Top 10 Captivating Spots to Visit in the Mekong Delta

Formerly a shrimp-farming area with sparse vegetation, Bac Lieu Windmill Field has transformed into a mesmerizing landscape. Adorned with 62 colossal turbines, the windmills stand tall, resembling giant pinwheels spinning against the deep blue backdrop. If you've tired of beach or mountain tourism, a visit to Bac Lieu Windmill Field will leave you in awe of its beauty, almost as if you've stepped into the Netherlands or a storybook scene with windmills. The wind power field in Bien Dong A Hamlet, Vinh Trach Dong Commune, is the first wind power field in Southeast Asia built on the continental shelf and is also the largest windmill field in Vietnam. With 62 towering turbines along the coast, each turbine stands at 82 meters, weighing 205 tons, with blades extending 41.7 meters. From a distance, these windmills create a picturesque view. For avid Instagrammers, this vast field is no less enchanting than the expansive landscapes of the Netherlands or the tranquil Western skies. The best times to visit the wind power field are early morning and late afternoon, allowing visitors to witness stunning sunrises and sunsets over the sea.

On the way to the windmill field, you'll pass through a stretch lined with hundreds of over 100-year-old coconut trees, meticulously cared for by locals. Just under 20 kilometers from the city center of Bac Lieu, follow the coastal road towards Bien Dong A Hamlet, Vinh Trach Dong Commune, and witness these colossal 'ocean guardians.' As you feel the sea breeze carrying a hint of salt, you can look towards the East Sea and catch sight of the colossal wind turbines in the distance. The closer you get, the more eager you become to marvel at the grandeur of these wind turbines.

The Bac Lieu Windmill Field, with its novelty and beauty reminiscent of European skies, has a special appeal to tourists, especially the youth. Tens of thousands have visited this location to witness the beauty of the wind power field. This tourist spot is considered to have the most picturesque photo opportunities in Bac Lieu at present. The Bac Lieu Windmill Field is indeed the most famous wind power plant in Vietnam, constructed in 2010 and quickly gaining popularity, attracting numerous tourists from various provinces.

Tan Lap Floating Village in Moc Hoa - Long An stands out with its vast melaleuca forest and mysterious paths leading into the woods. Just a two-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City along National Highway 1A to Tan An and about 60 km further, you'll be greeted with an expansive space featuring the largest melaleuca forest today. If you visit during the flooding season around August to September, you can admire blooming lotus flowers floating on the water, emitting a fragrant aroma. Besides natural lotus, this place is also famous for its fields of water lilies and hundreds of species of fish, amphibians, creating a diverse ecosystem. To capture the panoramic view of Tan Lap Floating Village, you can ascend a watchtower here that stands 38 meters tall. Additionally, the site attracts many couples for wedding photoshoots. With its beautiful scenery, mild climate, visiting here allows you to immerse yourself in nature and momentarily forget the hustle and bustle of the urban environment.

This tourist destination is increasingly popular among groups of young people for weekend getaways. With fresh air, expansive space, the place is attracting more and more young people. Visitors will be engulfed in the unique nature of the Mekong Delta. The tourist area includes facilities (about 5 hectares) such as guesthouses, management houses for boat stations, parking lots, various parks, and boat docks. The remaining area consists of a 130-hectare melaleuca forest and a canal, including a 5km concrete road. Guests can enter the forest by boat or on foot, rest, and go fishing. Tan Lap Floating Village is nominated as one of the Top 10 most visited eco-tourism destinations in Vietnam.

The main canal leading to the central area of Tan Lap Floating Village is called Rung Canal, where functional and service areas for ecological and resort tourism in Long An are gradually forming. Sitting on a boat, ferry, or strolling; Visitors will experience the tranquility of the Dong Thap Muoi countryside with winding canals, lotus ponds, water lily fields, and expansive melaleuca forests, exploring hundreds of species of birds, fish, rare reptiles. When you come to Tan Lap Floating Village, you can also take a boat to visit the wildlife sanctuary, natural reserve area, environmental education center, and forestry center. The most special part of the trip is that you can sit on the boat to fish for various types of fish such as snakehead fish, catfish, and personally gather these 'spoils of war' to roll with young lotus leaves. This rustic and simple pastime will bring you moments of joy, relaxation, and comfort. Afterward, you can enjoy a delicious lunch with typical Dong Thap Muoi dishes such as braised snakehead fish, sour catfish hotpot, and more.

