Private Can Gio Mangrove Forest by Speedboat – Escape from Saigon
Description
Escape the busy streets of Saigon and discover the wild side of Vietnam at Can Gio Mangrove Forest — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — by speedboat. Cruise along the Saigon River and into a vast network of mangrove forests, where you’ll encounter diverse wildlife and experience a completely different side of the country. Visit Monkey Island, home to hundreds of long-tailed monkeys, and explore the unique ecosystem that makes this area so special. You’ll also have the chance to see saltwater crocodiles up close and learn about the region’s role in protecting Vietnam’s coastal environment. With a small-group setting and expert local guides, this experience offers a more immersive, natural, and less touristy alternative to typical city tours.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Cruise along the Saigon River toward the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-listed ecosystem rich in wildlife and natural beauty.
Enjoy the peaceful transition from the bustling city to lush mangrove forests, offering a refreshing and unique glimpse into southern Vietnam’s natural landscape.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pickup is available for selected hotels in central District 1. If your accommodation is not listed, please proceed to the meeting point at Saigon Waterbus Station (Bach Dang Pier). Please arrive at least 20 minutes before departure time. Our guide will be waiting at the main entrance area, T-shirt with "Saigon River Tour". Look for our team near the ticket counter area. If you have any difficulty finding the location, please contact us via WhatsApp or phone number provided in your booking confirmation.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Suitable for most travelers. This experience is well-paced and comfortable.
- This experience includes some light physical activity. Guests can skip certain activities if preferred.
- This experience is more active compared to standard bus tours.
Reviews(27)
Overall a nice river cruise, with fresh food and some croissants. Our guide Van was friendly and enthusiastic. Interesting crusing along Saigon River and seeing way of life. Can Gio/Vam Sat itself is interesting with good nature elements and animals, locals are friendly and offered a good lunch. The infrastructure in Can Gio is lacking and is in need of repair and investment - a lot of it feels quite dilapidated. We would have chosen an alternative destination if known this in advance. Of course, this is not an issue with Saigon River Tour. Would recommend Saigon River Tour, but probably a destination besides Can Gio until facilities improve.
Dear Daniel Huang, Thank you very much for taking the time to share such thoughtful and balanced feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the river cruise experience, the fresh food, and Van’s friendly and enthusiastic guiding. Cruising along the Saigon River and seeing local life is truly a unique perspective, and we’re happy it resonated with you. We also sincerely appreciate your honest comments regarding Can Gio / Vam Sat. Your feedback is completely understood, and we agree that infrastructure development is a broader destination matter beyond our control. We’re grateful that you recognized this and still felt confident recommending Saigon River Tour. Your insights are very valuable and help future guests make informed choices. Thank you again for your trust and recommendation. We hope to welcome you back on another journey—perhaps to a different destination that better matches your expectations. Best regards, Anthony Nguyễn – CEO WhatsApp: +84 902 446 346
Sang was an excellent tour guide. We had a memorable experience. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Highly recommend him to others
Dear Ahmed Iftekhar, Thank you very much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you had a memorable experience and thoroughly enjoyed your Cu Chi Tunnels trip. Sang will be very happy to know that his guiding made a positive impression on your journey. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another wonderful experience in the future. Best regards, Anthony Nguyễn – CEO WhatsApp: +84 902 446 346
Great family experience, our tour guide Mr Phat was very knowledgeable and provided excellent service. We were able to spot giant bats in the mangroves, fed macaque monkeys, went in a special cage to feed crocodiles. My two teenage boys had a blast! Lunch was delicious and plentiful. My boys had an incredible unforgettable experience. I highly recommend this tour specially for families.
Dear Airena-Hu, Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful review of our VIP Vam Sat – Can Gio Mangrove Forest Tour by Speedboat. We are truly delighted to hear that you and your family had such an amazing experience. It’s great to know that your two teenage boys enjoyed spotting the giant bats, feeding the macaque monkeys, and experiencing the crocodile feeding cage — these are indeed some of the most exciting highlights of the mangrove forest. We’re also very happy that you found the lunch delicious and plentiful. We will gladly pass your kind words to Mr. Phat, who will be thrilled to know that his knowledge and attentive service made your trip even more memorable. Thank you once again for choosing Saigon River Tour. We sincerely appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you and your family back on another adventure soon! Warm regards, Anthony Nguyen Whatsapp +84(0)909695256
Money and time well spent. Our guide Chi is a superstar and even after extensive reading, this tour taught me a lot. Highly recommend.
Dear Peter M, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time with us in Ho Chi Minh City and found the tour both valuable and insightful. Chi will be so happy to know he made your experience special, he truly is a superstar! We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back on another river adventure soon. Best regards, Anthony Nguyen | Managing Director Whatsapp +84 0902 446 346
We had a great experience with Saigon River Tours on the Can Gio Mangrove Forest tour. The speedboat ride was smooth and scenic, offering a unique view of life along the river. The tour was well-organized, with highlights like exploring the mangroves, spotting wildlife, and enjoying a delicious local lunch. Our guide, Trang, was friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended for a nature-filled escape from Ho Chi Minh City!
