Ben Tre and Tra Vinh: Coconut Country and the Khmer Pagodas of the Mekong Delta
Two quieter provinces of the delta: Ben Tre, two hours from Ho Chi Minh City and built around the coconut, and Tra Vinh, where about 140 Khmer pagodas stand among a community that makes up nearly a third of the population.
Most visitors to the Mekong Delta head straight for the floating markets of Can Tho, but the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism points to two provinces that show a different side of the delta: Ben Tre and Tra Vinh.
Ben Tre is about two hours from Ho Chi Minh City and is known for coconuts and coconut-based food. Cycling is a popular way to explore it. Cu Lao Long island is reached by a short ferry ride and has shaded paths, coconut groves and roadside coffee stops, and other islands in the Ham Luong River give a closer look at village life, some with organised tours. The area has more than 300 coconut candy factories, which visitors can tour.
Tra Vinh is a different world. Roughly 140 ornately decorated pagodas were built by the Khmer Krom, an ethnic Khmer community in Vietnam, who make up about 31 percent of the population. Ao Ba Om is a man-made square lake surrounded by tall trees, picnic areas and cafes, and a legend says that Khmer women dug it to compete for the right to choose their husbands. Ang Pagoda is one of the most impressive Khmer structures in the province and sits across from the Khmer Culture Museum.
Kom Pong Chrai, also called Hang Pagoda, stands about 6 kilometres from the town and is known for large wooden carvings made by its monks, some as tall as the ceiling. The egrets flying across the sky at dusk near Hang Pagoda are a noted sight. In town, the local market is a good place to buy regional produce, and by the Long Binh River fishermen can be seen hauling their nets from the bank.
The two provinces can be reached from Can Tho, which is about three hours from Tra Vinh, or from Ho Chi Minh City by air-conditioned or local bus; the tourism authority also advises checking the meter in taxis and agreeing the fare before getting on a xe om. As for any trip in the delta, fares, ferry times and opening hours change, so check them locally.
Sources
Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Mekong Delta travel guide.
Continue