Man travels to Western provinces to take pictures of border signs before merger

(Dan Tri) - Hearing that the provinces in his hometown in the West were planning to merge, Mr. An spent 3 days riding his motorbike to each border sign to take photos to preserve memories.

When information about the merger of provincial administrative units was released, Mr. Nguyen Le Duy An, 47 years old, from Vinh Long , currently living in Ho Chi Minh City, immediately planned a special trip: a "sea hunting" journey in the Western provinces, before the familiar names may no longer be on the administrative map.

As a travel enthusiast who has traveled all over the country, Mr. An has always had one thing in mind: He has never once taken a photo at the boundary sign of Kien Giang and Dong Thap provinces - familiar lands that may soon be renamed and merged.

With a motorbike, he roamed for three days, not looking for famous landscapes or tourist spots. His destination was the boundary signs of each locality.

Long An is the first place Mr. An set foot on.

On the morning of May 10, Mr. An left Ho Chi Minh City, following National Highway 1A to check-in at the border of Long An province - the place expected to merge with Tay Ninh.

Long An is famous for tourist attractions such as Tan Lap floating village (melaleuca forest, walking path in the middle of the forest), ancient house with a hundred pillars with unique architecture. Meanwhile, Tay Ninh attracts tourists with Ba Den mountain - the highest mountain in the South with cable car.

Continuing the journey, Mr. An arrived in Tien Giang - a riverside land famous for Thoi Son Islet, where visitors can experience a sampan ride, listen to traditional music and enjoy fruits. Cai Be Floating Market is a unique trading place on the river with a strong Western character.

Then, he crossed Rach Mieu bridge to Ben Tre, the "coconut land" famous for its garden eco-tourism and coconut candy specialties.

Continuing across Co Chien bridge, he arrived at Tra Vinh - a land of Khmer culture with unique destinations such as Ang pagoda (over 1,000 years old), sacred Ao Ba Om, Hang pagoda with unique sculptures.

The first day ended in Vinh Long - his hometown, famous for its green An Binh islet and bustling Tra On floating market. Visitors can also enjoy specialties such as fried elephant ear fish, field crab hotpot and Cai Nhum grilled spring rolls.

On the second day, Mr. An traveled to Can Tho - famous for Cai Rang floating market, Binh Thuy ancient house, Ninh Kieu wharf and fruit gardens. Can Tho cuisine is attractive with banh cong, hotpot with fish sauce, grilled spring rolls, grilled snakehead fish and duck cooked with fermented bean curd.

From Can Tho, he followed the Nam Song Hau National Highway to Soc Trang, a locality famous for its noodle soup, pia cake, pandan tube cake and flattened green rice.

Continue to Bac Lieu, where visitors can explore the Bac Lieu Prince's House and the famous wind power field as seen in the movies, with specialties such as spicy beef noodle soup, Ngan Dua rice noodles and salted crab.

On the third day, he departed from Ca Mau and completed the trip in Dong Thap.

On the third day, he started from Ca Mau - famous for its rich and pristine mangrove ecosystem. Continuing his journey through the Quan Lo - Phung Hiep National Highway, he reached the sea in Hau Giang and then turned to Kien Giang - the place that left him with the most emotions.

Lands such as Vinh Thuan, U Minh Thuong, An Bien, An Minh still retain their wild beauty with vast fields, winding green canals and simple, rustic life.

"Taking a deep breath, feeling the smell of mud, the salty wind from the rivers and canals, and the hearty laughter of the Western people, I feel like I've returned to my childhood," Mr. An emotionally shared.

From Rach Gia, he continued to Hon Dat and then Tri Ton - An Giang, although An Giang no longer has a clear territorial sea like other provinces. From Long Xuyen, crossing Vam Cong bridge, he headed to Duc Hoa (Long An), then ended his journey at the coastal area of ​​Dong Thap - famous for its vast lotus fields, the brilliant Sa Dec flower village and the attractive Tram Chim eco-tourism area, where he had wanted to take photos but had not had the chance.

"I finished my journey on May 12," said An.

Mr. An finished his journey to conquer 13 provinces after 3 days.

Looking back on the trip, he shared that the most memorable memories came not only from the scenery but also from the harsh journey. There was a stretch of road from Tra Vinh to Soc Trang where he had to cross a torrential rain that lasted dozens of kilometers.

Even though he was soaked and cold, he did not stop: "I'm afraid that tomorrow, those nameplates will disappear, and there will be no second chance."

He mainly goes to border areas, where few tourists visit, still keeping the soul of the countryside intact, people live slowly, simply and are unusually hospitable.

As a son of the West, he felt a little regretful when he came here that some provinces might have to be merged and no longer have names. However, he understood that this was a necessary step for sustainable development in the future.

"Whether the name is changed or not, I believe the identity of the West - generosity, sincerity and loyalty - will never change," An smiled.

Photo: Character provided

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/nguoi-dan-ong-rong-ruoi-cac-tinh-mien-tay-chup-bien-dia-gioi-truoc-sap-nhap-20250526121903948.htm