Victoria Nui Sam Lodge is considered a resort paradise in An Giang, offering tranquil landscapes, fresh air, beautiful scenery, and delicious cuisine. Victoria Nui Sam Lodge is situated on the slope of Nui Sam mountain, about 7km from the center of Chau Doc city. It takes about 3 hours by car to reach Victoria Nui Sam Lodge. Victoria Nui Sam Lodge is part of the Victoria Hotels and Resorts chain, located on a picturesque mountain range surrounded by poetic valleys and vast rice fields. The lodge is designed in a modern and elegant style while maintaining a rustic and close connection with nature. It is also home to many architectural works and historical sites recognized by the Ministry of Culture, including Tay An Pagoda, Hang Pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, and especially Ba Chua Xu Temple.

Opened to guests in October 2013, Victoria Nui Sam Lodge is the newest hotel in the Victoria Hotels & Resorts chain, consisting of a community of 26 separate bungalows with various sizes. Built in a minimalist, modern style blending with the surrounding nature, Victoria Nui Sam captivates tourists with its naturally simple charm rather than luxurious amenities. The interior of each room is designed and decorated in a gentle and exquisite style with high ceilings, tiled floors, wooden furniture, and warm red tones. Particularly, each room has a French-style door leading to a private 12m² outdoor balcony overlooking a picturesque valley below. Enjoying local cuisine is an essential part of every trip. A cozy dinner at La Giang Restaurant & Bar with 120 seats both indoors and outdoors will satisfy even the most discerning diners with a variety of Vietnamese dishes, rich in the distinctive flavors of the Mekong Delta. As the sunset descends, visitors can gather at the gazebo, a unique architectural feature of Victoria Nui Sam Lodge. Here, guests can recline on the sofa, sip a fragrant cocktail, and admire the 360-degree panoramic view of the surrounding mountains in an elegantly romantic space. Victoria Nui Sam Lodge has 40 accommodation units, each being a separate bungalow. All rooms are designed in a modern, minimalist, yet elegant style, with the predominant warm pink color. Each room has a spacious balcony, offering a panoramic view of the rice fields in the valley below.

This is also an ideal place for practicing yoga, martial arts, or simply standing to enjoy the fresh, fragrant air of the fields. Thanks to these features, the swimming pool here has been voted by many tourists as one of the most beautiful pools in the country. Besides visiting nearby landmarks such as Tay An Pagoda, Hang Pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, and Ba Chua Xu Temple, visitors also have the opportunity to cruise on Victoria Chau Doc's high-speed boat to admire the landscape and life on the Mekong River, heading to the capital Phnom Penh of Cambodia. The journey between Chau Doc and Phnom Penh takes only about 5 hours, but passengers can experience the daily life of the locals on boats, riverside villages, or bustling floating markets.

Unlike Cai Rang Floating Market, Soc Trang Floating Market offers a wider range of goods and various outstanding services on the river, creating a lively and bustling scene. Ngã Năm Floating Market starts trading very early, from 3 to 4 in the morning, and closes from 7 to 8 o'clock. This is the main market to serve the essential food needs of the people, from fruits, clothes, fabrics to cafes and breakfast services, all traded on boats. A very interesting feature at Ngã Năm Floating Market is the advertising poles. Each boat has a bamboo pole hanging in front, and whatever is hung on that pole is what the boat is selling. This helps people easily find the items they want to buy.

Ngã Năm Floating Market is about 60km from the center of Soc Trang city. Although it is a bit far from the city center, this place is always bustling with trading activities. In the dim light of dawn, Ngã Năm Floating Market appears with its stalls. Boats and ships are lined up on the river to prepare to serve the food needs of local people and tourists. This place possesses the typical cultural characteristics of the Mekong Delta region, concentrating various goods from different regions. Ngã Năm Floating Market is also the rice granary of three provinces in the Southwestern region: Soc Trang, Hau Giang, and Bac Lieu. Here, it is both a market and a transshipment point for rice throughout the Mekong Delta. It is the convergence point of five branches of the Ngã Năm River, covering the provinces of Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, and Soc Trang.

