Explore the vibrant charm of Tiền Giang on a three-day adventure during the festive season.

Indulge in a plethora of local delicacies and immerse yourself in the melodious tunes of traditional music amidst the lush greenery of Tiền Giang.

Discover the allure of Tiền Giang with a specially curated three-day itinerary for the new year celebrations.

Means of Transportation

From Ho Chi Minh City, you can either head to the Mien Tay Bus Station to purchase tickets to Tiền Giang or conveniently book them online for just 60,000 VND per person per way.

Tiền Giang is merely 70 km away from Ho Chi Minh City, allowing for a scenic drive via National Highway 1 to My Tho intersection, the gateway to the town. Moreover, with the Mỹ Lợi Bridge in place, the distance to Gò Công town in Tiền Giang is reduced to just 25 km, making a motorcycle ride a viable option as well.

Accommodation

You can spend a night in Gò Công and another in Mỹ Tho. In Gò Công, there are several small hotels such as Liên Hương, Hồng Thành, and Hoa Hồng, with prices ranging from 250,000 to 450,000 VND per night. Notable is the Công Đoàn Hotel, priced at 370,000 VND per night.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Exploring Gò Công

Here lies the Trương Định Mausoleum, classified as a historical relic. The mausoleum is built of onyx stone with a vaulted compound, an Eastern architectural style with worship rituals, engraved stone pillars, and gilded copper engravings.

Near the Trương Định Mausoleum, towards Sơn Quy Hill, is the Hoàng Gia Mausoleum complex built in 1826, dedicated to the Phạm Đăng lineage, including Mr. Phạm Đăng Hưng, the father of Queen Mother Từ Dụ. This is one of the rare structures in the Mekong Delta with a lifespan of several hundred years, deeply intertwined with history.

Gò Công is renowned for its ripe plump lychees and the specialty shrimp paste. This rustic dish, 200 years ago, accompanied Queen Mother Từ Dụ to the Huế court, becoming a precious offering to the kings of the first half of the 19th century. Additionally, there is the Craft Village of Ông Non specializing in making ancestral altars. These altars, crafted from precious woods such as rosewood, ebony, and agarwood, are meticulously carved, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and adorned with sparkling copper engravings depicting sacred images or landscapes. Particularly, the joints are only fastened with wooden pegs, without the use of iron nails.

Leaving Gò Công town and heading east for about 15 km, travelers will reach Tân Thành Beach to dig for clams or hunt for crabs on the blackish-gray sandy beach, savoring the sweet, plump white clams prepared deliciously.

In the opposite direction, you will arrive at Vàm Láng Beach, 12 km from the town. Vàm Láng Market is a bustling seafood market with relatively 'affordable' prices. After visiting the coastal market, you can head to Kiểng Phước Village to admire the imperial decrees bestowed by King Gia Long and see the partially intact fish skeleton at Vàm Láng Village temple. Along the way, you can stop by Phú Tân Commune in Gò Công Đông District to visit Pháo Đài Dam, a magnificent military fortification built under the command of General Trương Định of Bình Tây Đại Nguyên to resist French colonialists in the mid-19th century.

Day 2: Exploring Mỹ Tho

In Mỹ Tho, there are several attractions you shouldn't miss. Vĩnh Tràng Pagoda on Nguyễn Trung Trực Street in Mỹ An Hamlet, Mỹ Phong Commune, is the largest Buddhist pagoda in Tiền Giang Province, built in the early 19th century with a distinctive blend of Asian and European architecture.

The Cathedral of Mỹ Tho at 32 Hùng Vương was built in the early 20th century in Western European style. Điều Hòa Temple at 101 Trịnh Hoài Đức was originally a resting place for Nguyen dynasty officials during their local administrative duties. The temple is a repository of numerous tangible and intangible cultural heritage items in Tiền Giang. Here, there is also a traditional tuồng theater stage, offering an intriguing glimpse into the past.

Located approximately 9 km from Mỹ Tho city, Đồng Tâm Snake Farm is where you can witness over 400 species of snakes, from non-venomous to highly venomous. From the snake farm, traveling straight for 7 km along provincial road 864 will take you to the historical site of Rạch Gầm – Xoài Mút, marking the ancient battlefield against the Siamese army led by Nguyễn Huệ.

Apart from visiting various places, don't forget to indulge in the flavorful dish of Mỹ Tho noodles, rich in distinctive aromas. The chewy yet tender noodles, combined with the savory broth flavored with simmered bones and dried shrimp, not only provide a delightful taste but also leave an unforgettable impression on travelers.

Day 3: Exploring the Tiền River

When in the Mekong Delta, a visit to the floating markets is a must. If you enjoy bustling trading activities and want to experience the lively atmosphere of hundreds of boats laden with various fruits, you should head to Cái Bè Floating Market early in the morning. However, in the afternoon, you can observe the lives of the local people living on boats, admire a floating market immersed in the poetic twilight, evoking various emotions.

From the floating market, travelers can visit traditional craft villages along the riverbank, such as candy-making kilns, rice paper-making kilns, com (young rice) making kilns, handicrafts, and brick kilns. Then, take a rest at Tân Phong Islet, where you can marvel at the fruitful orchards. Nature has bestowed upon this commune in Cai Lậy district a favorable climate and fertile, rich soil.

Following the flow of the Tiền River, travelers can also explore Long – Lân – Quy - Phụng islets. Dubbed the 'four spirits', these islets create a captivating river landscape that never fails to allure travelers. While Long and Lân islets lie within Mỹ Tho city, Tiền Giang province, Quy and Phụng islets belong to Tân Thạch commune, Châu Thành district, Bến Tre province.

Cồn Long is a place specialized in aquaculture on rafts and boat repair due to its proximity to the Mỹ Tho fish port. Additionally, here, you can easily find lush fruit orchards. Visiting Cồn Long allows travelers to indulge in famous specialties ranging from durians, rambutans, lychees to seedless guavas, oranges, mangoes, and milk apples.

Cồn Lân, also known as Thới Sơn Islet, is the largest among the 4 islets on the Tiền River. Rowing a boat through winding canals flanked by coconut trees leaves an unforgettable mark. Here, you can also experience the rustic life by wandering through fruit orchards, witnessing the typical three or five-compartment garden houses of the Mekong Delta. Listening to folk songs amidst the serene scenery here is surely a unique and memorable experience in your journey to explore Tiền Giang.

Dining

When visiting riverside fruit orchards along the Tiền River, you must try the delicious coconut fish stew cooked in a clay pot, sprinkled with ground pepper, and served with a spoonful of melted fat before being taken off the stove, enjoyed with white rice or sticky rice. That flavor ensures an unforgettable experience. Additionally, rice paper rolls, Tân Phong snails, banana coconut cake, fermented fish sauce, and spicy shredded salad are must-try dishes.

Souvenirs

Specialty shrimp paste or sour shrimp paste from Gò Công, paired with boiled pork belly wrapped in fresh vegetables and rice vermicelli, will offer your family unique and varied meals. Additionally, you can buy dried shrimp at the seafood market or various delicious fruits as gifts such as Lò Rèn milk apples, Cái Bè mandarins, green-skinned pomelos, dried cakes, honey, and more.

Source: Ngoisao.net

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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour