Around Cao Lanh

 Sights & Activities

Xeo Quyt Forest 

(Xeo Quyt, Xeo Quit; admission 5000d;  7am-5pm) Southeast of Cao Lanh and  accessible by boat tour is the remarkable 52-hectare Xeo Quyt Forest (also called Rung Tram) near My Hiep village. One  vast swamp beneath a nice thick canopy of tall trees and vines, it’s one of the  last natural jungles  left in the Mekong Delta.

During the  humid  season a  marvellous 20-minute canoe tour (15,000d) takes you past old bunkers and former mine fields along narrow canals filled with ever-present dragonflies and choked with water hyacinths (luc binh). It’s an  lovely  experience but splash on the repellent and try to get out by 4.30pm when the mozzies begin swarming. During the hot  season you can  explore this area  on foot.

The VC had a base here, where top-brass VC lived in under ground bunkers, during the American War. Only about 10 VC were here at any given time; they were all generals who directed the war from here, just 2km from a US military base. The Americans never  realised that the VC generals were living right under their noses. Of course, they thought about that patch of jungle and periodically threw some bombs on it to reassure themselves, but the VC was still  safe in their underground bunkers.

From My Hiep, you can hire a boat (around US$20, seating up to 10 people) that takes around 40 minutes to make the 2km journey to Xeo Quyt. Dong Thap Tourist includes a guided trip in a lot of its tour programs.

Tram Chim National Park

(7am-4pm) Tram Chim National Park is due north of Cao Lanh in Tam Nong district and outstanding for its eastern sarus cranes (Grus antigone sharpii). More than 220 species of bird have been identified within the reserve, but ornithologists will be most interested in these rare red-headed cranes, which grow to an  remarkable  1.8m high.

However, seeing these birds requires a considerable commitment (time, effort and money), so it’s strictly for enthusiasts.

Birds nest here from about December to May; from June to November they move to another area like northwest  Cambodia, so  schedule your trip  to coordinate with the birds’ travel itinerary if you hope to see them. The birds are early risers, so morning visits are recommended. During the day, they’re engaged in the important business of eating.

Tam Nong is a sleepy town 45km from Cao Lanh. The one-way drive takes around an hour to travel by car. From Tam Nong it  takes another hour by  little  boat (around 2,700,000d) to reach the place where the cranes live and another hour to come back. Add to this whatever time you spend (perhaps an hour) bird-watching (bring your own binoculars),  this can be a very excellent time, and then the requisite two hours to  return to Cao Lanh, it’s up to your  mode of  transport. There are  a few rudimentary hotels in Tam Nong if you intend  to stay late or hit the park early. Tam Nong  shuts down early so if you  want to eat dinner  here, make arrangements not later than  5pm.

Around Can Tho

Around Can Tho

Arguably the largest  drawcard of the delta is its  bustling  floating markets, hugging  the banks of wide stretches of river. Most market folk set out early to avoid the  daytime heat, so  try to visit between 6am and 8am and beat the tourist tide. The real tides, however, are also a factor, as  bigger boats must often wait until the water is high enough for them to navigate.

Some of the smaller, rural floating markets are disappearing because of improved roads and public transport, but many  of the larger markets near urban areas are still developing  strong.

Rural areas of Can Tho province,  known  for their durian, mangosteen and orange orchards, can be easily got  from Can Tho by boat or bicycle.

 Sights & Activities

Cai Rang Floating Market 

Just 6km from Can Tho in the direction of Soc Trang is Cai Rang, thelargest floating market in the Mekong Delta. A bridge here serves  as a great vantage point for photography. The market is the most lively  before 9am,  although some vendors hang out until noon.

It is quite a new experience  to  see this in full swing, yet  it’s well worth getting up  extra early to beat the tour-group crowds or visitors  may end up seeing almost as many foreigners as market traders.

Cai Rang can be seen from the road, but reaching  here is much  more  interesting by boat (US$6). From the market area in Can Tho it takes about an hour by river, or  you can drive to the Cau Dau Sau boat landing (by the Dau Sau Bridge), from where it takes only  about 10 minutes to  reach the market.

