First published September 2025 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle | Read time 10 minutes
Tom Divers is the founder and creator of Vietnam Coracle. In 2005 he moved from his native London to Vietnam, where he has been living, working and travelling ever since. He pays rent in Ho Chi Minh City but is more often on the road, riding his motorbike a quarter of a million kilometres across Vietnam to research guides to the farthest-flung corners of the nation. When he’s not in the saddle, you’ll find him on a beach with a margarita, in a tent on a mountainside or at a streetside noodle house: in other words, at the ‘office’. Read more about Tom: Q&A, About Page, Vietnam Tourism website.
Deep within the vast tracks of rice fields, wetlands, lotus lakes and eucalyptus forests in Đồng Tháp Province, Việt Mekong Farmstay is a sustainable, community tourism initiative offering appealingly rustic lodgings within a peaceful landscape on the edge of the stork-filled Tràm Chim National Park. Thatched huts – accessed via raised wooden-plank walkways – sit among lush tropical fruit trees above flooded fields abuzz with chirping birds and croaking frogs. The home-cooked southern food – making use of the extraordinary abundance of ingredients in this fertile region – is superb. Family-run and friendly, Việt Mekong Farmstay can arrange all number of local tours and experiences for guests. Just 150km west of Ho Chi Minh City, this is a wonderful place for a couple of nights’ break from urban life or a stopover on a wider Mekong Delta itinerary. You can book here or contact the farmstay directly via WhatsApp or Zalo: (+84) [0] 91 315 8512
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REVIEW: VIET MEKONG FARMSTAY
Address: Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Khóm 2, Tràm Chim, Đồng Tháp Province, Vietnam [MAP]
Average Rates: $20-$25/night| BOOK HERE or WhatsApp/Zalo: (+84) [0] 91 315 8512
CONTENTS:
Search Box: Check Rates & Book
Vietnam Coracle reviews are 100% independent. I was not paid or sponsored in any way to stay at Việt Mekong Farmstay. I stayed at my own expense and have written this review on my own terms. If you value independent travel writing, support Vietnam Coracle with a donation or become a member of my Patreon community or purchase an Offline Guide & Map. Thank you, Tom
MAP:
Việt Mekong Farmstay
The Location:
Đồng Tháp is one of those Mekong provinces that most travellers either pass through on the way to somewhere else or simply skip completely. But, in many ways, Đồng Tháp represents the most romantic idea of the Mekong Delta. The vast expanses of flat, alluvial plains glistening in the sun, the huge, painterly skies, and the sensation of an endless and abundant land – warm, benevolent, full of potential. This is what the Mekong was for many thousands of settlers over the past few centuries who moved here from the north seeking land, space and the opportunity to build a new life. Known in Vietnamese as ‘Western Region’ (Miền Tây), in many ways the Delta has been Vietnam’s ‘wild west’. Đồng Tháp’s main city is Cao Lãnh, which is easily reached by bus from Ho Chi Minh City. One of the province’s best-known attractions is Tràm Chim National Park, an enormous wetlands teeming with birdlife. Việt Mekong Farmstay is located just 5-10 minutes’ drive from the park entrance and within walking distance of Tràm Chim village, an agreeable, friendly settlement with lakeside cafes and local street food.
Grounds & Layout:
Situated just a few hundred metres behind Tràm Chim village, but a world away from the cafes and eateries of its high street, Việt Mekong Farmstay occupies a large square of land, carved out from the surrounding alluvial plains and fields. Accessed via a series of dirt roads and dyke paths, the entrance to the farmstay is via the Lotus Restaurant, which acts as a kind of communal house: it’s a lobby, dinning room, games rooms and kitchen all-in-one. Branching out from here is a raised wood-plank walkway meandering above flooded rice fields, tropical fruit trees, lotus and lily ponds to a row of 10 guest rooms. All elevated above the wetlands, the rooms are thatched huts on wooden stilts with little terraces overlooking the fields and eucalyptus trees. Essentially, everything you can see from your room is part of the Việt Mekong Farmstay land. It’s very lush, peaceful, calm and beautiful. The landscape is flat but the skies are huge and impressive, and the foliage is so mature that it’s like being inside the animation of the Jungle Book movie.
