Floating village on the river

A view of Chau Doc's floating fish farm village. Photo: THANH TIEN

From the early days of "planting stakes"...

If you ever happen to pass by the Con Tien bridge connecting the banks of Chau Doc and Vinh Hau, you'll see hundreds of floating houses clustered together on the river. Families sheltering in these hundreds of floating houses have lived there for generations, drifting along with the waves. For them, life on the rafts is both a habit and a choice.

Having spent almost his entire life on the waterways, Mr. Nguyen Van Thua is the second generation in a family with a "tradition of living on rafts" at the Chau Doc river junction. For him, memories of the raft village are an indispensable part of his life. Every time he mentions it, the weathered eyes of this fisherman still yearn for the image of the first day he and his parents rowed down from Tonle Sap Lake (Cambodia) to anchor their boat at this peaceful riverbank.

“My family followed the tide to settle here in the early 1970s. After many years of wandering, my father wanted to return to his homeland. His nomadic life meant he didn't build a house on land, but decided to live on a raft like many other families. His close relatives also huddled together on rafts to support each other. Most people who came from the Tonle Sap Lake make a living by fishing with nets; those who can afford it switch to fish farming,” Mr. Thua recalled.

According to Mr. Thua, initially, those who raised fish in floating cages did so on a small scale, mainly selling to local markets. Gradually, as catfish and basa fish became popular in the market, the floating fish farming industry also flourished. Floating houses on the river usually have an area of 60-100 square meters, with fish cages below and living quarters above. Families with sufficient capital can own 2-3 fish cages.

The "Colorful Floating Village at the Chau Doc River Junction" project at the time of its launch. Photo: THANH TIEN

“When catfish and basa fish were bought by traders at very high prices, people rushed to raise them in cages. Some households invested hundreds of millions of dong – a huge amount of money at that time – in fish cages. During that opportune time (1995-2000), fish prices consistently rose, and the Chau Doc river was densely packed with fish cages, giving rise to the name “fish cage village.” At that time, I also made a comfortable living thanks to my fish cages, not having to worry about daily necessities,” Mr. Thua continued.

During its "golden age," the floating village of Chau Doc was not only a symbol of riverine culture but also a shining example of economic prosperity . Currently, the statues of catfish and basa fish in the 30/4 Park, Chau Doc ward, still stand tall against the sun and wind, a distinctive landmark of that era. However, the decline of catfish and basa fish has meant the floating village no longer enjoys its former prosperity.

New development direction

Having lived in the floating village since birth, Mr. Nguyen Van Nang understands life here very well. Currently, he works as a fish picker for large floating raft owners, each raft producing 60-70 tons. He shared that he earns between 300,000 and 450,000 VND per day, but the work is not continuous. For raft owners, a profit of around 3,000 VND per kilogram of fish, as it is now, is quite good, but it cannot be compared to the "golden age."

“Lately, traders have been buying basa fish at 40,000 VND/kg, so the fish farm owners are overjoyed, and thanks to that, I can make a living. The only difference is that they don't buy all at once, but rather harvest the fish in batches of a few tons each day. Before, each fish farm with 70 tons of fish could be harvested in a day. Therefore, the number of fish farms with large yields is gradually decreasing, and the owners only raise fish according to their own capital. I've noticed that some fish farm owners have switched to tourism , and they have a decent number of visitors,” Mr. Nang said.

In fact, An Giang's tourism industry recognizes the potential for developing a "non-polluting industry" (tourism) in the Chau Doc floating fish village. In 2024, the Provincial Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion, in coordination with relevant departments and localities, launched the project "Colorful Floating Village at the Chau Doc River Junction". After implementation, the project has proven its appeal stemming from the picturesque beauty of this floating village.

Tourists experience feeding fish on a raft. Photo: THANH TIEN

“The 161 floating houses, painted in six colors—red, yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple—will be ideal locations for tourists to admire the scenery and take unique check-in photos, reflecting the distinctive character of An Giang's waterways. In addition, we have encouraged households in the floating village to diversify their food and beverage businesses to serve tourists. The initial results are quite impressive, with many travel and tourism businesses connecting various tours and routes to bring tourists to experience this area,” said Mr. Le Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Provincial Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion.

However, tourism services in the floating village are still monotonous. Local households mainly offer tourists food, souvenirs, or allow them to participate in feeding the fish. These are all interesting activities, but they can become boring in the long run. Therefore, the relevant authorities propose developing new services such as traditional folk music performances, accommodation, and nighttime dining to enhance the tourist experience.

Mr. Le Trung Hieu further analyzed: “Over time, the “Colorful Floating Village at the Chau Doc River Junction” project needs to be renovated and improved to continue attracting tourists. In addition, there needs to be active participation from specialized sectors and local authorities in supporting the floating village households to exploit the tourism value from their own living environment. Travel agencies need to develop new products associated with the floating village, such as Cham cultural tourism and spiritual tourism in localities connected to the Chau Doc river junction, helping people maximize the economic value alongside the peaceful and romantic atmosphere of this unique floating village.”

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/lang-noi-tren-song-a426549.html