Phong Dien Floating Market 

Perhaps the Mekong Delta’s best floating market, there is fewer motorised craft and more stand-up rowing boats in Phong Dien . Less crowded than Cai Rang,  there are also far fewer tourists. It’s at its bustling best  between 6am and 8am. The market is 20km southwest of Can Tho;  most tourists can reach  here by road.

A boat trip here will  require a 3.30am start (return 600,000d), but  visitors should  arrange it the day before. It is theoretically  possible to do a whirlwind boat trip, visiting the small canals on route  and finishing back at the Cai Rang floating market. It should take  approximately five hours return from Can Tho.

For trips on smaller boats (US$4 per hour), operators can be found along Ð Hai Ba Trung by the river, but inspect boats first; the faster alternative is to take a xe om or taxi and then arrange  a boat at the other end.

BIRD-WATCHING

(admission 20,000d; 5am-6pm)  On the road between Can Tho and Long Xuyen, Bang Lang (also called Vuon Co) is  a magnificent 1.3-hectare bird sanctuary with attractive  views of thousands of resident storks. From a tall viewing platform, visitors can see  the storks filling the branches; it’s really an amazing view  (the best times of day are around dawn and dusk).

Bang Lang which is about 15km southeast of Long Xuyen, is in the Thot Not district. Serach for  a sign in  the hamlet of Thoi An saying ‘Ap Von Hoa’. Departing  Can Tho the sign is on the west side of the road, right  after a small bridge. It is 2 km  off the main highway –  reachable on foot within 30 minutes, or  travellers  can arrange  a motorbike taxi for about 20,000d.

Around Ca Mau

U-Minh Forest

The town of Ca Mau borders the U-Minh Forest (admission 10,000d; 6am-5pm, closed Mar-May), a vast mangrove jungle  which covers  1000 sq km of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces. Residents   As well as being an important habitat for waterfowl, the U-Minh Forest – the  largest mangrove forest around the world  beyond the Amazon basin – which was a favourite hideout for the VC during the American War. The Americans responded with chemical de foliation, causing enormous destroy to the  forests. Thanks to the heavy rainfall, the dioxin was washed out to sea and the forest is returning. Many eucalyptus trees have also been planted here because  they have proved to be relatively dioxin-resistant.

Yet the mangrove forests are being further destroyed  by clearing for shrimp-farming ponds, charcoal production and woodchipping, though  the  government has  made efforts to limit these activities. In 2002 an area of 80 sq km was preserved as U Minh Thuong (Upper U-Minh) National Park.

The forest is  known for its birdlife, and visitors  will  enjoy a boat trip around Ca Mau,  though  the feathered flocks aren’t nearly as ubiquitous as the swarms of mosquitoes. It takes visitors around thirty minutes to get a boat trip and costs 100,000d.

Ca Mau Tourist can arrange an 140-US dollar boat tour , but  try to find better deals with locals down at the ferry pier  where you can get a speedboat to Thu Bay (two hours), followed by a motorbike to U-Minh Forest for 70,000d.

Ca Mau Nature Reserve

Sometimes referred to as Ngoc Hien Bird Sanctuary, these 130 hectares form one of the least developed and most protected parts of the Mekong Delta region. Shrimp farming is banned here. You can access by boat .

Around Angkor Thom (Part 2)

Banteay Srei HINDU TEMPLE

Taken into account by many to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, Banteay Srei – a Hindu temple devoted to Shiva – is cut from stone of a pinkish hue and contains some of the finest stone carving anywhere on earth. Begun in AD 967, it is one of the few temples around Angkor to be commissioned by a Brahman, not by a king, perhaps a tutor to Jayavarman V.
Banteay Srei, which is 21km northeast of Bayon and about 32km from Siem Reap, can be visited along with Kbal Spean and the Cambodia Landmine Museum.

