CHAU DOC VIETNAM- A-Z TRAVEL GUIDE

Chau Doc with many Vietnamese tourists may not be too unfamiliar when this place is associated with meaningful pilgrimage. However, it is not only just a pilgrimage site but Chau Doc in West Vietnam also owns beautiful landscapes and rich culture.

Along with Long Xuyen City, Chau Doc is one of the two cities in An Giang province that is quite important in the economic development of the Mekong Delta. Chau Doc Vietnam also has the Tinh Bien International Border Gate, which leads to Cambodia. The city has been investing in good infrastructure for several years because of the increased footfalls of the travelers. As before, most visitors know Chau Doc because Ba Chua Xu Temple is a sacred pilgrimage site. But now, Chau Doc Vietnam is known for many other great things such as beautiful scenery, economy and tourism, cultural diversity and a transit point to visit many neighborhoods and travel to Cambodia.

I. Best Time to Travel to Chau Doc Vietnam

Like other places in the West of Vietnam, Chau Doc has a tropical monsoon climate, with two prominent seasons, the rainy season and the sunny season. The weather in Chau Doc Vietnam is generally suitable for visitors to visit year round. In the rainy season from May to October, Chau Doc often receives heavy rain leading to extensive floods from August to November. If you travel in this season, you will feel the daily life of Chau Doc local people, but you also have to pay attention carefully if you are not used to the rain. The rest of the seasons in Chau Doc, are usually sunny and hot, but the temperature is not too high and it does not interfere with the tourism.

II. Famous Locations in Chau Doc Vietnam That You Should Not Miss

1. Tay An Temple

From Chau Doc to Sam Mountain crossroads in Vinh Ta Commune, you will see a pagoda at the foot of Mount Sam, which is Tay An Temple. The pagoda features the architectural style of the Indian temple, in addition to its natural landscape, creating a stunning beauty overall.

Tay An Temple is also known as the ancient Tay An (Tay An co tu), a Buddhist temple located at the junction and adjacent to Sam Mountain. The pagoda’s height is 284m above sea level and had been beautifully designed in “tam” style, with Indian art and Islamic art combined with ancient Vietnamese temple architecture. Tay An Temple is not only a place of pilgrimage and worship but also a famous tourist attraction of An Giang.

2. Chau Phu Temple

Dinh Chau Phu (Chau Phu Temple) represents the essence and the typical architecture bearing a bold imprint of the Nguyen dynasty, and the traditional style of the communal village of South Vietnam. So, Chau Phu Temple was the decision of the Ministry of Culture to recognize national architectural monuments in 1988. Every year, the temple holds a ceremony on Nguyen Huu Canh death’s anniversary on the 10th and 11th of May according to the lunar calendar and celebrates the death anniversary of Thoai Ngoc on June 6 of the lunar calendar. Every festival attracts crowds to worship.

Dinh Chau Phu is on Tran Hung Dao – Nguyen Van Thoai Street (Chau Phu A Ward), worshiping Cardinal Nguyen Huu Canh. He was the one who made many great achievements and was conferred the title by the king dynasty: Admiral Marshal of the Spirit, Noble God, the Nation of the Gods And Feast.

3. Chau Doc Floating Market

The most unique tourist attraction in Chau Doc is the floating village, the cultural characteristics of the river. Coming to this place, you will find it interesting to feed the fish, drop bait down the raft and suddenly a school of fish jumped up for food and to scare you, which looks very exciting.

Boats and junks are the primary means of transportation for every family in these floating villages. Here, each raft like a connecting apartment stretches along the two riversides. Each owner has at least 3-4 rafts, and they usually have a raft living side by side. In particular, recently, some people tend to raft down rivers for settlement in the land. The life of the family is encapsulated on the raft, 4m in width, 7-8m in length.

The scenery on the river is cooler and cooler when it is dark. At this time the activities in the village are no longer busy, the family gathered together after a day of hard work. Floating villages floats on the Bassac River. The light from the raft houses reflecting in the water looks like the city at night floating on the river, the scenery is highly romantic. If you leave Chau Doc without ever coming to the floating village, it is a mistake.

