Can Gio Mangrove Forest as a day trip
Can Gio Mangrove has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 2000. It is a brackish mangrove area shaped by the Saigon and Đồng Nai river systems. A biosphere reserve is not a World Heritage site, and not every part of it is open to visitors, so the day trip focuses on set visitor areas such as Vàm Sát.
At Vàm Sát the visitor area has mangroves, a bat area, birds, wild long-tailed macaques and a crocodile enclosure. Wildlife is never guaranteed, and the crocodiles are kept animals, not wild ones. The trip is a quiet day among trees and water, not a beach trip.
Our pick: Can Gio
This trip has the ferry and lunch built in, which helps if you want to see Can Gio in one day.
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Can Gio day trips from Ho Chi Minh City
Mangrove forest, boat rides and the Bình Khánh ferry, with live prices and availability.
How to get to Can Gio
By road and ferry. There is no bridge yet.
The route
The road to Vàm Sát runs along Huỳnh Tấn Phát and over the Bình Khánh ferry. After the ferry it is about 14 km to the Lý Nhơn junction and a further 20 km to the site. Boat access is also possible from Dần Xây after a drive.
The ferry
The Bình Khánh ferry runs 24 hours and the crossing takes about 15 minutes. Add waiting time at busy hours. Fares and timetables change, so ask on the day.
The planned bridge
A Cần Giờ bridge is planned. The main construction is due to start in September 2027 and finish in 2029, so for now the ferry is the way across.
Coastal works
Large coastal and infrastructure works are under way along the coast. Check current access to the places you want to visit and do not plan around swimming at the 30/4 beach.
Prices, birds and monkeys
The Vàm Sát visitor area sells a combo for grounds, transfer, the Tang Bồng tower, the macaque area and the crocodile area at VND 55,000. The package with a bat boat is VND 210,000. Other services cost extra, and these are not an entry fee for the whole biosphere reserve.
Birds gather from about April to October, and the bird reserve visit is most reliable from May to October. Outside those months do not expect large flocks.
Macaques live wild in the area. Do not feed or touch them, and keep bags closed. If a monkey bites or scratches you, see a doctor. Whether you see them on your day is not certain.
Which Can Gio trip to choose
By time and interest.
| Option | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Guided day trip with transfer | Visitors without their own vehicle | Check what the price includes |
| Own transport to Vàm Sát | Flexible timing | Ferry wait and a long road after it |
| Bird season visit, May to October | Bird watching | Flocks vary by day |
For most visitors, a guided trip with transfer is the easiest way to cross the ferry and see the mangroves in one day.
Can Gio: frequently asked questions
How do I get to Can Gio from Ho Chi Minh City?
By road and over the Bình Khánh ferry, which runs 24 hours. A bridge is planned for 2029, so the ferry is the way across for now.
Will I see monkeys at Can Gio?
Wild long-tailed macaques live around Vàm Sát, but a sighting is never guaranteed. Do not feed or touch them.
Can I swim at Can Gio?
Do not plan on it. Swimming at the 30/4 beach is not something to count on, and coastal works are under way.
When is the bird season?
Birds gather from about April to October. The bird reserve visit at Vàm Sát is most reliable from May to October.
Is Can Gio a national park?
No. It is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, which is not the same as a World Heritage site, and not every zone is open to visitors. Day trips go to set visitor areas such as Vàm Sát.