Phung Islet
Cồn Phụng
A river island once home to the "Coconut Monk" and his eclectic religion; his dragon-pillared terrace still stands. Boats stop here to visit coconut-candy workshops.
Ben Tre
Bến Tre
Coconut country: canals, orchards and islands in the Mekong.
- Region
- South · Mekong Delta
- Province
- Vinh Long
- Best weather
- December–March
- In this guide
- 3 places · 7 dishes
Overview
Ben Tre, now part of Vinh Long province, is a set of islands at the mouth of the Mekong, laced with canals and covered in coconut palms. It is the land of coconuts — candy, rice, rice paper and even coconut wood furniture — and of orchards that fill with durian, mangosteen and rambutan in summer.
It is the best place near Ho Chi Minh City for an unhurried taste of delta life: a sampan ride down water-palm canals, a bicycle on narrow country lanes, a homestay meal of elephant-ear fish. A day trip works, but a night lets you see the river at dawn.
Fruit season runs from June to August. The dry season (December–April) is easiest for cycling and boating.
Where to go
Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary
Sân chim Vàm Hồ
Mangrove forest where huge colonies of storks and herons return to roost at dusk. Walk the boardwalks and bamboo bridges in late afternoon.
Tuyen Linh Communal House
Đình Tuyên Linh
A 19th-century communal house built of precious wood with ornate carvings, one of the finest in the delta.
Experiences
Cai Mon orchards & bonsai village
Cái Mơn
Cycle through Cho Lach district's fruit orchards and nurseries, famous for durian and for bonsai shaped into animals.
What to eat
Local specialties worth seeking out in Ben Tre.
Coconut candy
Kẹo dừa
Chewy candy of coconut cream and malt, cut and wrapped by hand in rice paper. Watch it being made and taste it warm.
Banh tam bi
Bánh tằm bì
Chewy "silkworm" noodles with shredded pork skin, herbs and a pour of thick coconut cream.
Snail pancake
Bánh xèo ốc gạo
Crispy banh xeo filled with tiny rice snails, a seasonal treat in Cho Lach.
Grilled pressed banana
Chuối đập
Bananas grilled over charcoal, flattened between boards and drenched in warm coconut sauce.
Coconut rice
Cơm dừa
Rice cooked inside a coconut with its water, fragrant and slightly sweet.
My Long rice paper
Bánh tráng Mỹ Lồng
Thick rice paper made with coconut milk and sesame, dried in the sun and grilled until it crackles.
Banh canh
Bánh canh Bến Tre
Hand-cut rice noodles in broth, often with duck and ginger fish sauce — usually sold from shoulder poles, so ask a local.
When to go
The most comfortable months for sightseeing in Ben Tre are usually December–March.
Hover a month for details. Compare with other places on the season calendar.
Vietnam season calendar arrow_forwardDaily temperature range (°C)
20°25°30°35°
Rainfall per month (mm)
0100200300400
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Score
- Great
- Good
- Fair
- Wet / extreme
chevron_right Show as table
| Month | High °C | Low °C | Rain mm | Wet days | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30.4 | 22.9 | 33 | 6 | Great |
| February | 31.2 | 23.2 | 13 | 3 | Great |
| March | 32.5 | 24.3 | 18 | 3 | Great |
| April | 33.4 | 25.3 | 75 | 12 | Good |
| May | 32.5 | 25.6 | 223 | 26 | Good |
| June | 31.2 | 25.0 | 257 | 28 | Fair |
| July | 30.3 | 24.7 | 314 | 29 | Fair |
| August | 30.6 | 24.7 | 290 | 29 | Fair |
| September | 30.3 | 24.4 | 372 | 29 | Wet / extreme |
| October | 30.1 | 24.1 | 365 | 28 | Wet / extreme |
| November | 30.0 | 23.9 | 180 | 20 | Good |
| December | 29.9 | 23.1 | 88 | 12 | Great |
Averages for 2016-2025 from Open-Meteo (ERA5 reanalysis, CC BY 4.0). Model data can overstate light drizzle; treat wet-day counts as a guide. How the score works.
Getting there
About 85 km from Ho Chi Minh City — around 2 hours by car or bus. Ben Tre is often combined with My Tho and Can Tho on a delta loop.
Getting around Vietnam arrow_forwardPlan your stay in Ben Tre
Compare places to stay and things to book.
Itineraries that stop here
15 days
North to south in two weeks
The classic first trip: Hanoi, a night on Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh's karst valleys, imperial Hue, lantern-lit Hoi An, Saigon and a taste of the Mekong Delta.
6 days
The Mekong Delta in six days
Coconut islands, flower villages, floating markets and the Khmer and Cham communities of the Cambodian border — the delta beyond the day trip.
More in South Vietnam
compare_arrows Compare Ben Tre with Mui Ne & Phan Thiet
SouthMui Ne & Phan Thiet
South Central Coast
Red and white sand dunes, kitesurfing winds and a fishing fleet at dawn.
SouthChau Doc & An Giang
Mekong Delta
Floating villages, Cham mosques and Khmer pagodas on the Cambodian border.
SouthVung Tau
Southeast coast
Saigon's weekend beach, with sunrise and sunset over the sea.
SouthDong Nai & Cat Tien
Southeast
Rainforest, gibbons and crocodile lakes in Cat Tien National Park.