Vinh Long is a good choice for travelers who want a quieter side of the Mekong Delta, with river islands, orchards, local workshops and small waterways rather than a schedule built around major attractions.
The area around central Vinh Long, An Binh Islet and Mang Thit is especially useful for a day trip or short stay from Can Tho. Since Vietnam’s 2025 administrative reorganization, the new Vinh Long Province also includes the former Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces, bringing coconut-growing areas and strong Khmer cultural influences into the same province.
This Vinh Long travel guide focuses mainly on the historic Vinh Long area, while also explaining how the wider province now fits into trip planning.
For a broader overview of the region, see the Mekong Delta Travel Guide.
Last updated: September 23, 2026
How this guide was checked: Travel routes and local experiences were cross-checked against current Mekong Smile tour operations. Administrative information was checked against Vietnam’s 2025 provincial reorganization, while destination details were compared with current local tourism information.
Vinh Long at a Glance
| Planning point | What to know |
| Best known for | River islands, orchards, pottery, canals and local crafts |
| Main area for first-time visitors | Central Vinh Long, An Binh Islet and Mang Thit |
| Good for | Slow travel, cycling, river life, craft villages |
| Useful base nearby | Can Tho |
| Time needed | 1 day for one area; 2–3 days for a slower trip |
| Wider province | Also includes the former Ben Tre and Tra Vinh areas |
| Easy to combine with | Can Tho and other central Mekong Delta routes |
Administrative note: The former provinces of Vinh Long, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh were merged into the current Vinh Long Province in 2025. This guide uses phrases such as historic Vinh Long area, former Ben Tre area and former Tra Vinh area only to make travel planning easier; these are not separate current provinces.
Why Visit Vinh Long?
Vinh Long works well for travelers who want to spend more time in the countryside without traveling too far from Can Tho.
The historic Vinh Long area is shaped by the Co Chien River and its islands, orchards, workshops and villages. An Binh is useful for cycling and river experiences, while Mang Thit adds a very different landscape of brick and pottery kilns.
Compared with a trip focused on floating markets or major cities, Vinh Long is more about moving slowly between small places.
It is especially suitable if you are interested in:
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River-island life
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Orchards and seasonal fruit
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Cycling through rural roads
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Traditional workshops
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Pottery and brick-making heritage
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Small canals
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Local food and homestay experiences
Best Things to Do in Vinh Long
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Explore An Binh Islet
An Binh is one of the easiest places to start if this is your first trip to Vinh Long.
The island area is known for orchards, waterways, narrow roads and rural homes. Cycling and boat travel are useful ways to move between local stops without turning the day into a long road trip.
Typical experiences may include:
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Seasonal fruit gardens
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Small waterways
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Cycling through village roads
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Local workshops
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Homestay visits
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Rural meals
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Small farms
Mekong Smile currently operates a 7-hour An Binh Islet Tour from Can Tho, which makes the area practical for travelers who want to visit Vinh Long without changing hotels.
For travelers already staying in Can Tho, An Binh is one of the easier Vinh Long areas to turn into a full-day trip.
See the An Binh Islet Tour for the current program.
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Visit the Mang Thit Pottery Landscape
Mang Thit gives Vinh Long a different character from the orchard-and-canal image usually associated with the Mekong Delta.
Traditional brick and pottery production developed along local waterways, leaving kiln structures, workshops and clay-working areas across the landscape.
This is a stronger choice for travelers interested in craft history and local industry than for someone looking for another standard boat-and-orchard stop.
You do not need to combine Mang Thit with every other attraction in one day. It works better when pottery is one of the main reasons for your trip.
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Walk Around Central Vinh Long and the Market Area
The central Vinh Long urban area works mainly as a transport and service base, but it can still be worth a short stop.
The market and nearby riverfront give visitors a look at everyday produce, food and local trading without requiring a full sightseeing day.
If you stay around central Vinh Long, it is also easier to connect onward to An Binh and surrounding rural areas.
This section of the trip is better treated as part of daily local life rather than as a major tourist attraction.
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Take a Boat Through Smaller Waterways
The large river branches explain Vinh Long’s geography, but smaller waterways bring you closer to orchards, workshops and riverside homes.
Choose boat trips that actually connect useful stops rather than adding a five-minute sampan ride only for photographs.
Small-waterway experiences can vary with tides, weather and local operations, so the exact route may change.
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Cycle Through the Countryside
Cycling works particularly well around An Binh and other quieter rural areas.
It lets you move between orchards, homes and workshops at a slower pace than traveling entirely by car or boat.
Choose shorter local routes rather than trying to cover long distances between districts by bicycle.
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Visit an Orchard
Fruit is part of Vinh Long’s agricultural identity, but availability changes during the year.
Do not expect every orchard to offer the same fruit or the full range shown in travel photos.
A good orchard visit is less about collecting a checklist of tropical fruits and more about seeing how local gardens are used and managed.
An Binh or Mang Thit: Which Should You Choose?
