Vinh Long 2026: An Binh Island Homestays & Mang Thit Kilns

Vinh Long (Vĩnh Long) is a relaxed Mekong Delta town on the Co Chien River, about 100 km (2–2.5 hours) from Saigon and an hour from Can Tho. Most visitors take the short ferry to An Binh island for orchards, cycling and garden homestays (about 350,000–900,000 VND a night), and visit the red-brick kilns of Mang Thit.

Status (checked October 2026): open as normal. Ferries to An Binh island run throughout the day. Since the mid-2025 mergers, Vinh Long is the centre of an enlarged Vinh Long province that also covers former Ben Tre and Tra Vinh. Many Mang Thit kilns are no longer fired, so visit with a guide who knows which are still working.

Why Vinh Long is worth seeing:

An Binh island: orchards, canals and lanes just a short ferry ride from town.
Authentic homestays: sleep in a riverside garden and eat with a local family.
Mang Thit kilns: a century-old “red kingdom” of dome-shaped brick and pottery kilns.
Fewer crowds: far quieter than the My Tho islands.
Perfect stopover: on the road between Saigon and Can Tho.

Vinh Long at a Glance

Vietnamese name	Vĩnh Long; Cù lao An Bình (An Binh island)
Location	Co Chien River, a branch of the Mekong; Vinh Long province
Distance	About 100 km from Ho Chi Minh City; about 35–40 km from Can Tho
Known for	An Binh island homestays, Mang Thit brick kilns, orchards, Van Thanh Mieu
Opening hours	Island and kilns: daytime; Van Thanh Mieu: daytime
Entrance fee	Free for the island, kilns and temple; ferry fare is small
Time needed	One night is ideal
Best time	December–April; May–August for fruit
Nearby	Cai Be, Can Tho, Ben Tre
Find it	Google Maps · Wikipedia

Is Vinh Long Worth Visiting?

Yes, especially for an overnight homestay. Vinh Long has few big sights, but An Binh island offers the slow, green Mekong experience many travellers hope for: cycling under fruit trees, ferries and dinner with a local family. It fits neatly into a two-day route from Saigon to Can Tho.

Best for: homestay lovers, cyclists, families and photographers (the kilns are striking).
Skip if: you have only one day from Saigon; choose My Tho and Ben Tre.
Short on time: afternoon on An Binh island, overnight, then on to Can Tho.

Background: Vinh Long and Its River Islands

Vinh Long developed as a provincial town in the 18th–19th centuries between the Tien and Hau branches of the Mekong. Its Van Thanh Mieu, completed in 1866, was one of the first three Confucian temples in southern Vietnam. The Co Chien River separates the town from An Binh island, a fertile island of orchards criss-crossed by canals.

Along the river towards Mang Thit, clay deposits gave rise to one of the country’s largest brick and pottery industries. In 2025 Vinh Long province merged with Ben Tre and Tra Vinh, and the town became the centre of a province of more than 4 million people.

What to See in Vinh Long

1. An Binh Island

Just across the Co Chien River, An Binh is a patchwork of longan, rambutan and pomelo orchards, small canals and quiet lanes. Cycle between gardens, cross monkey bridges and stop at family workshops.

Ferry crossing the river to An Binh Island, Vinh Long — Ferries cross to An Binh Island, known for orchards and homestays. Photo: trungydang, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

2. Homestays on An Binh

Garden homestays offer simple rooms or bungalows, home-cooked dinners (often elephant-ear fish or spring rolls you roll yourself) and bicycles. Staying overnight is the best way to see village life after the day visitors leave.

3. Mang Thit brick and pottery kilns

Hundreds of dome-shaped red kilns line the riverbanks for kilometres, especially in Nhon Phu and My An communes. The craft is more than a century old; at its peak there were thousands of kilns, but by 2023 only around 1,000 remained and a few dozen fired regularly. The province plans to protect the area as a heritage and tourism zone.

4. Puffed-rice candy village

On An Binh, artisans make cốm (puffed rice) and candy over wood fires, and visitors can try making it themselves.

5. Van Thanh Mieu

Completed in 1866, this Confucian temple on Tran Phu Street has a triple gate, tiled roofs with ceramic decoration and a peaceful courtyard.

6. Vinh Long night market and waterfront

The riverside promenade and night market (open until about 23:00) are lively in the evening, with snacks, fruit and grilled food.

7. Orchards of Vung Liem

Further south, Vung Liem is known for green-skinned pomelo, mangoes, durian and rambutan; visit in season for fruit-picking.

