The Mekong Delta Råch Giá

Fishing, rice, and marine commerce have brought prosperity to Råch Giá, the capital of Kiˆn Giang province. The seaport city’s handsome waterfronts and well-lit streets are ideal for evening strolls; stately public buildings represent with due elegance what is generally considered the richest province in Vietnam. There aren’t many tourist attractions here, though, so most travelers just pass through on their way to Phú Qu#c Island. Still, Råch Giá makes for an enjoyable stopover point and an enticing opportunity to savor a meal on the enchanting waterfront.

Transportation. Flights depart daily from the airport near Råch S£i bus station and fly to: Hà Ni (7hr.; 9:30am; US$155); HCMC (2hr.; 9:30am; US$47); and Phú Qu#c (45min.; 9:30am; US$35). Most long-distance buses depart from the station in nearby Råch S£i, 7km outside the city center on Nguy[n Trung Trc. Buses go from here to: Cà Mau (4hr.; early morning; 60,000); C<n Th£ (3hr.; every 30min. 5am-5pm; 31,000); Chñu #c (5hr.; 4 per day 5am-3pm; 35,000); HCMC (6hr.; every hr. 4am-5pm; 65,000); Long Xuyˆn (3hr.; every 30min. 5:30am-4:30pm; 21,000). Buses to Hà Tiˆn (3hr.; every hr. 6am-4pm; 24,000) leave from the station on Nguy[n Bænh Kiˆm. There are also minibuses that leave for C<n Th£ and HCMC from various points around the city center. The bus and minibus system is a bit confusing—ask your hotel receptionist for help. Boats depart for Phú Qu#c Island from the pier at the end of Nguy[n C®ng Tr. The tourist booking office, 6 T Do, runs excellent high-speed ferries (2hr.; 8:30am; lower deck 130,000, top deck 160,000). Get tickets at least one day in advance. High-tech televisions air DVDs of the latest pop hits en route. (☎879 455. Open daily 6-11am and 1-6pm.) There are also slow boats (7hr.; early morning departure; 70,000) that make the journey. All transportation to Phú Qu#c is weather-dependent, and departures are often canceled due to storms during the rainy season.

Orientation And Practical Information. The city center contains two branches of the Råch Giá River that flow southwest into the Gulf of Thailand. Nguy[n Trung Trc is one main thoroughfare in the city center; coming in from the bus station, it crosses a canal and turns into Lˆ Li, which passes a public park (featuring a statue of anti-colonialist fighter Nguy[n Trung Trc himself), crosses over a second canal, and ends when it intersects with Tr<n Phú.

Kien Giang Tourist Office, 5 Lˆ Li, is one of the better tourist offices in the Mekong Delta. The capable staff provides handy maps of Råch Giá, Hà Tiˆn, and Phú Qu#c Island and explains the transportation system to Phú Qu#c. (☎862 018; www.kiengiangtouristmap.com. Open daily 7-11am and 1:30-5pm.) Across the bridge is Vietcombank, 2 Måc C™u, which has an ATM, changes currency and traveler’s checks, and does MC/V cash advances. (Open daily 7-11am and 1-4pm.) There is a hospital with emergency service at 46 Lˆ Li and a pharmacy at 46 Hoàng Hoa Thám. (Open daily 7am-9pm.) Nghæa Thanh, an extensive supermarket, is at 6 Le Loi. (☎640 460. Open daily 7am-10pm.) A memorable spot to access the Internet is inside Children’s Palace on Nguy[n C®ng Tr, where you’ll probably catch a few karate lessons or even a quiz show in action. Once you enter the park, follow the path until you get to the opposite end; signs point to the Internet room. (Open daily 7-11am and 1:30-9pm.) Otherwise, head to 135 Nguy[n Hùng Son (open daily 8am-midnight) or 143 Nguy[n Hùng Son (open daily 7am-11pm). All Internet cafes in Råch Giá tend to be packed with teenagers playing computer games, but at least the rate (usually 3000 per hr.) is reasonable. The post office is located at the intersection of Lˆ Li and Tr<n Phú. (Open daily 6:30am-10pm.)

Accommodations And Food. Due to the tourist traffic en route to Phú Qu#c Island, Råch Giá has a large number of lodging options. In the city center,  Kim Có 2, 141 Nguy[n Hùng Son, boasts large, modern rooms that have an art-deco feel to them. All rooms have bathtubs. (☎879 610. Rooms with fan 120,000, with A/C 160,000-200,000.) Trung Quyˆn 3, 20 Hoàng Hoa Thám, also has attractive rooms, with extra perks like make-up tables and glass-walled showers. (☎876 757. Rooms from 200,000.) Shopaholics (or those looking to pick up beach towels or flip-flops) may want to stay at H·ng Nam 2, B1 L Thái T%, which faces a big indoor market. As a bonus, the hotel shares its ground floor with a liquor store. (☎873 090. Rooms 100,000-250,000.) The budget option is right near the Phú Qu#c ferries: Ph™ng H·ng 1, 5 T Do, has a friendly staff and decent rooms. (☎866 138. Rooms 90,000-140,000.)

Valentine 2, 115 Nguy[n Hùng Son, is a classy cafe by day and a karaoke bar by night, serving both Vietnamese and international food. (Drinks 10,000-12,000; entrees 15,000-30,000. Open daily 6am-midnight.) Tñn H™ng Phát 1, 118 Nguy[n Hùng Son, has a bright green neon sign, clean green tablecloths, and a menu full of green (vegetarian) Vietnamese options. (Entrees 15,000-20,000; fruit 3000-5000. Open daily 7am-11pm.) Áo Dài Møi 1, 26 L• T Trßng, is popular with locals for its hearty soups. (Most entrees under 15,000. Open daily 5am-2pm.) The lovely waterfront terrace at H=i Âu 3, 2 Nguy[n Trung Trc, makes it the highest-end place to eat in Råch Giá. (Most entrees 30,000-60,000. Coffee and tea 3000-7000. Open daily 6am-10pm.) Chiˆu D™£ng 1, 13 Le Loi, is one of several excellent dessert and cake shops in town. (☎874 291. Large cakes 10,000-25,000. Open daily 7am-10pm.) Across the street is Th£i Trang 1, 9 Le Loi, which also serves fresh pastries. (☎863 279. Pastries 3000-10,000. Open daily 7am-10pm.)

Sights And Entertainment. The city’s one major sight is the Nguy[n Trung Trc Temple, 18 Nguy[n C®ng Tr. Its namesake is a local hero who led fierce resistance efforts against French invaders in the 1860s. Only when French forces took his mother hostage in 1868 did he agree to surrender, after which he was publicly executed in Råch Giá. (What a mama’s boy.) The temple features several images of the revered man, including a statue which serves as the main altar, flanked by two storks and huge (3.5m high, 360kg each) wax candles. During holidays and festivals, a large pig roast is set at the center table of the main room. Right next door, machete-wielding women chop up plants for use in traditional medicine. A stunningly colorful and pungent array of dried stems and leaves—from coconut husk to marigold petals—covers every sun-exposed surface in sight. Inside Phòng Thu·c Nam, 14 Nguy[n C®ng Tr (☎863 215), are homeopathic nurses that give consultations and prescribe the appropriate mix of natural medicine.