Activities & Things to Do:
Personally, I was more than happy just ambling around the farmstay land – on the raised walkways, along the dykes separating the fields and on the stone pathways – taking in the surroundings and trying to identify the fruits and the flowers and various forms of wildlife while letting the natural soundtrack of insects, frogs and birdcalls hypnotize me into a peaceful state of mind. However, the farmstay can arrange all manner of activities for guests to partake in, from farming to fishing to cooking to wildlife spotting. I didn’t have enough time to get involved in these, but just ask the family and they will be happy to let you know what’s on offer. All activities attempt to promote sustainability and help the local community. In addition, Tràm Chim National Park is just north of the farmstay (it’s even walkable). From the park entrance it’s possible to take short hikes through the forest, sampans across the wetlands, climb the observation tower, and spot some of the many birds that the park is famous for.
Rooms & Decor:
There are only 10 rooms at Việt Mekong Farmstay. Connected by a stone path, all rooms are thatched wooden huts on stilts above the wetlands with delightful little terraces to sit out on and enjoy the views. Half the rooms have air-con, the other half are fan-cooled. Unless visiting during the hottest months (March-June), the fan-cooled rooms are fine because nighttime temperatures are relatively cool. Air-con rooms have a small toilet, shower and sink attached, but fan-cooled rooms share a row of outdoor bathroom cubicles, all of which are clean and well-maintained. The rooms are very attractive but also rustic and simple. These kind of huts are designed to be open: drop the mosquito net before 4pm and leave all the windows and doors open for ventilation. Not only does this keep the rooms cool, it also means you can hear the nighttime chorus of frogs and cicadas while you sleep. If you’re the kind of person who can’t tolerate geckos in the room and bugs on the walls, this is not the place for you.
Breakfast, Dining & Drinking:
Rates include a simple but tasty breakfast of fried eggs, baguette and freshly-brewed lotus flower tea, served in the luminous morning light in the main communal house. Home-cooked feasts of beautifully-presented southern-style Vietnamese dishes are available for guests, but it is necessary to book these in advance as they involve considerable preparation, especially as many of the ingredients are sourced from the farm’s own land. Just make sure you put in your request for dinner when you finish breakfast. Note that they meals are best enjoyed as a small group (3 or more), because that means you can sample a larger variety of dishes. Dinners are very atmospheric in the open-sided communal house with the sound of cicadas and frogs. Mosquitoes can be problem, so remember to bring repellent. Nearby, in Tràm Chim village, there are several tasty quán cơm (local rice eateries) that are especially good for lunch. Also in the village are plenty of enticing open-air cafes by the fields and wetlands.
Summary:
Việt Mekong Farmstay is the kind of place where you feel immediately connected to the natural surroundings. It’s within a few hours’ drive of Ho Chi Minh City, but the contrast couldn’t be greater. Stay here for a short break from the city or as part of a wider Mekong adventure. The farmstay’s activities and proximity to Tràm Chim National Park and village give guests plenty of opportunity to find things to do. The food at the farmstay and in the village is excellent. Given the standard of accommodation – highly atmospheric but very basic – I would expect rates to be lower than they are. It’s also worth noting that the farmstay sometimes receives group bookings (especially on weekends) and this would be a significantly different atmosphere to the one I experienced, as I was the only guest there.
*To check rates & make a booking for Việt Mekong Farmstay BOOK HERE or contact the farmstay directly via WhatsApp or Zalo: (+84) [0] 91 315 8512
*Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free & independent. I’ve written this review because I want to: I like this farmstay & I want my readers to know about it. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements & my About Page
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