Attractions in Mekong Delta: What to do and see in Tra Su forest

Tra Su Forest is an ecosystem of cajuput trees with long waterways and home to a rich diversity of fauna and flora. Tra Su Forest, also called Tra Su Flooded Forest or Tra Su Cajuput Forest, is located in Van Giao Commune, Tinh Bien District, An Giang Province, just about 10km from Cambodian border, 150km from Ho Chi Minh City. For those who want to escape from the noise and bustle of cities, Tra Su is an ideal place to reconnect with nature, breath in fresh air and listen to the sound of chirping birds.

Where is Tra Su Forest?

Tra Su is a typical cajuput forest on the western part of the Hau River, a tributary of the Mekong. The 800-hectare forest with a very rich ecological ecosystem, Tra Su Cajuput Forest has become the most striking scenes in An Giang Province and in the Mekong Delta alike.

Tra Su offers a marvelous beauty of immense wetland, emerald-green duckweed carpet and the dominant cajuput trees. Visitors will be overwhelmed when reaching the heart of the forest where is home to about 70 species of birds including storks and bitterns, of which two species named in the Vietnam Red Book are painted stork (Giang Sen) and oriental darter (Dieng Dieng).

How to get to Tra Su Cajuput Forest

• From Ho Chi Minh City:

You can easily reach Tra Su Cajuput forest by bus. You’ll take a bus at Mien Tay Bus Station – 395 Kinh Duong Vuong Street ,An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City. You buy a bus ticket to reach Chau Doc or Long Xuyen City and it takes around 6 hours. 

- Tra Su Cajuput forest is 30 kilometers from the city of Chau Doc. After the bus arrives in Chau Doc District, An Giang Province, to reach Tra Su Cajuput forest you can take a motorbike taxi or rent a motorbike from your hotel. Go along Tan Lo Kieu Street to Tra Su Bridge in Nha Bang Town, Tinh Bien District. Turn left, and travel along the Tra Su Canal a few kilometers to Tra Su Cajuput Forest.

- Tra Su Cajuput forest is 64 kilometers to the southwest of the city of Long Xuyen of An Giang. If the bus arrives in Long Xuyen City, take a motorbike taxi or rent a motorbike from your hotel to reach Chau Doc District and continue the road above.

Phuong Trang, Thao Nguyen, Hung Cuong, Trong Tin Limousine… are good bus operators to take. The bus fare is about 150,000 – 250,000 VND/ one way. 

An easier way to reach Tra Su Forest is join a Mekong Delta tour from any travel agents. Normally, Tra Su forest will be included in a Mekong Delta tour.

• From Can Tho:

If you are in Can Tho, you can travel to Chau Doc by bus. It takes about 3 hours and the ticket is 100,000 VND/ one way. Then follow the above instruction to reach Tra Su forest.

An easier way to reach Tra Su Forest is join a Mekong Delta tour from any travel agents or book a private car with experienced guide who know deeply about the region to enjoy the trip worry-free.

Best time to visit Tra Su forest

Although the Mekong Delta is a year-round destination to visit, you should come to Tra Su Cajuput Forest in the floating season. The best time to discover Tra Su cajuput forest is from September to November – when water goes up and covers entire forest. During the floating season, the boats are able to ride around and make an incredible sight especially when the sunlight reaches down the water surface.

7 A.M to 9 A.M during a day is the most ideal time to admire the most vibrant perspective of the forest with quite pleasant weather. During that time, birds start leaving their nests for finding food, you can enjoy a privilege of witnessing thousands of birds flying for food and singing melody of the wildlife. Another good time to pay a visit Tra Su forest is from 5:00 P.M and 6:30 P.M when you can see birds returning their nests and avoid the heat in the afternoon. 

Pro tip: There is an observation tower, you can hike up there to watch closely the life of birds and storks through binoculars.

What to do and see in Tra Su forest

Slip away from the city on an adventure in Mekong Delta, a journey to explore Tra Su cajuput forest starts aboard a long small motorboat riding along the small canals lining the forest. Tra Su forest offers you more than just the scene of cajuput trees.

1.    Stroll along Vietnam’s longest bamboo bridge:

Bamboo bridge in Tra Su forest

View from above, the bamboo bridge in Tra Su forest resembles a mystical bamboo dragon with its length boasting up to 10,000 meters. Take your time and enjoy stepping on each span of this unique bamboo bridge, you will deeply immerse yourself in the nature of white cajuput flowers with a delicate scent. You also see the locals harvesting cajuput flower honey.

2.    Take a sampan ride

A sampan here is a small wooden rowing boat, normally enough for 4 people. To reach the heart of the forest, you will be switched to a sampan. When you go deeper, through small canals, you will be in awe of different kinds of birds scattering all around in addition to bats, fish, reptiles, and many endangered species to adore. Observing a thousand of white storks and other colorful species of birds flying above or perching on the branches whilst hearing the birds singing, which will really soothe your soul. The sampan rower will tell you stories about the forest and point where the birds are whilst you are admiring the lush greenery of lotuses and water lilies on the water, if in season.

3.    Enjoy the panoramic view from the observation tower:

Climbing up to a 14m high observation tower to admire a majestic panorama view of the vast Tra Su cajuput forest, dotted with birds and flowers. There is a telescope to have a closer look of the wild life. The forest rhythm of life seems to be exposed to the visitors and even become more lively. Ideally, get there when the sun is about to go down.

4.    Taste the delicious local foods:

It would be a miss not trying some local specialties in a small hut at the center of forest, including grilled chicken with honey, hotpot of Mekong’s fishes and sesban flower, fried or roasted fishes… Local foods are often cooked and served with many fresh tropical herbs and vegetables. It is very exotic as savoring a lunch among the natural atmosphere in the forest.

Remember to bring along a camera with a good zoom len and being fully charged, your camera won’t stay still during this Tra Su forest Mekong Delta tour. If you are looking for vietnam tour package then email us at [email protected]

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