Vinh Long

Area: 1,479.1 sq. km

Population: 1,028.4 thousand habitants (April 2009)

Capital: Vinh Long Town

Districts: Long Ho, Mang Thit, Binh Minh, Tam Binh, Tra On, Vung Liem, Binh Tan.

Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Khmer, Hoa, Gia Rai.

Geography

Situated between the Tien and the Hau rivers, Vinh Long Province is bounded by Tien Giang Province on the north, Dong Thap Province on the north-west, Tra Vinh Province on the south-east, Hau Giang and Soc Trang provinces on the south, and Can Tho City on the south-west.

The terrain is quite flat. The complex network of rivers and canals make convenient transportation. The soil is rich in alluvium, favorable for rice and various fruit cultivation.

The dry season lasts from December to April, the rainy season last from May to November. The annual average temperature is 270C. Average rainfall is from 1,300mm to 1,500mm.

Tourism and Economy

Silt from Tien and Hau rivers has raised the level of the field. The majority of inhabitants live on farming, fruit planting and cattle rising.

Coming to there, visitors have chance to walk among the trees, relax in hammocks, try all kinds of delicious tropical fruits in the gardens of An Binh and Binh Hoa Phuoc islands. Several popular places are Mr. Sau Giao’s Flower Garden, Mr. Muoi Day’s Stilt-House, and Mr. Hai Hoang’s Old House.

Vinh Long has many pagodas, communal houses such as Van Thanh Temple, Long Thanh Communal House, Tinh Xa Ngoc Vien, Phuoc Hau, Tien Chau, Saghamangala pagodas…

Transportation

Vinh Long is 70km from Mytho, 34km from Can Tho and 136km from Ho Chi Minh City. The inter-province bus station is 5km from the centre of Vinh Long. There are buses between Vinh Long and Ho Chi Minh City , Can Tho, Mytho, Long Xuyen, Sa Dec, Rach Gia, and other Mekong Delta destinations. National Highway No.1A and No.53 also runs through the province.

Kien Giang

Area: 6,348.3 sq. km

Population: 1,683.2 thousand habitants (April 2009)

Capital: Rach Gia City

Administrative divisions:

– Town: Ha Tien.

– Districts: Kien Luong, Hon Dat, Tan Hiep, Chau Thanh, Giong Rieng, Go Quao, An Bien, An Minh, Vinh Thuan, Phu Quoc, Kien Hai, U Minh Thuong.

Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Khmer, Hoa, Cham…

Geography

Kien Giang is on the Mekong Delta. It is bounded by An Giang, Hau Giang provinces, Can Tho City in the east and the south- east, Ca Mau Province in the south, and Cambodia in the north.

Kien Giang has 200km of coastline with large fishing grounds, consisting of 105 big and small islands, of which 43 islands have residents. This creates favorable conditions and good environment for raising many sorts of aquaculture.

Climate: Kien Giang locates on humid monsoon tropical area. The weather is always warm with few natural calamities and abundant of sunshine. The average temperature is 27oC. It is highest in April (29oC) and lowest in January (25.6oC). There are two separated seasons: the rainy season is from April to November, the dry season is from December to April.

Tourism and Economy

Kien Giang has plains, fertile rice fields, forests of cajuput and mangrove. Kien Giang coastal area has been determined as a key fishing ground. The sea here is rich of good fishes such as mackerel, shark, blue fish, carp, shrimp. Phu Quoc’s high quality fish sauce is well-known in Vietnam and abroad. This fish sauce smells particularly good since it is made from a small fish, ca com, with a high level of protein.

Kien Giang is proud of historic sites in U Minh Forest, Hon Dat, Ha Tien, Phu Quoc. The province is favored by nature with landscapes like Ha Tien, and Phu Quoc, in which Ha Tien is plentiful attractive sites of caves, pagodas, tombs, islets along the coast and offshore.

Other famous sites include the Temple and Tomb of national hero Nguyen Trung Truc in Rach Gia, Tam Bao Pagoda, the Bird Sanctuary, Tan Hoi Pagoda, and Mac Cuu Tomb.

Transportation

Road: Rach Gia is 92km from Ha Tien, 116km from Cantho, 182km from My Tho, and 250km from Ho Chi Minh City .

Air: The province owns 3 airports: Rach Gia, Phu Quoc, and Ha Tien. From Ho Chi Minh City , there are daily flights connecting to Rach Gia, and 28 flights a week linking to Phu Quoc.

Hydrofoil boats daily connects Rach Gia and Phu Quoc and vice versa.

