How to plan the perfect visit to Can Gio, Saigon

Can Gio is one of the famous tourist destinations of Ho Chi Minh City, with beautiful beaches and pristine nature. If you are looking for an exciting and adventurous trip, Can Gio is a great choice. Saigon travel

Can Gio Beach is a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City, 50 km from the city center and takes only about 1 hour and 30 minutes to get there. With a quiet space and no high-rise buildings, this is an ideal destination for those who want to get away from the noise of the inner city.

Can Gio District is divided by canals and has no fresh water source, but has many beaches and islands with rare species of animals and plants listed in the Red Book. This unique feature has helped Can Gio become a unique and more attractive destination than anywhere else in Saigon.

Can Gio has been recognized by UNESCO as one of the world's leading biosphere reserves and is known as the "Green Oasis". It is also an important destination in Vietnam.

Places to visit in Can Gio

Thanh An Island

Thanh An Island is a place you should visit when traveling in Can Gio sea area. Although the island area is quite small, tourism services are not yet developed and there are not many entertainment activities, this is still an ideal place to enjoy the fresh air of the sea, explore the simple life of the people of the fishing village and enjoy delicious dishes made from seafood.

When arriving at Thanh An Island, you can travel by ferry from the mainland to the island with the following travel schedules: 6:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 14:00 and 17:00. The fares is only 10,000 VND/person and the travel time is about 45 minutes.

Although it does not have the splendor of the sunset in Phu Quoc or the pride of the sunset on Nha Trang beach, the sunset on Thanh An island still has its own unique beauty, very gentle and rustic, captivating visitors. If possible, you should spend a night on the island to watch the sunset and feel the peaceful beauty of a small fishing village.

Thieng Lieng Island

Thieng Lieng Island Hamlet is located in Thanh An Island Commune, about 70 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. This is a small island surrounded by rivers and canals, creating a difficult place for tourists to visit.

Thieng Lieng Island is quite small, only about 2,000 hectares and surrounded by water. However, this is one of the ideal places to explore and learn about the simple life of the people here. With more than 200 households living on the island, visitors can chat and learn interesting things about the activities and culture of the local people.

In addition to enjoying the fresh air of the sea, visitors can also participate in activities to experience the life of local people such as: raking salt, carrying salt, fishing, feeding crabs, catching crabs, releasing buoys to raise oysters, setting nets for star goby, setting traps for mudskippers, looking for three-sided crabs at midnight, catching snails in the coconut forest, picking water coconuts... All of these activities are great experiences for you to explore and enjoy the nature here.

Vam Sat forest

Vam Sat forest is a famous eco-tourism destination located in the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, about 60 km from the coast. With an area of over 75,000 hectares, Vam Sat forest is the habitat of many rare and precious species of animals and plants, which are preserved and protected.

Vam Sat forest is a special eco-tourism destination that attracts visitors with the immense green of the forest land and the richness of terrestrial animals, birds, reptiles, etc. Here, visitors can visit, take photos and explore the diverse animal world, and enjoy typical rustic dishes.

In addition, the resort also offers many interesting recreational activities, including boating, camping, cycling, mangrove planting, crocodile fishing and many other activities, bringing unforgettable experiences.

Hang Duong Seafood Market

Hang Duong market is located in Can Gio, where fishermen gather fresh seafood after a day of fishing. The market is characterized by hundreds of seafood pots lined up along the market, giving the first impression of the richness and diversity of seafood.

Different from the quietness of other tourist attractions, Hang Duong market is bustling with the cries and bargaining of buyers and sellers, creating a vibrant and colorful atmosphere. Visitors can freely choose seafood such as snails, squid, octopus... with prices depending on the type.

In addition to buying seafood to bring home to cook, visitors can also enjoy pre-prepared seafood dishes at the market, or go to the nearby beach to sip and enjoy fresh seafood. Hang Duong Market will bring visitors an interesting and unique experience during their trip.