Prices and Practical Information (2026)

Item	Price	Notes
Ferry to An Binh island	A few thousand VND per person / motorbike	Runs frequently through the day
Garden homestay	About 350,000–900,000 VND per night	Meals usually extra
Mang Thit kilns	Free to view from outside	Ask before entering a working kiln
Van Thanh Mieu	Free	Daytime

Homestay prices vary by season and room type; book ahead at weekends and around Tet.

How to Get to Vinh Long

From	How	Time
Ho Chi Minh City	Car via the expressway and My Thuan bridges	About 2–2.5 hours
Mien Tay bus station	Bus to Vinh Long	About 2.5–3 hours
Can Tho	Car or bus over the Can Tho Bridge	About 1 hour
Cai Be	Boat across the Tien River or car	About 30–60 minutes

See our Mekong Delta transportation guide for bus and boat details.

Best Time to Visit Vinh Long

When	What to expect
December – April	Dry season; perfect for cycling An Binh
May – August	Fruit season in the orchards; afternoon showers
September – November	High water; lush, occasional heavy rain
Time of day	Kilns photograph best in the soft late-afternoon light

Local Expert Tips for Vinh Long

These tips come from years of arranging Mekong Delta tours for international travellers.

Book a homestay with bikes: An Binh is best explored at your own pace.
Visit the kilns with a guide: many are abandoned, and a guide knows where firing still happens.
Pack light: you may carry bags onto a small ferry.
Use insect repellent at dusk near the canals.
Leave early for Can Tho if you want the floating market at sunrise.
Read our Mekong Delta travel tips for more advice.

Vinh Long vs Ben Tre

Feature	Vinh Long	Ben Tre
Distance from Saigon	About 100 km	About 85 km
Highlights	An Binh homestays, Mang Thit kilns	Coconut canals, candy workshops
Crowds	Quiet	Moderate
Best for	Overnight on the way to Can Tho	Day trip from Saigon

Our view: choose Ben Tre for a day trip and Vinh Long for an overnight on a longer Mekong route.

Nearby Attractions

Cai Be: Romanesque church and heritage houses across the Tien River.
Can Tho: the Cai Rang floating market, an hour away.
Ben Tre: coconut villages.
My Tho: Vinh Trang Pagoda.

Mekong Delta for First-Time Visitors: Where Vinh Long Fits

Two days? Saigon – Cai Be – Vinh Long (homestay on An Binh) – Can Tho (Cai Rang at dawn) – Saigon. Compare routes in our Mekong Delta day trip guide and accommodation in where to stay in the Mekong Delta.

Plan your trip with our Mekong Delta travel guide and Mekong Delta tours. Contact Vietnam Tour Expert Team for a free custom itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions about Vinh Long

1. Where is Vinh Long?

Vinh Long is on the Co Chien branch of the Mekong, about 100 km south-west of Ho Chi Minh City and roughly an hour from Can Tho.

2. Which province is Vinh Long in after 2025?

Vinh Long is the centre of an enlarged Vinh Long province that, since the 2025 mergers, also includes former Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces.

3. What is Vinh Long famous for?

Vinh Long is famous for An Binh island with its orchards and homestays, the red-brick kilns of Mang Thit, the 19th-century Van Thanh Mieu and fruit such as pomelo and rambutan.

4. How do I get to An Binh Island from Vinh Long?

Take the short ferry or a boat across the Co Chien River from the Vinh Long waterfront; many homestays will meet you at the pier.

5. How much does a homestay in Vinh Long cost?

Garden homestays in Vinh Long and on An Binh island typically cost about 350,000–900,000 VND per night, often with home-cooked meals available.

6. What are the Mang Thit kilns in Vinh Long?

The Mang Thit kilns in Vinh Long are hundreds of dome-shaped brick and pottery kilns along the river, a craft area more than 100 years old known as the “red kingdom”.

7. Are the Mang Thit kilns in Vinh Long still working?

Some are. Thousands of kilns once operated near Vinh Long, but by 2023 only around 1,000 remained and only a few dozen fired regularly; the province plans to protect the area for tourism.

8. Can I visit Vinh Long on a day trip from Saigon?

Yes, but Vinh Long is best enjoyed with an overnight homestay, ideally on a two-day route continuing to Can Tho for the floating market.

9. Is Vinh Long better than Ben Tre?

Vinh Long is quieter than Ben Tre, with fewer tour groups and more homestays, while Ben Tre is closer to Saigon and better known for coconut workshops.

10. What is the best time to visit Vinh Long?

December to April is dry and pleasant in Vinh Long; May to August is peak fruit season in the orchards.

11. What should I eat in Vinh Long?

In Vinh Long try elephant-ear fish, fresh fruit from the orchards, puffed-rice candy from An Binh, and the lively night market; see our Mekong Delta food guide.