The Mekong Delta in brief

The Mekong Delta (in Vietnamese: “ đồng bằng sông Cửu Long ” (“Nine Dragon river delta”) is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southeastern Vietnam of 39,000 square kilometres. The size of the area covered by water depends on the season. The heart of the Mekong Delta are Can Tho , Vinh Long and Sa Dec Provinces, from where it is possible to reach the remotest confines of the delta, South towards the mangroves and the South East Asia Sea, North towards Chau Doc, or West towards the island of Phu Quoc .

The Mekong Delta forms both the far southern region of Vietnam and one of country’s two main ricebowls. Dominated by the Mekong River and its many tributaries, the surrounding lands are comprised of low lying rice paddies and the rivers are bordered by dense mangroves and palms. The tributaries of the hectic Mekong River highway provide a comprehensive network of canals and channels acting as on and off ramps to the main throughfare. For the independent traveller, these rivers and tributaries can be the best method to explore the Mekong Delta at a leisurely pace and offer the opportunity to experience the truly unique Mekong River lifestyle.

By embarking on a comprehensive exploration of the Delta, you will have the opportunity to observe and participate in an extra dimension of Vietnamese life and culture. The attractions to this region of Vietnam include the way in which life exists around the comprehensive river system. However much you decide to explore, cruising up one of the many river, as the sun sets over the distant coconut trees, is a truly remarkable experience that will stay with you forever.

is best-known for being home to pastel-painted Chau Doc, the closest large town to the Vietnamese/Cambodian border crossing on the Mekong River. Wedged between the Cambodian frontier, Kien Giang and Can Tho provinces to the south and Dong Thap province to the north, An Giang is a particularly riverine province, with both the Bassac and Mekong Rivers within its boundaries. The nondescript provincial capital Long Xuyen lies around 50km southeast of the border with Cambodia. Some travellers may find it convenient to pass through here for its transportation connections but there are otherwise few other reasons to stay in the capital. Long Xuyen boasts a sprawling and rather interesting riverside market, a huge cathedral and a smattering of colonial relics, but is otherwise a nondescript spot. Few travellers and backpackers choose to stay here and it is easy to see why – most head here only to make a transport connection. Nevertheless ample accommodation aside from the dozen dodgy places outside town are on offer and restaurants are scattered across town. The most interesting attraction in Long Xuyen town itself is the massive wet market that runs along the river’s edge to the east of the central pier, where you could easily lose yourself for a couple of hours. From the pier, you can also organise short boat trips into the surrounds, priced by the hour. You needn’t look for a boatman or woman – they will find you.

Aside from the market and a boat trip, start planning your escape to a more interesting destination. Chau Doc sits at the junction of a tributary linking the Bassac and Mekong Rivers and the Bassac River itself. An incredibly friendly and bustling little city, Chau Doc has a colour scheme to match its ambience, with bright pastel hues of green, blue and purple adorning many of the newer shopfronts. If you’re arriving here from Cambodia, be prepared for the shock into technicolour paradise. Chau Doc locals are known for being very warm and approachable – even the xe dap loi drivers, as pestering as they are, are friendly. English is spoken in most of the foreigner – targeted guesthouses and hotels, and most restaurants have an English menu. A highlight of a visit to Chau Doc is a boat trip on one of the small paddle boats that collect near the western end of the park. For a few dollars an hour they will paddle you around the many floating raft houses and fish farms. Doing this at dawn can be very photogenic and rewarding. Chau Doc is also the closest large town to the Vietnamese/Cambodian river border crossing. If you’re heading to or from Phnom Penh by boat, you’ll pass through Chau Doc, so try to allow for an overnight stay.

is made up of three main islands wedged between the Tien Giang River to the north and to Co Chien River to the south with the Ham Luong River running straight down the centre. All are effectively offshoots of the Mekong River as it splits out into many fingers before spilling out into the South South East Asia Sea . Famous for its coconut desserts, the province is suitably covered in coconut trees. During the war these coconut trees were used to make coconut oil which was then used as a valuable substitute for kerosene.