Monkey Island

Monkey Island is a destination not to be missed when traveling to Can Gio, especially for those who love animals and want to explore nature. Called an "island", this tourist area is located right next to the road, motorbikes and cars can enter and exit comfortably and conveniently, you do not have to travel by boat at all.

There are more than 1,000 monkeys of many different species living here. The entrance fee is very affordable, only 30,000 VND/person on weekdays and 35,000 VND/person on holidays.

However, you need to pay attention to your belongings such as phones and bags because the monkeys here are very naughty and often snatch tourists' belongings and run away. In addition to visiting Monkey Island, visitors can also enjoy monkey circus shows, visit the crocodile reserve and experience recreational crocodile fishing.

Sleeping in Can Gio

If you only have half a day to visit Can Gio, you can return to Saigon in the evening of the same day. However, if you want to stay overnight, there are many accommodation options to suit all budgets and needs, from luxury resorts to budget hotels. Here are some places to stay that you can refer to:

Eco Homestay Can Gio

Address: Tac Xuan, Can Thanh Town, Can Gio

Rates: 500,000 - 800,000 VND/night

Hoa Vien Cat Tuong Hotel

Address: Duyen Hai, Can Thanh Town, Can Gio

Rates: 300,000 - 500,000 VND/night

Thai Duong Guesthouse

Address: No. 1, Street No. 1, Long Hoa, Can Gio

Reference price: 300,000 - 500,000 VND/night

How to get there

From Ho Chi Minh City to Can Gio, you can use the following means of transport:

- Bus: You can take bus route 75 from 23/9 Park or bus route 20 from Ben Thanh to Binh Khanh ferry. Here, you buy a ferry ticket and continue to take bus route 90 to the center of Can Thanh commune. You should pay attention to the time to catch the last bus back to the city.

- Motorbike: This is the most convenient means of transport. You just need to go straight on Huynh Tan Phat Street, Nha Be to Binh Khanh Ferry, then buy a ferry ticket for 4,500 VND for motorbikes. After crossing the ferry, you continue straight on the Sat forest road about 40 km to reach the center of Can Thanh commune.

Best time to travel to Can Gio

You can visit Can Gio at any time of the year. Because Can Gio is located in a tropical monsoon climate near the equator, there are only two seasons: rainy season and dry season like other southern provinces. Usually, the rainy season here starts from May to October every year, and from November to April is the hot dry season with an average temperature of 25 - 29 degrees Celsius. The weather here is often sunny, very convenient for sightseeing and entertainment activities.

Although the rainy season in Can Gio does not last long, you should avoid going on rainy days. Rainy days make it difficult to move around and the sea can be rough with strong winds. Therefore, choosing to go on sunny days is the best.

Can Gio beach is a favorite destination for tourists. Usually on weekends, holidays or Tet, this is a crowded place for tourists. If you choose to go during the peak season, you need to accept the crowding and increased fees for some services.

Expenses to visit Can Gio

Transport: 200,000 VND including petrol, fares...

Food and drinks: 500,000 VND depending on dietary needs

Hotel: 250,000 – 500,000 VND/person, depends on accommodation 

Entertainment: 300,000 – 500,000 VND/person, including entrance fees, services at the destination...

Shopping: 200,000 - 500,000 VND/person

Other services such as parking fee...: 20.000 VND/person

TOTAL: 1,000,000 - 2,000,000 VND/person

Some notes when traveling to Can Gio

- To get the freshest seafood, you should choose it yourself and bargain with the seller.

- To ensure safety when driving back from Can Gio, you should return before 5 pm because many roads do not have street lights. It is best to depart from Can Gio around 4 pm.

- If you travel to Can Gio by motorbike, save the phone number of a tire repairman in advance to be ready to handle problems on the road.

Above are the experiences to travel to Can Gio that we want to share with you. Hopefully the above information will help you have the most interesting and complete trip in Can Gio. Wish you a wonderful trip!