Source: wikipedia.org

4. Hang Pagoda

Hang Pagoda, also known as Phuoc Dien Pagoda, is about 1 km away from Thoai Ngoc Hau Temple, Ba Chua Xu Temple of Mount Sam. It has a history of over 100 years. With quiet space, clear vision, Hang Pagoda is considered a spiritual tourist destination and is rarely ignored by visitors in the city.

Hang Pagoda is located on the slopes of Sam Mountain, which is famous for its scenery and is a national historical monument in Vietnam. Separated from the cliffs of Mount Sam at an altitude of hundreds of meters, in a pure place, Hang Pagoda is a stately ancient place with many legends, transmissions from one life to another, creating an attraction with travelers. The pagoda was built between 1840 and 1845. Amidst the natural beauty of nature, the pagoda has been cultivated by humans and today Hang Pagoda is an attractive place for tourists.

5. Vinh Te Canal

In the Chau Doc tours in particular and the Western tours exploring in general, Vinh Te Canal is a long story full of attractions from the formation, to the value and its present. The canal brings the life of the people of the river. Vinh Te canal is located in both An Giang and Kien Giang provinces, with a length of nearly 90 km connecting Chau Doc with Ha Tien estuary. The canal was completed in 5 years from 1819 to 1824. The canal was made under the direction of Mr. Thoai Ngoc Hau and local people by the primitive tools and mostly with hands.

6. Sam Mountain

Sam Mountain is a famous tourist destination in An Giang, famous for sacredness. So tourists throughout the country often come here for pilgrimage and worship. Do not miss the trip to Sam Mountain and visit and the pagoda in An Giang, which will give you an overview of the faith of people here, as well as the neighboring provinces.

Mount Sam is 284m high in the delta, the road is about 5 km long for the car running around to the top of the mountain. Mount Sam and other mountains in the Seven Mountains are the highlight of the natural landscape, which is very romantic in the Southwest. According to the legend, mountains have many spirits, so people from all over the country assemble here to worship. As this is the sacred mountain, there are nearly 200 temples, pagodas, hermitages scattered at the foot of mountains, slopes and at the top. At the top of the mountain, there is a fortress built by the French.

7. Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb

Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb (Vinh Te Commune, Chau Doc Town) is one of many monuments at the foot of Mount Sam. There is a temple of Thoai Ngoc Hau, his tomb and his two wives, which date back to the 20th century. The magnificent scene of the Thoai Ngoc Vien Tomb reminds visitors of the past, the merits of the predecessors, which impressed deeply, nostalgic for what cannot find the past.

8. Ba Chua Xu Temple

Located at the foot of Mount Sam, the shrine was built with the architecture of a blooming lotus-shaped tower, three-tiered roofs, green tiles and bold artistic patterns. Every year, from 23rd to 27th of the lunar calendar, the people here hold the festival of Via Ba in order to pray and commemorate the merits of the helpers of the people, bringing the rain and wind.

According to the statistics of the Department of Culture – Sports – Tourism of An Giang: “Every year, Ba Chua Xu Temple attracted nearly 2 million people visiting here for worship and pilgrimage. Tourists come from all over the country, creating a festive, vibrant, crowded celebration and lasting for months. It is the mysteries of the statue of Ba Chua Xu, the mysterious stories, sacred about her life which was passed from death to death, was ingrained in the minds of millions of people in plain and the surrounding area, making the festival of Via Ba always attracts many people.

Source: alamy.com

9. Cham Community

If you want to visit the Cham community, travel through Chau Giang ferry to Con Tien, where Cham communities live in An Giang. There is a peaceful village with mosques and many unique traditional stilts.

Cham people live in stilt houses, the column is often made of barnyard trees, high off the head. Every house has a wooden ladder, used to step up the house. Underneath the floor is usually empty, sometimes the owners leave it with little wood. Hardly you can see furniture inside the house, so when guests come home, the host spread the mat or carpet for the guests to sit on the floor.

