48 hours in Chau Doc

During the flood season in An Giang , visiting Chau Doc will give tourists a clearer understanding of the lives of the people in the Mekong Delta.

Chau Doc is a major city in An Giang province, located near the Vietnam-Cambodia border. It is a region where the cultures of the Kinh, Cham, and Khmer ethnic groups intermingle, with abundant natural resources, spiritual stories, and a distinctive riverine lifestyle.

September to November, the flood season, is the best time to visit the landmarks in Chau Doc. This itinerary is suggested by Ly Thien Phong, a local tour guide, along with the experiences of a VnExpress reporter.

Day 1

Morning

For breakfast, enjoy the famous Chau Doc snakehead fish noodle soup. The dish features a rich broth, fragrant with shrimp paste, lemongrass, chili, garlic, and the vibrant yellow color of fresh turmeric. If you like the fish head, you can order it separately. Side dishes typical of the Mekong Delta include Sesbania grandiflora flowers, water lily flowers, bitter herbs, banana blossoms, shredded water spinach, and bean sprouts. Many diners also enjoy it with roasted pork or pork sausage.

Some recommended places: Bé Hai Fish Noodle Soup, Cô Nga's Châu Đốc Fish Noodle Soup, and the roundabout fish noodle soup on Phan Đình Phùng Street. Each bowl of noodle soup costs between 25,000 and 30,000 VND, not including side dishes.

Floating village on the Hau River. Photo: Nhat Minh

A boat trip on the Hau River to visit the colorful floating village is the newest experience in Chau Doc. Since mid-September, thanks to a community project, 161 fish cages stretching over 1 km have been covered in vibrant colors such as red, yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple. Phase 1, with about 80 cages, has been completed. The floating village is located on a tour route for exploring and experiencing river life and the culture of the Cham community in An Giang. You can stop to buy souvenirs, observe how fish are raised, and experience the life of fishermen...

Another destination located near the boat dock on the Hau River is the basa fish monument. This structure honors the fish species closely associated with life and celebrates the fishermen who domesticated the fish and other aquatic species to bring prosperity to their lives.

Around midday, if you want to know what Chau Doc has to offer, you must visit the central market. Open from 5:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily, the market offers a wide variety of goods, from food to souvenirs, traditional Khmer clothing, and An Giang specialties. A highlight of the market is the eye-catching and fragrant fish sauce stall.

Have lunch at one of the famous restaurants specializing in Western Vietnamese cuisine. Some recommended options include: Bay Dong restaurant, Dong Que restaurant, and Hong Phat restaurant.

Afternoon

When visiting Chau Doc, you can't miss Mount Sam and the Lady of the Land Temple. This is a popular tourist destination in An Giang, located about 5 km from the city center. During the Lunar New Year and on the 15th and 1st days of the lunar month, it is always crowded with visitors from all over. With its sacred and majestic atmosphere, the Lady of the Land Temple is a place that expresses the Vietnamese people's belief in worshipping the Mother Goddess.

The length of your stay at the temple depends on your needs, whether you're just sightseeing, attending a religious ceremony, or enjoying other experiences.

In the late afternoon, watching the sunset from the top of Mount Sam is the next experience. This place is considered one of the most beautiful sunset viewing spots in the Mekong Delta region because of its wide view, overlooking the rice fields below.

Sunset over Mount Sam. Photo: Linh Huong

The path up Mount Sam is steep but quite easy to navigate. You should arrive before 4:30 PM to avoid missing the sunset. At the summit of Mount Sam, visitors will have the opportunity to experience mountain climbing and breathe in the fresh air.

Have dinner at Lá Giang restaurant on top of Mount Sam with a buffet menu and then return to Châu Đốc.

Take a stroll through the city at night and enjoy the pomelo dessert at My Van's mobile dessert cart at the beginning of Trung Nu Vuong Street. This is a snack spot recommended by locals. Prices for each dessert range from 10,000 to 25,000 VND. Spend the night at the Victoria Hotel in the heart of Chau Doc city, with a view of the Hau River confluence, near Chau Doc market and convenient for getting around.

Day 2

Morning and noon

Have breakfast in Chau Doc with rice noodle soup, fermented fish noodle soup, or plain rice noodles at the eateries along the Hau River and Chau Doc market.

Depart for Tra Su Melaleuca Forest. This is a "must-visit" destination when coming to An Giang, especially during the flood season. The travel time from Chau Doc city center to the forest is about 30-40 minutes. Visitors will need to purchase an entrance ticket for 100,000 VND per person.

Walking on the bamboo bridge is a relaxing experience. Photo: Linh Huong

There will be two options for the experience. If you have limited time or just want to check in, you can simply buy an entrance ticket for 100,000 VND and a 30-minute speedboat ride for 50,000 VND.

If you're a nature lover , spend as much time here as possible, from morning to afternoon. You should experience walking across Vietnam's longest bamboo bridge leading into the heart of the forest. Ideally, walk across the bamboo bridge once, then switch to a motorboat to explore further into the forest. You'll get to see rare flora and fauna firsthand. You can ask the boat driver to stop so you can fully appreciate the tranquil atmosphere.

Climb to the observation deck to admire the entire Tra Su Melaleuca Forest using a 25km telescope for a more comprehensive view of this "valuable" forest in the Mekong Delta. The observation deck is located within the grounds of the Tra Su restaurant, so it's a good idea to stop here for lunch.

The restaurant's signature dishes include grilled snakehead fish, snakehead fish hotpot with water hyacinth flowers, crispy fried snakehead fish, fermented fish hotpot, coconut heart salad, and Vietnamese savory pancakes (banh xeo). The restaurant is situated in a lush green setting, surrounded by tall rows of water hyacinth flowers.

Afternoon

Rowboats navigate through small canals. Photo: Linh Huong

Return to the mangrove forest by sampan boat. After experiencing the motorboat and walking on the bridge, switching to a sampan boat will take you on a shorter journey, winding through small canals. The afternoon is also when many birds, egrets, and other species return to the forest. Sitting in the boat and moving slowly will allow visitors to best appreciate the peaceful nature of the mangrove forest.

We arrived back in Chau Doc city around 4 PM.

In addition to the above itinerary, tourists can choose alternative destinations such as: Chau Phong Cham Village along the Hau River, Chau Phong Mosque, a textile factory, and Hang Pagoda (Phuoc Dien Temple).

Linh Huong

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