If you only have one day, you may not need both.
| Choose An Binh if you want | Choose Mang Thit if you want |
| Orchards | Pottery heritage |
| Cycling | Craft history |
| Small canals | Kiln landscapes |
| Homestay atmosphere | Local industry |
| A relaxed countryside day | Something different from a standard Mekong tour |
For a first visit, An Binh is usually easier to combine with other activities.
Mang Thit becomes more worthwhile when pottery and local craft heritage are specific interests.
How Many Days Do You Need in Vinh Long?
For most travelers, one or two days is enough for the historic Vinh Long area.
| Time | Practical approach |
| Half day | One focused local experience |
| 1 day | An Binh or another central Vinh Long route |
| 2 days | An Binh + Mang Thit or a slower overnight trip |
| 3 days | Historic Vinh Long plus another part of the wider province |
Trying to cover the historic Vinh Long area, former Ben Tre and former Tra Vinh areas in one day does not make much sense even though they now belong to the same province.
The administrative boundary has changed; the travel distances have not disappeared.
How to Get to Vinh Long
From Can Tho
Can Tho is one of the most practical bases for visiting the historic Vinh Long area.
Mekong Smile currently runs both its An Binh Islet Tour and Vinh Long cultural route from Can Tho. The An Binh program takes approximately seven hours, while the current Vinh Long Khmer-culture route takes about five hours.
This makes it possible to visit Vinh Long during the day and return to Can Tho rather than changing hotels.
See the Can Tho Travel Guide if you plan to use Can Tho as your base.
From Ho Chi Minh City
Road travel is the usual approach.
Be careful when checking journey times online because “Vinh Long” now refers to a much larger province than before 2025.
A transfer to the historic Vinh Long area is very different from traveling to the former Ben Tre or former Tra Vinh areas.
Always check the exact destination rather than relying only on a province name.
Getting Around
Depending on the route, useful options include:
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Private car
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Taxi
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Local road transport
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Bicycle
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Motorboat
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Smaller wooden boats
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Walking for short village or market sections
For An Binh and similar river-island routes, combining road and boat transport is usually more practical than relying on one mode.
Where to Stay in Vinh Long
An Binh Islet
Choose An Binh if you prefer:
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A quieter rural setting
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Orchard surroundings
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Homestay-style accommodation
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Cycling
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More time near waterways
This makes more sense for travelers who want an overnight countryside experience rather than only a day trip.
Central Vinh Long Area
This area is more practical if you want:
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Easier road connections
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Hotels rather than homestays
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Restaurants and daily services
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A base for nearby countryside trips
Can Tho
Staying in Can Tho can be the better option if Vinh Long is only one part of a wider Mekong Delta trip.
You can visit Vinh Long during the day while keeping access to a larger selection of hotels, restaurants and other Mekong Delta routes.
What to Eat in Vinh Long
Food in the current Vinh Long Province varies noticeably between its different areas.
Historic Vinh Long Area
Around orchards and homestays, meals often reflect local ingredients and seasonal produce.
Fruit availability changes through the year, so what you see during one trip may be different several months later.
Former Ben Tre Area
Coconut remains one of the strongest food identities of this area.
It appears in sweets, drinks and local cooking, while coconut-based products and workshops remain closely associated with the former Ben Tre travel region.
Former Tra Vinh Area
The former Tra Vinh area adds stronger Khmer cultural influence to the province’s food landscape.
If food is one of your main interests, it is better to explore locally than to expect one dish to represent the entire new Vinh Long Province.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Vinh Long?
Vinh Long can be visited through much of the year.
The better period depends on your activities.
Drier weather is generally easier for:
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Cycling
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Walking
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Road travel
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Longer outdoor visits
During wetter periods, waterways and vegetation can look fuller, but rain may affect outdoor plans.
Fruit availability also changes by season.
For a trip built around a particular fruit harvest, festival or cultural event, check current local conditions rather than relying on a generic “best month.”
Exploring the Wider Vinh Long Province After 2025
The current Vinh Long Province extends much farther than the historic Vinh Long travel area.
You do not need to cover all of it in one trip.
Former Ben Tre Area: Coconut Country
The former Ben Tre area is useful if your priority is coconut landscapes, narrow canals, village roads and coconut-related workshops.
It fits particularly well into routes from Ho Chi Minh City.
Although Ben Tre is no longer a separate province, travelers still encounter the name in attraction descriptions, accommodation listings and established travel routes.
For trip planning, it remains useful to say “Ben Tre” as a geographic travel area as long as it is clear that it now belongs to Vinh Long Province.
Mekong Smile also currently lists Ben Tre experiences within its Vinh Long destination portfolio.
Former Tra Vinh Area: Khmer Heritage
The former Tra Vinh area offers a different reason to travel through the wider province.
Khmer Buddhist architecture, communities and religious traditions have a much stronger presence here than around central Vinh Long.