Source: https://saigontraveltour.com/sai-gon-travel-blog/useful-information-about-visiting-can-gio-saigon/

Experience journey on Chay River from Trung Do to Coc Ly

Traveling on Chay River from Trung Do village - where there is a national cultural and historical relic - Tien Cave, Bao Nhai commune to Coc Ly Hydroelectric Lake, Bac Ha district used to be an activity that attracted a lot of tourists. Private Sapa tours

Since the Bac Ha hydropower plant filled the water, the Chay River dried up, making it difficult to travel by boat, and there were no more visitors, and this river tourism route almost stopped. But now, it is attracting and welcoming many visitors again when the Bao Nhai 1 hydropower plant filled the dam.

Chay River in Bac Ha District (Lao Cai province) stretches and winds along the winding terrain of the mountain ranges. On both sides of the river, there are vertical cliffs, while other parts are wide open with far-reaching views. Tourists can start their cruise on Chay River from Bao Nhai Commune up to Coc Ly Commune or vice versa.

Since Bao Nhai 1 hydropower plant has stored water, boating on the Chay River is no longer difficult. Especially in the summer, on weekends, when the weather is hot and humid, many tourists from the lowlands or Lao Cai City come to the countryside or highlands with beautiful and peaceful landscapes and rivers, streams, where there are cool waterfalls or peaceful blue hydropower lakes, becoming attractive "hot escapes" for local people and tourists.

That is why the Chay River boat trip from Trung Do village to Hang Tien, Bao Nhai commune to Coc Ly hydroelectric lake, Bac Ha district has revived and in the early summer of 2023, the experience of cruising on the Chay River on the poetic white plateau of Bac Ha has been chosen by many people.

After many years of having to stop working or operate at a low level, now there are many tourists, some households in Bao Nhai commune who used to work as boat drivers, budget motels and some homestays are happy and excited. Mr. Ha Quang Chanh, Tay ethnic, Trung Do village, Bao Nhai commune said that his family has lived in Trung Do village for generations, attached to the river and rice farming.

Previously, the village invested in developing community tourism, creating jobs for homestays and boatmen who transported us tourists. Then the dam was built to make Coc Ly hydroelectric lake, losing water and flow, no one came anymore, we lost our jobs, only knowing how to farm. Now, the Bao Nhai hydroelectric dam has been built, the flow is stable, the scenery of Hang Tien and Trung Do village on the Chay river is beautiful, many visitors have come, the people are very happy because they can return to their jobs.

Currently, in Bao Nhai and Coc Ly communes, there are 20 boats operating to pick up and drop off tourists, each boat can accommodate up to 10 passengers. All boats are equipped with life jackets. Tourists will experience sitting on a boat to enjoy the river about 3km, the travel time is about 30 minutes. The price of each boat is 500,000 VND (including round trip). After the experience of watching the river on the boat, tourists can bathe in the cool water; prepare their own lunch with snacks right on the riverbank.

A homestay owner in Trung Do village, Bao Nhai commune said that before the dam was built, the beautiful mountain scenery, the gentle river flow, the Trung Do - Hang Tien Bao Nhai tour and upstream to Coc Ly to go to the market attracted many visitors. Then, the dam was built to make Coc Ly hydropower plant for many years, causing this tour to disappear. People working in homestays and river transport services lost their jobs, some went to Bac Ha to do tourism, others stayed in their hometowns to farm, life was difficult. Now that Bao Nhai 1 hydropower plant has dammed water, this tour is operating again and we have jobs and income again. Hopefully there will be more visitors and the homestay will try to ensure good service for visitors.

With beautiful poetic scenery, clear and cool water of Chay River, the experience of cruising on Chay River is becoming an attractive destination for locals and tourists. To protect the tourism environment, tourism workers also recommend that locals and tourists when visiting and experiencing need to be aware of maintaining public hygiene, not throwing waste into the river; always wear a life jacket when the boat is moving to prevent drowning.

Currently at Bac Ha Hydropower Plant, the water rises to form a large lake, boats can travel easily, attracting more and more tourists, especially on Tuesdays and weekends where people visit Coc Ly market. Therefore, Bao Nhai Commune has a plan to restore this tourist route.