Visiting Ngã Năm Floating Market on an early morning, tourists will immerse themselves in the wholesale flow of people here. Hundreds of boats loaded with products gather from all regions. The scene of large boats, small boats, five-leaf boats, three-leaf boats passing back and forth, vibrant in the dreamy market for 3 – 4 o'clock in the morning is almost hard to find in other regions. With the mild and pleasant climate, the Mekong Delta in general, and Soc Trang in particular, is quite diverse with many types of fruits, vegetables, tubers, and fruits. Agricultural products are considered the most prominent and symbolic items at Ngã Năm Floating Market. In every season, people traveling by boat in the early morning at this floating market often say that everything is sold and bought here. Visitors should not be surprised when, during the flood season, they see boats brimming with the green color of pumpkins or the red color of rambutans, mangosteens…Coming to Ngã Năm Floating Market, visitors will enjoy the unique flavor and atmosphere of the Mekong. The market is lively with inviting calls and songs that stir the hearts of the people. Looking at the advertising poles – the way of advertising in the Mekong Delta floating markets, visitors cannot help but smile at the strange and interesting thing here. The advertising poles are usually made of vong ngà bamboo, with a sharp base, and stuck into the boat when docking. On the advertising pole, visitors will see everything hung, swinging on all the types of agricultural products that the boat owner has on the boat – a unique advertising style. Keeping the original simplicity but extremely attractive, Ngã Năm Floating Market is one of the 18 must-visit tourist destinations in Soc Trang.

Cai Rang Floating Market is one of the three major markets in Can Tho province, specializing in trading various fruits in the Mekong Delta. Unlike other markets, the means of transportation and trading here are boats, sampans, and boats loaded with various fruits. To explore and immerse yourself in the bustling trading scene here, you have to wake up very early to go to the market, both to admire the sunrise and witness the lively trading scene at the beginning of a new day. Cai Rang Floating Market gathers from early morning until 8-9 in the morning. There are many reasons why you want to visit Cai Rang Floating Market again because the lively scene here has made you linger first.

Speaking of the very distinctive culture of the Mekong Delta, you cannot fail to mention the floating market, a unique type of market that perhaps no other region in our country has. Among them, Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho is the most bustling and representative market, voted by the Rough Guide magazine of the UK as one of the 10 most impressive markets in the world. The famous travel website Youramazingplaces also voted it as one of the 5 most beautiful and interesting floating markets in the Asian region. Most tourists in Can Tho, when visiting Cai Rang Floating Market, choose boats as the means of transportation because traveling by boat allows you to fully experience the beauty of the rivers and waterways. The journey sitting on the boat, winding through the canals to reach Cai Rang Floating Market, is also very interesting. You have the opportunity to admire the picturesque scenery on both sides of the river with tall coconut groves and small, cozy houses nestled. The goods at Cai Rang Floating Market are very diverse, almost no shortage of any item, the main product is the special fruits of the Mekong Delta, besides handicrafts, essential goods, to food and drink services, coffee…

For customers from afar to recognize what products their boat is selling, the sellers hang those products on the boat's bow, called the 'advertising pole.' This form of 'pole advertising' is a unique trading culture that only floating markets have – a way of advertising products that is not noisy, hurried, but brings interesting things to both tourists and customers. The market gathers on the river, so to buy goods and visit, tourists have to sit on boats. Coming to the market, you not only enjoy the cool breeze but also taste all kinds of fruits, traditional dishes with the Southern flavor such as banh tet, banh cam, banh it, banh canh, tofu, vermicelli dishes, with prices that are both extremely affordable and delicious. Vermicelli and crab noodle soup are the two most popular breakfast items. Travel to the Mekong Delta to Can Tho to enjoy breakfast, sip a hot cup of coffee right on the swaying boats on the river, and chat with the friendly and open-minded people of the Mekong is truly a great and interesting experience that makes anyone who comes here love it, want to come back again.