Come to Cham village, visitors have the opportunity to know more about culture, handicraft products and enjoy the unique taste of the place.

III. THE WAYS FOR TRAVELERS TO ARRIVE AT CHAU DOC

1.The transportation to get to Chau Doc

The distance from Chau Doc to some provinces in the nearby area

The distance from Chau Doc to the Western provinces

Distance from Chau Doc to Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces

a. Choosing a coach to arrive at Chau Doc

From Ho Chi Minh City, it takes you about 6 hours to get to Chau Doc. There are many bus companies running this route, so it is very easy to buy tickets at Mien Tay Bus Station.

Address: No.395 Kinh Duong Vuong Street, An Lac Ward, Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City

Telephone:         (+84) 283 875 2953

                           (+84) 283 877 6594

Here is the list of some bus companies offer this service:

The price to go from Ho Chi Minh City to Chau Doc is in a range from VND 120,000 to VND 150,000.
From the neighboring provinces to Ho Chi Minh City such as Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, Phan Rang, if you want to go to Chau Doc, you often have to pick up a coach from this place to Ho Chi Minh City then pick up the car to Chau Doc.

From Da Nang, Hanoi: You can book the air ticket to Ho Chi Minh City, or take the train to Ho Chi Minh City. After that, take a coach to Chau Doc. You can also rent a car from Ho Chi Minh City to Chau Doc if you go with a group of friends or family.

Source: yeuphuot.com

b. Choosing a motorbike to arrive at Chau Doc

If you are interested in experiencing a more interesting trip, you can come to Chau Doc on a motorbike but you have to be an experienced driver to ensure your safety. The journey from Ho Chi Minh City will follow the National Highway 1A towards Tien Giang, via My Thuan Bridge to Highway 80 to Sa Dec, continue through Vam Cong ferry to Long Xuyen city, then follow Highway 90 to Chau Doc.
There is another way to explore the border. This road will follow Highway 62 to Binh Hiep border gate, continue to follow the road leading to Hong Ngu – Tan Chau, after that, you will reach Chau Doc.

2. The transportation to get around Chau Doc

Bike: You can rent bicycles at the tour companies in the center of Chau Doc or at the tour desk of the hotel. Visiting the center of Chau Doc by bike is also a great experience to try.
Pedicab: The Western provinces used to travel by this transportation, but now it is not as popular as before. You can rent a pedicab in the center, near the market or in front of the hotel.

Bus: Chau Doc is a very popular place to visit, so you can use a bicycle or motorbike. In Chau Doc, there is a bus from the center to Sam Mountain, so you can use the bus. The central bus station is also very easy to find.

Taxi and motorbike: As in other cities, you can rent a motorbike in the travel agency in the city center, or tour desk at the hotel. If you want to take a taxi, you can contact some of these following taxi companies.

Boat, ferry: To visit some areas such as Bung Binh Thien, fishing village, Cham village in Chau Giang, you will need water transport. You can pick up a ferry or charter boat at Chau Doc Tourist Port.

Address: No.3 Le Loi Street, Chau Phu Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province

Telephone: (+84) 296 355 0949

IV. SOME OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS TO STAY AT CHAU DOC

In Chau Doc, there are not many hotels, but you still can find hotels in Chau Doc from cheap to luxurious to suit your needs. There are two areas that tourists most often rent to travel is the center of the town and Sam mountain. According to the review on booking.com, these are top 4 hotels in Chau Doc. You can take a look and make up your mind with some of the best accommodations in Chau Doc.

1. Victoria Chau Doc Hotel – Luxury hotel in Chau Doc

Address: No.1 Le Loi Street, Chau Doc Town, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Standard: 4.5 stars

Situated on the banks of Bass River, Victoria Chau Doc Hotel offers cozy accommodation with river views, famous floating markets, and fish raft villages, as well as Cham villages. There are many options for customers: dipping in the outdoor pool or having a meal at the on-site restaurant.
All rooms and suites feature large windows that offer plenty of natural light. The accommodation also provides a flat-screen cable TV and a mini-fridge. Some rooms also have a private balcony. There are also private bathrooms, along with shower facilities and slippers.
Ideally located on the rooftop terrace., The Victoria Spa offers 5 massage beds with scenic views, where you can see the peaceful Hau River. Ask the staff at the 24-hour front desk, they will help you with different services, such as currency exchange, luggage storage, and bicycle rental.