As far as exploring the Delta is concerned, Ben Tre is a dead-end province. Once you have experienced all the province has to offer, you will need to turn around and head back through My Tho to get any further into the Delta. That is not to suggest it is not worth visiting – it is. For starters, you can do boat trips from here for a fraction of the price of a trip from My Tho (either organised through Ben Tre Tourist, or via the boatmen at the pier) and, with its large network of minor canals, there is a lot of scope for riverine exploration. There is also a small museum and a pleasing riverfront worth investigating. Ben Tre is clean — it’s as if somewhere between the My Tho ferry crossing and downtown you pass through a cleanliness vortex – the roads are spotless, the pavements are tiled and smooth and there’s little refuse – even in the market.

sprawls westwards from the eponymous provincial capital along the southern bank of the Bassac ( Hau ) River — the larger of the two branches of the Mekong River. Bordered to the west by An Giang and Tien Giang provinces, to the south by Hau Giang and to the north, on the other side of the river, by Vinh Long and Dong Thap, Can Tho Province is one of the most popular Delta destinations among travellers and tourists alike. The province is actually a municipality which was given provinical status when it was carved out of the larger original province (also called Can Tho) in 2004. The remainder forms the new province of Hau Giang which lies to the south. This elevated status reflects Can Tho’s importance in the region, both as a trading and transportation hub and as home to the Delta’s largest city. Home to over a million people, Can Tho City is the logical hub for anyone planning on exploring the province. With a wealth of hotels and guesthouses, a very well developed and affordable tourism infrastructure, a healthy supply of eateries and a selection of interesting floating markets within easy reach, it really is difficult to fault – if you’ve got time for just one destination in the Delta , this is where you should be heading.

The Delta is often refered to as Vietnam ‘s rice basket , and Can Tho Province, with its tremendously fertile soil is one of the largest producers in the region. Aside from rice, it also grows masses of fruit from its many orchards and farms and it’s these goods which tourists flock to see in the dotted around the capital. The main reason visitors come to Can Tho is to tour the nearby floating markets. While these are highly recommended, the riverfront promenade itself is also pleasant with some good places to eat and relax in. The city has a good range of accommodation from cheap backpacker haunts right through to comfortable mid-range digs and its urbane atmosphere contrasts to the more rural feel of the towns further out in the Delta.

The large, curving province of is wedged between the Gulf of Thailand, Cambodia and the rest of the Mekong Delta. Best known for the magnificent Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province has some engaging towns and a few good stretches beaches as well. Aside from Phu Quoc, the province also has beaches and caves around Ha Tien and Hon Chong – the landscape is not unlike that around Ninh Binh in northern Vietnam with limestone outcrops. The provincial capital, Rach Gia , is a bustling little seaport town with some fine eating, good hotels and lots of friendly people. It’s an interesting region, where Vietnam almost seems to merge with Cambodia – a few days of relaxed travelling throughout the province will show you an unusual side of the country that almost no tourists get to see.

is the closest Mekong Delta province to Saigon and is a very popular destination for organised tours out of Saigon. The provincial capital sits on the northern bank of the Mekong River and has a number of offshore islands that can be visited. Most tours throughout Tien Giang Province run in boats that seat 20-plus people and while such numbers bring costs down to a more reasonable level. If you are interested in exploring riverine life, you can head further south to Can Tho or west to Chau Doc, where prices far more reasonable and well-tailored to independent travellers.

is a very pretty little provincial capital. A hodgepodge of colonial shopfronts face onto broad, tree-lined streets clustered around a fine little market and while very few people speak English, there is certainly no shortage of smiles – Tra Vinh may be well off the tourist trail, but it is an amazingly friendly place. The province has a large ethnicly Khmer population and the area immediately around the market feels (and looks) particularly Khmer – first impressions brought Tachmau or Takeo to mind. This Khmer influence is more obvioulsy seen in the pagoda’s that litter both the town and the province. Unlike many Mekong Delta cities, Tra Vinh sits on the bank of a small festy canal rather than a large river, so there’s not quite the scope for boat trips that there is in other regional cities, and smiling faces and Khmer pagodas aside, the town isn’t exactly bursting at the seems with textbook attractions.

The small and roughly oblong-shaped province of sits on a long drawn-out Delta island, with the Tien Giang River running along its northern border and the Hau Giang River running to its south. Tra Vinh sits to the east, serving as buffer to the South South East Asia Sea and Sa Dec borders to the west. Best known for the floating market at (which is actually in Tien Giang province, but covered here as it is most often visited from Vinh Long) and the Mekong Delta homestays that can organised from here, Vinh Long Province sees a trickle of travellers passing through, but only a fraction choose to stay overnight at the same-named provincial capital.

is another of the main cities on the delta. The town has lost part of its character since the capital of the province of Dong Thap was moved to Cao Lanh. Formerly the town of Sa Dec was the center of the Chan Lap civilization. Currently people of Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer and Cham origin live in the area.

