Things to do in Ben Tre

Ben Tre sits across the river from My Tho, and the two get mixed up constantly, but they are separate provinces with a different feel. My Tho's canals open onto wide, busy water; Ben Tre's waterways narrow into coconut-lined channels lined with orchards and small workshops, roughly two hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City.

The province is built on coconuts, from candy kitchens to woven handicrafts, and the boat trips here tend to be quieter and less crowded than the standard My Tho excursion sold in the city.

For the workshop stops themselves, see craft-workshops, and for the boat and canal side of a visit, see mekong-cruises, since a Ben Tre day usually combines both rather than either alone.