TRA VINH, ANOTHER FACE OF MEKONG RIVER
Choosing to go to Tra Vinh is an opportunity to discover another face of the Mekong Delta, surprising by its strong Khmer influences, by the hospitality of its inhabitants and its bewitching landscapes. A destination off the beaten track that is full of surprises and offers a pleasant breath in your discovery of the Mekong Delta labyrinth.
The friendly city of Tra Vinh
The eponymous capital is a very nice little town where a jumble of old buildings from the colonial era faces wide tree-lined streets grouped around a beautiful central market. In the shade of the hundred-year-old trees, you will find numerous stalls and small restaurants where you can enjoy some local specialities, drink a coffee or a cold beer all while observing the local life. Although few people speak English, there is certainly no lack of smiles. Tra Vinh may be well off the beaten track, but it is an incredibly friendly place.
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Buddhist pagodas of Khmer architecture
Tra Vinh is home to a very important Khmer community, a people who were the first inhabitants of this territory as in the neighbouring province of Soc Trang. As you travel through the province of Tra Vinh, you will immediately notice the Khmer culture which is expressed in the material heritage and in particular the Buddhist pagodas of Theravada architecture. What a pleasure for the eyes to visit these flamboyant pagodas with beautiful curved roofs covered with glazed tiles that shimmer in the sun. These roofs are very often supported by beautifully decorated pillars. Magnificent frescoes depicting the life of Buddha adorn the interiors, saturated with the smoke of incense, where impressive statues of Buddha covered with gold leaf are enthroned. These pagodas very often house a monastery and one can observe the monastic life of the monks and novices.
Beautiful bike rides
A leaisurely bike ride through the vast expanses of green rice fields and orchards where you can taste the tasty tropical fruits (mangosteen, rambutan, longan, mango, jackfruit, papaya etc.). Go further to see the small Khmer and Vietnamese hamlets where happy days flow, the small arroyos drowned in a luxuriant vegetation, the lively river life and the benevolent smiles of the locals.
Sleeping at the inhabitant's home in Tra Vinh
Some families have embarked on the adventure of ecotourism and welcome travellers in their modest homes with thoughtfulness and gentleness. You will certainly be invited to join the family to prepare the meal, and especially to share it with them, and a few glasses of rice wine will seal the new friendship! Sleeping at the inhabitant's home is a beautiful way to encourage tourism with a more human face, closer to local traditions, and will remain for you an imperishable travel souvenir.
Best season: To stay in Tra Vinh in the best conditions, we advise you to go there between November and April during the dry season. However, be aware that the rainy season is not a prohibitive time to travel to Tra Vinh. The rains are brief and rather refreshing.
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