Ho Chi Minh City Travel Forum

Hi All

Just working on my trip and want to finish with tour of the Mekong into Cambodia and on to Angkor Wat.

we are a couple (not so young) and we would have to carry our backpacks on and off the boats and buses. Is this a bad idea? Is it better to take a shorter tour and then return to HCMC and then fly to Siem Reap?

We really would like to see the non touristy part of the Delta and maybe do a homestay... anyone who has done this please advise.

Thanks
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I seem to remember leaving most of my luggage at the guest house I stayed at in HCM when I did a Mekong river cruise for a few days. It would be a bit of a pain to have to lug everything with you, I would think. The boats are pretty tiny. Depends a bit on how much stuff you have, I suppose. And also whether you are allowed to take it all? Could you check with the tour company on that, perhaps?

thanks mate but then we would have to return to HCMC , We would have one rucksack (backpack) each only

There are different travel agents in Saigon which offer home-stay tours to Mekong Delta. With only one back pack each, you should be fine bringing your luggage with you I think. Once you arrive home-stay, leave your luggage there and do what you plan to do in the Delta. I do not know if you go to Cambodia from Can Tho or through other province in the Delta. If you head to PhnomPenh from Cantho, in my opinion you should take the hydrofoil (or express boat as they call). It takes about 7 hours and you can see things along the river. I think it is interesting to do that. The boat depart right from Can Tho water front Pier. It is cheap and comfort with air conditioner in the boat and TV as well. Wuhwuhwuhwwahuu. ! Have fun.

thanks so much tinypiglet (my namesake?
looks good to me

Definetely take a homestay.
And go 3 days Mekong trip down to Chau Doc, takes a express boat from there to Phnom Penh. Very nice cruise :)
Even greater if you can grab the book "Mekong" and read about it when you are cruising :). Boat from Phnom penh to Siemreap is nice too. I did the upstream and it's absolutely fabulous.
Enjoy.

thank you Hien