If Khmer heritage is a priority, give this part of the province enough time rather than adding a temple as a quick stop to an already full orchard itinerary.
You can also experience Khmer culture closer to Can Tho through Mekong Smile’s current Vinh Long cultural program.
The tour is approximately five hours, starts at 7:00 AM or 2:00 PM, and currently combines smaller waterways, a traditional tofu-skin workshop, a Khmer village and Phu Ly Pagoda.
See the Vinh Long Tour: Explore Khmer Culture for the current itinerary.
Independent Travel or a Local Tour?
Both can work.
Independent travel may suit you if:
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You have more time
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You want to stay overnight
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You are comfortable arranging local transport
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You mainly want to explore central areas
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You prefer a flexible schedule
A local tour may be useful if:
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You are staying in Can Tho
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You have only one day
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Your route combines road and boat transport
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You want to reach smaller waterways or workshops
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Local cultural context matters to you
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You do not want to arrange each transfer separately
Mekong Smile currently operates both an An Binh Islet route and a Khmer cultural route in Vinh Long.
They serve different interests, so choose based on the experience rather than simply choosing the tour with more stops.
Vinh Long or Can Tho?
They offer different experiences.
Choose Can Tho if you want:
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Cai Rang Floating Market
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More hotel options
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City food
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Urban river life
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A convenient Mekong Delta base
Choose Vinh Long if you want:
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River islands
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Orchards
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Cycling
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Smaller waterways
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Pottery landscapes
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A slower countryside day
A practical combination is to stay in Can Tho and spend one full day in the historic Vinh Long area.
If you have more time, add an overnight in Vinh Long rather than filling one day with extra stops.
Planning Vinh Long as Part of a Mekong Delta Itinerary
Vinh Long works well as part of a wider route rather than as an isolated destination.
For example:
Ho Chi Minh City → Ben Tre → Can Tho → Vinh Long
or:
Can Tho → Vinh Long → Cai Be → Ho Chi Minh City
The exact route depends on how many days you have and whether you are traveling independently or with arranged transport.
For practical 1-4 day route ideas, see the Mekong Delta Itinerary.
For destination-by-destination planning across the region, use the Mekong Delta Travel Guide.
This distinction is useful: the itinerary page helps you decide how to connect places, while this guide helps you decide what is worth doing in Vinh Long.
Map showing the route from Ninh Kieu Wharf in Can Tho to Vinh Long Market, a practical connection for travelers planning a day trip to central Vinh Long
Practical Tips for Visiting Vinh Long
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Confirm the exact destination when arranging transport.
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Do not rely only on the province name after the 2025 boundary changes.
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Leave flexibility for boat routes, weather and local conditions.
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Bring sun protection for cycling and boat trips.
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Carry rain protection during wetter periods.
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Wear modest clothing at Khmer pagodas.
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Ask before photographing people at homes, workshops or religious spaces.
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Do not expect the same fruit at orchards throughout the year.
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Avoid repeating the same canal, orchard and workshop experience in several destinations.
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If you are returning to Can Tho the same day, keep the route focused.
Need Help Planning a Vinh Long Trip?
Mekong Smile is based in Can Tho and currently operates local routes into Vinh Long.
If you know where you are starting, how much time you have and what type of experience interests you, send those details to the team. This makes it easier to choose between An Binh, cultural routes or a wider Mekong Delta itinerary.
- Website: https://mekongsmile.com
- Hotline: +84 774 839 165
- WhatsApp: +84 774 839 165
- Email: contact@mekongsmile.com
- Office: No. 5 Tran Van Hoai Street, Ninh Kieu Ward, Can Tho City, Vietnam.
FAQ About Vinh Long
What is Vinh Long known for?
The historic Vinh Long area is known for river islands, orchards, smaller waterways and the pottery landscape around Mang Thit. The current province also includes the coconut-growing former Ben Tre area and areas with strong Khmer cultural heritage from the former Tra Vinh Province.
Is Ben Tre now part of Vinh Long Province?
Yes. The former Vinh Long, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces were merged into the current Vinh Long Province in 2025. The name Ben Tre is still commonly useful when referring to the familiar travel area.
Is An Binh Islet worth visiting?
Yes if you want orchards, small waterways, cycling and a quieter rural experience. It is also practical for travelers staying in Can Tho because it can be visited as a full-day trip.
Can I visit Vinh Long from Can Tho in one day?
Yes. Mekong Smile currently operates both a seven-hour An Binh Islet program and a five-hour Vinh Long cultural tour from Can Tho, so a focused day trip is practical.
How many days should I spend in Vinh Long?
One day is enough for one focused area such as An Binh. Two days give you more time for Mang Thit or an overnight countryside experience. Longer stays make more sense if you also want to explore the wider province.
Should I stay in Vinh Long or Can Tho?
Stay in Can Tho if you want a larger base with more transport, hotels and additional Mekong Delta activities. Stay in Vinh Long if you want more time around orchards, islands and rural areas.