Kbal Spean RELIGIOUS, SPIRITUAL

Kbal Spean, which is a spectacularly carved riverbed, set deep in the jungle about 50km northeast of Angkor. More commonly referred to in English as the ‘River of a Thousand Lingas’, it’s a 2km uphill walk to the carvings. From Kbal Spean, you can work your way back down to the waterfall to cool off. Carry plenty of water.
At the nearby Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity, trafficked animals are nursed back to health. Free tours generally start at 1pm from Monday to Saturday.

Phnom Kulen SACRED MOUNTAIN

The most sacred mountain in Cambodia, Phnom Kulen (487m) is where Jayavarman II proclaimed himself a devaraja (god-king) in AD 802, giving birth to Cambodia. A popular place of pilgrimage during weekends and festivals, the views it affords are absolutely marvelous .
Phnom Kulen is 50km from Siem Reap and 15km from Banteay Srei. The road toll is US$20 per foreign visitor, none of which goes towards preserving the site.

Beng Mealea BUDDHIST TEMPLE

Beng Mealea (admission US$5), was built by Suryavarman II to the same floor plan as Angkor Wat, is the Titanic of temples and utterly subsumed by jungle. Nature has well and truly run riot here. Jumbled stones lie like forgotten jewels swathed in lichen, and the galleries are strangled by ivy and vines.
Beng Mealea is about 65km northeast of Siem Reap on a sealed toll road.

Koh Ker HINDU TEMPLE

(admission US$10) Abandoned to the jungles of the north, Koh Ker, capital of the Angkorian empire from AD 928 to AD 944, is within day-trip distance of Siem Reap. Most of the travellers begin at Prasat Krahom, where impressive stone carvings grace lintels, doorposts and slender window columns. The principal monument is Mayan-looking Prasat Thom, a 55m-wide, 40m-high sandstone-faced pyramid whose seven tiers offer spectacular views across the forest. However, access to the top of Prasat Thom is currently prohibited for safety reasons.

Koh Ker is 127km northeast of Siem Reap (car hire is around US$90, 2½ hours).

HEARTBEAT OF CAMBODIA

The largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, Tonlé Sap, an incredible natural phenomenon that provides fish and irrigation water for half of Cambodia’s population.
The lake is linked to the Mekong at Phnom Penh by a 100km-long channel, the Tonlé Sap River. From mid-May to early October (the wet season), rains raise the level of the Mekong, backing up the Tonlé Sap River and causing it to flow northwest into the Tonlé Sap Lake. During this period, the lake swells from 2500 sq km to 13,000 sq km or more, its maximum depth increasing from about 2.2m to more than 10m. Around the start of October, when the water level of the Mekong starts to fall, the Tonlé Sap River reverses its flow, draining the waters of the lake back into the Mekong.
This extraordinary process makes the Tonlé Sap one of the world’s richest sources of freshwater fish and an ideal habitat for water birds.

Around Angkor Thom (Part 1)

Landscape 

Ta Prohm BUDDHIST TEMPLE

The ultimate Indiana Jones fantasy, Ta Prohm is cloaked in dappled shade , its decomposing towers and walls locked in the slow , strong clinch of large root systems. If Angkor Wat, the Bayon and other temples are evidence to the brilliance of the ancient Khmers, Ta Prohm reminds us equally of the excellent prolificacy and power of the forest . We have a poetic cycle to this honored , with humanity original conquering natural world to speedily create, and Mother Nature once again conquering humanity to gradually ruin .
Constructed from 1186 and initially known as Rajavihara (Monastery of the King), Ta Prohm was a Buddhist temple devoted to the mother of Jayavarman VII. Ta Prohm is a temple of towers, close courtyards and narrow corridors. Ancient trees tower overhead, their leaves filtering the daylight and casting a greenish pall over the whole view . It is the closest most of us should get to feeling the charm of the explorers of old.

Phnom Bakheng HINDU TEMPLE

Around 400m south of Angkor Thom, that hill’s primary draw is the sunset view of Angkor Wat, even though this has turned into something of a festival , with hundreds of visitors jockeying for space. The temple, built by Yasovarman I (r 889–910), has five tiers with seven levels.