What makes this place attractive and interesting is not only that it is a land of many delicious fruits but also an ideal and wonderful tourist destination, with peaceful countryside scenery, green houses, palm leaves, creating a cool space, soothing the sweltering heat of summer days. In addition to visiting many famous scenic spots, tourists can also take boats and participate in canal paddling and fishing activities. An activity that many tourists find fascinating nowadays. To proactively explore the scenery of the Mekong Delta, tourists should travel by motorbike towards My Tho, to My Tho you should enjoy hu tieu, with a rich flavor that carries the typical characteristics of the Mekong Delta cuisine, with a very affordable price of 15,000 VND/bowl.

Cu Lao Thoi Son is a large floating land in the middle of the Tien River with an area of over 50 hectares. The 6000 households living here are day by day together preserving the natural beauty of the homeland. Cu Lao Thoi Son attracts tourists partly because of that characteristic. The Thoi Son floating tourist area has been invested more in recent years, with a system of floating islands from 1 to 5. Cu Lao Thoi Son is a land that receives more natural advantages than other floating islands. Here, there is a large system of fruit orchards and abundant fruit gardens. When visiting Thoi Son island, tourists can immerse themselves on the cool green water, admire the fruit gardens full of fruit on both sides of the road. According to experienced travelers to Thoi Son island, fruit trees on the island bear fruit all year round, but the most abundant season is in summer. Being a source of supply of fruits for many wholesale markets in Tien Giang province, the fruits on the island are rich in the highest quality. Whether it's longan, milk apple, or lychee... every fruit is fresh and sweet like the hearts of the locals here. Visiting fruit orchards, tourists can stroll along winding stone paths, both visiting and enjoying fresh fruit directly in the garden. On the island, there are areas of huts as resting points for visitors. In the fresh air, the spacious space, listening to a piece of don ca tai tu music suddenly feels a relaxed and serene life.

Not only that, tourists also have the opportunity to experience being a real fruit farmer through fishing activities with the locals on the island. 'The fruit garden fish is delicious but catching it is very difficult,' those who have experienced this activity once will surely think the same way. Cu Lao Thoi Son is an area with many fruit trees. The attraction, charm of Thoi Son island lies in getting away from the noise and hustle of the city. Tourists coming to Thoi Son, going down the boat rowing along the winding canals between two rows of lush coconut trees or the leaning water willow trees welcoming visitors. If you want to stroll along winding stone paths, cross through lush fruit orchards, you have the opportunity to sit and rest in the orchard to drink fragrant honey tea and listen to the sweet sounds of don ca tai tu music. The night on Thoi Son island is magical with a clear moon, cool wind, and gentle waves. Tourists can sit on a gently drifting boat on the river to admire the rising moon, or sit together in pairs to listen to the smooth, deep voice of the village girl...

Pirate Island belongs to Tien Hai commune, Ha Tien, Kien Giang. The best time to travel to Pirate Island is from December to April when the sea is calm, gentle waves, no storms, and clear blue water. Stepping onto Pirate Island, you will see an island with wild, simple, and incredibly beautiful beauty, with images of fishing boats lined up offshore. When you come to Pirate Island, you can walk to explore instead of renting many vehicles, only by walking can you truly experience the beauty here with one side facing the sea and the other side facing the mountains. To save costs, you can set up a tent to sleep directly on the beach, watching the sunrise the next morning, a wonderful feeling for those who come to Pirate Island.

Pirate Island in Kien Giang is considered an unusual destination right from its name. In fact, this is the name of an archipelago consisting of 16 islands, the largest of which is Hon Tre (Hon Doc), located in Tien Hai commune, Ha Tien district. This place is 28 km from the coast of Ha Tien and 40 km from Phu Quoc Island. From the name, tourists can imagine the past of the island. Because it is located in the Ha Tien - Rach Gia Gulf to the Gulf of Thailand, an important trade route from China to Western countries, so for many centuries, this archipelago is an ideal place for pirates to hide, disguise, ambush, and attack passing ships. Until the early 20th century, piracy still flourished in this sea area. Not only the nightmare of many ships, Pirate Island is also believed to be a hiding place for treasure. Some think it's just a rumor, while others consider it true. But if we go back to the 1980s, foreigners invaded the island with the intention of searching for treasure. The story of a 300-year-old map leading to the hidden treasure on the island, along with a large amount of ancient money found here, makes Pirate Island even more special.

