Cruise the Mekong past four islets, taste honey tea and coconut candy, then cook your own Vietnamese dish on the private Mekong Delta cooking class tour.
The Mekong Delta tour with a cooking class follows the region's classic My Tho and Ben Tre route, adding a stop at Vinh Trang Pagoda and, on the private option, a hands-on cooking class where you make and eat your own Vietnamese dish, from around EUR 24 per person.
What Makes This Mekong Delta Tour Different?
Two things set it apart from the standard day tour. First, Vinh Trang Pagoda, one of southern Vietnam's most architecturally interesting temples, is included here but skipped on many competing itineraries. Second, travelers who book the private option get a genuine hands-on cooking class at Eco Restaurant, learning to make banh xeo or banh khot from a local chef before eating what they cooked, rather than just receiving a plated lunch.
What Does the Tour Include?
The price covers an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional licensed guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, the Vinh Trang Pagoda stop, the motorboat cruise past the four islets, the honey farm visit with tastings, the folk music performance, the coconut candy workshop in Ben Tre, a Vietnamese set-menu lunch, and bottled water throughout the day. The hands-on cooking class is included only on the private tour option, not the small-group version.
Is the Cooking Class Option Worth the Upgrade?
If you enjoy cooking or want a more active food experience than a standard restaurant lunch, yes, the class at Eco Restaurant is a genuine hands-on addition rather than a demonstration. If you are booking the small-group option specifically for the price, be aware the cooking class will not be part of your day, only the standard lunch.
Who Should Book This Tour?
This suits food-focused travelers and anyone who wants Vinh Trang Pagoda added to the classic My Tho and Ben Tre route. Families booking the private option also benefit from the flexibility of pickup across more districts. Travelers who do not care about pagodas or cooking and just want the cheapest classic route should compare this to the plain Mekong Delta day tour.
Prices and What's Included
Starting from EUR 24 per person for the small-group option, this sits close to the classic day tours in price while adding the pagoda stop. Prices can shift with season, group size, chosen option and the exact date booked, so check current availability before finalizing plans. The cooking class and any additional district pickup areas apply only to the private tour price tier.
Getting There and Insider Tips
Double-check whether you are booking the small-group or private option, since the cooking class, extra pickup districts and other-language guide availability differ between the two. Bring an appetite for the cooking class stop, since you eat what you cook in addition to the later set-menu lunch. Cash is useful for extra fruit, wine or candy at the workshop stops, as card payment is rarely available there.
How Does This Compare to Other Mekong Delta Tours?
Travelers who do not need the cooking class or pagoda stop should compare this against the Mekong Delta day tour, which covers a very similar core route. Those who want the Cu Chi Tunnels added to the same day should look at the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta combo tour instead. For background on Ben Tre, see its Wikipedia entry. You can compare every option on our tours overview.
Prices from 24 EUR as of 2026-08-09. Prices may vary; confirmed live at checkout.
(≈ $28 / £21, ECB 2026-08-07)
