After Can Tho, I caught a bus to An Giang, anther big province in Mekong Delta. An Giang has a lot more to see and explore compared to Can Tho, and I couldn’t wait to check it out! It took around 3 hours to get from Can Tho to An Giang by bus. The bus arrived in Chau Doc city, the main hub of An Giang. Unfortunately, there are a lot less options than Can Tho in terms of accommodation. I could not find any dorm rooms, so I booked a private room for myself which costs me 9$ per night. To explore An Giang, you can choose to hire a motorbike for around 6$ per day, or you can use Go i-xe which is a transportation app, similar to Grab or Uber. For a solo traveler like me, I decided to ask a motor driver near my hotel and negotiate the price for 2 days exploring around (30$). This is a really suitable option for people who don’t have much time but still want to see as much as they can. I was lucky that my motor drive is a very helpful and friendly guy, he even went far and beyond his job and took me to some hidden gems that only locals know.
My 1st stop is Bung Binh Thien, which is said to be the largest freshwater lake in the Mekong Delta. I planned to do a boat trip around here, but sadly when I was there the locals said they stopped taking guests on boats because not many people come here and they do not invest to develop tourism here anymore. This is such a waste cause this lake is amazingly fresh and calm, perfect for me to be lazy and chill on a boat. I left Bung Binh Thien with little a disappointment, but my motor driver cheered me up by taking me to the border crossing station between Vietnam and Cambodia. There is a border market near there where you will have a chance to buy cheap stuff from Cambodia. And don’t worry about getting Khemer Riels, there are many places around where you can exchange. Later, my driver took me to a small boat and started crossing the river into Cambodian territory, where there is a big casino with many gamblers actively playing every day. If you are into gambling you definitely should check it out!
On the way back to the hotel I had a quick visit to Sam mountain where locals and tourists come to pray and wish for health, wealth and happiness. I drove directly to the mountain peak for a panorama view, where you can see the whole city. To finish a long day, I had a fish noodle soup at the market and head back home. The night scene is pretty boring here, so I decided to have a lazy night to prepare for the next day
Tra Su Cajuput (Mangrove) Forest is where I started my next day. I was so excited about this trip because I heard my driver said it is truly beautiful here. And it turns out so much better than I imagined. I went solo so the entrance ticket is 190,000 VND/ person (~9$), but it will be cheaper if you go in bigger groups. At first, you will sit on a boat with a rower who will paddle you through the forest. I have a big boat all by myself, so I can feel free to move around and take lots of pictures! The air here feels very refreshing and the further you go inside the forest, the cooler it is. Along both sides, cajuput trees grow rapidly and densely, together with flooded mangrove forests which are the home of many species of flora and fauna. Sometimes you will catch a glimpse of different birds like storks, and bats looming between the bushes waiting patiently for their prey. In the flooded season the water surface is cover by dense green ferns, you will feel lost in the world of unlimited green carpet. Later, the boat will stop to take you to the observation tower for you to climb up for an overview of the forest.
Right next to the tower, there is a bridge leading into the forest with a heart shape wooden table at the end of the bridge. I highly recommend you to take a walk till the end, the view on both sides is amazing and it feels so refreshing here. But you will have to pay an extra 20,000 vnd (~1$) to enter, this bridge is not included in the entrance ticket. It’s worth it, believe me!
Leaving Tra Su, I went to Cam mountain to see the massive Buddha statue. Unluckily for me, the weather turned bad and started raining heavily. So I could only manage to explore the Cam mountain in a rush. Big statues here are very impressive, I imagine they will look great if it’s on a sunny day. Waiting until the rain stopped, I kept exploring Ta Pa lake which is said to have emerald green water. This is a hidden gem in An Giang, even my driver he said he never took anyone here before. I was so glad to find it out on the internet somewhere, and I can’t be happy enough to be here. The lake is so beautiful and calm, and the water is sparkling with emerald lights. There was still small rain but it was so much better than before.
My last stop for 2nd day is Ba Chuc tomb, where thousands of bones were preserved here to memorize innocent civilians who were murdered by Khmer Rouge regime. It was sad to see that even newly born babies and children were slaughtered. Nowadays the locals still visit here quietly and nobody talks much about it anymore, but the pain will still be attached in their eyes to the next generation.
Overall, An Giang is wonderful with beautiful, friendly locals and truly amazing scenery. I can come back here anytime and still feel like a new experience. Mekong Delta has a lot to offer, and An Giang definitely shouldn’t be missed!