As tourism took off in the Mekong Delta, the picturesque little province of Ben Tre was always one ferry beyond the tourist traffic of My Tho and consequently has developed at a more languid pace. That could be all set to change with the new bridge about to open, finally plugging BenTre into the big time. The town’s sleepy waterfront, lined with ageing villas, makes fro a pleasant stroll, and there’s some good exploring to be had in the rustic settlement across the bridge to the south of the centre. This is also a good place to arrange boat trips in the area, particularly for those wanting to escape the tour buses.

Ben Tre is particularly famous for its Keo Dua (coconut candy). Many local women work in small factories making these sweets spending their days boiling cauldrons of sticky coconut mixture, before rolling it out and cutting sections off into square, and finally wrapping them into paper for sale.