You can also finish your Mekong Delta tour in Rach Gia, the City of Kien Giang Province. From there, you can take a fast ferry, or a plane, to the paradisiacal island of Phu Quoc. Phu Quoc Island is also known as the Emerald Island because of its tourism potential. Until recently, this was a fishing island known only among Vietnamese for its fish sauce. The color of the waters, the soft sand beaches, the landscapes and the sunsets in Phu Quoc are spectacular. The island of Phu Quoc has a triangular form. Although tourism is developing fast, this is still a fishing island. Every day, you can see fishermen going to the sea first thing in the morning. In the afternoon, they come back, most of the times with their nets full. Thanks to the island’s warm weather, you can swim all day (and all night) long. Specially recommended is a swim during sun set. Can you imagine what it is like to swim in these golden waters?

It is believed that the unique beauty of the Mekong Delta’s landscapes and its weather will draw thousands of visitors in the future…

More Vietnam Destinations:

Tien Giang

Area: 2,484.2 sq. km

Population: 1,670.3 thousand habitants (April 2009)

Capital: Mytho City .

Administrative divisions:

– Town: Go Cong.

– Districts: Cai Be, Cai Lay, Chau Thanh, Cho Gao, Go Cong Tay, Go Cong Dong, Tan Phuoc, Tan Phu Dong.

Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa, Khmer, Tay .

Geography

Located to the North of the Mekong Delta, along the North of Tien River, Long An Province shares border with Long An Province on the north, Dong Thap Province East Sea on the east, and Ben Tre Province on the south.

Tien and Vam Co Tay rivers with Soi Rap, Tieu, Dai river mouths make good condition to develop aquaculture. The terrain is divided into distinct three regions: fruit gardens along the bank of Tien River , plain and seaside.

Climate: The dry season lasts from December to April next year. The rainy season is between May and November. Annual average temperature is 27oC.

Tourism and Economy

Tien Giang has rich aquatic supply including freshwater fish, brackish fish, and saltwater fish. Some of special fruits are Trung Luong plum, Vinh Kim star-apple, Cai Be guava, sweet mango, rambutan, and thick-skinned orange. Many fruits, vegetable, and other products are anchored on lively Cai Be Floating Market and Tan Phong Island , along Tien Giang River . Visitors also like to picking fruit, enjoy them and experience the life of Mekong River Delta community in orchards of Thoi Son Island .

Located 120km from Mytho City , Dong Tam Snake Farm is an interesting place to see snake, bird and mutant turtles. Vinh Trang Pagoda owns many precious wood statues and beautiful tree in large garden.

Transportation

Mytho City is 70km from Vinh Long, 70km from Ho Chi Minh City , 103km from Can Tho City, 179km from Chau Doc, 182km from Rach Gia.

Road: There are bus connections with Vinh Long, Chau Doc, Ca Mau, and other destinations in the Mekong Delta.

Water: A high-speed boat leaves from Ho Chi Minh City daily to Mytho and Can Tho. There is also boat tours around Mytho. on the west,

Geography : How to get to Phu Quoc

By Air

Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc – Ho Chi Minh City: 5 -6 flights/day

Rach Gia – Phu Quoc – Rach Gia: 1 flight/day

By Hydrofoil

Rach Gia – Phu Quoc – Rach Gia: 4 times/day

Flights to Phu Quoc:

Ho Chi Minh City– Phu Quoc			Phu Quoc – Ho Chi Minh City
Flights	Departure	Arrival	Flights	Departure	Arrival
VN475	SGN 05:55	PQC 06:55	VN474	SGN 07:30	PQC 08:35
VN479	SGN 09:15	PQC 10:15	VN478	SGN 10:50	PQC 11:55
VN477	SGN 11:50	PQC 12:50	VN476	SGN 13:25	PQC 14:30
VN481	SGN 12:45	PQC 13:45	VN480	SGN 14:20	PQC 15:25
VN485*	SGN 06:20	PQC 08:30	VN484*	SGN 09:05	PQC 11:10
* Transit in Rach Gia

Note : Flights to Phu Quoc can be increased up to 7 flights/day in peak days. For more information, tourists can directly contact Vietnam Airlines via following contact details:

Vietnam Airlines in Phu Quoc – Tel: 077 -3982320

Vietnam Airlines in Rach Gia – Tel: 077 -3861848

Vietnam Airlines in Ho Chi Minh City – Tel: 08 -3820320

Hydrofoils to Phu Quoc

There are many companies to provide hydrofoils to Phu Quoc. Here are the detailed schedule:

Hydrofoils	From	To	Departure	Arrival	Time	Rate (VND)
Duong Dong Express	Rach Gia	Phu Quoc	8.00 AM	10.30 AM	2:30 hrs	240 000
	Phu Quoc	Rach Gia	1.00 PM	3.30 PM	2:30 hrs	240 000
Super Dong	Rach Gia	Phu Quoc	8.00 AM	10.30 AM	2:30 hrs	250 000
	Phu Quoc	Rach Gia	1.00 PM	3.30 PM	2:30 hrs	250 000
Hai Au (Seagull)	Rach Gia	Phu Quoc	1.00 PM	3.30 PM	2:30 hrs	250 000
	Phu Quoc	Rach Gia	8.00 AM	10.30 AM	2:30 hrs	250 000
Vina Shin Rose	Rach Gia	Phu Quoc	1.00 PM	3.30 PM	2:30 hrs	250 000
	Phu Quoc	Rach Gia	8.00 AM	10.30 AM	2:30 hrs	250 000
Bien Xanh	Rach Gia	Phu Quoc	8.00 AM	10.30 AM	2:30 hrs	250 000
	Phu Quoc	Rach Gia	1.00 PM	3.30 PM	2:30 hrs	250 000

– Tàu Superdong (Rạch Giá – Phú Quốc): Tel: 077-3877742

– Tàu Dương Đông Express (Rạch Giá – Phú Quốc): Tel: 077-3981648

– Tàu Hải Âu (Rạch Giá – Phú Quốc): Tel: 077-3981000

– Tàu Vinashin Rose (Rạch Giá – Phú Quốc): Tel: 077-3949090

– Tàu Biển Xanh (Rạch Giá – Phú Quốc): Tel: 77-3983212

– Tàu Trameco (Rạch Giá – Phú Quốc): Tel: 077-3878655

– Tàu Cashin (Hà Tiên – Phú Quốc): Tel: 077-3949090

U Minh Thuong National Park – the highest bird species richness among any sites visited

Located in An Minh and Vinh Thuan districts, Kien Giang Province and about 365km south-west of Ho Chi Minh City, U Minh Thuong National Park is recognized as one of the three highest priority sites for wetland conservation in the Mekong Delta.

situates in an area of freshwater wetlands, comprising peat swamp forest, seasonally inundated grassland. The core zone of is surrounded by a perimeter canal and dyke system, with a series of gates, which are used to manage the water level.

supports one of the last significant areas of peat swamp forest remaining in Vietnam as well as one of the three highest priority sites for wetland conservation in the Mekong Delta.

In the past, the park supported one of the largest breeding colonies of water birds in the Mekong Delta. However, this was heavily disturbed by a fire in 2002. Surveys to date have confirmed the presence of 187 bird species at U Minh Thuong National Park, including 9 species of global conservation concern such as: oriental darter, spot-billed pelican, painted stork, lesser adjutant, black-headed ibis, glossy ibis, greater spotted eagle, grey-headed fish eagle and Asian golden weaver. In addition, at least eight species of economically valuable fish are found at this park.

The Melaleuca forest in the core zone of plays an important role in maintaining the soil and water quality in the buffer zone by preventing the acidification of topsoil and surface water, filtering ground water and storing freshwater during the dry season. This park harbors a diversity of with 226 species of non-cultivated vascular plants which are very rare in South-East Asia The natural vegetation was classified into 10 types, belonging to four main classes: Melaleuca forests, seasonally inundated grasslands, permanent swamps and vegetation along canals and streams.

also has because the area was used as a military base by resistance forces during the First and Second Indochina Wars. Due to the complete loss of natural forest in the region, U Minh Thuong is one of the few places where you can see the landscape as primary as it was. In addition, you can find the archaeological remains dating back to the in this area.

Furthermore, with the advantage of the road and water way (only 50 km from Rach Gia), the park is now an idea destination for tourists who prefer . To date, most of the tourists come here is from Western, Thailand, Singapore, Philippine…

Being a nature-lover, you should not miss a trip to with a binocular and you will have a chance to view more than 187 bird species as well as the salient landscape of the park…

Can Tho City

Area:1,401.6 sq. km

Population:1,187.1 thousand habitants (April 2009).

Administrative divisions:

– Districts: Ninh Kieu, Binh Thuy, Cai Rang, Thot Not, O Mon

– Rural districts: Phong Dien, Co Do, Vinh Thanh, Thoi Lai.

Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Khmer, Hoa, Cham .

Geography

Cantho City is located in the center of the Mekong Delta. It is contiguous to 5 provinces: An Giang on the north, Dong Thap on the north-east, Hau Giang on the south, Kien Giang on the west, and Vinh Long on the east. Cantho has a complex of rivers and canals such as Hau, and Can Tho rivers, Thot Not, O Mon canals. Among them, the Hau Riveris considered a benefactor of this region, since yearly floods deposit large quantities of alluvia to the rice fields. Thank to that Cantho becomes “the green lungs of the Mekong Delta”.The climate is harmonized with few of storms. It is hot, humid all year. Rainy season lasts from May to November, and dry season lasts from December to April. The annual average temperature is 27oC.