Dear Sarah Baeumler, Thanks for choosing Vam Sat Can Gio Mangrove Forest VIP Tour by Luxury Speed Boat organised by Saigon River Tour! Hope you had a good time with us, especially in Trang and our operation team (crew team, Sugar Town bakery and Vam Sat lunch supplier). Nice to see you in next trip! Best regards, Anthony Nguyen | Managing Director Whatsapp +84 0902 446 346
We had a great trip with only 5 people on a speedboat. The ride was very pleasant, our tour guide Moon was so friendly, warm and very attentive and speaks perfect English! We were very well catered for, there was banh mi, fruit, coffee, water and a huge lunch. On the tour we visited a local market, took a boat trip through a mangrove forest with bats, watched monkeys, fished crocodiles and made several hikes through the jungle.
Liebe Janin Domigalle, Vielen Dank, dass Sie sich für die Tour zum Can Gio Mangrovenwald mit dem Luxus-Schnellboot von Saigon River Tour entschieden haben! Wir hoffen, Sie hatten eine schöne Zeit bei uns, insbesondere bei Moon und unserem Team (Crew, Bäckerei Nhu Lan und Mittagessenlieferant Vam Sat). Schön, Sie bei Ihrer nächsten Reise wiederzusehen! Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Anthony Nguyen | Geschäftsführer WhatsApp: +84 (0) 902 446 346
I just got back from a trip to the Cam Gio mangrove biosphere and it was amazing! Definitely off the beaten path, we didn't see any other tourists. The boat there was fun and comfy, and we got to see everything! A huge bat colony, crocodiles which we got to feed, a troupe of monkey mamas and their babies, and beautiful birds! You end with this incredible Vietnamese lunch, my only complaint was that it was SO MUCH incredible food I ate too much and there was still a bunch left over. But the best part of the trip was Yo! Our guide! He was as excited to see the mangroves as we were, and he was great at talking about the history of the mangroves, and their recovery after the Vietnam war. Even when we passed through the land of little wormy caterpillars he was a champ, and always made sure we had plenty of water and got to see all the exciting things! That man deserves a raise because he was the best. Overall, 10/10, I couldn't recommend doing it enough!
Dear Ariana Barusch, Thanks for choosing Can Gio Mangrove & Monkey Tour by Speed Boat organised by Saigon River Tour! Hope you had a good time with us, especially in Yo and our operation team (crew team, Sugar Town bakery and Vam Sat lunch supplier). Nice to see you in next trip! Best regards, Anthony Nguyen | Managing Director WhatsApp: +84 (0) 902 446 346
In a little over an hour, you can take a motorboat out of the center of Saigon and into another world. From the boat you can watch life in and by the river. You quickly notice once the national park is reached.. expect a mangrove forest, bats, crocodiles, monkeys, diverse bird species and of course insects and reptiles.
Lieber Christian Schmidt, Vielen Dank, dass Sie sich für das Biosphärenreservat Can Gio Mangrove by Luxury Speed Boat of Saigon River Tour entschieden haben! Ich hoffe, Sie hatten eine gute Zeit bei uns, insbesondere bei Rambo und unserem Bootsservice-Team. Schön, Sie bei der nächsten Reise zu sehen! Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Anthony Nguyen | Geschäftsführer WhatsApp: +84 (0) 902 446 346
I had an amazing experience on this tour. Everything was superb. the boat ride to the reserve, the stunning scenery, the crocodiles and the monkeys. Anthony arranged everything efficiently and Sunny, my guide for the day, was most informative. I really recommend this trip to anyone coming to Ho Chi Minh City and wants to get out of the city for a morning.
Dear Mark Dunne, Thanks for choosing Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve by Luxury Speedboat of Saigon River Tour! Hope you had a good time with us, especially in and our service team. Nice to see you in next trip! Best regards, Anthony Nguyen | Managing Director WhatsApp: +84 (0) 902 446 346
Great ride by speedboat on the river, and the environment gradually changed from hectic metropolis to deserted mangrove forest. Nice paddling in the mangrove, and beautiful birds and giant flag mice. Then view of the forest and feeding of crocodiles and monkeys. Lunch on the way (seafood and local shrimp in total:-))
Dear Endre Jo Reite, Thanks for choosing Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve by Luxury Speedboat of Saigon River Tour! Hope you had a good time with us, especially in Sunny and our Vam Sat Can Gio service. Nice to see you in next trip! Best regards, Anthony Nguyen | Managing Director WhatsApp: +84 (0) 902 446 346
