1 - Dia Can Gio Island-Mangrove Biosphere Reserve-Trekking

Our guide Linda was amazing! My husband and I learned so much from her about the wildlife and ecosystem and history of Can Gio. We really appreciate how thoughtful and experiential the whole trip was and we would definitely do another tour.

Go deeper into the Red Forest area and learn about the life of the fighting team. Dinner at the shark farming site to see the economic activities of contemporary red forest and the Mekong basin.

We had a great time doing this tour. Linda is very knowledgeable and very friendly. She has communicated with us greatly throughout the tour.

We were picked up promptly from our accommodation and our guide Linda was very knowledgable, friendly, had great English, and made sure that we were informed from the very start of the tour. It took us roughly 2hrs to reach the Mangrove Forest/Monkey Island. The ferry crossing on the way was a genuinely interesting experience. The monkeys & mangroves were both great to walk around (the former a bit more cautiously!), and seeing the monkeys be both habituated to humans whilst still acting in a completely natural way was very cool. The Viet Cong exhibits in the jungle gave a somewhat surreal glimpse into how they lived & fought, and the boat ride back to the park entrance was great. We were then on the road again for probably 90mins to get around the riven to the Crocodile Farm. We had lunch first, followed by a self-directed stroll around the mangroves. There is a raised track through them but you will want decent shoes, there are some fairly sketchy parts to that path. Regardless, the mangroves without anyone else around (perhaps a wet-season luxury?) is a cool experience. The Crocodile Farm itself was not what I was expecting at all *in the best way possible*. Having seen a caged farm about the size of a shipping container earlier in my travels I was expecting the worst, but this is a genuinely free-roam protective farming setup. Crocodiles are separated from each other at different stages of growth to maximise survival, have a wide space to roam around in, and are either kept around in the local population, sent to zoos or used in other conservation efforts, or sustainably used by local villagers. And on top of that, the crocodile "fishing" is fantastic! You get to feed the crocs fish with simple rods attached to looped pieces of nylon (no hooks) and the "pop" that their jaws make when they close around it is something else. Following that we had another ~2hr drive back across the ferry to our accommodation. To summarise, Linda & the content of this tour are brilliant, the only reason I am not giving it 5/5 is due to the amount of the day you will spend driving from place to place. That is absolutely a symptom of starting & finishing in a major city, not a reflection on Linda or the tour itself, and if you have a spare day and have already seen enough tunnels, then this is a great option, just be more aware of the driving time like I should have made myself pre-booking.

We had a private tour with Linda today to Can Gio Island Biosphere. It was a great experience and a relief to get away from the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City. We were amazed by how many monkeys we were able to see at the monkey reserve. If you have contact lenses wear them and leave your eyeglasses behind. The monkeys will steal your glasses. I noticed that if you sit on the ground, the monkeys will climb on you. It was fun going out on boat to feed the crocodiles— they get pretty close. It was awesome! Lunch was very good. We had perfect weather and were the only Westerners there. So if you’re looking for something interesting to do and not too touristy, I recommend this trip. Our guide was very professional, friendly and knowledgeable. She made sure we understood what we were looking at and explained things clearly. It was a hot day and she kept us well hydrated.

Visiting Can Gio was an unforgettable escape from the busy streets of Ho Chi Minh City. Just a short drive away, I found myself immersed in a world of peaceful mangrove forests, fresh air, and unspoiled nature. The contrast between city life and this tranquil biosphere reserve was striking. Monkey Island was both entertaining and a little wild! The monkeys were full of energy and fun to watch. Visiting the crocodile farm was also a unique experience — seeing these creatures up close was exciting and a bit chilling. Our guide, Linda, was amazing. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about protecting the environment. Her stories and insights made the trip even more memorable. I highly recommend a visit to Can Gio for anyone looking to reconnect with nature and enjoy a different side of Vietnam — quiet, raw, and full of life.

If you're tired of the usual tourist spots and want something more authentic and close to nature, Can Gio is the ideal destination. As soon as we arrived at the mangrove forest, we were surrounded by peaceful greenery and the sounds of nature — it truly felt like escaping into a different world. Walking through the forest was relaxing, and the boat ride gave us a chance to appreciate the vast and untouched beauty of the area. Monkey Island was full of surprises — the monkeys were playful and curious, so make sure to hold on to your bags! Visiting the crocodile farm was both exciting and a little scary, especially seeing the crocodiles so close. The highlight of our trip was definitely our guide, Linda. She was professional, friendly, and knowledgeable.

Our guide Linda was perfect. The tour was exciting and very interesting. Our guide Linda was very kind and prepared. He explained everything in detail and accompanied us always with a smile and professionalism. I highly recommend.

The trip is very nice and Linda, our guide, was very good at explaining the history of the places we visited. Seeing monkeys was a unique experience. Linda recommended to be careful and at a distance, you can not touch or feed them.

Linda was great she taught us many things and gave instructions for safety well in advance. We had a great time fishing crocodiles, watching monkeys, fish market etc. Food was delicious, nipa fruit was yummy and Linda bought us icecream as well