30am at Flipside Walking Street hostel (75 Bùi Viện) to grab some tasty breakfast before taxi departure to the bus station. From here, the bus journey takes only 1h 45min to Ben Tre where we start our motorbike adventure
What time will we return to HCM on the last day?
We will return around 8pm.
What should I bring on the trip?
You just want 1 small back pack worth of gear (school sized back pack). We all generally wear the same “Riding” clothes on each of the 2 days (We will all be in the same boat!).
Riding Wear (Day Time): Enclosed footwear (hiking boots / trainers), long pants (KEEPS THE SUN OFF YOUR LEGS), a long sleeved shirt (preferable to a T Shirt), sunglasses & rain jacket / Poncho. Note: If you don’t have one, we have Ponchos that can be purchased at Flipside.
Post Riding Wear (Evenings): Shorts, singlets, swimwear, flip-flops / sandals. Whatever you are comfortable in.
Other Bits: Passport, sun cream, insect repellant, some pocket money for water and any other liquid refreshment (all buses / accommodation / fuel / motorbike/ food is provided by Flipside).
There are towels provided at the homestay.
What will you eat?
We eat Vietnamese food and emphasis on fresh and local products wherever possible to support the villagers in the area. If you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies, please make our staff aware before departing on the trip. We advise you to take snacks with you, as choice can be limited once in the Mekong Province.
Is insurance included?
Travel insurance is NOT included in the trip; we strongly recommend that you have your own travel insurance against illness, injury, loss/damage to personal belongings and are not able to travel on the confirmed departure date. We are not responsible for any personal injury or loss / damage to personal belongings or bags.
What happens if there is a problem with the bike?
If the bike should get a puncture, damage or have a mechanical failure through no fault of the customer, this cost will be covered by Flipside Hostel. Any damage caused by the customer whether whilst in control of the bike or, as the passenger will be liable to be paid for by the customer. But do not worry, as repairs can be cheap in Vietnam. Your tour guide will lead the expedition with due care to health & safety.
Hi, I’m Nikki and I started South East Asia Backpacker in 2008 after my own first solo backpacking trip! My vision was to create a travel diary for everyone, a place for travellers to share their experiences from the road. After backpacking and writing about Southeast Asia for over 10 years, I saw the opportunity to provide backpackers with the kind of experiences that I’d treasured myself in the region! 
Mari –
Had a great time, and ate some really amazing food. A different way of experiencing Vietnam, and one that I highly recommend.
Jack –
One of the best things I have done in SEA. Couldn’t recommend it highly enough.