To restore this once famous tourist route, Bao Nhai commune also has a policy and plan to establish a new boat dock starting at Trung Do village, organize a number of local traditional festivals associated with Trung Do temple, combined with the landscape and national cultural identity to create highlights to attract tourists such as: the army celebration ceremony in July every year, the festival "Going to the fields" at the beginning of the first month of the year, the boat racing festival... This will be an opportunity for Bao Nhai to exploit its inherent potential strengths to develop the economy, when the tourist route on Chay River is restored.

Source: https://privatesapatours.com/news/conquering-chay-river-from-trung-do-to-coc-ly-market.php

Vietnam train travel - a journey connecting heritage regions

With over 100 years of history, Vietnam Railways has accompanied many ups and downs of Vietnam history. Entering a new stage of development, the mission of the railway industry is now not only a means of transportation, but also brings special experiences, helping visitors explore the natural beauty, culture and history of each land, becoming a journey to discover the beauty of the country's heritage. tailor-made Vietnam tours

Coming to Da Lat city, a place that tourists cannot miss in their journey to explore this land is Da Lat station - the starting point of the Da Lat - Trai Mat railway line with a length of 6.7km, the remaining part of the 84km Thap Cham - Da Lat line, connecting Ninh Thuan province with Lam Dong, put into operation in 1932, built by the French.

This is the only unique cog railway in Vietnam and one of the two most beautiful cog railways in the world (along with the Swiss railway).

With a train journey of about 1 hour (30 minutes on the way there and 30 minutes on the way back), the train speed is slow, during the day, visitors can comfortably relax and admire the poetic beauty of Da Lat, and at night, the beauty of the city of flowers is really magical and different.

The main building of Da Lat station is built with three stylized pyramidal roofs symbolizing the three peaks of Langbiang mountain, the middle peak has a large clock, the building was recognized as a special national monument by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2001.

Mr. Dang Hieu Dan, who has many years of experience in teaching in the railway field, said: "Along with Da Lat station with its mountain-shaped architecture and the communal house roof of the Central Highlands people, Thap Tram - Da Lat railway has a sawtooth-shaped track to be able to cross the mountain ranges. This project has a unique design similar to the railway line in Switzerland crossing the Alps."

Different from the bustling and crowded Da Lat, when coming to Trai Mat, visitors can feel the gentle, peaceful atmosphere with pine hills rustling in the wind, the poetic scenery captivates people.

Before boarding the train, visitors can freely visit and check-in at Da Lat station - a unique ancient architectural work inspired by the legendary Langbiang mountain and the traditional Central Highlands communal house roof or check-in at ancient train cars in Indochina style.

On "Da Lat Night Journey", in addition to enjoying music, visitors can also enjoy a dinner party upon request.

A tourist from Ho Chi Minh City said: "The experience of the Da Lat - Trai Mat tourist train reminded me of a historical period. Listening to songs praising the poetic land of peach blossoms and enjoying unique cuisine gave me an interesting feeling."

Another tourist from Can Tho, said: "Da Lat Station is more than beautiful. I hope that services like this will continue to be experienced by many tourists to feel the beauty of the country."

Da Lat night journey is a tourism product that the railway industry has put into operation to continue to bring passengers new experiences, feel the beauty of Da Lat at night, contribute to diversifying services and developing local tourism.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province said: "Da Lat Station is associated with a historical story, the train station system of Da Lat City is currently an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Therefore, this is the lever and premise contributing to the economic development of the city, in line with the policy of the Provincial Party Committee and the City Party Committee in developing high-quality tourism".

Train connecting central heritage

If "Da Lat Night Journey" allows visitors to visit Da Lat city by the only unique cog railway in Vietnam, the tourist train connecting Hue - Da Nang named "Connecting Central Heritage" helps visitors have more interesting experiences on the journey to visit and experience heritage destinations and tourist attractions in the central region.

The train "Connecting Central Heritage" was put into operation on March 26, 2024, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Thua Thien Hue. This is a transport business product combined with the exploitation of tourism, history and culture services.

