Gao Giong Eco-tourist site (Vietnamese: Khu du lịch sinh thái Gáo Giống) covers 7 hectares and is located within a 1,700-hectare cajuput forest. This tourist area is an ideal destination for sightseeing, camping, and enjoying the local life in the Mekong Delta. This is one of the few ecological zones that retain nearly all of the Southern region’s wild features and is known as the “miniature Plain of Reeds”.
What is the best time to visit Gao Giong?
The ideal time to travel to Gao Giong is from September to November, when the Mekong Delta River is at its highest. During this time, water covers the fields, turning Gao Giong into an oasis amid vast water. Furthermore, a thousand types of flowers, such as Sesbania sesban, red water lily, giant Crape-myrtle, and lotus, are blossoming, creating romantic, colourful natural paintings rarely seen elsewhere.
airy scenery in Gao Giong
However, Gao Giong is an ideal camping site for young people during the dry season.
The thing to do at the Gao Giong Eco-tourist site?
The attraction of wild nature attracts a large number of visitors to Dong Thap Province. Visitors can go to this site by land or by boat. And below are some things visitors should try when they have a chance to visit.
Admire a great view of Gao Giong from an 18-meter observatory
Before entering the bird sanctuary, visitors can climb to an 18-meter-high observatory to enjoy the entire bird sanctuary. It’s amazing, as you can observe a magnificent view of the wildlife from a certain altitude. At dawn or sunset, tourists can see flocks of white strokes flying to search for food and return to their nests.
The white strokes stand out against the green forest, creating a beautiful scenery.
Explore the Bird Sanctuary
Gao Giong Eco-tourist site has a bird yard of about 40 hectares with over 200 bird species, notably Asian openbill, little egret, phalacrocorax niger, mallard, whistling ducks… Some of these species are listed in Vietnam’s Red Data Book, such as the Asian openbill, Otididae.
The area is also home to tens of thousands of white storks, making this the largest stork garden in the Plain of Reeds.
A sightseeing trip by boat
It’s exactly a wooden sampan rowing you along crisscrossing canals, deep into the mangrove forests. The fresh air and calm will help relax and let your mind dip into a comfortable state.
This is also the best way for tourists who want to explore bird habitats or get closer to the flora in this area.
Traditional folk games
It’s possible to experience the life and culture of the Mekong Delta through traditional folk games at Gao Giong Eco-tourist site. For those who prefer quietness, fishing is another way to relax.
However, if you want something more enjoyable and dynamic, try catching fish by net, draining ditches for fish and especially running and catching rats on the rice field.
Enjoy specialities
Gao Giong is also known for its plentiful resources of aquatic products, including snakeheads, anabas and notopteridae. It can be turned out to be many delicious dishes, and some of them you should try whenever you have a chance to come here, such as smoked snakehead wrapped in young lotus leaves, sweet and sour soup with cork flowers and Henicorhynchus, grilled snake…
smoked snakehead wrapped in young lotus leaves dish
Useful information
- Location: Hamlet 6, Phong My Commune, Dong Thap Province.
- Best for family, solo, and couples
- Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 – 18:00
- Other tourist spots nearby: Xẻo Quyét Relic Area, Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House, Sa Đéc flower gardens, Tràm Chim National Park, The tomb of Nguyễn Sinh Sắc, Kiến An Cung temple…
Source: collected by An
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