top of page
Search

Chau Doc An Giang - A Palmyra paradise, Idyllic town - ultimate travel guide

Updated: 3 days ago

Chau Doc is our favorite Mekong Delta's destination, we recommended to many friends and guests to come here.


Chau Doc is part of An Giang Province, sharing a border with Cambodia. The town is known for its scenic Palmyra palm fields interwoven with Rice paddies, traditional Cham villages, and the renowned Tra Su Cajuput Forest.


ree

Although it is a bit far away if traveling from Sai Gon (6-7 hrs), or Ben Tre (5-6 hrs), Can Tho (3 hrs), but it might by worthy to visit if you are a nature & local life lovers. To get to Chau Doc, it is not too difficult to catch a public bus. We made a detailed blogs on this: https://www.mekongzigzag.com/mekong-delta-public-bus


ree

Alternatively, if you prefer, we can arrange a taxi from anywhere in Vietnam to Chau Doc for you with a fair price. You can contact us via WhatsApp to ask the price: +84985222917


WEATHEr IN CHAU DOC


Pretty hot and dry. Very sunny. Much dryer than coastal provinces in Mekong Delta like Ben Tre for example. Sometimes scorching hot. But during late afternoon and night time is breezy.


→ Tip: Bring sunscreen, sun cream, water, and a light scarf or hat for sun protection. And don’t forget your camera - this town is incredibly photogenic!



Scenic & Cultural SPOTS IN CHAU DOC


🅐 Palmyra palm fields interwoven with Rice paddies

This is the highlight of Chau Doc in my opinion. A very unique, beautiful natural angle of Mekong Delta that not many people know of. And yes, 80% if you travel here, you won't see any other tourists around.

This photo I took is at this exact destination on google map. You can get there by foot, scooter or bicycles, not by taxi. There is no name destination on google map, so you just go there and enjoy the nature by yourself :D




If you have been to our friend's organic coconut factory in Ben Tre: here, did you know that those candies are also made from an important ingredient from this tree? That is: Palmyra sugar.


Whenever we and our friends visited this area, we loved buying Palmyra nectar straight from the locals. In the early morning, we’d watch them stir the nectar over wood-fired stoves, the sweet aroma filling the air, and taste it fresh, warm, and delicious right on the spot. Watching them work was truly moving. Harvesting the nectar is far from easy - they climb 20-meter-tall trees on tiny handmade bamboo ladders in the morning, then carefully cook it and sell it for low price. Yet, despite the tough work, they remain humble, kind, and welcoming, making every visit feel personal and memorable.



🅑 Ba Chuc Cemetery (Nhà Mồ Ba Chúc)

is a solemn memorial in An Giang Province, Vietnam, honoring the victims of the 1978 Khmer Rouge massacre. Visitors can see rows of graves and memorials, learn about the tragic events, and reflect on the resilience of the local community. It is a place of remembrance and respect.


The Ba Chuc Massacre was a tragic event that took place in 1978 when the Khmer Rouge attacked villages in Ba Chuc, An Giang Province, Vietnam. Thousands of civilians including men, women, and children were killed. It is one of the largest massacres along the Vietnam–Cambodia border. Today, Ba Chuc Cemetery (Nhà Mồ Ba Chúc) serves as a memorial site, honoring the victims and reminding visitors of this painful chapter in history.




🅒 LOCAL MARKET OUTSIDE Ba Chuc Cemetery


After our visit in Ba Chuc cemetery (late afternoon), we came across a super vibrant, local, authentic, no-tourist-around market. There are many students and parents stopped by to buy groceries. The scenery is just so country-side like, and make our trip even more spontaneous and interesting.

Along the market street, there are many traditional wooden houses too. We are so in love with those designs and couldn't help ourselves from stopping by to contemplate.





🅓 Cham Village - Chau Phong


Chau Phong Cham Village in An Giang is home to the Cham community, who have preserved their unique culture and way of life. Many villagers make their living by weaving traditional fabrics, and you’ll see several small mosques where locals practice Islam, often wearing headscarves in the traditional style. Life here is simple - most families are modest, and many live in beautifully designed wooden stilt houses by the river, that have stood for generations.


