Fall in love with the simple beauty of An Giang

An Giang is located in the Southwest of Vietnam, with a border of nearly 100 km with neighboring Cambodia. It is where the upper Mekong flows into our country, dividing into two rivers, Hau River and Tien River, creating a typical annual flood season. The dense canal system makes waterway transportation here very developed. Most of the trading activities take place at river wharves or floating markets, a very unique cultural feature of the West.

Most tourists who come to An Giang go to familiar places such as Ba Chau Doc Pagoda, Sam Mountain, Cam Mountain, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, the majestic That Son range, or the famous Tuc Dup Hill (also known as Two Million Dollar Hill, because it is estimated that during the war, the number of bombs and bullets dropped by the US here was equivalent to the above amount). However, there is also a very different An Giang, with less famous places, which for those who love to travel and explore local cultures, these will be interesting destinations.

To fully explore the idyllic beauty of the Mekong Delta, you should travel by motorbike, so you can take the initiative in choosing the time and place you want to go.

On the way across Dong Thap, don't forget to stop by Thuong Phuoc border gate, where there is milestone 240, and this is also where the Mekong River begins to flow into Vietnam. From here, you will feel the greatness of the river that has passed through many countries. Starting from Tibet, China, the Mekong River flows through Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and then stops in Vietnam, splitting into 9 branches to create the legendary Cuu Long River that has deposited so much alluvium, creating prosperity for the entire vast Southwest region.

Continuing the journey, entering An Giang, the first place you should visit is Bung Binh Thien, also known as "sky well lake", located between Binh Di River and Hau River. The lake is about 193 hectares wide, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the West today. The reason this place is special is because the water in the lake is clear all year round, although the nearby canals are muddy with alluvium, and the water in the lake keeps rising and falling instead of flowing, creating many legends about Bung Binh Thien.

The area around Bung is inhabited by the Cham ethnic group. Just by taking a walk around the lake, you will see the unique culture of the people here. The Cham people still retain their own activities and beliefs almost intact. The colorful stilt houses, the ancient mosque, the shy Cham girls in traditional costumes, all blend together to paint a simple picture of the countryside. You can get off the bus here, wander around the village and chat with the people to learn more about this land.

The next destination is Tra Su cajuput forest, in Tinh Bien district, a border district. The specialty here is palmyra palm. Don't forget to stop by a roadside shop, enjoy a cool glass of palmyra palm juice to cool down and then continue your trip. Tra Su is a typical flooded forest of the West Hau River region, home to many species of waterfowl, wild animals and aquatic creatures belonging to the special-use forest system of our country.

As soon as you arrive at the cajuput forest, you can feel the freshness and pristine atmosphere here. The wind blows coolly through the treetops, birds chirping loudly in a corner of the forest. The small boat slowly takes you through the cajuput trees, deeper into the forest. The water surface is covered with a green color of duckweed, pure white cajuput flowers fall everywhere. You can see storks spreading their wings on the water looking for food, cuckoos calling to each other, warblers, teals standing somewhere on the bare cajuput branches. The whole garden is filled with the chirping of birds, blending with the blue color of the water. The surprisingly cool space will help you forget the hustle and bustle of life, and embrace this green space to enjoy every sweet and magical moment of nature.

In the middle of the cajuput forest there is a watchtower. If you like the feeling of spending a wild night in the forest, waking up in the morning with thousands of birds singing everywhere, contact the forest rangers to experience this wonderful feeling.

Ta Pa Hill

Leaving Tra Su, continue straight to Tri Ton to visit Ta Pa hill. This is also a place not known to many tourists, but it attracts many "backpackers". The hill is only 120 m high, on the hill there is the ancient Chun Num pagoda built in the Khmer architectural style.

From the temple gate, go around 200 meters to the back, you will reach the top of the hill. From here, you can see the whole fertile Tri Ton district. Below is the colorful Ta Pa field, one side is a golden carpet of rice, the other side is green newly sprouted rice, on the field are a few tall palm trees. In the distance is the blue color of the smoke from burning fields, buffaloes are slowly walking in the sunset. The farmer has just finished his work, shouldering his load to go home after a hard day's work.

Surely this will be a beautiful afternoon picture that evokes many memories for those who have spent their childhood in the Vietnamese countryside. On Ta Pa hill, there is also a clear, emerald green lake. The lake surface is as calm as a mirror, reflecting the mountains, behind which is the majestic Co To range. This is also a romantic dating place for many local couples to come and exchange their vows of a hundred years.

If you are still healthy enough to travel, An Giang still has many places for you to visit. Visit the lotus village in Thoai Son, then go through the Oc Eo cultural relic site that is being excavated and researched. Or climb Co To mountain, visit Bong Lai pagoda, follow the stream to Soai So lake, with a cool green garden surrounding the foot of the mountain...

(According to Young Knowledge)

The Thanh