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TRAVEL
20
I
live in the middle of Saigon, so I am
used to busy streets, large buildings
and a hectic pace of life which is why
I jumped at the chance to recharge
on a trip with TST Tourist to the south-
west province of Dong Thap.
Although it is just a three our drive
from Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Thap prov-
ince is a truly fresh escape. On the
way to the province the view changes
radically from built-up houses to green
fields as far as the eye can see.
Our first stop impresses us all, es-
pecially those who love photography;
a broad lotus field - one of the key
features of the province - spreads out
before us. The Dong Sen (lotus field)
tourist area has floating huts between
the fields enabling tourists to take won-
derful pictures. The flower symbolises
faithfulness, purity and will. We enjoy
lotus tea and sweet lotus soup while
sitting in a hut watching the flowers
blooming on the water.
Leaving the lotus field, we come
to Gao Giong bird garden at lunch time
and we are welcomed with a true farm-
er’s feast: snakehead fish rolled in lotus
leaf and grilled over charcoal. Another
specialty of Dong Thap is also awaiting
- Linh fish hot pot with dien dien, a spe-
cial local flower. The Linh fish is a small
delicacy that can only be caught in the
area during flooding season. It’s un-
forgettable to taste a terra-cotta bowl
of crispy fried Linh fish, dipping it in
sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce. Equally
delicious is a hot bowl of braised, salty
fish with white rice and herbal greens
picked from the local garden.
We then drive to one of the best
places in Dong Thap Muoi - the Tram
ChimNational Park in TamNong district,
just 45km from the provincial center.
Of the 220 species of birds nesting in
the 7317ha national park (previously
called the Tam Nong Bird Sanctuary),
it’s the sarus cranes, with their distinc-
tive red heads, that most visitors come
to see, though numbers have sadly de-
clined drastically in recent years, and
there’s not much to be seen outside the
months of December to May. In flight
above the marshland of the sanctuary,
the slender grey birds reveal spectacu-
lar black-tipped wings. Cranes feed not
from the water but from the land, so
when the spate season waterlogs the
delta, they migrate to Cambodia.
Tram Chim’s water life is also bus-
tling with the presence of over 150 spe-
cies of freshwater fish, with some listed
in Vietnam’s Red Book. Species include
the clown feather-back fish, common
The southwest province of Dong Thap is a place
to unwind and rejuvenate thanks to its fresh air,
expansive landscapes and laid-back feel.
Bui Hoa
takes a trip to this southern gem.
Into the wild
timeout