Today, besides the curiosity from the name, people also come to Pirate Island to explore a rare and pristine beauty. The specialty on the Pirate Island is seaweed or thorny oysters. People only need to carry a metal clip and dive into the water at a depth of about 3 meters to harvest seaweed. Tourists who know how to dive can join the locals to experience this job in the tour. After catching, the seaweed will be sieved strongly to break all the thorns, cut in half to eat raw, grill with fat and onions or cook porridge. The scene of a fishing village at the foot of Tre Van island, where boat owners often pass by for tourists to admire the scenery. Homestay with hammocks inside for visitors to relax on the beach. This destination is on a small island next to Doc Island, connected by a wooden bridge across the sea. Pirate Island does not have electricity and the internet. There will be two power cuts daily at noon and at night. Visitors need to prepare backup batteries, chargers, and 3G/4G sims to comfortably enjoy the journey.

An Binh Island is a famous tourist paradise with the characteristic garden culture of the river region. With an area of about 60 km2, including 04 communes: An Binh, Hoa Ninh, Dong Phu, and Binh Hoa Phuoc in Long Ho district. An Binh Island is an ideal place for visitors to sit on a boat to explore the local people's life. The cool breezes along with the folk songs on the boat's nose will give you unforgettable impressions. If you are lucky to pass by the fruit trees along the banks, you will have the opportunity to pick and eat without worrying about the locals scolding you. For the people here, who live in the fields and gardens all year round, those fruits are the common treats for guests.

Coming to An Binh Island , visitors can also visit: Cai Cuong ancient house known as an architectural work with a European-Asian ancient appearance. Located in Binh Hoa Phuoc commune, next to the bustling Cai Muoi river with boats, this is a place that attracts many visitors to visit every spring. Or you can visit the house of Mr. Hai Hoang, built-in French architecture with a very spacious, airy yard. Behind is a garden of rambutan and longan. This is often the place for lunch and overnight stay for tourists. Besides, traditional craft villages such as Phuoc Dinh apricot and Mr. Sau Giao's ornamental plant garden will bring you comfort and tranquility. An Binh Island is one of the most attractive ecotourism destinations in Vinh Long province. In addition, tourists can visit Tien Chau Pagoda, a pagoda located on Tien beach, downstream of the Co Chien river, belonging to An Binh Island. According to the Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi book, Hoang Duc Hoi is the one who 'built' Tien Chau Pagoda (around 1860). The pagoda has a 'tam' shape, consisting of three connected sections: main hall, ancestral temple, and rear gallery. In the pagoda, there are a total of 96 round wooden columns made of precious wood, rafters, traverses, and brackets made of cam wood, carved skillfully by local artisans and from Hue. Later, Tien Chau Pagoda was renovated many times, with the most important renovation in the Year of the Pig (1899). This can be said to be an ancient temple with beautiful and unique architecture recognized as a national cultural and historical relic.

An Binh Island is the land at the head of the Cu Lao Minh strip, rich alluvial soil, rich in nutrients, good trees, and sweet fruits. The island is a green tourist attraction attracting 400,000 - 500,000 tourists every year, because the activities of the people in this land still carry the rustic garden culture of the 'Southern Land' opening period. The canal system is like a maze, the small boats take tourists to weave through the fruit-laden areas, on both sides are coconut and willow trees, creating a peaceful and gentle feeling for tourists to live in a peaceful, fresh, and serene nature. Talking about An Binh Island is talking about countless fruit orchards. It is the pride of the local people about the source of income, fruits are almost available all year round, every season, each type has its own flavor...

Visiting Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, you will experience the pure and peaceful natural scenery, savoring traditional dishes with a rustic touch. Tra Su Melaleuca Forest is located about 10km from the Vietnam-Cambodia border, representing the typical brackish water area of the Western Hau River region, the habitat of many species of birds, wild animals, and aquatic creatures in the Vietnamese biological system. With an area of 850 hectares, Tra Su Melaleuca Forest is covered in a deep green color, underneath is the water covered with water lilies. After exploring the melaleuca forest, you can stop and rest at the huts to enjoy local dishes such as grilled snakehead fish with straw, sour soup with linh hoa leaves, roasted field mice with salt and chili, and many other local dishes. For those who love the beauty of the wild nature, Tra Su Melaleuca Forest is the ideal choice for you.

