Ben Tre City (Vietnam)

Ben Tre City is a Ham Luong River/Mekong River cruise port and the capital of Vietnam's Ban Tre Province (Mekong Delta region), with population around 290,000 (metro around 260,000) and land area approx 66 km2 / 25,4 mi2).

The city is on Bao Island and divided into three large districts (Chau Thanh, Giong Trom, Ba Tri).

Ben Tre is approx 85 km (53 mi) southwest of Vietnam's capital Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon.

Song Ham Luong River (a branch of the Mekong) flows approx 70 km (43 mi) through the province.

The two provinces (Ben Tre and Tien Giang) are connected over the Mekong via the Rach Mieu Bridge. The 2009-opened cable-stayed bridge is 2-lane (1 in each direction), has total length 8331 m/27333 ft (without the approach ramps/over water length is 2868 m / 9409 ft) and clearance/air draft 37,5 m (123 ft).

As cruise port, Ben Tre City was included for the first time in the 2022 schedule of the luxury travel brand Emerald Cruises (fka Emerald Waterways) via the riverboat Emerald Harmony (2019-built).

Next table shows the 7-day northbound Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary as call ports.

The voyage was also offered as cruisetour (17-day "Treasures and Temples of Vietnam and Cambodia" itinerary from Hanoi to Siem Reap) with prices starting from USD 3945 (EUR 3490) per person with double occupancy.

This land-and-cruise tour visits Hanoi (Days 1-2/overnight hotel stay), Halong Bay (Days 3-4/overnight boat tour), Hanoi-Saigon flight (Day 5), Saigon (Days 6-7/overnight hotel stay, cruise ship embarkation on Day 7), Ben Tre City (Day 8), cruising from Sa Dec to My An Hung (Day 9), cruising from An Long to Long Khanh Island (Day 10), Tan Chau and Vietnam-Cambodia border crossing (Day 11), Phnom Penh (Days 12-13/overnight), cruising from Phnom Penh to Oudong and Prek Kdam Bridge (Day 14/ship debarkation), bus travel to Siem Reap (Day 14), Siem Reap (Days 15-16-17/overnight hotel stay).

The 17-day cruisetour is inclusive of 7 hotel nights, 2 nights "Bhaya Classic Cruise (on a traditional Junk Boat), 7 nights on the cruise ship, airport-hotel transfers, local tour guides, port fees, Gov taxes, all gratuities. Ticket price-inclusive excursions include Hanoi (city tour), Cu Chi Tunnels, Dat Dua (workshop), Tan Long Pagoda, Long Khanh Island (scarf-weaving workshop, Hoa Hao Pagoda), Evergreen Island, Phnom Penh (Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the Khmer Killing Fields, Royal Palace, Central Market), Oudong Temples, Angkor Thom/Nokor Thom (archaeological site), Siem Reap (Ta Prohm Temple, Angkor Wat).