Preah Khan BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(Sacred Sword) The temple of Preah Khan (Sacred Sword) is one of the greatest complexes at Angkor, a maze of vaulted corridors, fine carvings and lichen-clad stonework. Constructed by Jayavarman VII, it covers a very large area, but the temple itself is within a rectangular wall of nearly 700m by 800m. Preah Khan is a genuine fusion temple, the eastern entrance dedicated to Mahayana Buddhism, with equal-sized doors, and the other cardinal directions dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, with successively smaller doors, emphasising the unequal nature of Hinduism.

Preah Neak Poan BUDDHIST TEMPLE

Another late-12th-century work of – no surprises here – Jayavarman VII, this small temple just east of Preah Khan has a big square pool surrounded by four smaller square pools, with a circular ‘island’ in the middle. Water once flowed from the central pond into the four peripheral pools via four ornamental spouts, in the form of an elephant’s head, a horse’s head, a lion’s head and a human head.

Roluos Group HINDU TEMPLE

The monuments of Roluos, which served as the capital for Indravarman I (r 877–89), are among the earliest large permanent temples constructed by the Khmers and mark the dawn of Khmer classical art. Preah Ko, dedicated to Shiva, has elaborate inscriptions in Sanskrit on the doorposts of each tower and some of the best surviving examples of Angkorian plasterwork. The city’s central temple, Bakong, with its five-tier central pyramid of sandstone, is a representation of Mt Meru. Roluos is 13km southeast of Siem Reap along NH6.

Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh

Mekong River Tour Vietnam sincerely introduce you the Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh as follows:

Take a handed paddles boat along the canals under the water coconut palm trees, taste seasonal fresh fruit in the orchards, see the lively floating markets in Can Tho, experience the “Monkey Bridge” in the Delta, Spend the night in the village with the local farmers. Visit the Bird Sanctuary in Tra Su, Visit the Sam Mountain and the caved pagoda, Contemplate the sunset over the Vietnamese – Cambodian Frontier, cruise up the Tonle Sap river through Vinh Xuong newly – opened border

Day 1:  Ho Chi Minh – My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho (L) 

• At 08.00am, depart for Mekong Delta.  Enjoy the scenic journey along the National Highway bordered by green rice fields. On arrival at My Tho, visit Vinh Trang pagoda, take a leisurely boat ride along the river, view stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the river bank. Proceed to Tortoise islet


• Have lunch in the orchard garden. Then a boat ride to An Khanh – a less touristy attraction in Ben Tre, enjoy cruising on a hand-rowed sampan under the shade of water coconut trees along natural canals. Have a short cycling tour (applied for private tour/if time permitted) then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of “Southern Vietnamese folk music”, performed by the locals. Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle, taste delicious coconut candy & observe the pastoral life as you roam through the fruit plantations and villages. Proceed to Can Tho.


• Dinner on guest’s account.


• Overnight at your proposed hotel in Can Tho.

Day 2:  Cai Rang  Floating market – Chau Doc – Tra Su Sanctuary (B)

• Take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river (Bassac River), then proceed to Cai Rang floating markets (& Phong Dien is optional), which are the liveliest in the whole religion.


• Have you ever tasted Vietnamese vermicelli soup? Well, now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and meet the friendly local people and experience how to pass a “Monkey bridge” which is built by only one stem of bamboo. Visit the orchard garden.


• Stop for lunch. Proceed to Chau Doc, continue the tour to visit Tra Su, getting to the wild birds Sanctuary, cruising smoothly with small boats to discover the arrays of splendid canals deep into the forest, watching storks, cranes and other tropical birds, back to the Town, hotel check in.


• Dinner on guest’s account.


• Overnight at your proposed hotel in Chau Doc.

Day 3: Chau Doc – Phnom Penh (B) 

• After breakfast. Transfer to the ferry for boarding the speed boat to PhnomPenh.


• Arrive in Phnom Penh around 2.00 pm at the Sisowath tourist dock.


• End of your Mekong Delta Tour from Ho Chi Minh.

Include:

• A/c bus for transfer & sightseeing as per program.


• Boat trip in the Mekong delta.


