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Voykit pocket guide · Vietnam
Ben Tre
Bến Tre
Spend a half‑day to see the market, coconut‑candy factory and river walk; add a full day if you want a boat‑bike tour of the delta.
Ben Tre is a small Mekong Delta town 90 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Its riverside market, coconut‑candy workshops and easy bike routes give a quick taste of delta life. One day covers the main sights; a second day lets you join a boat‑bike tour or visit nearby My Tho.
- Country
- Vietnam
- Local name
- Bến Tre
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Avoid
- May–Oct (rainy season)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- VND
- Money
- VND in small notes (10k–100k) for stalls, markets, xe ôm and tips at spas.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₫80,000–120,000 excl. bed · Mid ₫150,000–250,000 excl. bed · High ₫300,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport and a face photo are required for registration.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 114 · Ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types A, C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · Two-pin sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and cafés: Nothing; leave small change if you like.; Sit-down restaurant: Round up or 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Grab / taxi: Round up; tip in the app if you want.; Spa and massage: ₫50,000–100,000 to the therapist directly; some spas ask for more.; Guide and driver on a day tour: ₫100,000–200,000 per person for the guide, about half that for the driver.; Hotel porter: ₫20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled and filtered water everywhere; hotel refill stations are common. Café ice is factory-made.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in cities and hotels; squat toilets and no paper in rural stops and on long buses — carry tissues. Old plumbing: paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (street stall) | ₫5,000–8,000 |
| Hu tieu soup | ₫30,000–50,000 |
| Coconut candy (small bag) | ₫10,000–20,000 |
| Motorbike taxi 5 km (3.1 mi)Motorbike taxi 3.1 mi (5 km) | ₫20,000–30,000 |
| Boat ride (short river trip) | ₫60,000–120,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SGN · Tan Son Nhat International
- About 90 km (56 mi), 1½ h by bus or taxiAbout 56 mi (90 km), 1½ h by bus or taxi
Typical fares
- Bus Ho Chi Minh → Ben Tre
- ≈₫105,000, 2 h15, departs every 30 min (check)
- Motorbike taxi town centre
- ≈₫20,000 for 10 min ride
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bicycle or motorbike are the easiest; hire a motorbike taxi for short hops (≈20,000 VND for 10 min).
See and do
Known for
- Coconut candy factories
- River market
- Boat‑bike ecotours
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| My Tho | Minibus from Ben Tre bus station, 17 km (11 mi), ~20,000 VND, runs 05:00–17:30Minibus from Ben Tre bus station, 17 km (11 mi), ~20,000 VND, runs 5:00 AM–5:30 PMMinibus from Ben Tre bus station, 11 mi (17 km), ~20,000 VND, runs 05:00–17:30Minibus from Ben Tre bus station, 11 mi (17 km), ~20,000 VND, runs 5:00 AM–5:30 PM | ≈30 min |
| Vinh Long (by boat) | Daily boat from east bridge, departs 08:30–09:00, 60,000–120,000 VND per personDaily boat from east bridge, departs 8:30 AM–9:00 AM, 60,000–120,000 VND per person | ≈4 h |
Sleep
- Ben Tre Hotel
- Central, basic rooms, good for short stays
- Forever Green Resort
- Riverside, pool, suitable for a night after a boat tour
- Khach San Dong Khoi
- Budget, near lake, free Wi‑Fi
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Xin chàosin chow |
| Help me! | Cứu tôi với!kuh-oo toy vuh-ee |
| 1, 2, 3 | một, hai, bamoht, hai, bah |
| How much is it? | Bao nhiêu tiền?bow nyew tyen |
| Please take me to this address | Làm ơn chở tôi đến địa chỉ nàylahm uhn chuh toy den dee-ah chee nay |
| Excuse me! (to a younger server) | Em ơi!em uh-ee |
| I have a booking | Tôi đã đặt phòngtoy dah daht fong |
| What time? | Mấy giờ?may zuh |
| Thank you | Cảm ơnkahm uhn |
| Call the police! (113) | Gọi cảnh sát! (113)goy kahn saht |
| 4, 5, 6 | bốn, năm, sáubohn, nahm, sow |
| Too expensive! | Đắt quá!daht kwah |
| I booked a Grab | Tôi đặt Grabtoy daht grab |
| I'll have this one | Cho tôi cái nàychaw toy kai nay |
| Do you have a room free? | Còn phòng không?kon fong khohm |
| Now | Bây giờbay zuh |
| No, thank you (street sellers) | Không, cảm ơnkhohm, kahm uhn |
| Fire! Call the fire service! (114) | Cháy! Gọi cứu hỏa! (114)chai! goy kuh-oo hwah |
| 7, 8, 9, 10 | bảy, tám, chín, mườibay, tahm, cheen, muh-ee |
| Come down a bit | Bớt đibuht dee |
Say it for greetings, prices and 'no ice'. Show the screen for addresses, allergies, medical problems and anything you need done exactly — a wrong tone on those costs more than the embarrassment of pointing at a phone.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Nod and smile; handshake with men, let women offer first; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses with people you have just met
- Names: Title plus given name — 'Anh Nam', 'Chị Lan' — the given name comes last; avoid: Calling someone by the family name alone (Nguyễn, Trần)
- Handing things: Both hands, especially money, cards and gifts to older people; avoid: Tossing things across a table
- Conversation: Expect questions about age, marriage and income; they place you, not pry; avoid: Raising your voice or correcting someone in front of others
- Temples and pagodas: Covered shoulders and knees; step over the raised threshold; enter by the right-hand door; avoid: Sitting with your back to an altar; climbing statues for photos
- Photos: Ask first, especially in minority villages; avoid: Paying children for photos — it keeps them out of school
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit, tea or sweets; accept at least a drink; avoid: Pointing your feet at people or the family altar
- Beckoning: Palm down, fingers waving towards you; avoid: Curling one finger — it is used for animals
Scams and watch-outs
- Limited English signage; ask locals for directions.
- Traffic can be chaotic on riverside roads; wear a helmet on motorbikes.
- Coconut‑candy factories are small workshops; expect basic facilities.
Ben Tre is generally safe; petty theft is rare but keep valuables secure on crowded market days.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ben Tre yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Coconut candy factories
- River market
- Boat‑bike ecotours
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- OpenStreetMap – Ben Tre bus station: www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=10.26646&mlon=106.35975#map=16/10.26646/106.35975
- Wikivoyage: Ben Tre, revision 5242490 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242490
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ben-tre). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.