The community has its own language, but they also understand Vietnamese. One local specialty not to miss is their traditional Palmyra cake (bánh bò thốt nốt), a sweet treat made from local ingredients. Visiting Chau Phong gives a quiet, authentic glimpse into a culture that has endured through time.


To get to this village, you have to take the ferry (if you stay on the other side of the river) to cross the river. Once you arrive the port, you can easily walk, wander through the Chau Phong or Cham Village, visiting traditional fabric-weaving house, traditional Palmyra cake street vendor, contemplating stilt traditional houses and Islam mosques.




🅔 Tra su Cajuput forest - rUng Tram Tra Su

Tra Su Cajuput Forest is a stunning seasonal wetland located in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Well-known for its vast green cajuput trees, winding waterways, and rich biodiversity, it is a peaceful haven for birdwatching and boat tours. The forest is especially beautiful during the flooding season, when the water reflects the lush greenery, creating a serene and picturesque landscape.


Though this is a famous destination spot in Chau Doc, but it's not too crowded (at least on our traveling date). Its touristy is acceptable, a very well-preserved natural forest and worth-visting.


You can get there by taxi or scooter. Simply park outside and buy tickets to entrance. A boat trip through the forest and some spare time to walk and explore by foot are recommended.




🅕 The abandoned mountain - Nui Cam


Nui Cam, also known as The Abandoned Mountain, is the highest peak in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Rising majestically near Chau Doc, it is famous for its scenic hiking trails, panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, and peaceful atmosphere. The mountain is also home to Buddhist temples, pagodas, and serene forests, making it a popular destination for both nature lovers and spiritual travelers.


We actually didn't go there due to lack of time. But it is seems pretty inviting to visit based on others reviews. This is a very high area with clean and a bit chilling atmosphere. You can watch sunrise or sunset here, definitely has to stay there 1 night. But if I'm not mistaken, you have to buy an entrance ticket to be able to get into this area. And you could only go up the mountain via their scooter drivers (you sit behind them). You might want to check this information with you hotel/ homestay for assurance.


I haven't stay here, but I found this homestay on Nui Cam, looks pretty inviting, you might want to check it out:



Where to eat in Chau Doc

To be honest, it was not easy to find a good restaurant in Chau Doc (for our experience). We found some "ok" local restaurants, it's very local-oriented, well, so could be a local experience for you to try out ^^


Besides, we found a very welcoming lady who sell the traditional cake of Chau Doc: sweet palmyra cake (Banh Bo Thot Not), in the Cham Village. You'd definitely want to try out, location is pinned below.


🅖 Quan Hang Dua (means Coconut row restaurant)

On the way from Chau Doc Palmyra fields back, we were so hungerry so we bumped into this restaurant. Turn out their fried tofu and chicken dishes are pretty tasty.


That's us on an exhausted day haha
That's us on an exhausted day haha
Chicken with lemon grass and lime leaves: very Vietnamese ^^
Chicken with lemon grass and lime leaves: very Vietnamese ^^


🅗 Thot not cake by Mrs. Rafiah





🅘 Sweet soups - Local dessert at night time

We are Asian, so sweet soups are always our go-to dessert, especially after a savory meal during a hot day. This sweet soup vendor is street food. It is clean yet very cheap price, they have spacious vendor space to sit (Vietnamese stools). It could be a totally local experience for you to try out.




Where to stay in Chau Doc - An Giang


  1. Dong Xanh Hotel

    Average, clean, spacious, low price, acceptable, good location. And they have scooters for rent. We stayed here for 2 nights.

~500.000 - 600.000 vnd/ night/ 2 person


  1. Victoria Chau Doc hotel

    Could be the most standard, clean, international hotel possible in Chau Doc, good location. We didn't stay here, but we reccommend for you.

~1.900.000vnd/ night/ 2 person


  1. Shelter hometstay - a home away from home

    We didn't stay here yet we see lots of good reviews, good location. So we just gonna leave it here on our blog for you to refer to.

    📍View on map


Final Thoughts

Chau Doc, An Giang may not be on every traveler’s radar, but that’s exactly why you should go. Just 5-6 hours away from Ben Tre or Saigon, it offers an idyllic, culturally rich experience that captures the soul of the Mekong Delta. Whether you’re into nature, history, culture, quiet countryside roads, or meaningful cultural interactions, Chau Doc is absolutely worth the detour.



 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page