Quick Facts: Ben Tre City Port | Vietnam | Ben Tre River Wharf (Bến Tàu Bến Tre) | Dock (small vessels) / Tender (large cruise ships) | ~2 km to city center | UTC+7 (Indochina Time)
Ben Tre City is the gateway to one of Vietnam’s most intimate and unhurried corners of the Mekong Delta — a province famously nicknamed “Xứ Dừa,” the Land of Coconuts, where rivers split and rejoin endlessly through groves of swaying palms. Most large ocean-going cruise ships anchor offshore and tender passengers into the Ben Tre River Wharf, so factor in 20–30 minutes of transit time when planning your day. The single most important tip: book a boat excursion before you arrive, because the canals and waterways are the attraction here — walking the streets alone won’t give you the real Ben Tre experience.
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Port & Terminal Information
Terminal Name: Ben Tre River Wharf (locally: Bến Tàu Bến Tre), situated along Đồng Khởi Street on the northern bank of the Ben Tre River. There is no purpose-built international cruise terminal in the Western sense — arrivals are handled at the riverside wharf, which is functional but modest in its facilities.
Dock vs. Tender: Smaller expedition-style cruise ships and river cruise vessels (such as those operated by Mekong river cruise lines) can dock directly at the wharf. Larger ocean-going vessels anchor in deeper water offshore and tender passengers in — this tender ride typically takes 15–25 minutes each way and operates on a schedule, so pay close attention to your ship’s last tender announcement. Missing the final tender here is a genuine logistical challenge, as Ben Tre is not a major international transport hub.
Terminal Facilities:
- ATMs: There is no ATM directly at the wharf. The nearest reliable ATMs are at Vietcombank and BIDV branches on Đồng Khởi Street, approximately 5–10 minutes on foot.
- Luggage Storage: No formal storage at the wharf. Your ship is the safest place to leave luggage.
- Wi-Fi: No reliable public Wi-Fi at the terminal itself. Head to any café in the city center for free Wi-Fi within minutes.
- Tourist Information: There is no staffed tourist desk at the wharf. Local guides and tour operators often position themselves near the tender/dock arrival point — a convenient but slightly chaotic welcoming committee.
- Shuttle: No official port shuttle. Transport into the center is by taxi, xe ôm (motorbike taxi), or on foot.
- Distance to City Center: Approximately 1.5–2 km from the wharf to the heart of Ben Tre City. Check orientation on [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/Ben+Tre+City+cruise+terminal) before you step ashore.
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Getting to the City
Ben Tre City is compact and navigable, though the roads between the wharf and the center can feel busier than expected. Here are your real options:
- On Foot — The city center is a flat, manageable 15–20 minute walk from the Ben Tre River Wharf along Đồng Khởi Street heading southeast. The riverside promenade is pleasant in the early morning before heat peaks. This is practical if you’re just browsing the market or hitting the nearest attractions, but not ideal if you plan to explore the canal villages or outlying coconut farms.
- Cyclo (Pedicab) — The most atmospheric way to cover that 2 km gap. Negotiate before you board; expect to pay 30,000–50,000 VND (roughly $1.25–$2 USD) for a one-way ride to the center. Drivers often double as informal guides and will point out landmarks en route. Ask your driver to wait if you plan a short stop.
- Xe Ôm (Motorbike Taxi) — Ubiquitous near the wharf. A short ride into town costs 20,000–40,000 VND (~$0.85–$1.65 USD). Agree on the price first; show the destination on your phone in Vietnamese if needed. Helmets are typically provided and you should insist on wearing one.
- Grab (App-Based Taxi/Bike) — Vietnam’s equivalent of Uber works reliably in Ben Tre City. Download the [Grab app](https://www.grab.com) before you board your cruise and connect to Wi-Fi at the first café you find ashore. A GrabCar from the wharf to the city center runs approximately 40,000–70,000 VND ($1.65–$2.90 USD). Far better value and transparency than flagging a random taxi.
- Taxi — Metered taxis from companies like Mai Linh (green cabs, tel: 0292 3535 353) are legitimate and safe. The meter fare from the wharf to the center will be 30,000–60,000 VND. Scam tip: Avoid any cab that refuses to use the meter, quotes you a flat “tourist price” of $5–10 USD, or approaches you aggressively at the wharf gate — these are almost certainly inflated.
- Bus/Metro — No metro exists. Local buses do operate within Ben Tre province but routes, schedules, and stops are not tourist-friendly, signage is only in Vietnamese, and journey times are unpredictable. Not recommended on a tight port day.
- Hop-On Hop-Off — No HOHO bus service operates in Ben Tre City. The city is too small and too canal-laced for this model.
- Rental Scooter — Possible through guesthouses and small rental shops in the city center (look along Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street), usually 150,000–200,000 VND per day (~$6–$8.50 USD). This is genuinely excellent for exploring the coconut island roads and back-lane villages at your own pace. An international driving permit is technically required for motorized vehicles. If you’re confident on two wheels in moderate traffic, this is a liberating way to see the area. If not, stick with guided transport.
- Ship Shore Excursion — Worth booking for first-time Mekong visitors who want seamless logistics (guides, boats, and lunch included), or for anyone who prefers not to navigate independently. Ship excursions here typically run $80–$130 USD per person and cover sampan boat rides, coconut candy factories, and village visits. Going independently via [Viator](https://www.viator.com/search/Ben+Tre+City) or [GetYourGuide](https://www.getyourguide.com/s/?q=Ben+Tre+City¤cy=USD&partner_id=MHU0UHU) costs significantly less and often delivers a more personal experience.
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Top Things to Do in Ben Tre City, Vietnam
Ben Tre rewards curiosity — its most memorable moments are usually found not in museums or temples but out on the water, deep in a coconut grove, or sitting cross-legged on a bamboo mat eating fresh fruit. Here are the experiences worth your shore day:
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Must-See
1. Sampan Boat Ride Through the Mekong Canals (from ~$15–25 USD for a private boat hire, or included in tours) — This is non-negotiable. Climbing into a narrow wooden sampan and gliding through the labyrinthine waterways of the Ben Tre canal network is the single defining experience of this port. The low-slung boats pass under canopies of water coconut palms, past women washing laundry on wooden docks, and alongside floating fish farms. Book ahead through [a guided half-day tour on Viator](https://www.viator.com/search/Ben+Tre+City) 🎟 Book: Ben Tre: Scooter, Culture, Sailboat and Mekong Food (Half Day) to include local guide commentary, snacks, and a pre-arranged route. Allow 2–3 hours minimum.
2. Ben Tre Coconut Candy Workshops (free to watch / ~$1–3 USD to buy samples) — Ben Tre produces the majority of Vietnam’s coconut-based sweets and the small artisan factories clustered in and around Phuong 7 district are genuinely fascinating to visit. Watch women hand-roll coconut milk candy mixed with peanuts, pandan, and durian, wrap them in edible rice paper, and package them into gift boxes at extraordinary speed. Almost every organized boat tour includes a workshop stop, or you can reach one independently by xe ôm. Budget 30–45 minutes and leave room in your bag. Allow 30–45 minutes.
3. Nguyen Dinh Chieu Temple (free) — Ben Tre’s most celebrated native son was the 19th-century blind poet Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, whose defiant, patriotic verse made him a cultural hero across the Mekong Delta. His memorial temple in Ba Tri district (about 35 km from the city center — better as a day-trip add-on) is a serene, incense-scented tribute where locals still leave offerings. For those staying within the city, a modest monument to him stands on the boulevard bearing his name. Allow 20–30 minutes.
4. Ben Tre Market (Chợ Bến Tre) (free to browse) — The central market on Trúc Giang Lake Boulevard is a proper working wet market, not a tourist showcase. Stalls spill out across the ground floor selling live fish scooped from buckets, mountains of tropical fruit, dried shrimp, palm sugar cakes, and every variety of coconut-derived product imaginable. Go early (before 9am) for the best energy and the freshest produce. It can feel chaotic and wonderfully aromatic — in both directions. Allow 45 minutes.
5. Trúc Giang Lake (free) — The ornamental lake at the heart of Ben Tre City is the town’s breathing space — fringed with shade trees, small food stalls, and a walking/cycling path that locals use for morning exercise. It’s a 5-minute walk from the central market and makes an ideal pause between activities. Pack a light snack from the market and sit for 15 minutes. You’ll feel the rhythm of the city settle around you. Allow 20–30 minutes.
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Beaches & Nature
Ben Tre is a river-delta destination, not a beach port. Ocean swimming is not part of the picture here. Its natural gifts are waterways, mangroves, and coconut forest.
6. Phoenix Island / Phụng Island (Cồn Phụng) (boat transport ~50,000–80,000 VND return; island entry ~30,000 VND / ~$1.25 USD) — One of the four main islands in the Ben Tre River, Phụng Island (also known as Phoenix Island) was famously home to the “Coconut Monk,” a Vietnamese mystic who built an eccentric open-air meditation complex here in the 1960s. The crumbling, fantastical architecture — dragon-wrapped columns, rocket-shaped towers, lotus-petal platforms — has a haunting, overgrown charm. Traditional music performances and local handicraft stalls are found here too. Reachable by short boat ride from the Ben Tre wharf or via a [full-day Mekong tour on Viator](https://www.viator.com/search/Ben+Tre+City) 🎟 Book: Mekong Delta tour: Ben Tre 1 day by DGT . Allow 1–1.5 hours including boat transfer.