Tra Su Melaleuca Forest is located in Van Giao commune, Tinh Bien district, An Giang, evaluated as the most interesting and unique tourist attraction in An Giang. Visitors here will be overwhelmed by the vast melaleuca forest and have the opportunity to explore the unique ecosystem of the flooded forest in the Western Hau River region with many rare and precious species of fauna and flora. When stepping into the melaleuca forest area, you will be amazed by the natural scenery surrounded by the vibrant green color of the melaleuca forest, creating a cool and pleasant space...Going deeper into Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, you will see many rare species of birds nesting here, such as egrets, and bats. This is also the common home of 140 plant species, 11 animal species, 23 fish species, many of which have been included in the conservation list. With the fresh air filled with the sounds of birds, Tra Su is suitable for tourists who want to escape the noisy and dusty city to return to nature, bringing you an An Giang trip full of experiences and excitement.

Aside from the natural beauty, Tra Su Melaleuca Forest also has beautiful artificial constructions. Gathering all types of Vietnamese bamboo from all regions of the country, the investor is determined to build a Guinness record 'ten-thousand-step bamboo bridge' through Tra Su Melaleuca Forest to serve tourists. Wandering into the core area on the graceful bamboo bridge, tourists will enjoy the feeling of time slowing down to immerse themselves in nature. The 'Bamboo' transportation network is decorated like beautiful flower paths weaving through ancient melaleuca trees. No dust, no noise pollution, no concrete and steel, the rhythmic bamboo bridge acts like an extended arm, supporting the rapid growth of the resources of Tra Su.

Tra Su is a typical flooded melaleuca forest for the Western Hau River region. The characteristic landscape in the forest is the captivating path created by the melaleuca trees. With the fresh and clean air filled with the sounds of birds, Tra Su is suitable for tourists who want to escape the noisy, bustling city to return to nature.

Gao Giong in Dong Thap is located in Ap 6, Gao Giong commune, Cao Lanh district, Dong Thap province. The most attractive point of the eco-tourism area is the boat ride along the extended canal with lush melaleuca forest. Visitors can also approach the area of resident birds. In Gao Giong eco-tourism area, there are 36 hectares where 15 bird species inhabit along with hundreds of other aquatic and plant species. Those who have been to Gao Giong eco-tourism area all feel overwhelmed when getting lost in the land of birds. The birds gracefully pose, spreading their wings and then landing swiftly, requiring tourists to quickly capture those beautiful moments. Many other tourists are fascinated to witness rare birds such as white-rumped shama, stork, darter, kite, deaf bird... living and nesting. Especially, flocks of white storks perching on the tree branches. Whenever a tourist approaches, the storks stretch their wings and soar high, adding excitement to witnessing this rare scene not found in many places in Vietnam.

From September to November is the most beautiful time to travel to the Mekong Delta during the flooding season. When the sun begins to rise, the weak rays of light begin to lift the curtain of clouds, bringing light to the land. This is also the time when Gao Giong melaleuca forest becomes lively, vibrant with the sound of birds waking up to search for food. The lotus pond area is where red-breasted parakeets gather to dance and find food. Each flock of birds seems to divide the area to find food occasionally making loud crowing sounds and when they want to express joy, the birds often dance in beautiful rhythms. Gao Giong eco-tourism area is one of the most beautiful eco-tourism areas in Dong Thap since 2003, attracting tens of thousands of visitors. The diverse and rich forms of tourism can be explored by road and waterway. However, tourists often prefer to explore by waterway to navigate through the canals and admire the scenery. This is the most interesting point that only in the Mekong Southwest can you have the opportunity to experience. After hours of sightseeing, tourists can visit the cuisine area of Gao Giong eco-tourism to enjoy all the specialties of the Mekong Delta. Typical dishes include stir-fried caterpillar leaves with tamarind sauce, linh fish cooked in a wild sour soup, snakehead fish grilled with lotus shoots, refreshing herbs, fermented fish sauce with coconut, and dragon blood rice cooked with lotus leaves.