2. Victoria Nui Sam Lodge – The best mid-range hotel in Chau Doc with luxury furniture

Address: Vinh Sam 1 Stress, Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Standard: 3.5 stars

Victoria Nui Sam Lodge, which is on Mount Samm, features an outdoor pool with scenic natural surroundings, as well as free Wifi in both rooms and public areas. The accommodation is about 7 km from Chau Doc Market and Chau Doc River, which is accessible to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
All rooms provide a cable TV, minibar, and coffee or tea making facilities. Private bathrooms contain shower facilities, toiletries, and a hairdryer. The French doors lead to the private terrace with views overlooking the tranquil nature. La Giang Restaurant at the hotel serves local Vietnamese dishes along with Asian and Western taste. Refreshing beverages are also available.
Guests can take full advantage of the business center, banquet or meeting facilities. The hotel also offers services such as laundry, currency exchange, and luggage storage.

Source: themurrayguesthouse.com

3. Murray Guesthouse – Nice and comfortable accommodation in Chau Doc

Address: No.11-15 Truong Dinh Street, Chau Phu B Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Standard: 2 stars

Located in the city center, Murray Guesthouse takes a 10-minute walk from the banks of the Bass River. Throughout the house, free Wifi access is available, along with free motorbike parking.
The room is simply furnished, which has air condition and tiled floors, a wardrobe with a safety deposit box, minibar, cable TV, desk and seating area. The private bathrooms offer a shower Murray Guesthouse also provides luggage storage, laundry, and ironing services. Guests will enjoy free billiards. Riverboat tickets to Cambodia are available, as well as information about local buses and local destinations.
The dining area is located in the breakfast lounge and offers a variety of Vietnamese cuisines.
The guest house is 800 m far away to 30/4 Park and 2 km to Chau Doc Bus Station. To get to Can Tho City, it takes about 3 hours to drive away, while Ho Chi Minh City is 270 km away.

Source: booking.com

4. Hung Cuong Hotel – A cheap hotel with a beautiful view of Chau Doc

Address: No.96 Dong Da Street, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Standard: 2 stars

Hung Cuong Hotel is a modern hotel offering air-conditioned rooms with a view of Chau Doc River and offers free Wifi. The hotel has a restaurant, 24-hour reception, and free private parking.
The hotel is 500 m away from Chau Doc Market and 84 km from Rach Gia Airport.
At the hotel, you will find all the rooms are equipped with a flat-screen cable TV, a desk, and a minibar. There is also a seating area and a private bathroom with shower, hairdryer, and free toiletries.
Hung Cuong Hotel also offers ticket service, tour desk, and luggage storage.

V. POPULAR DISHES IN CHAU DOC – A MUST-TRY LIST

1. Local dishes in Chau Doc which cannot be found in somewhere else

a. Bun ca Chau Doc -: Fish rice noodles Chau Doc

Coming to Chau Doc, the most famous thing here is the fish sauce. It is also a bowl of fish noodles, but the taste in Chau Doc is stronger than other places. To make the sauce in the water bowl but not left the fishy smell, the artisan cook here experienced through life. They must have the secret to keep the bouillon sweet and not stinking. In addition to the goldfish broccoli, the chef also adds pork rolls, spinach meat with vegetables. Take a piece of fish sauce having the sugar with chopped chili, then take a spoon of water to enjoy all the deliciousness of this dish.

b. Banh bo thot not -: Steamed palm sugar rice cake

The steamed palm sugar rice cake is hot, combined with the sweetness of sugar, the coconut, mixed with the aroma of the jaggery is an unforgettable experience for diners. This is a specialty that should not miss when visiting Chau Doc.

