By Michelle Nguyen
Related Posts
Improved Infrastructure In Vietnam
Travelling from Saigon to My Tho in the Mekong Delta is now a much faster and smoother experience with the new, elevated highway. The new highway is restricted to more than 4-wheeled vehicles, so the motorbikes that are part of the Vietnamese way of life here are found only on the old highway, which still exists.
So what does this mean for you?
You can now fit in more activities in your visit to the Mekong Delta and as an extra bonus you can see more rice paddies, and more around you as you travel.
My Tho, Cai Be and Vinh Long have never been within easier reach of Saigon as they are now. These are the island areas in the Mekong Delta, great for home stays, and seeing local life by foot, boat or bicycle.
With a better road and no longer required to take the ferry connection that you do from the old highway, you can get as far as Can Tho in around 3.5 hours instead of the previous 5 hours or more. Can Tho has the largest floating market in the Delta, a must see for any newcomer to the region.
Taking the rough with the smooth…
Whilst the old highway still exists, if you need a bathroom stop, there isn’t anywhere along this new elevated stretch of highway. It is about 50 minutes in duration from Saigon to My Tho so it’s important to plan ahead.
Chau Doc is still at least 6 or more hours from Saigon, but if broken up with activities and stops along the way, then it’s much more feasible than it used to be.