• Express boat ticket Chaudoc – Phnompenh


• English speaking tour guide


• All entrance fees, fresh fruit and honey tea


• Meals as indicated in the program (B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)


• Accommodation based on Twin/Double room share basis

Exclude:

• Travel insurance


• Cambodia entry visa (US$22/person)


• Other meals not mentioned in the program


• Personal expenses.

Note:

• Private tour is available on request. We highly recommend you do private tour for more privacy as well as more convenience.

Thank you for visiting our Mekong Delta Tour from Ho Chi Minh. We are looking forward to serving you.

See more:

Mekong Delta 1 day tour My Tho – Ben Tre: price 17$

Mekong Delta Tour 2 days – Cai Rang floating market: price 39$

Mekong Delta 3 days tour and exit to Phnom Penh: price 90$

Original Mekong Eco tour 2 days overnight at homestay

Mekong River Tour Vietnam sincerely introduce you the Original Mekong Eco tour 2 days overnight at homestay as follows:

Trying a new experience at homestay with famer house in the original Mekong Deltal. Seeing the floating market. Sight-seeing  lively activities along river as fishing, water transferring. Wandering into the village for seeing local people make sleep mats, make bricks in handy, tasting a delicious coconut in orchard garden. Trying a new experience on “ tuk tuk” or “ xe loi” on shady paths, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on really life and find out about tropical culture from Peasants.

Itinerary details:

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh – Ben Tre – Ham Luong (L/D)

• At 08.00am, pick up at your hotel and leave Ho Chi Minh city for visiting Mekong Delta. On arrival in Hàm Luông Pier (Bến Tre town). Take a boat on Bến Tre river – one of tributaries of Mekong river, sight-seeing  lively activities along river as fishing, water transfering… Stop at brickwork to see how to make bricks in handy traditional style by printing and baking. Visit one of plenty of coconut processing workshops located along canal. Turn on natural scissors creeks where they look smaller and smaller to go to village. Take a walk to family workshop making sleepmats and enjoying some fruits and tea.


• Take a motor cart (xe lôi) or cycle riding under tree shades, pass by green rice fields and vegetable plains to be able to touch on realy life and find out  about tropical culture from Peasants.


• Lunch at Hai Hồ family.  Check in  accommodation.


• Time for taking a rest.


• In the afternoon - riding to Mr. Sau khanh’s house – seeing ancient porcelains collecting set. Help peasents planting, harvesting in the field.


• Joining cooking together with family, have dinner.


• Overnight in farmer house.

Day 2: Ham Luong – Cai Be floating market – Ho Chi Minh (B/L/_)

• Having breakfast at farmer house. Going to local market and seeing local temple on the way. Check out take a rowing - boat along water palm creek and boating along Cái Cối creek. Back to Pier. Meeting your driver and proceed to Cai Be.


• On arrival to Cai Be, set off by motor boat to visit the Cai Be floating market and watch the locals trading fruit and many other commodities on board their vessels. Visit a small family business to see how coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn are made. Then wander into the small villages to visit the orchard and fruit plantation, accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music.


• Keep cruising to a series of small canals to experience the charms of the Upper Mekong Delta. Arrive in Tan Phong island. Trekking around the village path with fruit orchards and bonsai garden. Meet the local islanders to learn more about the local daily life in the Mekong delta.


• 14h00. Return to Ho Chi Minh city.


• The tour ends at your hotel around 16.30.

Group size	2 pax	3 - 5  pax	6 - 8 pax	9 - 11 pax	12 – 15 pax
Cost in US$ per person	183	147	104	89	79

Tour price includes: 

• Private van for pick up, transfer & sightseeing as per program


• Cold mineral water on van (2 bottles/ pax/ day)


• English speaking tour guide


• Private boat trips in the Mekong Delta


• All entrance fees


• Tuk tuk or xe loi


• Home stay arrangement


• Meals as indicated in the tour program (B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)

Tour price excludes:

• Travel insurance


• Personal expenses.


• Drinks & other meals not mentioned in the program

Thank you for visiting our Original Mekong Eco tour 2 days overnight at homestay. We are looking forward to serving you.