The Mekong Delta Vænh Long

Though a bit grittier than some of its delta neighbors, Vænh Long attracts tourists because of its prime location on the C% Chiˆn River. A trip down this attractive waterway will take visitors through lush island canals and past floating markets, bonsai gardens, and village homes.

Transportation. Many buses do not go to directly to Vænh Long, instead dropping passengers off on the highway in MÅ ThuÆn; from there, it’s a 10km motorbike ride. There are two bus stations in Vænh Long. From the one in the city center, on the corner of Doàn Th¢ i€m and åi Lÿ 3/2, buses go to C<n Th£ (1hr.; every 15min. 5am-5pm; 10,000). From the other station, 4km south of the city center, buses go to Trà Vinh (1hr.; every hr. 5am-5pm; 20,000).

Orientation And Practical Information. Vænh Long’s city center is surrounded by water on all four sides: the C% Chiˆn River to the north, the Long H· Canal to the east, the C<u L<u Canal to the south, and the Cái Cá Canal to the west. Most of the action takes place on ™ng 1/5, which runs along Long H· Canal, and Phan Bÿi Chñu, which runs along the river. There is a large, rambling market behind ™ng 30/4—one block inland from ™ng 1/5—concentrated along Hùng V™£ng, which is another block inland from the Long H· Canal.

C¸u Long Tourist Office, 1 ™ng 1/5, books boat tours. (☎823 616; cuulongtourist1@hcm.vnn.vn. Open daily 7am-5pm.) The main bank, 143 Lˆ Thái T%, is about 1km outside the city center and offers currency exchange, MC/V cash advances, ATM, and Western Union. (☎823 109. Open daily 7-11am and 1-5pm.) A smaller bank is in the city center, at 1B Hoàng Thái Hi\u, and does only currency exchange. (☎831 394. Open M-Sa 7-11am and 1-4pm.) The hospital is about 2.5km outside the city center, at 303 Tr<n Phú, although a new, more central one is in the works. (Entrance on Phåm Thái B™ng. ☎822 653. 24hr. emergency service.) Internet access is available at Delta, 2G Hùng V™£ng. (☎822 099. Open daily 7am-11pm. 3000 per hr.) The main post office, 12C Hoàng Thái Hi\u, has fax and phone facilities and sells maps for 12,000. (☎825 888. Open daily 6am-9pm.)

Accommodations And Food. Most tourist hotels are located on or near the C% Chiˆn River.  Vñn Trñm 3, 4 ™ng 1/5, boasts fresh decor and large, sparkling rooms. All rooms have air-conditioning and some have lovely views of the nearby fruit market and river. (☎823 820. Rooms US$10.) Set back from the river, Ph™ng Hoàng 1, 2H-2R Hùng V™£ng, has wonderfully sunny rooms on its upper floors and great prices. (☎825 185. Rooms 60,000-250,000.) C¸u Long Hotel 4, on Phan Bÿi Chñu, is operated by the tourist office. Its carpeted rooms are quite decent and all have attached baths. Do not confuse this place with its older cousin of the same name and ownership on ™ng 1/5, which is overpriced and under-kept. (☎822 494. Rooms 320,000-600,000.) Another popular option for tourists is a homestay 3. C¸u Long Tourist Office can arrange for visitors to stay the night on one of the islands in the home of a Vietnamese family, in an old colonial building, or in a farmhouse. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to arrange one without buying a whole tour of the region’s attractions, which lasts two or three nights. Most homestays include meals, transportation, and—most importantly—mosquito nets. (US$15-65 per night, depending on housing type.)

The restaurants along the river cater mainly to the tour buses that arrive here several times each day. A cheaper and more fun way to fill up is at the market a block away. There are sit-down food stalls along Nguy[n C®ng Tr and Nguy[n Vn Nhã (open during daylight hours) and on Dåi Lÿ 3/2 (open at night). To eat without your neighbor’s elbows jabbing you in the ribs, try Ph Duy 1, 106 ™ng 30/4, which dishes out a variety of tasty ph options. (☎820 611. Open daily 5am-4pm.) On the other side of the city center, Tài Có 3, 40A ™ng 2/9, draws crowds for great hot pot and barbecue dishes, which patrons cook themselves. (☎824 845. Most entrees 60,000. Open daily 10am-9pm.)

Sights And Nightlife. C¸u Long Tourist Office runs boat tours (4hr.; US$15-25) of the C% Chiˆn River. As usual, private operators offer cheaper and more personal tours (US$3-4 per hr.)—just wander along the waterfront to find them. The main attraction along the river is the Cái Bè floating market, an hour away in Tiˆn Giang Province. In the mornings, boats laden with fruit and grain gather in the channel to await customers. Although certainly interesting, it is not quite as rowdy and colorful as one might hope; trade is wholesale and the atmosphere is calm. In addition to the floating market, most boat tours include visits to bonsai gardens, handmade candy workshops, and traditional homes.

Right across the river from the city center, An Bình Island offers plenty to explore on your own. The key sight is Tiˆn Chñu Pagoda, which features a morbid cartoon depiction of sinners suffering the many tortures of hell. To reach the pagoda, walk 10m down the stone path from the ferry station. ( Open daily 6am-7pm. ) The best part of the island is not the pagoda, however, but rather the fact that you can wander around here undisturbed. A stroll on its paths will take you past a variety of fruit trees, wandering chickens, and colorful homes guarded by aggressive dogs—if you pause in a gateway, they’re liable to run at you, but a good shout in their direction usually makes the animals cower. During the day a commuter ferry runs nonstop between the station on Phan Bÿi Chñu and the island. ( 10min.; 4000 each way, collected on the An Bình side. )

Though most foreigners quickly cross over it with just a glance at the view, the  MÅ ThuÆn Bridge is considered the pride of Vænh Long Province. Opened to traffic in 2000, the strikingly modern suspension bridge is the largest one that spans the Mekong River in Vietnam. Strolling across it is a popular activity for a surprising number of Vietnamese tourists. Farther south, the Vñn Thánh Miˆ Pagoda is notable chiefly because of its unusual honorees. In what is a rare practice in Vietnam, the older sanctuary pays tribute to Confucius, and the newer sanctuary is dedicated to Phan Thánh Gi=n, a locally born Vietnamese diplomat who tried to put an end to French domination in the 1860s. The pagoda is located on ™ng 30/4; to reach it, head south from the city center about 2km and cross over a bridge.

Unlike most of its Mekong neighbors, Vænh Long actually boasts a proper nightclub—only one, but an impressive one nonetheless. You’ll hear the dance beats of Club 4.1, 1 ™ng 1/5, from far away. The place gets crowded on weekends when young people gather to drink and dance under psychedelic lighting. (☎826 753. Beer 30,000; mixed drinks and shots 50,000. Open daily noon-midnight.) For a quieter evening, Cafe Hoa N ng, on the corner of ™ng 1/5 and Phan Bÿi Chñu, is a relaxed alternative. Sip drinks and watch the river flow by—but bring mosquito repellent. (Coffee 3000-4000; beer 11,000-15,000. Open daily 6am-10pm.)