Dong Thap Muoi

Attractions

Tomb of President Ho's Father: About 2 km from Cao Lanh town along National Highway 23 is the tomb of Nguyen Sinh Sac (1862 - 1929), who won the "Junior Doctor" degree, and who is father of the late President Ho Chi Minh, a great Vietnamese's national hero. The tomb was built between August 1975 and February 1977 on an area of one hectare in memory of the man who had sacrificed his son to the noble cause of the nation.
Vietnamese and foreign tourists often visit the tomb.

War Martyrs Monument:

One kilometer east of Cao Lanh town stands the Monument to War Martyrs. This structure is characterized by unique architecture as well as cultural, historical significance. Actually it is a cemetery which was built in 1977 - 1984 on an area of three hectares and which includes 3,112 graves of fallen combatants.
It is open to tourists who come to see the unique architecture and pay homage to heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for the cause of national independence.

Thap Muoi Stork Ground:

This bird ground is 35 km from Cao Lanh town. While here you can see with your own eyes thousands of white storks. Tje adjacent cajuput forests and verdant bamboo bushes are also the meeting places of various kinds of storks. It is fascinating to see flock after flock of the birds flying back home in echelons in the late afternoon.
Tam Nong Crane Ground:

Fifty kilometers from Cao Lanh town is the breeding ground of red-headed, bare-necked cranes, a rare, endangered species of land birds. They often live in Tam Nong from December to August. They have to migrate to other places to avoid the flood season in Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds).
They live faithfully in pair, and lay eggs in the spring. They are very precious to Vietnamese as well as worldwide nature lovers.

Tan Qui Dong Flower Gardens (or Rose Gardens):
Tan Qui Dong some 3 km from the provincial capital of Sa Dec is famous in Vietnam for the many flower gardens, particularly roses, which are picked almost daily and transported fresh to shops in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces as well as for export. Moreover there are nurseries cultivating medicinal herbs.

Fruit Tree Gardens at Chau Thanh:

There are many gardens offering a range of tropical fruit trees at Chau Thanh district, 7 km from the centre of Sa Dec.

Attraction of a submerged forest area :

A former wild submerged area in Cao Lanh District of Dong Thap Province, and a revolutionary base during the anti-French and US resistance wars, the 20 ha cajeput forest of present-day Xeo Quyt has been reclaimed and become an attractive historical and ecological tourist site in the southern delta.

To visit the boundless watery cajeput forest in the Plain of Reeds during the wet season by boat is really an interesting excursion. Boating in the cajeput forest of Xeo Quyt requires a lot of skill. To move forward, the boat glides between cajeput trees, whose roots are rough and covered with a brown and thin multi-layer skin. The air is cool and humid and has the fragrance of the cajeput flowers and latex. Now and then, a bird singing or fish splashing produces a sudden sound that echoes amid the quiet environment.

The tourist guide, dressed in a loose black blouse and trousers and a soft canvas hat, the uniform worn during the resistance wars by the southern woman guerillas, rows the boat skillfully. In deep water, she rows with paddles; but in shallow water she uses a long bamboo pole to move the boat forward. The small boat is built with three plates, hence it is called by the locals the "three-plate boat", and can carry 2-3 persons depending on their weight.

The forest looks like a floating painting. Around it, climbing plants grow along the cajeput trees and brighten under the sunlight. All bring about an atmosphere of a nature full of vitality and wildness.

Xeo Quyt reminds visitors of the former vast cajeput forests in the Plains of Reeds and U Minh areas. Although being heavily devastated during the war, in 1975 by the end of the war, more than 100,000 ha of submerged forests remained, covering parts of Long An, An Giang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces and producing a wonderful ecological system of the alluvial land at the Mekong River's estuary. The cajeput forests work as a great water reservoir to fight against salt water and acidity and regulate the humidity during the dry season. During the war, they were ideal destinations for the liberation army men. The crisscrossing canals, built in the early 20th century, became transportation routes and enabled the local people to reclaim land, develop forestry and prevent fire. At the time, the so-called "socio-cultural and economic cajeput forest development" was encouraged and it is linked with the national history of land reclaiming and defense.

The cajeput forests, submerged in the red brown water, are an ideal habitation for numerous kinds of birds, fish and wild animals, typical for the tropical region. The cajeput timber, due to its flexibility and resistance to rotting, are often used in house building and basement floors. This makes cajeput timber a valuable item and can cause wanton exploitation in the present market economy if managed poorly. Furthermore, in the dry season, cajeput trees are flammable, usually causing big fires. For example, a fire in 1984 destroyed several thousands of hectares of cajeput forests and badly affected the local eco-system. This requires a national strategy to protect the ecological environment, in the context of the current socio-economic development.

Xeo Quyt, a small part in the vast cajeput forests, was a successful undertaking to restore and preserve the cajeput forests to their original historical and ecological background. Further preservation will be considered and implemented. But more importantly, effort should be made by everyone to protect the unique ecological system of the entire submerged area, whose history has developed along with land reclaiming and defending of the fertile southern region.

Go Thap :

Go Thap is located in Tan Kieu commune, Thap Muoi district, in Dong Thap province, 11 km north of Thap Muoi, 43 km of Cao Lanh.

Go Thap Archaeological Area is well known for 5 main relics: Thap Muoi Hill, Co Tu Tower, Binh Kieu Grave, Minh Su Temple, and Queen Xu Temple. Relics in this area bear great cultural and historical value.
Co Tu Tower is 100 m north of Thap Muoi Hill. It was built during the Thieu Tri period (1841-1842) and was formerly known as the Temple of Chan Lap.

Behind this temple is the Dong Thap Muoi military base, which was under the command of Doc Binh Kieu, one of the leaders of the resistance against French troops. More than 2000 years ago, Thap Muoi Hill was a residential area. Archaeologists have discovered a number of antiques in this area, especially artifacts belonging to the Oc-Eo civilization. During both National Resistance Movements against the French Troops and the US Army, the military base supported liberation organizations and other resistance activities.
With its historical and cultural value, Go the Ministry of Culture and Information has nationally recognized Thap as a cultural vestige. It is expected to be developed into an interesting tourist area of the Dong Thap region.

Tam Nong Bird Park :

Tam Nong Bird Park, located in Tam Nong district, in Dong Thap province, covers 8,000 ha and 53 km in paths.
In this park, visitors can observe red-headed cranes, one of 15 endangered species of cranes in the world. In fact, cranes have played an important role in history. Thousands of years BC, images of cranes were used in interior decoration in European aristocratic families. In the Orient, cranes were and are still worshipped as examples of faithfulness and national longevity. Different from any other species of birds in the area, cranes find their food only on land; they must therefore migrate to avoid the rainy season in Dong Thap Muoi. Cranes stay in Tam Nong Park from December to June.

Tam Nong Bird Park attracts Vietnamese as well as foreign visitors.

Tan Qui Dong Flower Gardens (Ho Chi Minh City) :

Tan Qui Dong, approximately 3 km from the provincial capital of Sa Dec, is famous all over Vietnam for its flower gardens, particularly rose gardens. Roses are transported daily to shops in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces. Some nurseries cultivating medicinal herbs are also located in this area