My Tho is a port of call on Mekong Delta river cruises nearly year-round, with AMA Waterways, Emerald Waterways, and Lindblad Expeditions among the lines calling there.
My Tho sits on the northern bank of the Mekong River in Tien Giang Province, serving as a principal gateway to the delta's maze of canals, orchards, and floating markets. As a port, it offers easy access to river life largely unchanged for generations, from narrow sampans loaded with fruit to stilted houses along tributary channels. The town itself, modest and unhurried, reflects the rhythms of the surrounding farmland and waterways.
Departing vessels typically enter the Cho Gao Canal, a vital commercial artery linking the delta to Ho Chi Minh City, where dense boat traffic offers a vivid glimpse of Vietnam's inland shipping trade. Travelers with limited mobility should note that river excursions often involve transfers to smaller boats. My Tho rewards those drawn to slower travel, where the delta's waterways reveal daily life at close range.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in My Tho.
Cruise the Islet Canals by Sampan
Transfer from a larger vessel to a narrow wooden sampan for a quiet paddle through shaded tributary canals lined with coconut palms and stilted homes. It's the most intimate way to see delta life up close, typically arranged as a short excursion of an hour or less.
Sample Delta Fruit Orchards
Wander family-run orchards on the river islets near My Tho, tasting seasonal fruit like longan, dragon fruit, or jackfruit grown along the fertile banks. These plots showcase the agricultural rhythm that defines Tien Giang Province.
Watch the Floating Market Trade
Catch sampans piled high with produce trading directly boat-to-boat, a centuries-old commerce pattern still active on the delta's channels. Early morning departures offer the liveliest scenes before the heat sets in.