With a travel time of about 3 hours, the train will take visitors through Hai Van Pass - known as "The most majestic pass in Vietnam" to Da Nang - a city with many beautiful beaches.

Train number HD1 consists of 10 carriages, including 2 community carriages serving Hue cuisine and Hue folk songs. The two carriages are decorated by Vietnam Railways in the traditional style of ancient royal courts.

The train is equipped with soft, air-conditioned seats, placed next to the windows for visitors to enjoy the scenery along the railway line considered the most beautiful in Vietnam, connecting Hue - Da Nang.

On this train, Hue singing artists will perform Nam Binh, Phu Luc, Co Ban… to serve tourists. Next to this carriage is the culinary carriage, with a series of Hue cakes and fruits such as: Banh It, Cha Lua, Nem Hue… along with drinks for tourists to freely choose on this heritage journey.

Source: https://tailormadevietnamholidays.com/travel_news/vietnam-railways-opens-unique-tourism-products.htm

Attending cherry blossom festival in Halong

On March 22, the Cherry Blossom Festival was held in Ky Thuong Commune, Halong City (Quang Ninh Province). This is the first festival organized by the Halong City People's Committee, aiming to contribute to maintaining and promoting the nation's fine traditional cultural values, creating unique products to promote, promote and attract tourists to Halong City in general and Ky Thuong Commune in particular. Halong cruise tours

The festival will take place over 2 days, including outstanding activities such as: Planting cherry blossom trees; visiting cherry blossom displays and exhibitions, booths displaying and selling OCOP products and some booths displaying and selling products of typical households and businesses in the city; cultural and sports exchange activities taking place during the festival; experiencing Kimono costumes (Japan) and costumes of ethnic groups in Halong city; bamboo dancing exchange; crossbow shooting, stick pushing, stilt walking performance, and traditional costume embroidery.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Thuong Commune, Halong City said: "The festival is organized to concretize the project of Halong - the city of flowers and festivals. To develop tourism in Ky Thuong Commune associated with exploiting the cherry blossom landscape, the People's Committee of Halong City has approved 2 detailed plans with a total expected area of  planting landscape forests and cherry blossom trees of about 30.8 hectares (at Dong Cut Hamlet Tourism Service Area, Khe Tre Village about 8.86 hectares and Khe Tre Hamlet Tourism Service Area, Khe Tre Village about 22 hectares). The future orientation is to create a flower forest in Ky Thuong Commune, aiming to exploit this area to become a large landscape park typical of the area associated with experiential activities, such as: sightseeing, adventure sports activities, camping activities, festivals, conferences, film studios, and nature museums.

Ky Thuong cherry blossom area is a new and promising eco-tourism project in Halong, accompanied by leading Japanese companies specializing in cherry blossom planting. About 100 cherry blossom trees have been planted and are growing well.

By organizing the cherry blossom festival, Halong city hopes that Ky Thuong will become an attractive destination, attracting tourists, enriching resources and unique tourism products; contributing to introducing to tourists from all over the world, besides Halong Bay - a heritage and natural wonder of the world, the city is also very attractive because of the pristine and majestic beauty of the mountainous area in the North of the city. Through the festival, it contributes to bringing the image and culture of the Dao ethnic group to many tourists, bringing the beauty of Japan to the majority of people in Halong city. At the same time, it strengthens the great solidarity of ethnic groups, creates a joyful and exciting atmosphere, enriching the spiritual life of the people.

Ky Thuong is located in the highest area of the highland communes of Halong city, with a population of nearly 900 people, of which over 98% are Dzao people. In addition to its biodiversity value, Ky Thuong commune is also considered a locality with natural tourism resources, with many high mountain ranges, many systems of rivers, lakes, streams, and vertical waterfalls, interspersed with vast green forests, creating a natural landscape of "beautiful mountains and rivers", with a cool climate all year round.

Source: https://halong-tour.com/travelnews/cherry-blossom-festival-in-halong-city.php