7. Coconut Palm Forest Cycling (bike rental ~50,000–80,000 VND / ~$2–3.50 USD per half day) — The flat back roads of Ben Tre’s rural communes — particularly around Châu Thành district on the outskirts of the city — are extraordinary for cycling. The lanes narrow to single-track paths between towering coconut palms, past duck ponds and vegetable plots, with almost zero traffic. Many tour operators include a cycling segment; alternatively, hire a bicycle from a guesthouse in town. This is the experience that makes Instagram feel inadequate. Allow 1.5–2.5 hours.
8. Mangrove Forest Boat Exploration (included in most canal tours, or private boat hire ~$15–20 USD) — The tidal mangrove systems on the southern reaches of Ben Tre province are dense, wild, and birdlife-rich. A dedicated mangrove boat tour takes you through narrow channels where the tree roots form cathedral arches above the water. Best experienced at high tide in the early morning. Ask your tour operator specifically for mangrove canal routing if this appeals — not all standard sampan tours go here. Allow 1–2 hours.
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Day Trips
9. My Tho Day Trip (~70 km northwest, ~1.5 hours by car/bus) — The capital of Tiền Giang province, My Tho is the Mekong Delta’s most-visited city and pairs naturally with Ben Tre on a combined day excursion. River boat tours departing My Tho visit island orchards, honey-bee farms, and floating rice-paddy villages. A combined [My Tho and Ben Tre full-day tour on Viator](https://www.viator.com/search/Ben+Tre+City) 🎟 Book: My Tho Ben Tre Mekong River full day trip runs from around $43.59 USD and covers both towns’ highlights efficiently — ideal if you want maximum Mekong Delta content in a single day. Allow full day.
10. Ba Tri Salt Fields (~35 km from Ben Tre City, ~45 minutes by car) — One of the Mekong Delta’s lesser-known working landscapes: vast flat salt evaporation pans tended by farmers with traditional wooden rakes, best photographed in the early morning when the white salt plains catch the light at a low angle. It’s not on any standard tour circuit, which makes it all the more satisfying to seek out. Hire a private driver or scooter for the day. Allow 2–3 hours including travel.
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Family Picks
11. Coconut Candy Making Class (~$10–20 USD per person, typically included in half-day tours) — Kids genuinely love this. A hands-on session at a family-run workshop lets children (and adults) roll, shape, and wrap their own coconut candies under the guidance of a patient local artisan. The finished products go home in a little paper bag as the best edible souvenir of the day. Easy to add to any standard Ben Tre canal tour. Allow 45–60 minutes.
12. Fruit Orchard Visit on Cồn Quy Island (boat transfer ~50,000–80,000 VND; orchard entry typically included or ~30,000 VND) — Cồn Quy (Turtle Island) sits in the Ben Tre River and is blanketed in tropical fruit orchards — longan, jackfruit, rambutan, starfruit, and mangosteen depending on season. Families can taste unlimited fresh fruit while sitting in an open-sided pavilion serenaded by live traditional đờn ca tài tử folk music. Children and adults eat their weight in fruit and leave completely happy. Allow 1–1.5 hours.
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Off the Beaten Track
13. Rural Homestay Boat Visit — Thanh Phong Commune (best arranged via private tour, ~$40–50 USD including transport and lunch) — Thanh Phong, a coastal commune in Thạnh Phú district about 60 km south of Ben Tre City, is almost entirely unknown to mainstream tourism. A private boat trip here takes you through un-touched mangrove tidal channels to a traditional fishing community where families still build wooden boats by hand and dry shrimp on bamboo racks along the river bank. This is as authentic as rural Vietnam gets from a cruise port. Book through [a private Ben Tre rural life tour on GetYourGuide](https://www.getyourguide.com/s/?q=Ben+Tre+City¤cy=USD&partner_id=MHU0UHU). Allow a full day.
14. Mỏ Cày Coconut Craft Village (~25 km from Ben Tre City, ~35 minutes by car) — This small district town is the production center for Ben Tre’s famous coconut-shell handicrafts — bowls, lampshades, jewelry, furniture inlaid with coconut shell, and hand-carved figurines. The roadside workshops welcome curious visitors and prices are significantly lower than what you’ll find back at cruise-port souvenir stalls. Worth the 35-minute journey if you’re serious about shopping or craft culture. Allow 1–1.5 hours plus travel.
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What to Eat & Drink
Ben Tre’s food culture is inseparable from its geography — the rivers deliver fresh fish, crabs, and shrimp daily; the coconut groves supply milk, oil, sugar, and flesh to almost every dish on the local table; and the orchards provide a rotating cast of tropical fruit that changes with the season. Eating here is cheap, fresh, and
🎟️ Things to Book in Advance
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📍 Getting to Ben Tre City, Vietnam
Use the interactive map below to explore the port area and plan your route from the terminal.
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