c. Tung lo mo -: A special kind of beef sausage

This is the traditional dishes of the Cham people in An Giang, which is also known as sausage. This product is made from the intestines, fat, and cow’s thighs that have been cut up from the bone. After deodorizing with alcohol and ginger, the cook mixes the beef in proportion with the traditional spices of the Cham. Then they stuff this mixture into cow’s gut and expose to sunlight for 3-4 days. The most delicious “tung lo mo” is grilled on the charcoal stove with cinnamon, papaya, cilantro and dipping sauce. The common price of one kilo of beef sausage is at about VND 160,000 – VND 180,000.

d. Typical dishes made from sesbania sesban flowers (Bong dien dien)

Sesbania sesban flowers are the popular food of Chau Doc people, especially in floating season. They can be cooked with sour soup, pickled or served as raw vegetables. When coming to An Giang in the rising season, everyone will know about sesban sour soup. You will taste the sweet of the vegetable and fish, the sour of the tamarind and the spicy that the chili brings about.

They also use sesban flowers to make fried shrimps or traditional pancakes. When watching the rain pouring down outside in the middle day of the flooding season, a bowl of sesban soup and a pancake are the best bet.

e. Goi sau dau – Neem salad: A specialty food of An Giang

Neem is a species of wild plants, mostly found in Chau Doc and Bay Nui area of An Giang. The neem leaf is small, long and thin. When it is young, the color of the sprout is purple. Neem is processed into many dishes, the most common is dipping in the fish sauce. It is considered rare food in the world. The salty flavor of the sauce in addition to the bitter taste, the sweet back of the leaves will make the taste is hard to describe. The more you eat, the more pleasure you feel.

2. Some places to dine when you are in Chau Doc

a. Some restaurants offer the Western taste for foreign travelers

Bassac Restaurant

Address: No.1 Le Loi Street, Chau Doc Town, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Opening hours: 06:00 – 22:00

This is the most urbane dining experience. The menu goes around delicious international dishes such as roast lamb and seared duck breast, some dishes with French style like provençale tart, gratin dauphinoise, as well as Vietnamese dishes (grilled squid with green peppercorns). To finish the meal, the apple pie with cinnamon ice cream is the best choice.

Memory Delicatessen

Address: No.57 Nguyen Huu Canh Street, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Opening hours: 06:00 – 22:00

This lustrous cafe-restaurant attracts nearby trendies. It is memorable for its excellent melange of global dishes, from the superb pizzas topped with imported substances to the aromatic vegetable curry with coconut milk and lemongrass. There are also various kinds of fresh juices.

b. Traditional restaurant with Vietnamese cuisines

Chau Doc Covered Market

Address: Bach Dang Road, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Opening hours: 07:00 – 21:00

This is a local market which you can find anything you want. A typical market sells everything, so a lot of Vietnamese food is easy to find. But not all the staff in the market know English. It is not an uncomfortable place unless you are an adventurous person who wants to explore any hidden corner of the local lifestyle.

Dong Song

Address: No.7 Le Loi Street, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province

The restaurant brings about riverside atmosphere with a wide range of menu. It offers fish and seafood dishes such as squid with chili and lemongrass, tamarind clams, steamed whole red snapper and so on.

Sau Hiep

Address: No.398 Nguyen Van Thoai Street, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province
Opening hours: 08:00 – 21:00

It is 1 km away from the town and on the way to Sam Mountain. The restaurant offers many dishes suitable for street food style lovers.

VI. About Lux Travel DMC Ltd.

Lux Travel DMC Ltd. is the first luxury tour operator in Vietnam. We have a 15-year-experience in the travel industry. The company has won many national and international prizes and awards for its high-end travel services. Lux Travel DMC offers private holiday packages to Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Consequently, Chau Doc tour by Lux Travel DMC is definitely different and stand out in the crowd. Share your interest with the staff of Lux Travel DMC. The experienced team will clarify the information and give you an unforgettable vacation at Chau Doc.

So if you are planning a trip to Vietnam in general or to Chau Doc in particular, contact us right here.