A man in a grey t-shirt sits on a wooden boat traveling down a muddy river lined with palm trees under a blue sky.

A Mekong Delta Cruise with Buffalo Tours

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A Mekong Delta Cruise with Buffalo Tours

A long wooden boat down the Mekong: a brickworks, a coconut farm, snake vodka, and a lunch where they teach you to roll spring rolls.

A long wooden boat down the Mekong: a brickworks, a coconut farm, snake vodka, and a lunch where they teach you to roll spring rolls.

A long wooden boat down the Mekong: a brickworks, a coconut farm, snake vodka, and a lunch where they teach you to roll spring rolls.

After a few days in Saigon, we knew that we wanted to get out and see some of the south Vietnamese countryside. The only problem was we had no idea where to start, what to see, or how to do it. Fortunately we got in touch with Buffalo Tours and they set up a great itinerary for us that completely blew away our expectations! 

We decided to try their "Le Jarai" Cruise, which would take us through the Mekong Delta, and as it turned out, the trip was exactly what we were looking for - comfortable, interesting, with a touch of luxury. 

“During our tour we got to see so much beautiful countryside, and ride along the Mekong in a small private boat.

A wide river of murky brown water flows between dense groves of green palm trees under a blue sky with white clouds.

Taking this boat ride down the Mekong was definitely a thrilling experience for us. We were out on a long wooden boat navigating through dense green jungle like forests. Needless to say, Chris had more than a few "Apocalypse Now" moments during the afternoon.  Seeing large boats filled with coconuts was common and the smell of sweet and sour coconuts would waif through the air.

A man and woman sit on a wooden raft in a brown river, surrounded by palm trees under bright daylight.

Once we made our way towards the countryside we were able to see day to day life. We saw how bricks are made (boring at first, but it turned out to be interesting nonetheless), checked out a coconut farm, met basket weavers all while taking various modes of transportation.

Visiting the Coconut Farm and trying Snake Vodka for the first time was definitely an interesting experience. The snakes marinade in Vodka and when you drink the elixir, you will receive superhuman sexual powers. 

The air smelled sweet and sour as the workers were preparing various coconut treats. From candy various candies, to liquor, to handbags, coconuts play a critical role  in the livelihood of those living along the Mekong. 

A person in a red plaid shirt and black helmet rides a scooter down a paved path lined with lush green tropical trees.

The last part of the trip was lunch aboard the Le Jarai which was delicious Vietnamese cuisine and had a mini cooking class, were we learned how to make fried rolls and most importantly - how to roll them!

A smiling woman in the foreground with a boat traveling on a wide, muddy river bordered by green trees under a blue sky.

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About No Destinations

No Destinations is the travel blog of Chris & Danika Garlotta. In 2014, we quit our jobs, sold everything, rented out our house in San Francisco, and boarded a one-way flight to Europe. That decision turned into four years traveling the world full-time, visiting over 250 destinations and sharing our favorites hotels, restaurants, cruises, and experiences along the way.

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© 2014–2026

No Destinations. All rights reserved. All photos and written content are the property of No Destinations and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used without explicit written permission.

About No Destinations

No Destinations is the travel blog of Chris & Danika Garlotta. In 2014, we quit our jobs, sold everything, rented out our house in San Francisco, and boarded a one-way flight to Europe. That decision turned into four years traveling the world full-time, visiting over 250 destinations and sharing our favorites hotels, restaurants, cruises, and experiences along the way.

Search…

© 2014–2026

No Destinations. All rights reserved. All photos and written content are the property of No Destinations and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used without explicit written permission.

About No Destinations

No Destinations is the travel blog of Chris & Danika Garlotta. In 2014, we quit our jobs, sold everything, rented out our house in San Francisco, and boarded a one-way flight to Europe. That decision turned into four years traveling the world full-time, visiting over 250 destinations and sharing our favorites hotels, restaurants, cruises, and experiences along the way.

Search…

© 2014–2026

No Destinations. All rights reserved. All photos and written content are the property of No Destinations and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used without explicit written permission.