Ben Tre Travel Guide

Ben Tre is a province in Mekong Delta, also known with name Land of Coconut. This province provides some of the most beautiful scenery in the Mekong delta with shaded villages’ paths and immense orchards.

The best time to visit Ben Tre

Actually, Ben Tre is beautiful all year around, but the best time to visit is the monsoon from June to September.

How to get there

From Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh City), you can get Ben Tre by bus; take less 2 hours that is the best mode of transportation.
To get around Ben Tre: The town stretches along the river, so a bicycle or a motorbike is the best way to get around.

Top attractions and things to do in Ben Tre

If you aren't know anything like where to go and what to do in Ben Tre, following is some advice:

Natural attractions

There are many beautiful spots in Ben Tre where travelers can come:

Thới Sơn Islet: enjoyed many fruits, Don Ca Tai tu – a kind of traditional music in Mekong Delta and watched the process of producing coconut candy
Phụng Islet: the home of Mr. Coconut Director (ông Đạo dừa – Nguyen Thanh Nam) who ate only coconut to survive during his life. There’re many special things about architectures at here
Quy Islet: attractive ecotourism of Giong Trom district. At here, you can enjoy the beautiful landscape of the waters and traditional dishes of Ben Tre, find out a rustic daily life of the locals.
Vam Ho birds garden: is a home of countless bird kinds. If you lucky, visit the garden at right time when the birds fly to prey, you will be seen a very beautiful sight just having in Mekong Delta.
Cai Mon Fruit garden in Cho Lach district and Tien Long, Tan Phu regions in Chau Thanh district. You will be seen and explored the immense fruits gardens. Addition, you can enjoy specialties of Ben Tre countryside: chicken soup, oyster soup, snail pancake

Historical sites:

Besides natural destination, Ben Tre is also great destination for historical spots discover

House and tomb of Nguyen Dinh Chieu: belongs to An Duc (An Đức) commune, which over 1km far from Ba Tri town, Ben Tre (Bến Tre) province
Tomb of Phan Thanh Gian – The first doctor in Southern: located in his hometown of Bao Thanh, Ba Tri District
Truong Vinh Ky memorial house – who is called “the only scientist of Indochina” by Jean Bouchot historian (French). His relics and memorial house are in Cai Mon (Vinh Thanh Commune), Cho Lach District
Female general Nguyen Thi Dinh temple in Luong Hoa ward – Giong Trom district, 20km (13miles) from Ben Tre city. This is seen as one of the great places to teach the province’s revolutionary tradition for younger generations.

Things to do

Boat trips, visit orchards, bee - keeping farm, enjoy traditional music and see coconut candy production process at a local factory are these things that you can do during your time in Ben Tre.

Specialties in Ben Tre

Photo: Chuối Đập

Đuông Dừa- Duong dua – larvae of a beetle live in coconut tree: You can devour or eat after roasting them in oil. Most of tourist don’t dare devour when see them, but believe me, let’s try it. I’m sure you will wanna eat again. You can buy Duong dua in the market or eat them at coconut farm.
Chuối Đập- Pounded banana: is really backed banana, then pound it into the piece and eat with coconut milk. You can eat this dish at restaurant close to Truc Giang Lake sells from noon to afternoon, but usually sold out early.
Banh Canh Bot Xat- Bot xat Bread soup is a genuine specialty of Mekong Delta. This dish is made from rice flour, duck’s meat and eaten with fish sauce. You can try the Banh Canh Bot Xat at stall under Ca Loc, District 8, Ben Tre.
Che Buoi Thay Ton- grapefruit porridge Mr. Ton: on Nguyen Hue Street, sell from late afternoon is the best restaurant that you can try porridge with a delicious dish and a cheap price.
Com Tam or Broken rice which is broken rice of Ben Tre and it is very different because it’s cooked more elaborate. There’re many broken rice restaurants in the city and most are good. And the best place to eat these dish is Chi broken rice near Vietinbank.
Chuột Dừa or Coconut mouse is kind of mouse live inside coconut tree which is the most favorite dishes in Ben Tre, There’re many dishes can be made from coconut mouse: baked, steamed, curry, etc. It's really awesome.

Further travel guide of other Mekong delta region in Vietnam , the best dishes in Mekong Delta Region

Source: Vietnam Travel Guide