Step off the beaten path and into a world lit not by neon signs, but by the warm glow of oil lamps. On Ho Islet, a tiny islet in the heart of the Mekong River River, local farmers have turned their own homes and gardens into a living stage for a food tour unlike any other. Here, every dish is made from ingredients grown just a few steps away, every stop is a neighbor’s house, and every smile comes from the heart. As the sun sinks into the Mekong, you’ll wander from garden to garden by lamplight – tasting, talking, and stepping back in time.
Where is Ho Islet?
Just 15 kilometers from Cổ Chiên Bridge (on National Highway 60 between Ben Tre and Tra Vinh) and about 40 kilometers from downtown Tra Vinh, Ho Islet belongs to My Duc Commune in Cang Long District. At only 25 hectares, this little island sits in the middle of the wide Co Chien River, home to just 20 households surrounded by pomelo orchards, coconut groves, and fertile farmland.
What Makes Ho Islet So Special?
Life here moves to the rhythm of the seasons. Fruit trees sway in the river breeze, small livestock roam the gardens, and time feels unhurried. There’s no electricity on the island – only the golden glow of oil lamps and the occasional generator, used sparingly to run a fan or light the path for visitors.
The islet stretches just 1.2 kilometers long and 300 meters wide, with riverside homes and gardens spread across its length. Every dish on your plate comes directly from these gardens, and the “staff” serving you are the homeowners themselves – often joined by their children and relatives.
What stays with most visitors is the image of oil lamps shimmering in the night from houses along the banks and deep inside the fruit groves. In today’s modern Mekong Delta, it’s a rare and magical sight.
How the Oil-Lamp Food Tour Unfolds
Your journey begins in the late afternoon, when a small boat ferries you across the Co Chien River. It lets you watch the sun melt into the horizon before night falls and the oil lamps are lit.
Your first stop is a warm welcome at a local home, where you’ll sip butterfly pea flower tea and enjoy eggs baked in straw, eaten right in the garden. From there, you’ll stroll through rows of coconut and pomelo trees to a spot where herbal foot baths await with lemongrass, ginger, lime, and betel leaves picked fresh from the garden.
As dusk settles, oil lamps are lit and you follow their warm glow along the dike, stopping from house to house:
- Join locals to cook and savor authentic Mekong pancakes – “bánh xèo”.
- The Mekong special pomelo sweet soup.
- A peek into traditional rice wine – “rượu đế” making with a taste or two of the fiery rice wine and a bite of crispy fried bananas.
- Homemade fruit preserves like pomelo peel jam and chewy coconut candy.
The evening ends with a steaming bowl of countryside chicken porridge. The perfect close to a night of flavors, stories, and laughter.
Why You’ll Remember Ho Islet
Visiting Ho Islet isn’t just about the food. It’s about local connection. Here, hospitality isn’t polished or rehearsed. It’s heartfelt. This is farmer-led tourism at its purest: “We serve what we have, with all our heart.”
If you love rustic charm, warm people, and experiences that feel personal rather than packaged, bring your family or friends to Ho Islet. Walk its narrow paths, eat by oil lamp, and let this little island on the Mekong River leave its mark on your memory.
Copy right by Mekong Food Tour