Tourist attractions in Vung Tau

Coming to Long Son fishing village, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province, tourists will have a chance to turn into a fishman, catch fish and enjoy fresh seafood.

After travelling more than 10 kilometers from Highway 51 to An Son island commune, the image of a small beautiful village floating in the water gradually emerges. The hot and muggy weather in the summer is replaced with the cool and fresh air.

In order to arrive at the fishing village, tourists have to spend 10 more minutes going by boat. The restaurants in Long Son village are impressive with cages being full of fish, shrimp and crab.

After giving the order, customers can directly choose seafood from these cages. There are both rustic dishes and specialties of the Southern Vietnam here such as: barnacle coming with mustard, fish grilled with pepper and salt, grill crab, crab torrefied with tamarind, Long Son crab, hot pot, steamed fish, etc. Girls in Vietnamese silk pajamas (“áo bà ba” in Vietnamese) with suntanned skin are very considerate toward customers. Therefore, customers feel close and friendly.

The village is not only famous for its delicious dishes but also interesting experiences. Tourists can turn into fishmen and catch fish in the estuary of Rang river. Catching fish here is not too difficult, tourists just need to drop iron cages into the river and wait until fishes fall into your trap.

The flocks of fish often gather near the fish cage in order to eat leftover food. Therefore, this estuary is an ideal place for people like fishing. 

Long Son fishing village is one of tourist attractions in Ba Ria – Vung Tau. It attracts thousands of visitors every month. However, not many people know that the fishing village was built by a poor and low educated fishman. That man is Mr Ly Buu Hoi. Although he now has become very rich, he is still simple and plain like other fishmen in the village. Everyone and every staff admire and love him due to his sociability and kindness.

Nowadays, Long Son fishing village has the area of more than 1,000 square meters. It can serve 800 customers and give jobs for a lot of young people in the region. If you have a chance to visit Long Son, do not forget enjoy the famous dried fish and barnacle here.

Gao Giong Eco-Tourism

 Gao Giong Eco-tourim is situated in Hamlet 6, Gao Giong Commune, Cao Lanh District in Dong Thap Province, about 20km from the centre of Cao Lanh city. With a beautiful and charming landscape, Gao Giong Eco-tourim is considered the miniature of Dong Thap Muoi in the western region in South Vietnam.

From Cao Lanh, tourists follow a beautiful stretch of road on Highway 30 to arrive in Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area – the lung of the area of Dong Thap Muoi. The green oasis-like area is divided into four areas with over 70km of canals and 20km of self-contained dikes. The mangrove forest in Gao Giong covers 1,700ha, including 250ha of primitive forest that creates a wild beauty. 

Part of Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area seen from above. Photo: Le Minh 

Tourists visit Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area by a sampan. Photo: Le Minh
An observatory in Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area. Photo: Le Minh 
Tourists take beautifull photos from the observatory. Photo: Le Minh 
Tourists discover the cajeput forest using a sampan. Photo: Le Minh 
Peaceful scenery in the cajeput forest. Photo: Le Minh 
The entrance gate of Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area. Photo: Le Minh
Thatched houses in  Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area.
The locals earn their living by catching fish in the eco-tourism area. Photo: Le Minh

Standing on the observatory in the middle of the eco-tourism area, tourists have a birds’-eye-view of an immense area with the distinctive landscape of Dong Thap Muoi that was lively reflected in the famous Vietnamese film, called “Canh Dong Hoang” (Wild Field) by late People’s Artist Hong Sen. The film script was written by writer Nguyen Quang Sang.

On small sampans rowed by gentle women on criss-crossing canals through thick mangrove forests, tourists arrive in a 40ha bird sanctuary, one of the “must-see” destinations in the eco-tourism area.

Visiting the bird sanctuary in the early morning or late afternoon, tourists will be amazed at the animated and noisy scene of thousands of birds hovering above a corner of the forest. The bird sanctuary has now over 200 species of birds, including many listed on the Vietnam and the World Red Books, such as O tac (Otididae), Nhan diem and Giang sen (Mycteria leucocephala) . The area is also the habitat of dozens of water birds, such as Trich mong do, Lesser, whistling ducks, wild ducks, and tens of thousands of white egrets so the area is considered the largest habitat of white egrets in Dong Thap Muoi.

The area is also famous for a plentiful resource of aquatic products, including snakeheads, anabas and That lat(Notopteridae) and especially Rohu from the shallow lake in western Cambodia. Gao Giong is most beautiful in flood season with an immense area covered with the yellow of Dien dien (Sesbania sesban) flower, the red of water-lilies, the violet of Giant Crape-myrtle, the pink of lotus and the green of mangrove forest. All form a romantic colourful natural painting hardly seen anywhere else. 

Grilled snakehead, a specailty of Dong Thap Muoi. Photo: File 
Steamed snails with a speacial taste. Photo: Le Minh 
A delicious dish in the area. Photo: File

Visiting the area, tourists will have a chance to learn about the daily life of people in the watery area and enjoy delicious dishes, such as grilled snakehead, sour soup of Dien dien flowers and steamed snails with a special taste.
Established in March 2003, Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Area is now a favourite destination of both domestic and foreign tourists to the western region of South Vietnam.

FESTIVALS CAN BE MISSED IN APRIL

April is coming. There are many major festivals you should not miss in this April. This is an occasion for you to travel and learn about the national culture.

Phu Day festival: April 3rd in lunar calendar (April 12th in solar calendar) In April 3th in lunar calendar, many people flock to Kim Thai commune, Vu Ban district, Nam Dinh province to attend Phu Day festival. Tourists come here to take part in the anniversary of Princess Lieu Hanh’s death, to visit the temple and to enjoy Chau Van singing. Hon Chen festival: March 3rd in lunar calendar (April 12th in solar calendar) On March 3rd in lunar calendar, there will be a festival to honour Thien Y A Na – a god of Champa in Ngoc Tan mountain and Hai Cat communal house of Huong Tra district, Thua Thien Hue city province. The festival takes place in decorated boats on Huong river in the evening. In the last day, people will set free for birds and drop coloured lanterns on the river. Bach Dang festival: March 8th in lunar calendar (April 17th in solar calendar) On March 8th in lunar calendar, in Tran Hung Dao temple, Vua Ba shrine and temples in Yen Hung district, Quang Ninh province, there will be a festival to honour national heroes fighting against the foreign invader on Bach Dang river. The festival includes the procession and some activities such as boat racing, wrestling, human chess. Hung King’s Temple Festival: March 10th in lunar calendar (April 19th in solar calendar) Annually, Hung King’s Temple Festival is hold on March 10th in lunar calendar in Viet Tri city, Phu Tho. The festival takes place from March 1st to March 11th. Coming to the festival, you can participate in the thurifying festival in Thuong temple. Besides, there are many other activities like traditional games, Ca Tru singing… Vam Lang festival: March 10th in lunar calendar (April 19th in solar calendar) Coming to Kieng Phuoc commune, Go Cong Dong district, Tien Giang province on March 10th in lunar calendar, visitors can attend the festival hold in Nam Hai royal tomb. Besides, the festival hold on sea with hundreds of decorated boats, singing performance, and traditional games are very interesting. Den Do festival: March 16th in lunar calendar (April 25th in solar calendar)  Den Do festival is hold from March 14th to March 16th in lunar calendar. The festival with the procession attracts a lot of people. Apart from going with the procession, you should not forget to listening to Quan Ho love duets of Bac Ninh province and attending interesting traditional games.