Tourism

Cantho is over its 200 years as the main town, once known as Tay Do and now one city of Vietnam . All of economic, culture activities closely relate to river and canals which like the ‘street’. Cantho has simple, poetic beauty with well-off villages under shade of coconut trees.It is wonderful to take a boat trip along the riverbanks on fine weather days. On the east bank of Hau River is Ninh Kieu Wharf , which is well known for its beautiful location. Other interesting places are Bang Lang Stock Sanctuary, Cantho and My Khanh Tourist gardens and Cantho Market.

Transportation

Cantho is 34km from Vinh Long, 62km from Long Xuyen, 63km from Soc Trang, 104km from Mytho, 116km from Rach Gia, 117km from Chau Doc, 169km from Ho Chi Minh City and 179km from Camau.

Road: Cantho has National Highway No.1A, 91, 80 linking to An Giang, Kien Giang provinces.

Waterway: Cantho has Cai Cui international seaport. The city is the centre of waterway network of Mekong Delta. There are daily hydrofoils between Ho Chi Minh City and Cantho City .

Airline: There is Tra Noc Airport .

Ca Mau

Area: 5,331.7 sq. km

Population: 1,205.2 thousand habitants (April 2009)

Capital: Ca Mau City

Districts: Dam Doi, Ngoc Hien, Tran Van Thoi, Cai Nuoc, U Minh, Thoi Binh, Nam Can, Phu Tan.

Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Khmer, Hoa, Tay .

Geography

Ca Mau Province is situated in the southern tip of Vietnam with 307km coastal length. It is surrounded by East Sea on three faces and Kien Giang, Bac Lieu provinces on the north and north-east.

It’s interlacing rivers and canals have generated tangled flows in the province. Seven large rivers are: Ong Doc, Bay Hap, Cai Lon, Ganh Hao, Dam Doi, Trem Trem, and Bach Nguu. Some offshore islands are: Hon Da Bac, Hon Khoai and Hon Chuoi.

There are two types of forest in Ca Mau province: salt marsh and cajuput. The cajuput forest has the highest biological value among other types of natural forest, with high economic value and environmental protection.

Climate: Ca Mau, with its sub-equatorial monsoon climate has two main seasons: the rainny season from May to October, and the dry season, extending from November to April of the next year. The province is average annual temperature is 26.50C. It is coolest in January with 250C. The annual rainfall averages 2,500mm, 90% of which is distributed over 6 months of the rainy season. Average humidity is about 80% in dry season and 85 % in rainny season. Ca Mau rarely suffers storms and floods.

Tourism and Economy

Ca Mau has great potentiality in ecological tourism thanking to salt-marsh ecological systems and diversified plants and animals. It has long seaside so there are many shrimp farms here. Then it is considered one of the key fishing grounds of the country, with great reserves of seafood of different types.Besides that, there are wild animals, such as deer, pig, and monkey.

Hon Khoai Island is a historical vestige that had related with the insurrection led by hero Phan Ngoc Hien. Ca Mau is famous for U Minh cajuput forest and Nam Can mangrove forest.

Rather than those, Ca Mau is also well known for its bird sanctuaries: Cai Nuoc, Dam Doi, Ngoc Hien… Most of all, Ngoc Hien bird sanctuary attracts more and more visitors.

Transportation

Road: Camau is 114km from Bac Lieu, 130km from Rach Gia, 180km from Cantho, and 380km from Ho Chi Minh City . National Highways No. 1A, 63 connect Ca Mau to Bac Lieu and Kien Giang provinces.

Waterway: The boats run from Ca Mau to Ho Chi Minh City , Rach Gia. Tourist can visit U Minh and Ngoc Hien by ferry.

Phu Quoc – a passionate island involved with nature

The biggest island in Vietnam – Phu Quoc or “Pearl Island” – is loved by thousands of people thanks to it beautiful natural sea landscape and huge potential

“Pearl Island” Phu Quoc is a large tropical island off the coast of Vietnam . It is the biggest one in the 22-island complex of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, Kien Giang province. Its northeast cape is 4 sea miles from the neighbour Cambodia. The island is 62 sea miles east of Kien Giang capital (Rach Gia town), and 25 sea miles from Ha Tien town. Phu Quoc together with other 22 islands makes up an island district of 56,500 hectares in total area, which approximates that of Singapore island nation. Wheareas Phu Quoc itself has a total area of as much as 574 sq. km, in a triangular shape. Some author has compared the island to a swimming fish with its head turning to the North. Phu Quoc is ringed with some of most beautiful beaches and best seafood in Vietnam, promising quite a few absorptive elements for tourists.

