I love the way the river is woven into everyday life in Can Tho. It also has some of the greenest landscapes. The people in...
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1. An Introduction To Tra Su Cajuput Forest
Tra Su Cajuput Forest has many melaleuca trees near the Tra Su mountain area of Tinh Bien land. This location was transformed in 1983, from a deserted low-lying area heavily contaminated with alum to a famous eco-tourism area. Tra Su Melaleuca Forest has an area of up to 850 hectares of rich flora and fauna in the Southwest region.
Tra Su Melaleuca Forest is known as the most interesting and unique destination in An Giang. It has rows of green cajuput trees, long and wide rice fields with storks flying straight, and many rows of towering palm trees. Currently, the forest is home to 70 species of birds, 11 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles and 10 species of fish. In addition, this is also a gathering place for 140 plant species belonging to 52 families and 102 genera, including 22 species of wood trees and many other types of trees.
1.1 Opening Hours & Ticket Prices
- Entrance fee (Required): 100,000 VND/person.
- Rowing a dinghy into the Melaleuca forest: 50,000 VND/person.
- Travel by bus: 50,000 VND/person.
- Observation by telescope: 50,000 VND/person.
1.2 Best Time To Visit Tra Su Cajuput Forest
The beauty of Tra Su Melaleuca Forest is most prominent during the flood season of An Giang (September to November). At this time, the Melaleuca trees are also especially greener, and the water flows more calmly. The scenery here is like a soft and cool velvet carpet.
In particular, according to tourist sites in An Giang, you should visit Tra Su Melaleuca forest in the mornings from 07:00 to 09:00 or in the afternoon at sunset from 17:00 to 18:00. This is when flocks of birds fly back to their nests and the sky is projected onto the water below, creating a magical scene.
2. The Silent Beauty Of Tra Su Melaleuca Forest
2.1 Explore Tra Su Melaleuca Forest on unique "tắc ráng"
Tắc ráng is a special kind of canoe in the Mekong Delta region. They are different from the boats you usually see at the Cai Rang Floating Market or Phong Dien Floating Market. Therefore, traveling by "tac rang" is also a "tourism specialty" of An Giang as it is the main means of transportation in the area.
The experience of using these canoes to visit the Melaleuca forest is quite interesting and new. They move at a perfect speed that is neither too slow nor too fast, passing through the canals and straight into the forest. On your Tra Su tour in An Giang, you will see local people harvesting precious cajuput honey from barrels placed in the forest. Go about 3km further and you reach the Tra Su Melaleuca Forest Landscape Protection Area. Both sides of the small way are covered with towering cajuput trees and the radiating green shade is said to be able to wipe away all the stress of daily life.
Upon engaging the core area, you will switch to a rowing boat to explore every corner of the Melaleuca forest. Without any engine, the 4-seat bamboo boats gently drift along the water, weaving into small canals and passing through cool green cajuput trees. Now, you can see underwater layers of water hyacinth leaves floating on the water's surface. The bright yellow Sesbania flowers blend with the green Melaleuca forest, all creating a beautiful natural picture of the river area that hardly be found anywhere on the planet.
Going deeper into Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, you will see firsthand the habitat of many rare bird species. Enjoying the fresh air and listening to the sounds of birds is an ideal choice to help you complete your healing trip to Vietnam.
2.2 Other interesting activities at Tra Su Melaleuca Forest
After finishing the canoe trip, tourists should stop by the observation tower, which is equipped with a telescope with a 25km vision. Here, you can admire the entire vast Melaleuca forest from above and see the villages of the Khmer and Kinh people.
In addition, you can rent a bicycle to ride around to visit and take photos with animals in the Tra Su mangrove forest and take closer looks at the birds foraging, and nesting. Moreover, this forest also has a hundred-meter-long bridge and construction that holds a Guinness record called the thousand-step bamboo bridge - built from all types of Vietnamese bamboo.
3. What To Eat At Tra Su Melaleuca Forest?
If you are too familiar with the specialties of Can Tho or Saigon, the cuisine at Tra Su Melaleuca Forest will bring you a completely new experience. The most famous dishes here are grilled field mice with salt and chili, grilled snakehead fish, and grilled chicken with cajuput honey. You can enjoy a rustic, Mekong Delta-style meal in small but spacious, and airy leaf huts and contemplate the poetic scenery of the forest.
4. How To Get To Tra Su Melaleuca Forest?
Tra Su Melaleuca Forest is located nearly 100km from Long Xuyen City and about 30km from Chau Doc City. You can easily travel to visit this place by many different means.
- Departing from Ho Chi Minh City: You can buy bus tickets to Long Xuyen or Chau Doc at the Mien Tay bus station with prices ranging from 150,000 - 300,000 VND/trip.
- Departing from Chau Doc: You can follow the Tan Lo Kieu Luong route connecting to National Highway 91. After passing the Tra Su Bridge of Nha Bang town, Tinh Bien district, turn left along the Tra Su canal and go a few more Kilometers.
- Departing from Long Xuyen center: Go along Highway 91 to Chau Doc, then continue along the above route to reach Tra Su Melaleuca Forest.
Discover more travel information about the Mekong Delta, Vietnam:
>> Exploring Picturesque An Giang
