The Water World of Dong Thap Muoi

Encompassing 700,000 hectares of land and water, Dong Thap Muoi is a distinctive low-lying area covering parts of Long An, Tien Giang, and Dong Thap provinces, renowned for its interlacing network of channels and canals. During the June to December flood season, the channels and canals in Dong Thap Muoi fill with silt-bearing water that replenished the fertility of the region. The three provinces have established an 'eco-tourism during the flood reason' program that takes place from September to December every year. The program consists of providing visitors water passage through indigo forests where one can see the beauty of nature, get a glimpse of the lives of the inhabitants and sample very special southern foods.

Dong Thap Muoi is a huge hollow that, when flooded, looks like one big lake. The region, and that along the Tonlesap River in Cambodia, absorb waters thereby keeping the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta flood waters manageable.

The section of the road that goes from Long An province to Tan Thanh (within Dong Thap Muoi) is now asphalt covered. The road ends in Thanh Hoa in Long An and from there one needs a boat to get into Dong Thap Muoi. An interesting place to visit is the Dong Thap Muoi Medicinal Herbs Research, Conservation and Development Center where one can see numerous kinds of medicinal herbs being grown plus 600ha of tram gio (a kind of cajuput tree) forest and tram tra (an Australian kind of cajuput) forest. The center is the only place where tram gio is found in Vietnam.

Go Thap in Thap Muoi district, Dong Thap province, is in the highest part of Dong Thap Muoi and is considered to be the heart of the area. This area is above the floodwaters. In Go Thap archaeologists found the base of four towers of the Phu Nam kingdom that existed 1,500-1,800 years ago, the tomb and temple of princess Nguyen Phuc Hang Nga (a younger sister of king Gia Long) and there are now temples built to honor Nguyen Duy Duong and Nguyen Tan Kieu who led an insurgency against the French, plus old war administrative council facilities and other points of interest.

The Xeo Quyt and Gao Giong historic sites which are located along the Xeo Quyt canals in Hiep My and Long My communes in Cao Lanh district are two more places that visitors to Dong Thap Muoi should go to see. It takes one about 40 minutes to go from the Hiep My market to Xeo Quyt by boat.

Gao Giong is a green oasis that is most beautiful during the flood season because during this time Gao Giong is surrounded by vast areas that are under water but full of yellow dien dien flowers, violet water lilies and pink lotus flowers. There are many kinds of fish and shrimp in Dong Thap Muoi during the flood season so anyone coming at this time has the opportunity to enjoy great food prepared with fresh vegetables, things like grilled loc fish wrapped in a lotus leaf, stork soup, snake soup with mung beans, grilled field mouse, boiled rice wrapped in lotus leaves, dien dien flower soup, steamed snails with pepper, and more. Enjoying southern foods with a cup of sticky rice wine and bee honey followed by a lay on a hammock, cooled by a soft breeze… The good life. Hop aboard a sampan, float through the indigo forest and there it is - your sanctuary.

Considered to be the upper part of the Mekong Delta, Dong Thap Muoi awaits with its wonderful tourist offerings.