Climate

Phu Quoc is featured with a monsoon tropical climate (hot, wet and rainy), but its special location in Gulf of Thailand minimizes natural calamities. It has two seasons, dry season from December to May, and rainy season from June to November. The former is affected by Northeast monsoon with an average humidity of 78%, temperature goes up to 35 o C as the highest in April and May. In rainy season, the island acts as the gateway to West-South West monsoon. The annual average rainfall is around 3,000 mm.

The island has a special name attached to an interesting historical story. In 1671, about 400 Chinese people led by a man from Guang Dong, China took a ship to cross the ocean to reach and settle down in a wild islands land in the Gulf of Thailand.

In 1680, they established a series of hamlets, which were scattered around in the land. Some soon became significant commercial ports where ships, boats and junks gathered and traded with one another. The increasingly bustling and eventful atmosphere led to their idea of setting up 7 casinos, each in an individual island, one of which was situated in Koh Tral island (today’s Phu Quoc island). The success of commercial and entertainment activities resulted in that the whole island area was renamed into “Căn Khẩu quốc” or “Kingdom of Prosperity”, and Koh Tral island was also recalled “Phú Quốc” (Phu Quoc: “Fu Guo” in Chinese transcription), which meant an Affluent Land in Vietnamese.

Phu Quoc Island served as a base for French missionary Pigneau de Behaine from the 1760-80s and once provided shelter for Prince Nguyen Anh (later Emperor Gia Long) when he was hunted by the Tay Son rebels. During the Vietnam war, there was little fighting here but the Island was used by the Americans as a prison for captured Viet Cong.

The island of today still retains what was expressed in its righteous name in the past, and has become one of the nation’s ideal tourist destinations to lure huge numbers of visitors.

Religion

Many religious people would like to visit Phu Quoc since this is where Cao Dai religion descended. Today there is still a Cao Dai oratories in Duong Dong town, Phu Quoc.

The only Catholic Church on the island is situated in An Thoi, which was the gathering site of migration from the North in 1954.

One has said: “Visiting pagodas in Duong Dong town on the occasion of the “wandering souls day” on mid Lunar July, you will explore the Buddhist religious life of Phu Quoc indeed”. This is a very rare occasion, so you should really come and join it yourself!

Should you ever have a vacation in Vietnam, you must have heard about Phu Quoc fermented fish source (nước mắm), the best one in the nation! Talking about Phu Quoc, this specialty, which is worldwide famous for a unique delicious taste, could not be missed. Another special spice of Phu Quoc is high quality pepper, an agricultural product of the local traditional craft villages, sold around the world.

In addition to the two special specialties, Phu Quoc’s seafood is also fantastic. Numerous fish, dried fish, lobsters, crabs, squid, oyster, arca, etc. are available at your enjoyment. Just come and taste delicious seafood and the local unique specialties, you will feel the very tasty and fragrant Island zone!

By the way, another point of interest in Phu Quoc that must be mentioned is the island’s native Dog, which was originally a wild animal and later trained as a hunting dog by local people. These days they are very domesticated and it’s unusual to go anywhere on the Island without seeing one of these dogs! These animals have unusually sharp teeth (as they tear their food when they eat it rather than bite) and have claws that over the years have been conditioned for catching their prey and are razor sharp.

Phu Quoc is considered a famous national tourism zone of Vietnam. The island’s beautiful beaches have been voted to be “The Cleanest and Most Beautiful Beaches of the World” by ABC News ever since the end of February, 2008.

Coming here, tourists are lured away from their busy daily life. Phu Quoc National Park should be on top of the visiting places. Here is covered with a plentiful fresh & green floristic composition and natural resources of jungle & sea. Thanks to the tropical favorable climate, Phu Quoc is of great potential for ecological tourism development. Try to get out on a boat in the evening for some squid fishing yourself, or make a visit to Phu Quoc National Park and swim in a quiet pool! This will be very relaxing!

Pristine beaches here are seemingly captivating to those fond of unspoilt beauties. The one listed in the “World Hidden Beaches” is “Long Bank” (“Bãi Dài”), which is most beautiful from October to March. The beach honorably ranks higher in the list to many other world famous beaches, such as Wildcat Beach in California, the USA, Pink Beach in Barbuda, or Cayo Costa State, south Florida, and so forth.

