Phoenix Island Until his imprisonment for anti-government activities and the consequent dispersion of his flock, the Coconut Monk (Dao Dua) led a small community on Phoenix Island (Con Phung), a few kilometres from My Tho. The Coconut Monk left his family behind to pursue a monastic life and he sat on a stone slab under […]
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Tra Vinh which is one of the most beautiful towns in the Mekong Delta, are still lined with shady trees, harking back to an earlier era. With more than 140 Khmer pagodas dotting the province, Tra Vinh is a quiet destination for exploring the Mekong’s little-touted Cambodian connection. The town itself sees minimal tourist traffic, […]
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The capital of Vinh Long province and plonked about midway between My Tho and Can Tho, Vinh Long is not the biggest town in the Mekong Delta, yet as a major transit hub it can be noisy and bustling nonetheless. Flee the mayhem by heading to the riverfront, where plenty of cafes and restaurants afford […]
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When the French subjugated Indochina in the 19th century, the hope of an independent Kampuchea Krom would be forever destroyed. Even though the majority in southern Vietnam at that time were the ethnic Khmer, the French didn’t incorporate the colony with Cambodia but made it a separate protectorate known as Cochinchina. It was on 4 […]
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The epicentre of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho is the largest city in the region and feels like a metropolis after a few days exploring the backwaters. It’s just as the political, economic, cultural and transportation centre of the Mekong Delta, it’s a buzzing town with a lively waterfront lined with sculpted gardens and an […]
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Ha Tien Ha Tien may be a part of the Mekong Delta but lying on the Gulf of Thailand. It feels like a world away from the rice fields and rivers that typify the area. Plantations of pepper trees cling to the hillsides. On a clear day, Phu Quoc Island is visible to the west. […]
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Bac Lieu & Around Few people pay a visit to Bac Lieu, but bird – watchers pass through en route to the remarkable sanctuary near town. There is a few charming but forlorn French colonial buildings lining the waterfront, yet little else of interest. The grandest of these buildings is the Cong Tu Hotel (0781-395 […]
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It’s a useful base to explore Khmer temples in the area, even though you can probably skip these if Cambodia is on your radar. Sights Bat Pagoda BUDDHIST TEMPLE This large and peaceful pagoda compound with a resident colony of fruit bats. Literally hundreds of these creatures hang from the trees: the largest weigh […]
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On the swampy shores of the Ganh Hao River, Ca Mau, which covers the southern tip of the Mekong Delta, is the capital and sole city in Ca Mau province. It’s a remote and inhospitable area that wasn’t cultivated until the late 17th century. Due to the boggy terrain, Ca Mau has the lowest population […]
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U-Minh Forest The town of Ca Mau borders the U-Minh Forest (admission 10,000d; 6am-5pm, closed Mar-May), a vast mangrove forest which covers 1000 sq km of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces. Local people make use of certain species of mangrove as a source of timber, charcoal, thatch and tannin. Together with being an important […]
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