Besides, other suggested beaches to visit are Kem Bank, Dam Bank, Sao Bank, Ong Doi Cape , and so forth. You can come here by ship or airplane (Hochiminh City – Phu Quoc Flight). Swimming, sun bathing, boat-sailing, scuba-diving, etc. are all the exciting and relaxing seaside activities, healthful for every individual tourist. Try SCUBA diving: the shallow waters (max deep to 12-16m) allow even unexperienced divers to have nice dives. There is some nice coral to see and if you are lucky you might see a bamboo shark. After about an hour dipping yourself in the cool and clean blue sea water, imagine that you are now served with a series of specially tasty seafood, you would feel like you were the happiest guy in the world!

In case one has interest in the local fishing life, he may pay a visit to Ham Ninh fishing village , where the routine daily fishing work of the locals are available at your observation.

Motorcycles are plentiful and cheap, hire one off a local and go cruising around the island. Petrol can usually be purchased around the island at various beaches served fresh in glass bottles. Also Bicycles is a great way to observe the island. You can rent a mountain bike for around 50,000 VND per day at Saigon Phu Quoc Hotel or some local shops (be sure to write ‘xe dap’ because few Vietnameses here could speak English well). A few days could not be enough to contemplate all the special beauties, thus you should best come back at least once.

The seaview, the beautiful islands and the precious tropical jungle with a priceless flora-fauna system contribute to a huge tourism potential of Phu Quoc. On understanding of this, the Government has allowed huge investment in the island district. In the long run, we will have an enormously marvellous tourism-entertainment complex of extremely high quality. A project with hotels zone, 5-star casinos, 2 four-star hotels, 1 three-star hotel, a number of resorts, restaurants, shopping areas, high-quality entertainment area (with waterparks, cinemas, etc.), international hospital, a 3-golf ground system of international quality, international airport services and so on, is going to turn up in this “Pearl Island”. The project will hopefully make Phu Quoc a much greater destination for tourists worldwide.

Tranquil Phu Quoc Beach

A beach holiday on the largest island of Vietnam, you are advised to relax on Phu Quoc beach and enjoy a sunrise vacation…

After being liberated on 30 April 1975, Phu Quoc has been converted into an ideal tourist destination for nature and sea lovers. Located in the Gulf of Thailand, the hear-shaped island lies just 62 nautical miles from Rach Gia and nearly 290 nautical miles from Laem Chabang (Thailand). Phu Quoc has a monsoon sub-equatorial climate. Trips to Phu Quoc can be made all year round, but the best time is dry season when the sky is always sunny, clear and blue.

Pristine beaches here are seemingly captivating to those fond of unspoilted beauties. The one listed in the “World Hidden Beaches” is “Long Bank” (“Bãi Dài”), which is most beautiful from October to March. The beach honorably ranks higher in the list to many other world famous beaches, such as Wildcat Beach in California, the USA, Pink Beach in Barbuda, or Cayo Costa State, south Florida and so forth. The fresh sea breezes and stunning sandy beaches touching crystal clear blue waters make Phu Quoc beach a true paradise.

You can come here by ship or airplane (Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc Flight). Swimming, sun bathing, boat-sailing, scuba-diving, etc. are all the exciting and relaxing seaside activities, healthful for every individual tourist. There is some nice coral to see and if you are lucky you might see a bamboo shark. After about an hour dipping yourself in the cool and clean blue sea water, imagine that you are now served with a series of especially tasty seafood; you would feel like you were the happiest guy in the world!

Phu Quoc beach is an ideal heaven for relaxing , snorkeling and scuba diving. Scuba Diving were introduced to the island during 2002 by Jeremy Stein, better known for his 5 Star diving and Instructor Training Centres in Nha Trang. So whilst diving is relatively new here you have a rare opportunity to be amongst the first to dive this area and to discover new dive sites.

In case you has interest in the local fishing life, you may pay a visit to Ham Ninh fishing village , where the routine daily fishing work of the locals are available at your observation. Moreover, you will have a chance to enjoy the unique aromatic flavor of Phu Quoc fish sauce at a traditional fish sauce factory. At fish sauce workshops, you will be amazed at the sight of dozens of bulky barrels being lined up and waiting to be jammed with fresh fish. You will be tempted to try a few pungent green pepper coins and half a spoonful of the tasty salty sauce.

“You must visit Phu Quoc ! The beach is so beautiful!”, a foreign tourist has said like that. Enjoy sunbathing on the pristine beach for most of the time. At other times take boat trips to the nearby islets for snorkeling, fishing and watching the sunset over the ocean…